Click the list of questions below to be taken to your answer:-
Top 5 questions
- Can I email or ring you to ask for help and plant advice?
- How long will it take to deliver my order?
- How can I track my order?
- Can I collect my order from the nurseries?
- Why are the packing charges more expensive compared to other plant nurseries?
Ordering
- Why should I order by mail order from Burncoose Nurseries?
- What GUARANTEE do you offer to your customers when buying plants from Burncoose?
- Where can I find your full Terms of Business?
- Can I order from Northern Ireland?
- Can I order from within the European Union?
- Can I place an order from outside the EU?
- Can I place a TRADE order?
- Do all prices include VAT?
- How do I pay for my order? When will I actually be CHARGED?
- What happens if some items are UNAVAILABLE when my order is received?
- Will you automatically provide close SUBSTITUTE plants for any items which are unavailable at the time of despatch?
- Will you accept Gift Tokens in full or part payment of an order?
Delivery
- How long will it take to deliver my order?
- How can I track my order?
- How can I be sure my plants won’t be DAMAGED when delivered by post or overnight carrier.
- Are there carriage SURCHARGES for deliveries to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Channel Isles, Scilly Isles?
- Can I collect my order from the nurseries?
- Can I collect orders from the Burncoose stands at flower shows?
Plant Queries
- Can I email or ring you to ask for help and plant advice?
- What sized pots are your plants grown in?
- Are all your plants CONTAINER grown?
- Are any of the plants you sell poisonous?
Ordering
Q. Why should I order by mail order from Burncoose Nurseries?
A. 1. Choice
2. Reputation
3. History
1. Burncoose offers a huge choice of over 4,000 different ornamental trees, shrubs and other herbaceous plants. This makes it the UK’s LARGEST MAIL ORDER PLANT SPECIALIST.
2. 28 Gold Medals from the Chelsea Flower Show lie behind Burncoose’s countrywide reputation for supplying quality plants by mail order. Click here to view our customer comments.
3. Burncoose Nurseries has been trading from its current location the 30 acre woodland gardens at Burncoose for over 40 years. Burncoose is part of the Caerhays Castle Estate owned by the Williams family. The Williams family financed many of the plant hunting expeditions to China over 100 years ago which led to the introduction of cultivation in the UK of many of the camellias, magnolias and rhododendrons which Burncoose offers for sale today. The nursery is still owned and run by the Williams family one of whose ancestors bred the first of the new huge worldwide range of x williamsii camellias.
Q. What GUARANTEE do you offer to your customers when buying plants from Burncoose?
A. We have put together a shortened version of our terms and conditions here and you can also see some of our satisfied customer comments by clicking here.
Q. Where can I find your full Terms of Business?
A. Click here for Full Terms and Conditions
Q. Can I order from Northern Ireland?
A. Sadly and absurdly, not without huge charges to phytosanitary inspections and paperwork. This is likely to change soon following an agreement with the EU in the spring of 2025, but as yet we don't know when this will occur.
Q. Can I order from within the European Union?
A. Regulations change regularly, click here for the latest details on export orders, available in English, French and German
Q. Can I place an order from outside the EU?
A. Certainly, you do not have to be in the UK to place an order with us for UK delivery, however if you are outside of the UK and wish to have the plant(s) delivered outside of the UK also, then please click here for latest details on export orders, available in English, French and German
A. Certainly and we would welcome this!
The Burncoose catalogue already contains a large range of discounts for quantity orders of individual plants.
However further discounts may be offered to genuine trade customers (e.g. garden designers, landscape gardeners, other nurseries and garden centres) who order in excess of £600 worth of plants.
The simplest and best way forward is for you to provide us with a list of your trade order by email or telephone. We will then very quickly give you a quotation based on the availability and quantity of the plants you require, whether we have grown them ourselves or imported them from overseas and our current stock levels.
Click here to visit our trade and professional gardeners page.
A. Yes, where applicable. Plants with edible fruits are zero-rated.
Q. How do I pay for my order? When will I actually be CHARGED?
A. Customers who provide us with their card details will be charged as soon as their order is placed. If there are any plants unavailable from your order at the time of despatch you can be certain that you will receive a credit back onto the same card. Cheques will be banked upon receipt, likewise if there are plants unavailable you will recieve a cheque back within 30 days after despatch.
Q. What happens if some items are UNAVAILABLE when my order is received?
A. We will despatch them as soon as possible to you. If an additional delivery charge is necessary we will advise you of this before despatch. We do not normally charge for additional delivery unless absolutely necessary.
Q. Will you automatically provide close SUBSTITUTE plants for any items which are unavailable at the time of despatch?
A. Only if you specifically give us permission to do so when ordering or if we get your specific permission to supply a close substitute in a subsequent telephone conversation or email.
Q. Will you accept Gift Tokens in full or part payment of an order?
A. Yes. We accept National Garden Gift Tokens, our own Burncoose Nurseries Gift Tokens and E-gift vouchers.
We regret that gift tokens can never be exchanged for cash and no cash refunds can be given when tokens are used.
National Garden & Burncoose Gift tokens can be used for payment for online orders, if you send the tokens to us in advance we can add the value to your account. You then have 12 months to use them. They can be used in part or full payment of your order and any remaining balance will be kept on your account for future use.
You can also purchase E-Gift vouchers as a present, which can also be used in full or part payment for any order placed online or at the cashpoint. Gift vouchers are valid for one year from date of purchase.
Click here for Burncoose Gift Vouchers.
Click here to purchase National Garden Gift Tokens
Delivery
Q. HOW LONG will it take to DELIVER my order?
A. Orders are normally despatched well within 3-5 working days from receipt except in the busy spring or autumn seasons when it may take up to 5-10 working days from receipt until despatch.
If you need your order to be despatched or received on a particular day this will not normally present a problem providing your instructions are clear.
However customers need to be aware that:-
i) Some plants are very rare and often in short supply.
ii) Some plants are only available at certain times of the year (e.g. autumn bulbs) or at the start of the summer (e.g. semi hardy herbaceous plants).
iii) Every gardener has to face up to shortages, crop failures and horticultural disasters from time to time. Burncoose is no exception.
iv) A few of the more inexpensive hedging plants are only dug and delivered bare root between November and March.
v) Some plants are only imported from China, Chile and New Zealand once a year.
vi) Nobody would thank us for delivering plants at times of drought or severe cold.
Where you order is going to be delayed beyond our normal despatch timetable, we will always try to email or telephone to let you know the position.
You will receive an email when your order is being despatched and also receive an email direct from our couriers, with details of how to track your order.
Q. How can I be sure my plants won’t be DAMAGED when delivered by post or overnight carrier.
A. The Burncoose Packing Shed staff are frequently complimented on the skill and care with which plants are packed. Our packers have many years experience of packing delicate plants to travel long distances. Damage in transit is rare and where it does occur the goods are fully insured and will be replaced. Click here to see the packing shed in action.
Last year we despatched thousands of separate orders throughout the UK and Europe so please trust our experience and packing skills. Click here for customer comments.
Q. Are there carriage SURCHARGES for deliveries to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Channel Isles, Scilly Isles?
A. Unfortunately this is the case although the amounts involved are often not that great. These carriage surcharges are levied on us by our couriers as a matter of course. They do change frequently, and our delivery charge page will have the up to date rates.
Q. Can I collect my order from the nurseries?
A. Yes, of course, Just select the 'collect from Nursery option' during checkout, we will call/email you when your order is ready for collection and we will hold your plants for 7 days.
Q. Why are the packing charges more expensive compared to other plant nurseries?
A. Burncoose Nurseries carriage and packing charges reflect the ACTUAL cost to us of packing and delivering your plants. We do not make any profit from these charges. Some other mail order businesses may have lower carriage and packing charges but the additional costs will often be reflected in their higher prices of individual plants.
Click here to see the packing shed in action
Q. Can I collect orders from the Burncoose stands at flower shows?
A. Yes, certainly, providing again that we have ten days notice from the start date of the show. We do however make a small charge for the carriage and packing involved. Unfortunately show regulations prevent us bringing orders for collection to the Chelsea Flower Show.
Click for our customer enquiry form
Plant Queries
Q. Can I email or ring your to ask for help and plant advice?
A. As a long-standing mail order business that is exactly what we are here for! We try to ensure (but don’t always succeed) in manning the office 7 days a week to give help and advice to all our customers about their plant queries and problems. However you can order or ask our advice at any time of the day or night by using our online helpline service, and completing our online form. We also have care and advice articles which may cover the particular plant you need advice on.
Email - info@burncoose.co.uk
Telephone - 01209 860316
Q. What sized pots are your plants grown in?
A. Pot size information can be found here on our Pot Sizes page.
Q. Are all your plants CONTAINER grown?
A. With the exception of a very few smaller trees and hedging plants which are supplied bare root virtually everything we grow is in containers. Our pot sizes start from 1.5 litres, however most plants are supplied in 2.5 to 3 litre pot, trees and shrubs in larger 7.5 to 15litre pots. Further details of pot sizes can found here.
This means that you can plant the plants we supply at any time of the year – weather conditions permitting. We do not supply any plug or liner plants.
Q. Are any of the plants you sell poisonous?
A. Yes. There are various categories of risk which are clearly outlined in the codings of our main catalogue. The Horticultural Trade Association defines what plants are considered poisonous and the categories we use. (Click here for latest information on codings)