went to smiths today!!!!!!!!!I had a great experience ,we needed to get some plants for the garden…read moreand we were really sucsessful today.I was really pleased with the experience today.There were thousands of plants in the garden centre,there were a lot in the inside area and an absolute abundance of plants outside.Also all plants were well kept and very watered,actually helped me keep cool in all this heat,they obviously take pride in each and every one of their plants.Also there is so much stock of everything(plants and non-plants).This has really pleased me as I've seen some garden centres which has hardly any plants and they are all neglected.However in this garden centre,they even have Christmas trees in June,but I suppose today(the day I wrote my review)is only 6 months till Christmas Eve!!!!!!!!!But I cannot see why you can't have a Christmas tree in June if you want to.I brought 3 small ones!!!!!!!!!Also I've been to garden centres in Christmas and they haven't had christmas trees.Also they were really well staffed as well,and our cashier was polite and even offered for someone to help us load the car.Also the smiths golf thing right at the back of the garden centre looks great and I'm sure will make a lot of money for the garden centre.Also their drive thru concept to collect soil was good and very well thought out,it's like a McDonald's drive thru but you show you're receipt to staff and then drive on to get the soil.Lovely experience!!!!!!!!

Smiths is a large garden centre just outside Uxbridge. There is a vast choice of greenery for sale…read morein a huge outdoor area, and also an indoor shopping area and cafe (not tried). It offers an extremely comprehensive range of products. Staff in the outside area can be hard to find but there are knowledgeable staff available if you need advice as I did when selecting a fruit tree for my garden. The level of customer service is high, I was surprised to discover that if you buy a heavy bag of fertiliser or compost it will be taken to your car on an electric carrier! So all in all a recommended place to go for garden supplies and products.

I need to update my review because the Boma Garden centre gardeners are such, such stars!!…read more We have been keen to tidy up our garden by adding some decking and building some raised flower beds etc... but although I was keen to give it a go and attempt everything myself, my husband was sure it'd be much easier *and...ahem...look much better* if we asked professionals to help. Our builder let us down (as he is so busy with other jobs) so I asked the Boma Garden Centre folks to quote for the work. In the end they managed to transform our messy, mad garden in just 2.5 days. They were polite, helpful, left everything tidy and were just a pleasure to work with. I am really glad that we decided to go with them. So, if you need help with a garden makeover and you live in North London, give them a try!!

My oh my, such a disappointment. We booked afternoon tea, months in advance, as is necessary…read more Here's what we learned. This is what could reasonably termed an "experience", but it fails on every point. Service is lackadaisical( difficult to see how they justify the service charge). The food looks pretty, but isn't very special in terms of taste or presentation ( probably not helped by the fact it has to be carried in from a separate building), and was served on a ridiculous cake stand/vase that effectively conceals your dining companion. Crockery is cheap looking and charmless. The price difference between the plain tea and the version with a single glass of Cremant ( served, disappointingly, in a warm glass) is £15 ( 45 versus 60). It's easy to buy an entire bottle for that, at retail prices. God help you if it rains ( you'll be dripped on- the greenhouse is not weatherproof). Don't bother, especially if you're paying.

The Nurseries is one of those gems that you don't want to share with everyone ;))) It's only open…read morein the sunny days of the year and it's because it's hidden in the old glass house of the Nurseries garden center. Old & disparate furniture is scattered around, directly on the nude earth floor and in between large pots of green & colorful plants. Beautiful flowers are set on each table. It's like a picturesque scene of Alice in Wonderland. You feel like a little kid entering a magical wild world, where birds talk and nature is alive. It's all very comfortable and cute. And on a sunny warm day, it's the ideal getaway for lunch. The menu is small but fresh and seasonal. Vegetables seem to be at the center of many dishes. And fish was quite predominant when I was there. Everything sounds delicious and it definitively is! They well deserve their 1-star michelin. I had the squid to start with and it was super nice!!! I'm usually not a big fan but the squid was very well cooked (quite soft), on a yummy piece of bread and in a very tasty sauce. Then I had the halibut. The fish was cooked to perfection, very moist and the mayonnaise was mouthwatering :P For desserts, we shared the rice pudding and the chocolate tart. To die for. Both of them. Point. The staff is friendly and fast. So all good there. If you want to spoil your better half, this is the perfect summer romantic spot. The gardens are a nice little after-lunch discovery too. And if you feel really chilled out, you can sit next to the fountain and profit from the sun rays. Or just roll out into the fields around and have a lazy rest in the green grass of Richmond park.

Van Hage is a primarily a garden centre, but they have a lot more on offer, and as such it's…read moreactually not a bad place to go if you want a lazy, gardening-centric weekend! First off, be prepared to spend a lot of money at Van Hage. Not because you'll be coming out with armfuls of stuff, but because you need a second mortgage to walk through the door. No, it's not that bad, but it is pricey, much more so than your small independent nurseries but on a par with places like Homebase for the price of bedding plants and staple gardening gubbins. Where the prices really start to ramp up is with the more specialist plants and the extra stuff they stock. There's not a lot you can't buy at Van Hage. Every plant you can think of is available, from £1.99 BOGOF bedding plant 6-packs right up to huge palms and trees costing £1000 each - I'm not kidding. There's the usual array of gardening equipment too, and a separate section selling every type of mower or cutting device imaginable. Then there are chocolates, gifts, BBQs (Weber and Outback etc), books, crockery and cutlery, giftwrap, clothing, cut flowers, home furnishing, firepits and chimneas, outdoor furniture, bird feeders and seeds etc, a gigantic range of pots, indoor and out, sheds and garden buildings, fencing and all kinds of other stuff. Most of it is high quality and carefully chosen, so if you're into having a garden a bit different from everybody else then you'll be happy here. Café VH is worth a visit, but again, it's pricey. They do neat little trays for kids and a pick'n'mix menu with fresh fruit, some organic bits and pieces and kid friendly lidded cups with straws. They sell a range of hot and cold food and there is something for everyone. Lots of seating inside and out means you'll always have somewhere to sit, although it does get pretty busy at times. If you do have children with you there are two other places worthy of a visit to stop them from getting bored. The first is a large selection of animals. There are caged ones, including Marmoset monkeys and meerkats, and a big open area containing goats, rabbits, ducks and other things. There are also birds, lizards, guinea pigs and others. You wander around the paths, and every now and then there are feed dispensing machines to let the kids give the animals their dinner. There are animal fact sheets for the kids to take away and colour in too. Next you can go to the miniature railway. It doesn't run every day I don't think, so best to check before you visit if it's a must-do on your trip. My little boy is Thomas the Tank Engine mad, and to him, that's who he's riding on (or James if it's the red one that day!). There is plenty of room on the open carriages and it does two loops, taking a slightly different route each time. There are various ornaments and plants dotted around the track so something for the kids to look at too. The steam and tooting of the engine add to the ride and it's actually quite a cool thing to take your little one on, to break their day up! There is also a shop next to Café VH that sells a lot of local produce, much of it organic or sustainably farmed. It's not just fruit and veg in here though, there are drinks, snacks, breakfast cereals, tinned food, dairy and bakery products - all sorts of stuff. On summery days there is an ice cream van parked out the front too, so if that's your bag then get yourself a 99 and sit on one of the many benches or walls out front and soak up the sun. They also have a HUGE car park, and they need it, weekends at this place are astonishingly busy. Christmas is another period where Van Hage comes alive. They have a Father Christmas grotto to take the kids, and a magnificent indoor area with blacked walls and all manner of lights, ornaments, and all things Christmas. Again, very pricey for some of it but going to Van Hage at Christmas is one of those modern day things you have to do if you live nearby! They also have mechanically driven Polar Bears in displays which the kids love.

Probably the best garden centre I have been to. Great stock, restaurant and best of all a farm zoo…read moreand fantastic miniature railway which is loved by children and animals alike. It is not cheap, you could call it the Marks & Spencer of garden centres, but it is good. Well worth a visit and really is better than the rest

Squires are a very popular garden centre, which is busy all year round…read more The high number of visitors means most of the stock is very fresh and not root bound. This makes a big difference as the quality is so much better and there plants tend to get off to a much better start once planted in the garden. They also have properly trained staff on hand to give plant advise - which probably accounts for why they are so popular. The downside is it's not the cheapest of garden centres - some of the bedding plants are almost double what you would pay in a DIY centre. Also the range of shrubs is a bit limited. If it was a restaurant it would have 3 Michelin stars - worth a long journey just to visit.

There are other Squires outlets, but for me the Twickenham branch, is a haven. When I was working…read moreon a project , there were three places I would go to check on their stock, and this was my first preference, though I would always save it as the last visit. Many garden centres have gone downhill and don't really take pride in their establishment , or worse are not knowledgeable on what they are selling. The plants they sell look as if they have met the patched and over frazzled soft shell crab from my other review. Not so here, and it is no surprise that this particular place has won various awards for its design layout. This for me is important since they have created an atmosphere that for me just leaves you to feel content and think freely. Yes there is the usual eating section which I never go to and pets corner , though I did find a use for bundles of straw and bugs bunny had long since taken a vacation. There is a good selection of gardening implements, fertilisers and growers, I am sure Percy Thrower would have been in his element. Once you have managed to pass the piles of soil , only you don't because there are so many different kinds , your uncertain which one to choose and then you notice.....oooh 3 for the price of 2 ...where's the trolly out of my way and you ignore the caution not to lift heavy objects on your own because you just want that bargain..and then oh dear you are already over loaded and you have not yet got to the plant section...and then you wield and guide and grunt and push....no don't worry this is still the same review...and you gaze in amazement at the symphony of colour. I need more time.. So back you go with the soil and you return at a later date...20 mins later you just dashed at ..the pace of a snail ;) For me the time to visit this branch is early Spring , March, for they have a collection of Rhododendrons ,Camellias , Magnolias, Azaleas and Acers that is second to none. I can't say if they will this year but last year they went that little bit extra and created a Japanese theme to complement it, It was then easy to get engrossed or yes I confess drool at a particular plant, and then imagining where I was going to plant it and how it would blend in with the rest of the garden, ..I would often get carried away and wonder what it would be like once it had fully matured. However, there will be no admissions of talking to plants or passing complements of beauty on its fauna. In the excitement of finding the right specimen and having giving it a thorough examination i might frequently get drawn to another...no honestly my feelings for you have not wained ..let me introduce you to...well okay it passes the time. I should point out that they don't just do Japanese plants, that is my particular choice, they have a wide variety and it is a large outlet. There are also two areas where you can obtain information. ..and when you completed your purchase they will if need be load your car up. It has been a while but I feel a visit to this place coming on.

Marvelous, marvelous, marvelous!…read more I've recently gotten really into windowsill gardening and have been filling all available spaces with tiny green loveliness. I was looking for a good garden shop that offered real variety (unlike the chain stores which seem to offer not much and a lot of it), and learned about Neal's. I'm so glad I did. While it is awkwardly located just across from a prison, the place is just great. Pots galore; a beautiful selection of bedding plants and other outdoor selections; and a great indoor shop featuring a greenhouse of houseplants, a wealth of garden tools, indoor pots and planters, and gifts for gardeners. While I've come to expect independent shops to be a touch more expensive than the chain stores (and am ok with this as I like supporting the little guy), I was pleasantly surprised at the super reasonable pricing at Neal's! I ended up bringing home more and larger plants than I would have anywhere else as they were so well priced. I kept going on about this to my husband, who very kindly didn't say too much as I added plant after plant to our basket! Definitely a place I'll be visiting on a semi-regular basis!

Pots! Freaking LOADS of pots!…read more That's what greats you as you enter Neal's Nurseries. It's a pot fest. Little ones, round ones, glass ones, square ones, silver ones... You get the picture. If you want something to put your plant's in that isn't the ground, you'll do well here. So, that's your pots sorted. Inside you've got your regular garden centre type stuff - a good selection of tools, seeds, other ...err...things you need for your garden. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and are happy to offer up advice - but don't expect help to come to you - you gotta go and seek help on your garden related conundrums. It's in a bit of a weird location though - right opposite Wandsworth Prison. Not sure if that matters, but it's probably best to avoid picking up a spade when you hear about an escape on the news.

Quality garden centre. Always put on a good spread at Christmas. Have lots of selection whatever…read moreyou need. Paving and sheds. Planters and decorative stuff. Pond gear. Trees, plants, veg, seeds, equipment, etc. Helpful staff. Just tricky driving in and out of.

A really nice garden centre with practically everything you could need to create your perfect…read moregarden escape. I spent a lot of time here over the Summer. The prices are competitive and they do daily delivery to St Albans (other areas have 2 days in the week for deliveries). The team in the Plant Information & Advice Centre are incredibly helpful and they have lots of free booklets to help with maintaining your garden (laying turf, planting trees etc.).

Excellent Nursery/Garden Centre. Good quality plants, small but unusual selection of gifts, pots…read moregalore, pleasant helpful staff AND a Coffee Shop with a balcony. What more could you want ! A vast, amazing, variety of Roses with helpful advice on choosing a perfectly named rose for that Special Occasion. The Clematis section is always good, too. Nursery staff are real experts and will spend time explaining & advising. I am always spoilt for choice here. All this in a lovely setting that you just can't help wandering around, there are hidden treasures at every turn. Watch out for the Elephant !!! Shame it is closed on Sundays. They have enlarged the Car park so there is plenty of space now.

Like outandabout I am disappointed they aren't open on a Sunday. This is a friendly place and they…read moredon't seem to mind people like me who are more interested in looking at plants than watering them. It is a mesmerising place to walk around and you will find something that takes your fancy.