RHS Reviews 254

Disappointing response by the RHS who I contacted to ask if I was able to a) either have a refund or transfer my Chelsea show tickets and b) to pause my membership/ cancel due to an unexpected serious illness - this is in stark contrast to other companies who have been very understanding, helpful and flexible . Having lodged a complaint have not been contacted.

Chelsea Flower Show 2023
Been to the Chelsea Flower Show today, absolute diabolical rip off £33 for 2 Pimm’s - plastic beakers full of ice this is just outrageous, didn't realise until the notification came through on my card app later. my fault for not checking the price thought I would be paying an unreasonable price but! It was bad enough you could hardly move for the number of people at the show through over selling! We won't be going again.

Malvern show £26.50 to see 6 small show gardens, the rest was plant sales or burger bars - what a waste of money.

Bought tickets for Malvern Spring Show with ticket protection and unfortunately had to cancel. They wouldn't give us our money back even though we had a valid reason. Seems money is more important to RHS then it's reputation and customers. Never again!

Ordered a Rose and a Hibiscus. The Hibiscus was smaller that expected but the Rose was in a terrible condition and appeared to have Rose rust a fungal disease that produces an Orange fungus on the leaves. This was sent to me despite their website stating all plants are inspected prior to despatch. The unbelievable “expert” response was that this was to be expected and to take off and burn the leaves!!

Having booked for the last 3 years to attend the Malvern Spring show with no issues this year we booked requested as always the GOLD Parking indeed the system indicated booked as it always did, continued to pay all ok BUT when the tickets arrived NO gold parking pass I telephoned only to be told I did not book gold Parking and I should have checked before I purchased the Tickets (Indeed I should) there was nothing they could do as all Gold parking is FULL
Tough better luck next year they said.

Well let me tell you there is no next year if this how we are to be treated indeed if you check the website NOW it tells you when booking Gold parking its booked but fails to add to tickets given we trust THE RHS this underhanded thus our ticket to us is now not useable (13293945) £62.25 down the drain.

We bought six plants from the RHS on 22nd April. We received 5 but money was taken for the whole set. Complete cost to us was £150.97 but plant with price £79.99 was missing. Two of the plants we received are in a poor condition. We complained to them about all the money being taken before the plant had been delivered and also about the poor condition of two plants (with photo's). We also asked to cancel the order for the undelivered plant. No response from them and then three days later we receive notification that they are sending us the plant that we asked them to cancel the order for. All of this goes against their own policies (such as cancelling an order within 14 days, getting back to customers within 72 hours). Wish now we had just gone to a local garden centre for our plants. The only customer service we have received so far is from the automatic e-mail response

RHS Wisley used to be a wonderful place to go. The gardens are still beautiful and so well cared for. Unfortunately the other jewel in the crown - the tearoom is no more. To explain how this lovely experience has been destroyed would take too long so here are a few highlights. Dirty, unwelcoming, grey, overflowing bins given star placing at the cafe doors, sour staff, no crockery, no teapots, sad choice of food. No lovely plants around the place. It felt like an unloved corporate canteen. Oh RHS Wisley - stop planting trees in squares of gravel and get back to what you used to do so well.

Awfull take on chicken supreme....no creme sauce so dry, with cous cous and seared minimal veg.
What on earth by any stretch of the imagination is pesto with no basil?
Complain and you're left waiting 15 minutes and then to have to enquire about your already paid for pud.
Did they mark our card.
We already know that chicken supreme refers to the cut but the traditional sauce was nowhere to be seen. Dry and tasteless complain at your peril!
Table service?

Just joined and now I see the RHS are giving a free gift if you join now! Which is a slap in the face for those who have like me rejoined. I thought this "new customers only " was a thing of the past. I will not be renewing next time that is for sure

RHS Bridgewater cafe. After another enjoyable walk around the gardens and ready for a cuppa I was again disappointed with my pot of tea, luke warm and very weak no matter how many times I stirred it.

I have been unable to access my saved seed and plant information all afternoon. I just get the message Service Unavailable. The website is painfully slow at the best of times but this is even worse than usual.

I’ve just joined but I’m so disappointed with the website ( one of the main reasons for joining ) I don’t think I’ll renew my membership. The lack of consistency, photos and missing information is ridiculous. I can see the better information even on a standard garden centre website. Come on guys put some money and effort into the website, you’re supposed to be the experts!!

RHS Customer services unhelpful, inflexible & off putting.
I was purchased a new annual membership by my daughter.
She purchased it online the however the membership didn’t arrive until over two full weeks later. This meant in effect the first months membership was lost as the pack was purchased at two thirds into the calendar month.
This to me seems somewhat unreasonable to say the least. I did think customer service would be able to help … but non of it … a brick wall.
I would suggest perhaps spending your hard earned money elsewhere rather than on this organisation that claims charity status, using unpaid volunteers but then pays its execs & senior management huge city of London style salaries.

Gardens lovely, relaxing walk very nice. However the service in the cafe very disappointing, and the prices for food are very high. Why they didn't have the small counter serving hot drinks like they did in the summer doesn't seem to be very sensible, means the que takes twice as long especially frustrating if you just want a drink

Anyone else having issues with RHS membership? At the end of November my husband bought me lifetime membership for Christmas intending it to be a surprise present. The RHS immediately contacted me directly (though asked not to) and deluged me with emails, spoiling the surprise. However the joining pack has not arrived despite multiple calls, emails and messages left on the website (the latter option being completely pointless as no-one ever responds to those!!) and even an in person request as Wisley. Yes, I know there has been a postal strike and Christmas but after 7 weeks something should have arrived by now. Overall a really disappointing ecoerience

Crap website with no reason for existing except for the R in the title. Organic Charlie is leading the world while everyone is struggling to get food. Dump the RHS and look for other websites if you are genuinely interested in gardening.

Glow Festival at Hyde Hall. I needed to change the visit date because my disabled Grandaughter is critically ill in hospital. Phones not answered so drove to Hyde Hall, assistant very offhand & said couldn’t help and we had to phone head office. Another assistant called us over and was so helpful-excellent customer care. Then levied a charge of £2 per ticket! So paid approximately an extra 30% so we could hopefully take our disabled Grandaughter to see the light display. I had expected rather more compassion from the RHS. Just hope it’s worth the now rather high cost!

I have just received my plants. They came in excellent condition and well packaged. My only gripe is that they use Yodel, the worst delivery company around. They knocked on my door by the time I answered they were in their van and off leaving plants worth £65 on my front doorstep. In full view of passers by. I can’t fault the plants.

Wednesday 28th September
We have just spent a very pleasant morning at Wisley
having a guided tour of the gardens with volunteer Martin. He showed us the highlights with much
fascinating background information. Most enjoyable.
John and Rosemary Ward