"Just awful customer service"

4/19/2024: Just awful customer service. I ordered a rose from them in 2023. They waited to ship it until it would arrive in November. What came was a small stick that was not in its pot any more due to poor shipping. I should have complained then but instead I hurried to plant it before the ground froze (I live in New England so November is super late to be planting roses). I planted it, watered it, and placed a cage around it to protect against critters. Well no surprise - it did not survive the winter at all. So much so that by spring, that tiny stick was just simply gone. I contacted them about a replacement and they insisted I provide a picture of the dead plant. When I explained it was simply gone, they refused to honor their replacement. In my experience they are not an honorable business to buy from and you would be better served buying from a local garden shop.

EDIT (May 13, 2024): I can't see how to reply to the seller so I am adding more info here. All you should need is order #US451277. It is interesting you seem concerned because there is nothing in the above review that we did not discuss via email before you refused to honor your warranty.

EDIT 2 (May 20, 2024): No surprise, their comment on here was just to show fake public sympathy. After sending them a reply to their request for more details (not just the earlier edit, but a reply to a formal request) they simply disappeared. A company that truly cared about their customers would have resolved this positively long ago.

EDIT 3 (June 26, 2024): Still zero reply from this terrible company. As mentioned, all pretense to customer care is gone, because they do not care. They only care about making money, and appearing to care.

Caveat: This review reflects my experience with David Austin Roses. Your experience may vary, although I would be surprised.

"I have been a Customer of David Austin…"

I have been a Customer of David Austin Roses for at least twenty hears. I recently contacted their customer service department. I was treated very poorly. The agent was rude and unprofessional. When I realized the she was not going to assist me I asked to speak to a supervisor. I was told none were available but one would get back to me. No one ever contacted me. I contacted the office in the UK no response. I will never buy from a company who demonstrates such contempt for their customers

"placed an order never received"

placed an order never received, emailed and left msg never got replied.

"Claiming diseased roses to be perfectly healthy…"

People buy roses because they enjoy the beauty of the nature and not because we want to get frustrated by bad customer service.

I purchased a Claire Austin last year that they were helpful in giving me a refund after sending pictures through email right away. This year my order of Eustacia Vye was in the same condition as the Claire. First they claim they can’t open the attached files which they never had trouble with viewing even when they asked me to send 20 photos at a time before. Instead they asked to send pdf file which I did after taking a while. They still claim they can’t open the attachment. Then they direct me to a website. Then told me the rose is perfectly healthy and won’t replace it. If they can’t open attachment they should contact their IT and not keep directing their customers to do something else. And they shouldn’t sell people diseased roses and claim that to be perfectly healthy.

"Damaged frozen wet roses refund refused "

I have been a loyal fan for over ten years spending thousands on the gorgeous David Austin roses. I am a professional renovator and amateur landscape designer with thirty years experience. Something drastic has changed for the worse. My recent order was misdelivered. The neighbor came by 24 hours later to hand me a half open box that had been left out in the 26 degree weather frozen melted rained I
On snd David Austin refuses to replace . Might they live? Maybe. But that’s not what I ordered, traumatized frozen mistreated plants. Fed ex should reimburse DA and DAvshould replace my poor plants. Whether or not they survive isn’t the point. I paid a lot for roses given a good start in life.I shouldn’t be forced to pay a lot for a wet ooen frozen damaged box. They refuse.

"I agree with the previous reviewer…"

I agree with the previous reviewer about the poor quality of the current rose shipments. I used to order from them regularly in the past, but gradually stopped for many of the same reasons. I thought I would give them one last chance and on a whim I just ordered two bare root plants. One arrived not only with crossed branches (in the same state outlined by the reviewer) but also with two major roots broken right below the shaft. Contacted customer service and was just given a pre-packaged answer about proper planting instructions and told to "wait and see". Horrible customer service as well. Will never order from them again.

"Beyond Frustrating Customer Service!"

The roses are beautiful and healthy but Customer Service is beyond poor, unfamiliar with how to handle any kind of issue and--totally worthless. I pre-ordered roses and they sent them immediately. Had I not received a notification from FedEx that the roses were on their way I would never have known that they sent them a month and half too early for my area. When I called to inform them the representatives read from a prepared statement that this was the right time for my area. I explained that planting in my area was not possible for at least another month and a half, our ground was still frozen and nurseries were not even open for the season yet, so impossible to buy soil amendments to plant them. I also informed them that our temperatures were in the 40's at best during the day and low 30's at night. Snow was predicted and the ground was still frozen. They continued to contradict me and tell me that they checked my weather report and it was getting warmer! They are in Texas and I am in Northern NYS. No matter what information I provided the CS rep. continued to read from her paper that this was the right time. She would not connect me to the Operations Manager who ordered the shipment and I finally reached an agreement that they would contact FedEx to return the roses to them. Never happened. Long explanation to say that the entire US operation of David Austin Roses has no experience or knowledge of rose growing in the US. They are Shipment people. I will never order from them again because of their CS stupidity. Don't know if the roses will show as expected today because we had snow, sleet, hail and rain!
The response I just received from Customer Service proves my point. This morning I woke up to a 22 degree day and 30 mile an hour winds. We have been in the 20's multiple nights since this debacle began. But wait "Our Operations Manager checks the weather before shipping to see if the temperatures are appropriate for planting". Once again, they know better. Perhaps they would like to walk on my frozen soil.
The response is also full of half truths. Yes they did request a turn around from FedEx but only after I insisted that they do so because I would not be held responsible for their mistake.
Customer Service at Austin Roses has solidified my opinion that they are inflexible, poorly trained and unknowledgeable regarding planting zones. I placed orders with 2 other growers in the last week and they will not ship until the second week of May because they are professional, knowledgeable and respect their customers. I did not have to request the shipping date. They automatically knew what to do. In my growing area we never plant before/around Mother's Day. But Austin Roses knows better. My frustration around attempting to have a conversation with them was like trying to fight with a bear. You just can't win.

"Once great now I have no idea"

I have a Pat Austin 20 years old great rose! I purchased an Eglantyne Great rose I'm on my 3rd Munstead Wood I was refunded for the last it did'nt make it a week after planting. I've been a rose enthusiats for over 30 yeasr I have some great rare gems what I recieved today was a bare root with what is essentially a single branched graft on one side crossigng eachother I will plant it & hope for the best but feel this Item should have been culled rather than packed it will be a 2 cane wonder in very short time like so many body bag roses that are badly grafted. As I said the grafts are crossed that close it will never have a a great form it will be lopsided for at least 3 to 4 years before any susbatntial growth

"Bare Root is spindly and thin"

Bare Root is spindly, needs cutting back to two stems, would not buy a one again from this company, better to buy one in a pot, at least you know what you get
After complaining and buying a replacement rose from the garden centre, I was sent another rose from David Austin which was a far superior specimen, shame they didn't send it in the first place
At the end I was happy but £35 out of pocket at the garden centre

"Amazing Customer Service"

Having had many years of joy using David Austin Roses and 9 beautiful roses later I had my first failure.
The Customer Service and help I received using their live chat service and email has been first class.
After trying hard, sadly the rose did not survive. A living plant obviously is a challenge at times and once in a while does not thrive.
I supplied photographs to them and have today received a beautiful new rose as replacement under their 5 year guarantee.
I cannot fault this company. Always helpful with advice, always prompt to reply which is very welcome and can be unusual in some companies with Customer Service.
A wonderful range of amazing plants which we get to enjoy year after year in our garden.
Thank you.
Thoroughly recommend.