Claire Austin Reviews

I have had very poor service from this nursery. Earlier this year I purchased several plants including two of Erysimum Bowles Mauve. None of the plants were outstanding but one the Bowles Mauve was just a stalk with the leaves lying on the pot and the other was a weak plant that couldn’t survive. Sadly they were rotted at the base of the stems. I immediately took a picture and contacted Claire Austin to be told by the person there that I should try with the plants because they may be okay. They weren’t! I have just been sent replacements for the Erysimums. The nursery should be ashamed of the condition of the poor things. Both are small, weak and once again, the stems joining the roots appear to be rotting. I shall of course try to make something of the plants but I strongly advise against using this company. I certainly will not do so again.

My order was dealt with very fast. Plants arrived today and I am delighted. They are big strong healthy plants and I am totally delighted. Excellent quality and fab service. Recommend this supplier.

Atrocious customer service and very poor quality plants.
They mess you around via emails. I purchased phlox 'Blue Paradise' and an Iris plant. Only one plant has done well. The others not well and one particularly didn't grow at all. I wrote to them and they told me to just cut it down, and the last bit of that I was told to keep now had slug damage. I understand that's not their fault but according to their website, this plant is easy to grow and should be flowering soon..now they tell me, it will come back in a couple of months.
Very poor customer service. They seem to take joy out of giving poor advice. Don't buy from them. They aren't good like David Austin.

I’ve just received my replacement order because the courier failed to find my house and the initial plants were not looking good after a week in transit. This was not helped by incomplete addressing by Claire Austin. I planted the 9cm plants to find they were predominantly plugs that had been put in 9cm pots with fresh compost. Consequently the compost fell away revealing the plugs. Not what you expect when buying 9cm plants. Crocus may be more expensive but the quality is vastly superior.

Have just received 6 lovely healthy plants from Claire Austin.
It was a very good experience from start to finish.

Before ordering my plants. Expensive for what they are and one of them arrived dead with no living root system.
Company has not responded to my email requesting a replacement or refund for this dead plant.
Will not be buying from this company again.
Avoid...

There are many excellent suppliers of healthy plants, I buy from a number of them. Sadly my experience with Claire Austin was more than disappointing. The plant that arrived was so tiny, no root system and will not survive, I was more than shocked when I unpacked it. When I contacted Claire Austin their tone is that you as the customer no nothing about horticulture, so just plant it, it's early in the season. I will not purchase from them again, please think carefully as it may not be a joyous experience when you open the box.

Just received my order and as many have mentioned, I've paid for 6 pots of compost, the plants are barely visible and need a microscope to see them.
Don't want to hear they aren't forced etc.
I should have shopped Dutch
Don't waste your money on this company

From start to finish (order to delivery) I would say was just over a week and with updates sent along the way. The plants arrived very well packaged and in exceptionally good condition! In these trying times to run a small business must be so difficult but to do it and excel is something else. Based on this experience I would recommend to others and return again myself. Thank you.

The six plants I ordered took 6 days in transit, two were very small, yellow and almost dead, the others were small, yellow, wilted and covered in brown spots. On pointing this out to Claire Austin I was told "just cut off the yellow leaves and they'll be fine". When I replied that I was disappointed with the quality of the plants and that if I cut off all the yellow leaves there would be little left I received no reply.
No apology, no offer of compensation and no courtesy

Positives : plants arrived on time and well packaged
Negatives : plants very small and I do not consider value for money. One plant was yellow and was just a tuft in the pot. I’ve heard their customer service is rubbish so I’m not going to contact them about it, I just won’t be a returning customer.

Plants arrived on time and very well packaged. Beautiful, strong and healthy plants, ready to plant out and as described. I will certainly use this nursery again.