Mail Order Terms & Conditions
We want ordering plants from Larch Cottage Nurseries to be as straightforward as possible. The information below explains how our mail order service works and what you can expect when ordering from us.
ORDERING PLANTS
Our minimum mail order value is £19.99, excluding carriage.
All orders are subject to availability. As we are a working nursery with plants growing and changing all the time, occasionally a plant may become unavailable before we are able to send it. If this happens, we will contact you to discuss the options.
Once your order has been placed, you will receive an email confirming your order and payment.
Plant descriptions and photographs
We take care to make sure our photographs and descriptions give you a good idea of the plants we sell. However, plants are living things and naturally vary in shape, size, branching, foliage and appearance.
The photograph on our website is therefore intended to show the variety rather than the exact plant you will receive. Plants may also look different at different times of the year.
Pot sizes
The pot size shown on our website is intended as a guide and is also used when calculating carriage.
As we are continually growing and potting on plants, the pot size supplied may occasionally differ from the one shown on the website. We will always aim to send a plant of an appropriate size and value.
If the exact pot size is important to you, please let us know in the ‘Comments about your order’ box and we will check this for you before dispatch.
Plant heights
The height given in a plant description refers to the expected mature or ultimate height of the plant, or its expected growth over a stated period. It does not mean the height of the plant when you receive it.
PRICES
The price shown when you place your order is the price you will pay, plus any applicable carriage charge.
Plant prices can vary according to the age and size of the plant available. If we have made an obvious pricing error on the website, we will contact you before dispatch to give you the choice of proceeding at the correct price or cancelling the item for a full refund.
PAYMENT
Payment is taken securely through our online payment provider.
We do not currently accept American Express.
You will receive an email confirmation once your order has been placed and payment has been received.
We will also send you an email when your order has been dispatched.
DESPATCH & DELIVERY
We normally send mail order plants from September through to the end of June – weather depending
We aim to dispatch orders within approximately one week, although during particularly busy periods this may take a little longer.
We may delay dispatch during periods of particularly severe weather, such as extreme cold, frost, heat or drought, where sending the plants could put their health at risk.
We use a courier service for most deliveries. Larger orders may need to be sent on a pallet and we will contact you if this is necessary.
Please allow approximately 2–3 working days from dispatch for delivery.
We will always do our best to get your plants to you as quickly and safely as possible. Occasionally delays can occur with couriers, particularly during busy periods or industrial action.
PACKAGING
We use as much recycled and recyclable packaging as possible. Plants are carefully packed to give them the best possible journey, although a little movement or some minor leaf loss can occasionally occur during transit.
DELIVERY & SAFE PLACES
A signature may be required when your plants are delivered unless you have given the courier or us permission to leave the parcel in an agreed safe place, such as a greenhouse or porch.
If you ask for a parcel to be left in a safe place, you acknowledge that you have chosen not to receive the goods personally at the time of delivery, therefore please make sure the location is secure and suitable for protecting plants from weather and other potential damage.
DAMAGED PARCELS
We take great care when packing our plants, but unfortunately parcels can occasionally be damaged during delivery.
If your parcel arrives damaged, please take photographs of the packaging and plants and contact us as soon as possible at:
Please include your full name and order number.
There is no need to refuse delivery simply because the outside of the parcel looks damaged. If the plants themselves have been damaged, please let us know and we will work with you to put things right.
Please keep the packaging until we have advised you what to do, as the courier may need to inspect it.
CANCELLED ORDERS
Cancelling an Order
If you need to cancel your order, please contact us as soon as possible at plants@larchcottage.co.uk.
If your order has not yet been processed, we may be able to cancel it and arrange a refund.
Once your order has been processed, we are unable to cancel. If the order has been partially processed we reserve the right to deduct any reasonable costs we have already incurred in preparing the order and this will be deducted from your refund
Once your order has been dispatched, we are unable to cancel it. If you no longer wish to receive the order, please contact us before returning anything so that we can advise you on the best way to proceed.
Plants specially sourced for you
We are always happy to try to source plants that we do not normally have in stock.
If we source a plant specifically at your request, please make sure you are happy with the plant, size and specification before we order it for you.
Specially sourced plants may not be able to be cancelled once we have committed to purchasing them specifically for you. We will always discuss this with you before going ahead.
RETURNS
We appreciate that sometimes a plant may not be quite what you expected.
If you have a problem with a plant when it arrives, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours, with photographs where possible. This helps us understand the issue and decide the best way to help.
If you change your mind about a plant, please contact us before returning it. You will be responsible for the cost of returning the plant, and the return carriage cost will be deducted from your refund.
Because plants are living and perishable, they need to be returned carefully and using an appropriate delivery service. During the growing season, we may recommend a next-day service.
Plants should be suitably packaged for their journey. We cannot accept responsibility for damage caused by inadequate packaging when a customer arranges a return themselves.
If a plant arrives damaged, please contact us before arranging a return. We will advise you on the best way to return it and will cover reasonable return costs where appropriate.
PLANT QUALITY & AFTERCARE
We carefully select and pack plants before they leave the nursery.
Plants are living things, however, and their health after delivery can be affected by planting, watering, soil conditions, drainage, temperature, frost, drought, pests, disease and general aftercare.
We cannot guarantee that a plant will establish or survive indefinitely after it leaves the nursery, as these factors are outside our control.
This does not affect your rights if a plant arrives in poor condition, is not as described or has another problem that was present when it was supplied.
If you have any concerns about a plant you have received, please contact us. We would much rather have the opportunity to look at the problem and help you than have you disappointed with your purchase.
A TRUE WORKING NURSERY
Potting on
As a working nursery, we propagate and grow many of our own plants. This means that occasionally a plant may have been recently potted before being sent out.
If this is the case, please check that the plant has developed a good root system before planting it out.
PRUNING
Occasionally we may prune a plant before dispatch if we feel this will help it travel safely or is beneficial to the plant.
This will not harm the plant, and it will continue to grow normally.
NURSERY COLLECTION
Plant Availability
Please note that not all plants shown on our website are available in the nursery at all times. If you are travelling to see a particular plant, we recommend ordering it through our website for collection before visiting, to ensure it is available for you.
A collection option is available at checkout.
Please allow at least 24–48 hours between placing your order and your requested collection date. We will contact you to confirm when your plants are ready.
We are open 7 days a week from 10am–5pm, until dusk during the winter months.
We will normally reserve your plants for two weeks once your order is ready for collection.
If you are unable to collect within this time, please contact us on:
plants@larchcottage.co.uk
01931 712 404
and we will do our best to make alternative arrangements.
LARGE PLANTS
Unfortunately, we are unable to send plants over 2.4 metres tall through our standard mail order service.
If you are interested in a larger plant, please contact us before ordering and we will see whether an alternative delivery arrangement can be made.
SENDING PLANTS ABROAD
Unfortunately, due to the additional plant-health requirements and paperwork involved following Brexit, we are currently unable to send plants to European destinations or other countries outside the UK.
We are sorry to our many European customers who we have supplied over the years and hope this may change in the future.
CONTACT US
If you have any questions or concerns about your order, please get in touch. We are always happy to help.
Larch Cottage Nurseries
Melkinthorpe
Penrith
Cumbria
Telephone: 01931 712 404
Email: plants@larchcottage.co.uk
These terms do not affect your legal rights as a consumer.