Great selection of flowers…read more Located very close to Oxford St Train station. The staff are super friendly

I've lost count of the amount of bouquets of flowers I've bought from Venus over the years…read more Suffice to say, there's been a lot and they've never let me down. The prices are a little steeper than other florists but the fact their flowers are so breath-takingly beautifuly makes it worth digging a little deeper. I've bought star-gazing lillies, birds of paradise and bunches of long stemmed roses from here and they're never died or wilted on me until at least ten days later. The staff are super-friendly too and clearly as passionate about flowers and foilage as I am about bourbon, cowboy boots and vinyl.

Bed of roses, blue orchid, daisy lane, build me up buttercup yes the music industry understands the…read morepower of flowers do you? Bon Jovi, The Foundations, The White Stripes, Blue October and The Stereophonics all knew that they were dealing with one of the most powerful aphrodisiacs known to man and thus created great songs for them. Boardmans Teleflora is probably the tiniest spot on the map on oxford road but is home to any bouquet your or her heart my desire. The businesses owner knows flowers and thus can save any man who can't tell a lily from a daisy for that someone special so don't just grab the first set you see have a chat and no doubt your bacon can probably be saved.

Teleflora does sound ridiculously like a Pokémon doesn't it? But what is it really? In fact its not…read moreeven in The Oxford English Dictionary. The closest match is 'teleferic', meaning cable car, first used in October 1916 in Windsor Magazine: 'we walk a little way and then go up by the teleferic'. I am willing to admit that the implications of teleflora and not related to teleferic in any way whatsoever, so mentioning teleferic is completely irrelevant nonsense. It does however, hold the key to decoding the meaning of teleflora. Tele comes from the Greek verb 'to carry'. Cable cars carry people. Flora means plants, as we all know. So the title of this florist is now read Bored Man Carries Plants. Are you bored? Why not spice things up with some lovely exciting anti-boring flowers? Plenty are on sale here, and for very reasonable prices indeed. An alternative way to alleviate boredom would be to have a beer next door at Big Hands. Or you could do both. I like both.

Masako Art & Flowers is a beautiful little gallery situated just off the canal in Castlefields. It…read moreis both an art gallery and a florist. Masako is a Japanese artist who moved to the UK in 2005 after studying as a nurse, and then as a flower arranger! She then met Phillipe Aird, a Manchester based contemporary artist whose art is on display in the studio next door, and set up shop in Castlefield. On her website she writes that flower arranging and painting are complimentary activities, each providing ideas for the other and allowing her to transpose shape, colour, texture and design between the two areas. Sounds a bit mad, but once you've been to the little gallery, you'll have to agree! She still operates as a (relatively) normal florist with some beautiful flowers available. She offers floral designs for homes and office, and table arrangements for parties. There's a few quirky differences as well, such as the option to take along your own vase, and have it filled with flowers that suit it!! I must say I'm not a huge fan of flower arranging, I just don't seem to be affected by the subtle differences produced by getting the perfect ratio of sprig to chrysanthemum, so for me it's the paintings that really make this place great. I used my detective skills to trace the flower influence, by noticing that the paintings are all of flowers. They are all beautiful designs pained with bright but natural colours, and often outlined with very thick gold, silver or bronze paint, giving them a deep three dimensional texture. Have a look through the photos and see what you think. It's a pleasant walk along the canal to the gallery anyway and you can always stop at the picturesque Dukes 92 along the way, so you've nothing to lose by baying Masako a visit.

Rooted on Quay Street close to the famous Coronation Street set, Flower Style is a floral paradise…read more I popped in there last week to buy a bouquet for my friend Helen who has thoughtfully provided me with a gorgeous god-son. The exterior is so inviting with topiary plants framing an almost Parisian green entrance. The lady who greeted me knew exactly what I wanted. Hardly a flower buff, I requested an unusual exotic arrangement and I was shown the most incredible array of worldwide flowers. Service was quick and the flowers were so beautiful that I wanted to keep them for myself. The choice of flowers is extensive, curious, unusual and alluring. The bouquet was reasonably priced at £40 and it was made to look extra special. This is designer floristry at high street prices and Flower Style is a keepsake for my blackberry.

A community run garden centre in the middle of Hulme. I've admired it from the top of the 86 bus…read moremany times. This is a very well designed space which feels surprisingly big as you walk around it. There's a good variety of flowers, fruit trees, shade plants and more for sale. There's a gluten free, vegan cafe on site. I saw a sign for vegan hotdogs, cakes and coffee when I was there but didn't sample anything. There's lots of seating at the cafe but also lots of little quiet spots with seating all over the centre. It feels like a community park as much as a business. There's also a 'schoolroom' with hay bales for the students. This place is not the cheapest garden centre but then your money is going to support a community not B & Q shareholders. Also all the plants are organic and in peat free compost.

A non commercial garden centre that has a really lovely relaxed feel to it and a good selection of…read moreplants and shrubs with some unusual varieties. The path leading in has lots of lovely plants growing along it and you are drawn in to the various areas with a smile. Loved the sensory garden and the staff are very friendly. If you need some vegetables for planting the have a selection. Also there are various courses run by this centre and details are on the website.

This is the outlet at the Lowry. We hadn't been here in a few years certainly long before wu flu…read morestruck. I'd guess it's now half empty store wise. Key shops like M&S Clothing, Black & Decker, Tefal and many more all long gone. Harry Ramsden's fish & chips still there along with subway. A chicken shack of sorts, an independent Indian and a BK. The Indian has most food pre cooked and heated on order so no thanks. When there's a Harry's I'm afraid this sort of competition has no chance with me. They used to have a spud u like but it's gone as has an ice cream parlour. The Cadbury alleged chocolate shop is still there but prices are rip off with supermarkets offering identical products much cheaper. Costa coffee is still there and they are now advertising the fact that they are selling M&S food so at least that's quality food. I'm not sure I'd make another trip back here but they still do the artisan market days so that would bring me back.

A wonderful modern theatre in Salford at the Lowry Centre. The Lyric Theatre is the biggest of the…read moretwo theatres inside of the huge Lowry Centre. It hosts many amazing plays, musicals and many other entertainment options. I have been to see two National Theatre productions here which include the amazing War Horse and recently the Curious incident of the dog in the nighttime. It also has a couple of restaurants and cafes and amazing views to go with it. I have sat in many places in the Lyric theatre and there really isn't one bad seat plus the seats are really comfortable! All the staff who work here are really friendly and they seem to love there job. So take a look at the Lowry website to see if theres a show coming your way soon. Even if you're not sure that you might like the theatre, give it a go you may love it! The Lowry also hosts many art exhibitions which currently has Behind the Mask, the biggest collection of BAFTA-winning actor portraiture ever assembled, which has come to The Lowry for its first time out of London which is worth the trip out of town alone! You can easily get to the Lowry from the city centre of Manchester on one of the Metrolink trams which head towards Media City UK!