Delivery FAQs

These FAQs relate to questions regarding orders received and the link to this page is provided in the paperwork enclosed in your box. If you are looking for more general FAQs, click here.

Q: Why are my plants looking different to what I was expecting?

A: First, please re-read the plant description on our website. Very often this will explain that the plant looks a particular way during a particular season. If not, please understand that the plants we sell have not just come off a boat from Holland, where they would have been grown in a super-controlled and protected environment (like the plants seen outside most supermarkets and DIY sheds). Such plants often don't survive long in British gardens. Our plants are moved outside at the earliest opportunity and are hardened off and 'toughened up' so that they can withstand the challenging conditions which can be experienced in our country. This means that they are allowed to follow their natural seasonal patterns and may not look their best at certain times of the year (for example when they have finished flowering, or in the middle of winter) - just like the existing plants in your garden. Our plants are perennial and will give you years of pleasure once they are established in your garden. Every plant that leaves the nursery is checked by two different people, both of whom have over 30 years experience of horticulture and one who is Royal Horticultural Society qualified in Horticulture. 

Q: I've received my order but one or more plants are missing.

A: Very occasionally we cannot supply a plant. Please read the information enclosed in your parcel. There is both an information letter and packing note which will provide more information. You will have been issued with a refund unless you specified that you were happy to receive substitutes. If your refund does not show on your account within 10 days, please contact us. 

Q: One or more of my plants seems very dry and/or is drooping. What should I do?

A: Please stand the pot in a tray of water for 2-3 hours. The plant should have picked up by the following morning. If not, please send us a clear photograph, with details of the problem. Most plants can withstand a short period of drought, provided that they are re-hydrated swiftly. 

Q: Why have my plants been cut back?

A: It is standard horticultural practice to cut plants back at various times in their life cycle (you may be familiar with the 'Chelsea Chop'), and this benefits the plants in several ways, including: 

• It removes old foliage and promotes new shoots, resulting in bushier plants and repeat flowering
• Plants which have flowered put most of their energy into setting seeds and this is not desirable in young plants
• It often results in a further crop of flowers and can prevent premature dormancy
• It is sometimes necessary to cut plants back because otherwise they get too big for their pot size
• Obviously, there is a limit to the size of plant we can pack/post. Flowering perennials are often 2-3' or more in summer.

Q: Why is there moss/algae on the compost?

A: As part of our water conservation efforts, we encourage the growth of moss/algae because it helps to retain moisture in the compost. It can also act as a weed and pest barrier.

Q: Why have you sent me a slug/greenfly/ant?

A: We follow the RHS best practice for pest control, which involves the use of natural predators and biological controls. This means that we are never completely clear of these pests, but we prefer this to the widespread use of chemicals. The RHS recognise that only a few varieties of slug damage living plants (the others eat only decaying matter). We do check the plants before sending, but it is not always possible to spot pests, especially slugs, which spend much of their time in the soil and may be triggered to come out in the dark of the box. You can read much more about our pest control methods in our environmental policy, which is available to read here.

Q: What is the 'UK Plant Passport' which is printed on your plant labels/packing slip?

A: Since 2020, anyone selling plants which are transported, must, by law be registered with APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) and be authorised by them to issue plant passports. This is for any plants posted/shipped from/to anywhere within the UK. If you ever receive plants from anyone without a plant passport (this includes anyone selling plants on eBay etc), you should be very concerned and report it to APHA. This government department is responsible for the tracking and control of plant diseases which, as we have seen recently with Ash Die Back Disease, can devastate our gardens, countryside and wildlife. As an authorised 'authority' to issue passports, our nursery is subject to regular inspections (which we have to pay for), by APHA. Plant Passports may be printed on individual plant labels OR enclosed information, or both. Plant Passports do NOT mean that the plants have been imported!

Q: Can you send me a catalogue?

A: Sorry, we do not print a catalogue. All our plants are detailed on our website.

Q: One or more of my plants needs to be protected from frost/hardened off, what does this mean?

A: Some plants will have come out of a polytunnel, either because they are young, or because they may be tender until established in the ground. We will have indicated this on your packing note/included information. You will need to continue to protect the plants from hard frost until such time as the last frosts have passed. In most cases they will not require protection in subsequent winters (unless the plant details on our website says that they are tender). Please remember that these are still outdoor plants, so they require good ventilation when kept inside. 

If your question isn't answered here, please feel free to drop us an email.