Delivery Policy

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Last updated: January 2026

1. Delivery Areas 

We deliver to UK mainland addresses. Most areas receive free delivery as standard. Delivery to Scottish Highlands, islands, and some remote postcodes may incur additional charges—these will be calculated automatically at checkout if applicable.

 

Please note: We're unable to deliver to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland due to current plant health regulations. If you have questions about delivery to your area, contact us at hello@topiarytwins.co.uk before ordering.

2. Delivery Method 

All orders are dispatched via pallet delivery using trusted third-party couriers. Your topiary pairs are securely placed onto a pallet, watered, and protected with wrapping to ensure they arrive in perfect condition.

 

Delivery is to kerbside only. Our couriers can deliver to your driveway or the front of your property on a flat, solid surface (tarmac, concrete, or brick weave). They cannot deliver onto gravel, shingle, grass, or uneven surfaces, and are not insured to enter your property or place plants in their final location.

 

Important: Please ensure you have assistance available on delivery day to move the plants from the kerbside to their final position. Topiary pairs can be heavy—small pairs (60-80cm height) typically weigh 20-30kg combined, while larger pairs (120cm+ height) can weigh 60-100kg combined.

3. Delivery Costs 

Free delivery is included for all UK mainland orders to most postcodes.

 

Additional charges may apply for:

  • Scottish Highlands
  • Scottish Islands
  • Remote or offshore postcodes

These charges (if applicable) will be calculated automatically at checkout based on your delivery postcode. There are no hidden fees—you'll see the complete cost before completing your order.

4. Delivery Timelines 

Our typical lead time is 14-21 working days from order confirmation. This allows us to source your hand-matched pair from our European growers and complete quality inspections at our UK fulfilment facility.

 

Where possible, we'll expedite delivery. However, please do not book tradespeople, gardeners, or contractors until your topiary has been delivered and you've confirmed the delivery date with us.

 

Why the lead time? Your topiary pairs are sourced from specialist nurseries in Europe. Once ordered, we begin the sourcing process immediately: contacting growers, selecting and matching your specific pair, arranging inspections, completing phytosanitary paperwork, and organising consolidated transport to the UK. This ensures you receive genuinely hand-matched specimens, not approximate stock.

5. Delivery Schedule & Tracking

Once your order is ready for dispatch, we'll contact you to arrange delivery. You'll receive:

  1. Pre-dispatch photos of your exact plants for verification
  2. Delivery notification with an estimated delivery window
  3. Tracking information once your order is dispatched

Our couriers typically deliver between 8am-6pm. They'll call approximately one hour before arrival to give you advance notice.

6. Access Requirements 

Please ensure:

  • Clear access for a delivery vehicle (if a refuse lorry can access your road, delivery should be possible)
  • A flat, solid surface at kerbside or on your driveway for the pallet
  • Someone available to accept delivery and move the plants

Access challenges? If you have narrow roads, steep driveways, low-hanging cables, parking restrictions, weight-limited roads, cul-de-sacs, locked gates, or other access considerations, please add this information in your order notes at checkout. This helps us plan appropriately and avoid delivery delays.

 

You must inform us of access restrictions when ordering (and no later than 12:00 noon the day before delivery). Failure to disclose access challenges may result in failed delivery and additional charges.

7. Failed Delivery Due to Access

If our courier is unable to complete delivery due to access restrictions you didn't disclose (narrow roads, weight restrictions, unsuitable surfaces, locked gates, no parking, insufficient space for pump truck operation), your order will be returned to our fulfilment facility.

 

Charges will apply:

  • Redelivery fee: £65
  • Storage costs: £25 per day if plants must be held before redelivery
  • You will be contacted to arrange a new delivery date once access issues are resolved

We'd really love to help you avoid these charges. If you have any concerns about access, please tell us when ordering or contact us immediately at hello@topiarytwins.co.uk.

8. If Your Not Home 

If you're unable to be present for delivery, you can authorise us to leave your plants in a safe, sheltered location. Please specify your preferred safe place in the order notes at checkout or contact us after ordering.

 

Please note: By authorising safe-place delivery, you acknowledge that plants will be accepted without in-person inspection. As living, perishable goods, plants left at your specified location cannot be returned once delivered.

 

If no safe place has been authorised and no one is available, the courier will return your order to the depot. Redelivery charges of £65 will apply. We'd love to help you avoid this—if you have any concerns about being available, please let us know before your delivery date.

9. Rescheduling Delivery

If you need to rearrange your delivery date, please contact us as soon as possible. We can typically reschedule within 2 weeks of the original delivery date at no additional charge.

 

Please note: We can only rearrange delivery once as part of our standard service. If you're unable to accept delivery after rescheduling, holding fees may apply (£25 per day) for plants kept at our fulfilment facility. We can hold plants for up to 2 weeks at our discretion, after which we may return them to stock and issue a refund less any holding fees incurred.

10. Severe Weather & Force Majeure

If severe weather conditions (heavy snow, flooding, ice, storms) make delivery unsafe or risk damage to your plants in transit, we may reschedule your delivery without penalty to either party. We'll contact you as soon as possible to arrange an alternative date. Payments made will be held for the rearranged delivery.

 

Similarly, if events beyond our reasonable control (courier strikes, transport disruptions, border delays, plant health restrictions) affect your delivery, we'll notify you promptly and complete delivery as soon as reasonably possible.

11. Inspection on Delivery 

Please inspect your plants immediately upon arrival before moving them from the delivery point.

 

Check for:

  • Transit damage to foliage or pots
  • Correct quantity and specifications
  • Overall plant health and condition

Take photographs of the plants (full view and close-up), packaging, and delivery label before moving them.

 

If there's an issue: Contact us immediately—ideally while the courier is still present. For damage or obvious defects (broken branches, split pots, wrong plants), contact us within 24 hours at hello@topiarytwins.co.uk with photos.

 

For issues that may not be immediately apparent (disease symptoms, poor root health, establishment concerns), contact us within 7 days of delivery with photos before planting.

 

Important: If you move plants from the delivery point without noting issues or taking photos, delivery will be considered accepted for the purposes of arrival claims. This does not affect your statutory rights for faulty goods discovered within the reporting window.

12. Proof of Delivery

You may be asked to sign a Proof of Delivery (POD) slip. Please note any concerns on the POD before signing and take photographs of plants, packaging, and labels before moving anything.

 

Signing the POD confirms that you have received the quantity of items stated, but does not waive your rights to report quality issues within the inspection windows outlined above. If plants are moved without noting issues or taking photos, however, delivery will be considered accepted for the purposes of perishable goods claims.

13. Refusing Delivery 

If you wish to refuse delivery due to damage, quality concerns, or mismatch with your order, please contact us immediately at hello@topiarytwins.co.uk while the driver is present. We'll review the situation with you and the courier to determine next steps.

 

Please note:

  • Plants refused due to confirmed damage, defect, or error will be collected at no charge and we'll arrange replacement or refund
  • Plants refused for change-of-mind reasons cannot be returned due to their perishable nature. If you refuse delivery without a valid quality/damage reason, no refund will be issued and you will be liable for redelivery and storage costs

Partial refusals: For operational and plant health reasons, refusing part of an order may require the entire consignment to be returned unless we explicitly agree to a different solution at the time of delivery.

14. Delivery Delays 

While we make every effort to meet estimated delivery dates, we cannot be held responsible for delays beyond our control, including:

  • Shipping disruptions or courier delays
  • Grower availability or stock sourcing challenges
  • Plant health inspections at UK border
  • Severe weather conditions
  • Bank holidays
  • Transport strikes or fuel shortages
  • Force majeure events

For this reason, we cannot guarantee delivery to coincide with gardeners or contractors you may book. Your potted topiary will happily remain in their pots for 1-2 weeks if kept upright, sheltered, and well-watered, so you can safely book professionals after delivery is confirmed.

 

We are not liable for any costs associated with third-party professionals (gardeners, landscapers, contractors) if delivery dates change due to circumstances beyond our control.

15. Multiple Delivery Addresses

Orders can be delivered to a single UK mainland address only. If you require delivery to multiple locations, please place separate orders or contact sales@topiarytwins.co.uk for trade/bulk delivery arrangements.

16. Plant Health Certification 

All plants are supplied with valid plant passports and phytosanitary documentation as required by UK plant health regulations. Plants are inspected and certified disease-free prior to dispatch from our European growers and again at our UK fulfilment facility.

 

You are responsible for maintaining plant health after delivery and for complying with any local plant health restrictions or biosecurity requirements in your area.

17. Product Availability & Substitutions 

While we make every effort to fulfil your exact order, occasionally specific sizes or forms may become unavailable after ordering due to grower supply challenges, quality control rejections, or unexpected stock allocation.

 

If this occurs, we'll contact you promptly with options:

  • A comparable alternative (similar size/form from the same species)
  • An extended timeframe to source your original selection
  • A full refund for the affected items

We will never substitute without your explicit agreement. If we can supply other items in your order, those are unaffected. Your acceptance of a substitute makes that substitute the contracted item for your order.

18. Data Sharing for Delivery 

Your delivery information (name, address, phone number) will be shared with our trusted courier partners to facilitate delivery. We process personal data in accordance with UK GDPR. See our Privacy Policy for full details on how we handle your information.

19. Limitations of Liability 

To the extent permitted by law, our total liability for any issues related to delivery or any other matter arising from your order is limited to the price you paid for the affected plants.

 

We are not liable for indirect or consequential losses, including but not limited to:

  • Costs of gardeners, contractors, or landscaping professionals
  • Missed planting seasons or project delays
  • Loss of enjoyment or aesthetic impact
  • Costs of remedial landscaping or replanting
  • Loss of profits or business opportunity

Nothing in this policy limits our liability for:

  • Death or personal injury caused by our negligence
  • Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
  • Breach of statutory rights that cannot be excluded or limited by law

Your statutory rights as a consumer are not affected by this policy.

20. Scope of Policy 

This Delivery Policy applies to all orders placed through:

For trade orders, bulk purchases, or custom projects with specific negotiated terms, any additional terms will be confirmed in writing and will apply alongside this policy. In case of conflict, specific written terms for your order take precedence.

21. Contact Us  

If you have questions about delivery or need to report a delivery issue:

 

Email: hello@topiarytwins.co.uk
For trade enquiries: sales@topiarytwins.co.uk
Response time: Within 24-48 hours (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)

 

For pre-purchase questions about delivery to your specific location or access requirements, please contact us before ordering so we can advise appropriately.

22. Your Statutory Rights  

Nothing in this policy affects your statutory rights under UK consumer law. If products are faulty, misdescribed, or not fit for purpose, you have legal remedies regardless of our policies. For more information about your consumer rights, visit Citizens Advice.

23. Updates to This Policy 

We may update this Delivery Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our operations, legal requirements, or customer feedback. The current version will always be available at www.topiarytwins.co.uk/pages/delivery-policy and is dated at the top of this page.

 

Any changes will apply to orders placed after the update date. Orders placed before an update will be governed by the policy in effect at the time of ordering.

This Delivery Policy forms part of our Terms & Conditions and should be read in conjunction with our Refund Policy and Privacy Policy.