They offer good advice and delivery of their goods. Friendly and good to deal with.read more

Pleasure to visit, I didn't think I would be able to afford an outdoor dining set but was…read morepleasantly surprised by the prices. Ever since it was delivered, I've been sitting in my garden everyday, so I'm very happy!

Real gem of a shop, selling stuff for outdoors ( seeds, tools, garden gifts, furniture, fire…read morepits,etc) plus some lovely Christmas gifts. I found apaper potter there that was cheaper than in the catalogues and without the postage! Great place to browse, and you always feel welcome.

I've recently discovered that I absolutely love gardening. Maybe love should be replaced with the…read moreword obsession. What started out as only a few cute plants, you know, just to "green up the place," has morphed into living room JUNGLE obsession. Oh, us silly Americans. Go big or go home. The good news is that this obsession led me to find Podington Garden Centre. Quite literally in the smack dab of nowhere, this place is gardener's playground! I only wanted two things: a couple of 60 lt bag of organic soil for my courgettes and tomato plants. I wasn't expecting to find gardening nirvana. I'm pretty sure Jesus would shop here. Firstly, this centre is absolutely gorgeous. You have to hand it to these Podintons, they love their gardening! The centre is big, but not Home Base gigantic, and the staff are knowledgeable and genuinely care about their products. I was also shocked to find that the Guinness World Record for Largest Garden Spade was on display! Not sure if it was on the local garden tour, but there it was! I took a picture as proof, too. http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/4000/largest-garden-spade Earlier in the day, I called to request a hold on two bags of organic soil. It may seem silly, but after two disappointing visits to Homebase (thanks LOADS you a-holes for lying to me with your BS reservation!) I wanted to make sure my soil was still there! When I approached the counter my soil was already on a trolly, with my name, patiently waiting up front. Seriously, that's service! HUGE KUDOS. My only complaint is, literally, how far away they are from Leamington. It also feels like you're traveling into the middle of nowhere, when suddenly, this place just appears! Absolutely worth the trip. I can't wait to go here again and buy more of everything!

Podington Garden centre is a really nice place to have a browse around in the summer even if you…read moredon't plan on buying anything! It's quite small compared with some garden centres although there is a good range of shrubs and trees for sale outside. There is a lovely gift area that also sells foodstuffs such as home made jams,marmalades, cakes and old fashioned style sweets. It has a lovely oldly worldy feel to it. At Christmas time they also have a fantastic range of lights and decorations, although they are quite expensive compared with larger department stores that sell the same sort of things. There is plenty of parking just outside the centre and there is a lovely cafe inside. Well worth a visit even if you are just browsing.

Screwfix first became famous for their mail order business. But with delivery charges at £5,…read moresometimes that is not economical, Thankfully they have opened up branches of counters. 135 in all in the UK, Peterborough is just one of them. Think Wickes meets Argos and you wil have a good idea of what this place is like. To purchase anything, they have catlogues on benches. You fill in a slip with the part number and quanitity of what you want. You then pay at a desk where they check the stock level and then await it to arrive at another counter, a la Argos. It is handy and quiet useful, as if they do not have the item in stock, they will tell you when it is due in and you can pay and reserve the item there and then. Pricewise, they tend to be very competitive compared to the nearby Wickes store and are cheaper than Homebase. They also keep almost anything you would want from a builder's merchants, including work wear and sat navs. I use the website to see prices and then if they are the,most competitive, drop by and get the article I am interested in.

It is excellent that there is a Screwfix on the outskirts of Peterborough. I can look at what I…read morewant from the comfort of my own home on the internet and then pop straight there and get it. It saves on the delivery charge and means that I can get it straight away. The staff are always very helpful there and advise on what you need for the particular job that you are doing. I thought I needed a certain item and they advised that actually a less expensive item would do just fine and would possibly work even better for my needs. I recommend other people visiting here if they need anything for DIY!

If I was rich then I would spend a lot of money in here buying out their range of contemporary…read morefurniture. The store is stylish and the furniture matches that! Lifestyle And Home can be found on Forehill in Ely, which is close to the centre and train station. It's so fresh and modern with all of the current trends visible. It reminds me somewhat of Joscelyne Clement in Cambridge, very artsy.

Compared to Huntingdon Garden & Leisure, Dobbies is the garden centre of your dreams. Yes, they do…read morehave a cafe and a deli area complete with bakery and chocolate counter, but they also have that special something - oh yes, they have plants! When we visited, it was a bit of a sad sight as they were selling off the remainders of Christmas stock, including bags upon bags of cinnamon scented pine cones. Although this was taking up much of the room and wasn't in the most organised of states, there were plenty of staff around and all seemed to have at least half a smile on their face. The cafe is of a good standard, though the tables and eating areas could have done with a quick wipe down. The cakes are something to behold, and the scone selection rather vast - however, I went for a sweet chilli chicken panini. You get one of those terrifying buzzer things which goes off when your food is ready, and I happily tucked in to the simple-yet-satisfying sandwich. Plants are available inside and outside, meaning you don't have to full venture out in to the wind and rain to pick up something to brighten your house or garden with. A Dobbies card will allow you certain discounts and the occasional free tea or coffee. A good place to wander around - and finally see some plants.

I like Dobbies. Coffee is good and cakes look…read moregreat...although today I managed to resist. I like their poorly plants ... available at a discount, their book section, their special offers and the fact there is always plenty of parking. Somewhere to while away a gloomy Sunday.