For us quality is everything – we want you to be completely happy with the plants you buy from us. We take special care in the way we grow and pack and deliver our plants to ensure they reach you in the same condition (or as near to as possible) as they left the nursery. However, even with all the best care in the world unforeseen circumstances can happen. Please read below to understand our approach should something go wrong.


What to do where something is wrong / isn’t as expected

Please contact us as soon as possible if the plant(s) you’ve received wasn’t the same plant you bought, was otherwise as expected, or if the plant(s) has arrived damaged or dead. In most cases we will of course be only too glad to make good on this – either by sending out replacements (where available) or by issuing a full refund, including of the postage you’ve paid.

Please be aware that a postal box is not a plant’s natural environment, and that even with the very best packaging plants will want some fresh air and light when they arrive! This might mean that occasionally plants arrive looking less than a picture of perfect health, especially if there has been a delay during delivery or in removing the plant from the box. In such circumstances we recommend you give your plant(s) a bit of time and TLC upon arrival. We’re happy to advise if you’re unsure how to give your plants the best start.

If you do contact us about an issue we may ask you for a photograph of your plants as this helps us assess potential causes and allows us to minimise the chances of the same problem re-occuring. However we’re not asking you to prove your unhappiness, or that the plant is dead! As gardeners ourselves we have been on the receiving end of suspicious customer service departments and we know it’s frustrating. On the other hand through experience we know there is often information we can give or things that can be done to remedy any concerns you may have, and a photograph can help us to do that.

If after your best efforts and a little time you’re still not happy with the health and condition of your plants please get in touch and we will arrange to replace them or refund you.

In reviewing your new plants, we would ask you to please be aware that the condition of the top-growth of a plant varies during the season, and so you should expect some variation, particularly for deciduous or semi-evergreen plants ordered early in the year or in late summer, autumn and winter. If you have ordered plants at this time and are not happy with the condition of the top-growth, despite the plant being otherwise healthy (check the roots), you are still welcome to return the plants for a refund under certain circumstances – please see ‘Changing your mind after delivery’ below for more information.


Cancellations of orders

If you wish to cancel your order you can do so anytime before we arrange for delivery of the plants. Please contact us on info@crossgatenursery.co.uk to cancel your order as soon as possible. Once we have arranged for delivery we are unlikely to be able to cancel your order.

If you wish to cancel after this point you can decide to refuse delivery, which should result in the plant being returned to us at no extra cost to you. However, please be aware that we need to receive the plant back in a re-saleable condition to offer a refund in such circumstances. If you wish to cancel at any other point please read the section on returns below.


Changing your mind after delivery

We recognise that you may sometimes change your mind and want to return the plant(s) for a refund, even where there is nothing wrong. We will always do our best to accommodate this.

However, please be aware that plants are perishable items and therefore exempt from the usual distance selling regulations that permit returns for any reason within 14 days. This is because if enough care isn’t taken over the return process it’s perfectly possible that the plants we receive back are not in a re-saleable condition. In general, therefore, we encourage you to be as certain as possible that you are ordering the plant(s) you want before placing an order with us. 

If you do change your mind, please be aware that while we will always refund you for the cost of the plant should we receive it returned in a re-saleable condition in a timely manner, we can’t refund the original postage costs nor cover the cost of return postage. 

We would ask you to follow the advice below to maximise the chance of us receiving the plant back in a re-saleable condition:

• Get in touch with us to let us know and arrange for a return within 14 days of receipt. We can’t accept returns if they’ve been posted more than 14 days after they were received.

• Please also don’t return plants without getting in touch with us first. There are circumstances, for example, where we may want to advise you to delay returning the plants (such as during extreme weather or serious postal strikes). Unfortunately we can’t issue refunds if we haven’t agreed on a return first.

• Until we receive the returned plant(s) they are your responsibility. This means that for as long as the plant is in your hands we’d suggest you do all you can to take good care of the plant. 14 days without water left in full sun in a warm spell is plenty long enough to kill a plant!

• Please ensure the plant(s) is packaged effectively. We recommend if at all possible using the same packaging the plant(s) was delivered in. We carefully select box sizes, for instance, to ensure the plant doesn’t get thrown around and damaged in transit, and if you can’t use the same packaging then try to use something as close as possible to the packaging it arrived in. For your protection and peace of mind you may want to use a recorded delivery service to return goods.

If plants are damaged as a result of a lack of care or poor packaging by you we reserve the right to withhold a percentage of the refund value if the item needs to be reduced in price for resale.

If anything about this policy isn’t clear or you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at info@crossgatenursery.co.uk.