Garden Centres

[Ouya Mellsa]

What do you look for in garden centres?

What makes a good garden centre?

I'm not keen on the ones that sell cookwares, cushions, etc, but I suppose they have to keep chasing profits.

[Aberdeenplotter]

What do you look for in garden centres?

What makes a good garden centre?

I'm not keen on the ones that sell cookwares, cushions, etc, but I suppose they have to keep chasing profits.

I have to say I'm not overly taken by the concept of the cookwares and cushions but at least it gives her indoors something to look at whilst I'm doing the serious business. Unfortunately it all comes down to profit and they all need to turn a pound.

We managed to persuade our local Garden Centre to allow our members a discount on purchases on production of a membership card. Makes good sense for the Garden Centre and for us.

[OverWyreGrower]

I like our local HUGE garden centres, that have cookware and cushions... but I'd never buy seeds or plants from them.... I'll buy pots/compost etc (and cookware and cushions), but would buy seeds/plants usually from an online or specialist retailer...

[Two_Sheds]

I'm a bit of a snob - I hate garden centres but love nurseries

[Bren In Pots]

To me a garden centre is somewhere to stroll around but a nursery is were you go to buy your plants.

[Glutton4...]

I like the ones that sell everything - it saves me going elsewhere. However, I don't buy plants there - I also prefer a Nursery!

[Florence Fennel]

Nursery here too, though I buy more on line these days. Don't like garden centres at all.

[Dottie]

I love a nice big and modern garden centre, as I'm not really into shopping in the usual girlie shoe type of way, and never go to the shops on a Saturday with all the crowds.

I like them to wander around in and look for ideas etc. I have a fish tank too, so like them to have a good fish collection. Great for having a look at books too, as they all seem to deals have with the major book publishers, with dirt cheap offers.

It's the variety of stuff that I like, as in I'll call in if passing to see what plants, seeds etc are in, but then enjoy taking time out and even just browsing at stuff I can't afford.

I'm very lucky though, as the A30 has whole host of garden centres and nurseries, starting at Bagshot with Notcutts, then Longacres, Hilliers, many nurseries that sell off stuff after winning at Chelsea and the list goes on. All along the same strip of the A30, before you get to Egham. As well as places like Saville gardens and Virginia Water to visit, to complete a good summer day's outing.

However, when I'm just wanting to get things done and in serious gardening mode, rather than browsing mode, then I'll pick up plants, seeds, compost etc from local stores like: Wilkinson's, Poundland, B&Q, Homebase etc, so it all depends what time frame I'm on and if I've got time to wander. Good garden centres can be a lovely place to spend many an hour, not unlike a really good bookshop or library.

[SarahStrawberry]

I like the ones that can give you tea and a scone or some lovely soup on a cold day.

Also, our local one has a garden of its own that you can walk round and see what plants and veg will look like when they're the full size. I'm always envious of their fruit trees!

[dogsbody]

For me it has to have a good "dead plant" section - otherwise known as the "sale area". The bargains I have had from there are fabulous.

An old nurseryman told me that such plants will be fine if you pot them on when you get them home and he is not wrong.

The restaurant has to be good too.

Fortunately I have 4 such centres within reasonable distance of here.

[HeyWayne]

I visited a Dobbies/Dobies in Milton Keynes last weekend and was quite disappointed.

We have two garden centres close by - one big one that has a pretty decent balance between plants/gardening stuff and other paraphernalia, and another smaller one that is a little bit more "grass roots".

Don't think I've ever been to a nursery...

[wollyanna]

A good old fashion nursery for me run by people that know about plants. its nice to have a look at these all singing all dancing garden centres but if you want anything a little from the norm they are useless. Dottie I liked your run down of the places along the A30. I've often wondered where abouts you are on the borders of Hants ,Berks and Surrey.i used to travel that route to Holloway College many moons ago . I often go to Longacres etc when we come down to visit my son in Hampshire as my sister now lives on the edge of Bracknell just along the road .

[buzzingtalk]

Ive only been to a few garden centres and always spend wayy to much money. Although I rarely buy plants, only herbs really. I buy seeds from them (and also buy seeds online)

I usually buy plants from the little stalls people have outside their houses all over norfolk and suffolk selling small plants from 10p up. They are awesome but I am trying to start all my own seed this year so I can plan ahead a bit better - I'll probably end up having a stall myself haha.

Nurseries sound good, where can you find them? Are they generally acessable without a car?

[Glutton4...]

... Nurseries sound good, where can you find them? Are they generally acessable without a car?

I just 'googled' Plant Nursery Norfolk - there's quite a selection. Can't say anything about accessibility, though.

[frantic furball]

I always look for decent cakes and I just like to browse, have a look in the sale section - they do old pots where things have been potted on so I usually get some of those