Beware of Sarah Raven

[Cr01ssant55]

They are sending out plants that aren’t those ordered without informing customers , they’re impossible to contact and don’t reply when you do. Lots of issues online with quality too.

Im actually really shocked with what they’re getting away with. I have two sets of plants that are absolutely not what I ordered and others I’m questioning. I complained re one set weeks ago and they haven’t replied. They’re impossible to contact. Went online and found loads of disgruntled customers with really poor plants pictured.

Crossing them off my list. Thank you.

I've used Crocus in the past and they were brill.

Missing parts of the order, plants were terrible quality and subsequently died despite cosseting in the glasshouse.
Their customer service was non existent.

Never again.

I waited 2.5 months for something the website said was in stock when I ordered it. Chased the delivery several times and then finally received a smaller than ordered plant. It didn’t have any identification label on it and is definitely not what I ordered. Got a refund when I complained. I had delivery and quality issues last year too so won’t be using them in the future.

That's the RHS. Buying something specific from a world-renowned horticultural society's website isn't quite the same as your regular online retailer.

Besides, most people have access to a car, or can ask an enthusiastic gardening friend or neighbout if they can come along next time they visit a garden centre.

They are blatant crooks and having ordered a lot from them in the past I never will again. There are several things I’m convinced are not what they’re claiming them to be and 2 that I am going to pursue as they’re still in pots. I don’t want the colours and variety they have sent. I don’t care what caveat they put I am surely entitled to what I ordered and they have said I’ve been sold. If they are sending alternatives they need to tell you,not least before sending them or they are breaking the trades description act.

@Yamadori sorry to burst your bubble but a lot of people don't have access to cars or 'enthusiastic gardening friends'
Why should they be excluded from buying the plants they want?

But many garden centres don’t sell a lot of varieties and ours aren’t great quality, it is also expensive. Crocus is so much better. Sarah Raven was passable until the quality went down and they now mis sell you. You now basically have no idea what you’re ordering and could get anything. Who wants that?I also had big quality issues this year with scraps sold as plants in near death condition on arrival.

Me too. I had a very bad experience with Sarah Raven a few years ago never again.

Agree this year has been absolutely terrible and I won't be using them again. The whole thing is a massive marketing exercise with no focus on the quality of the plants and they have hugely over extended themselves.

My sweet pea seeds did not germinate, the lavender has died, the container plants have not thrived at all, 2 of 5 dahlias did not sprout and that's without the delays to delivery, things arriving at random and the total lack of customer service when you try to complain.

Perhaps I'm lucky where I live then, because I can immediately think of at least a dozen garden centres within about a 15 mile radius of here, some of which are big chains and have a quick turnaround with fresh stock all the time. There's also a massive commercial nursery which sells to the general public as well as trade, and several smaller independents who grow a lot of stuff themselves.

When I look at the prices of online retailers (generally after having read threads on MN such as this one), they are usually at least double the price of what I know I could pay locally.

We also have pretty much every supermarket selling stuff, plus DIY stores and B&M. There must be 20 of them at least in the surrounding towns.

Can you go via your credit card provider and get your money back.
I ordered from Farmer Grace this year and everything has been great. Really healthy plants and the first dahlias I’ve managed to get to flower!

Alll of this! The blatant dishonesty and complaints avoidance though is shocking . I don’t know how Sarah Raven can let her name be used for the company. I’d be so ashamed.

Of my dahlias that have flowered so far from SR, 4 out of 6 are nothing like they should be. I'm not normally that bothered as long as they flower well, but these were chosen for a reason this year, and I get that there are some chances of throw backs, but it seems crazy. Farmer Gracy wasn't much better last year. The best for growth have been random from B and Q, and some old Wilko ones.

I've also had poor plants from Sarah Raven.
Hayloft, on the other hand were great. I got some helianthemums from them last year & they've been fantastic. I'd definitely buy from them again

I've used Sarah Raven twice.
The first time I bought an expensive Gardenia. When it arrived I was shocked how small it was, spent ages tending it carefully and it never really thrived.

Second time I bought candles on line for a friend. They arrived broken and I had a Dickens of a job getting replacements. Their customer service people were hard to access, brusque and insisted I should pursue the delivery people until I insisted my deal was with them.

Never again. She's a triumph of marketing and clever photography over any kind of substance.

Perhaps I'm lucky where I live then, because I can immediately think of at least a dozen garden centres within about a 15 mile radius

Yes, you are very lucky. We have one excellent family nursery near us, and I’ve just discovered a new one nearby. The next one is just over 15 miles away.

The best supermarket for plants is Morrisons, which is 16 miles away.

I normally grow my own flowers and veg, so buy seeds so I can get what I want.

I did succumb to the temptation of some pre planted pot fillers from Crocus this year, and I’ve been very pleased. When they are finished I’ll separate out the fuchsias and pelargoniums to reuse next year.

I think they send alternatives because most people don’t want the bother and expense of returning plants and they get to keep your money and use up their less popular stock.
Have you left a Trustpilot review. Most companies customer services will at least reply to those and you can leave your comments to their reply.
i have always thought Sarah Raven were a cut above so thank you for your post.
They Shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it so if it’s too late for you to return plants and get a refund keep spreading the word.

Sarah Raven is awful.

I know - I really do know - that not everyone can travel, but - rather than going to garden centres, it's really worth looking at local plant nurseries. Your average garden centre buys in plants; they won't grow them, and the probably won't care for them well. Independent plant nurseries will often bend over backwards to help, because their focus is generally on the plants.

I too have now given up on Sarah Raven having used them for many years. This year was appalling. Delivery dates for ordered plants kept going back and back. Tried to contact customer services but only accepting emails and took nearly two weeks to respond. I did in the end get refunds but that’s not great when you have got gaps in your garden waiting for plants that never materialise. Never again.

I ordered from them earlier this year (January). Half of the items, due for arrival in May, never turned up. The rest were dead. I tried for two months to get a response. When I emailed them to say I would dispute the payment with my bank, I got a response the next day.

To those saying use a TrustPilot review...they're using AI to reply to them. Look at the replies - they're all the same and don't answer any of the specific issues.

Crocus are good. Stingy with offers but I can live with that if I get good quality, variety and what I order!!!!

Don’t buy the potted narcissist or hyacinths for Christmas presents- you can’t water them because they’re grown in a sandy substance that’s heaped up so the water just runs off and, because they were growing in a container you can’t stand them in water either. They certainly weren’t cheap and I didn’t get any results from complaining.
The 10 dahlia tubers I oh so carefully nurtured? Not one grew.
Never again.

Sarah Raven seeds either don't germinate, or do but feebly and then die after a little straggle.

I’ve never seen so many complaints from one company . I had experience twice , once a Xmas gift never turned up then told it was out of stock , took blooming ages for the refund . Then plants I’d ordered were delayed and delayed and eventuality they arrived in a shocking state , managed to revive them , they flowered for a month or so then died . Arrived too late in the season . Will never buy from her again . We also went to one of her Perch Hill days out costing £250 inc lunch and her head gardener was wonderful but Sarah herself couldn’t have been less interested , a very bland get me out of here presentation . All hype no substance