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Garden centre recommendations
TheHappyGrower
Posts: 181
in Talkback
I ask this because I live in North London & sadly I have to travel over 10 + miles to find 1 they had 1 not far away but it was turned into a primary school. So I thought this would be a good thread to maybe help others find a cracking top shelf 1st class garden centre where you live or maybe you have visited 1 miles away but you are so glad you did. Any suggestions for London would be MOST appreciated Happy growing to you all
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I like ones where they're growing stuff on the premises and there's knowledgeable staff.
The one at Floors Castle, Kelso is good and Northumberland Nurseries Retail Plant Centre in Wooler. Both a long long long way from London though.
When I lived in Harrow I used to get good quality plants at Syon Park but used local Wyevales for compost and stuff.
Longacres who also have one just off the M25/M3 junction - best prices but finding gradually that I know more than the staff do.
Forest Lodge which is right beside Birdworld at the back end of Farnham, more expensive but a nice new restaurant! There is also a good larger plant 'dept' about a mile up the road from there called Garden Style who have helpful staff and a good range of shrubs and trees in variable sizes.
Squires Badshot Lea, nearest but most expensive but staff still seem to know what they are doing!
From this, the astute can pinpoint me roughly on a map...
Certainly won't be recommending mine after a visit this morning to buy a pair of secateurs. You'd think that would be something a garden centre would have....but no, only if you also want to buy a pair of loppers, or with a knife and a 'pouch' (that would vanish within five minutes) for keeping it all in...all to add to the cost. Oh - and all encased in solid plastic so that you couldn't tell if they'd fit your hand....
Quite pathetic.
So I went to B&Q where they had several different kinds and came away with a pair of Fiskars which suited me perfectly.
The nursery on the other hand - McLarens at Lochlibo - is always excellent for choice and a fraction of the price of anywhere else. 40 minute drive for me now, but worth it.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Steve, I get a huge " trade" discount at Garden Style
(Sod this 'no smilies' lark!)
For South East London/Penge area:
I've just been investigating my local garden centres as I moved to the South East London/Kent border last month so still getting to know the area. There's a 'compact' Wyevale Garden Centre in Shirley which is kind of in between Croydon, London, and Kent. I don't think I'll go there again though, not a great selection and v. expensive even when half price.
I was much more impressed with the local Eden Park Garden Centre. It's small, but has some good bargains. Some plants are a bit expensive, but others are so cheap I thought they'd put the wrong stickers on the pots!
HappyGrower, have you checked for any local car boot sales? Most of the plants in my garden (admittedly I'm still getting started so only have about 15!) come from a car boot sale at Hayes St. Farm, but I'm sure there are some closer to where you are.
Oh and I've had good success with plants from Aldi - two clematis from a promotion last month are flourishing, and I'm about to get the first strawberry from one of their hanging baskets (I split it into 3 pots as soon as I bought it, because they do overcrowd them a bit!).
Usually I pick up the odd plant in Morrisons, got 2 lovely Clematis, 1.79 each, they are romping away now and will get planted out next Spring.
I also buy from Parkers sales, I love them but let's not get started on the usual 10 pages about how bad they are, please.