With family members about to radically expand a vege patch, I'm on the lookout for interesting…read moreadditions to perplex them with. Christmas is coming up and all. Situated just behind the carpark in Leura, this little nursery has some definite contenders. Everything's clear and laid out, with little signs giving care info (great for unwitting plant killers like me). The atmosphere's friendly. Although, come to think of it, I've never found an unfriendly nursery. Mmmm, there's something in that. But, back to the Christmas list. Diggers heirloom veggies. Fabulous. Ever heard of a Wapsipinicon Peach Tomato? Me neither. They're peach coloured. Really! Gotta love a Black Russian tomato too. And a bonsai. And a mini Christmas tree in a pot so you don't have to participate in the senseless slaugher of pines every December. Although with my luck, they'll all burst into flames the second I walk out of the shop. I do try not to kill plants, truly.

In the last 3 days I have been to Flower Power (Ochard Hills/Penrith) EVERY SINGLE DAY…read more Not because I couldn't find what I was looking for or didn't get the help I needed but because we did the kids gardening class tues and wed (lunch both days too!) And then because I missed the place so much today!!! All 3 days I would have asked multiple questions to at least 5 didferent employees and they were more than happy to help me with everything I needed!!! (We have just built so I am just getting into gardening now!) Special thanks today as the fello that ran the kids class yesterday was helping me so much today and then the people at the checkout were absolutely wonderful as my 2 year old was having a tantrum and they helped me get out of there quickly and also helped not only take my full trolley to my car but also pack it into my boot for me as I put the kids in their carseats! You have fantastic employees there and our experience thus far has been FANTASTIC!!! Thank you so much!!!

Tucked away in the back is a little cafe. Not a huge amount on offer but good stuff. The pear and…read moreraspberry bread was best I've had. Seating area not heated well for winter but still good for conversations. Main nursery average but I didn't look too hard.

nice blazing fire .. tastefully enclosed outside area ... great food and such friendly personable…read moreservice set in a great nursery ... what more could you want ? I'm a fan

When going to the Blue Mountains (Katoomba) or beyond, an outstanding alternative to the traffic of…read morethe Great Western Highway is the picturesque scenery of the northern route of Bells Line of Road, through Richmond and via the town of Bilpin. On this road you can stop off at Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah. You will be impressed by this tranquil oasis and admission is free. Some great mountain wilderness views from up here. Opened to the public on November 1, 1987 as Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens. In 2011 the name was changed to the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah. Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens is one of two annexes to the Royal Botanic Gardens on Sydney Harbour by the Opera House. The second annex is the Mount Annan Botanic Gardens near Campbelltown off the F5 (Hume Highway). Supposedly the three gardens collectively include every plant species in the world. The website will tell you more - http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Like all three gardens, Mount Tomah has sectional plantings grouped together according to their country or geographical area of origin, with strong growth promoted by rich basalt soils. This mountain is far more tranquil and has more natural beauty than the Royal Botanic Gardens. For some history: George Caley was the assistant botanist for Sir Joseph Banks, both of whom accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyages of discovery of the Pacific rim and islands in the late 1700's. In 1804, George Caley was the first European to reach Mount Tomah. He named the area Fern Tree Hill because of the proliferation of two types of tree ferns, the Rough Tree Fern, and the Smooth Tree Fern. This name was later changed to Tomah, the Dharug Aboriginal word for tree fern. The dominant trees were Coachwoods, Sassafras and Blackwoods. Many of the larger trees were felled in early times for local timber mills. The Mount Tomah elevation of 1,000 meters is perfect for the world class collection of 48,000 cool climate plants from all around the world. The main Garden comprises 28 hectares (70 acres) of land. However, the extended Garden includes the historic 'Jungle' area of pristine Blue Mountains wilderness rainforest encompassing 252 hectares (622 acres). This is Australia's highest elevation botanic garden and is the place to see those alpine plants you didn't know existed. You can walk among manicured and landscaped garden beds and rockeries, as well as along trails of native bushland. Some of the trails are described in a separate review, following. Plenty of floral (flowers) and aboreal (tree) varieties which you will not see anywhere else in one place. A recently added feature is the Blue Mountains World Heritage exhibition and audio-visual presentation. This features the Wollemi Pine, a 'living fossil', which dates back about 100 million years to the time of the dinosaurs and thought to be extinct millions of years ago. The recent discovery of the Wollemi Pine in 1994 in nearby Wollemi National Park (50 K north-west) is considered one of the greatest botanical discoveries of our time. Who would ever imagine finding a Wollemi Pine in Wollemi National Park? Maybe they just didn't look hard enough (actually it shows how rugged and remote the area is!) The Gardens are open year round - except for Christmas Day. Open from 10am to 4pm (April to September) and 10am to 5pm (October to March). The Garden also offers the Jungle Lodge accommodation for secluded stays with access to the Garden after hours. There is a large gift shop with postcards, books and Australian souvenirs. There is a Garden's Adventure Quest for the kids. The lunch cafe has scenic views, though some people find their own picnic spot in the gardens. Lots of birds, including Satin Bower-Birds who will want some food.

These gardens are beautiful. Entry is free. It's nice way to spend a day or just stop by on your…read moreway to the Blue Mountains if you're going via Bell's Line of Road. There are educational signs around the gardens that teach you about various things (e.g the tectonic plates and how land separated) as well as individual signs describing each plant and where it came from. The restaurant is lovely too. It's not cheap but the food is great and the views are nice. I had the Cauliflower chowder with pork meatballs. I would definitely recommend it!

Open a little less than a year, Sew Beautiful is a welcome addition to the local area. Light,…read morebright and welcoming, this lovely store stocks a range of necessaries and treats for the crafty. The selection is small, but chosen with care, patchwork fabric (mostly in lovely, modern colours), knitting wool, sewing notions (the bits and bobs everyone needs), ribbons and thread. Also available are a selection of locally crafted gift items including some drop dead cute kids clothes, stitched with care and a real eye for design. Opened by owner Yvette who clearly loves what she does and enjoys sharing the simple pleasures of creating with needle and thread. She offers a loyalty program, credit that goes towards fabric purchases and is ready with a smile and a chat anytime. There's obviously a real need for such community based shops as she tells me that the knitting and crochet classes she offers are booked up until next year, and plans are underway to add more workshops for kids next school holidays. Whether you need something specific or just want to pop in for some inspiration, craft is the new cool and this is just the place to get you started.

I think it's somewhat miraculous to be able to turn a ball of yarn into a three-dimensional,…read morewearable, practical and beautiful thing to keep ya warm on those cold Mountain nights. Katoomba Knitting has got all the supplies you'd need to get started on just such a project. Needles, wools and yarns of varying types and colours, DMC threads and even the odd herbal soap. There's bargain bins out the front, and staff willing to help. Maybe one day I'll move on from the basic scarf to something a bit more challenging. Even if it does end up with an extra arm. Extra warm, right?

I love this place, and I don't even do patchwork. The shop is long, and you can enter from either…read moreend, the main entrance taking you past a few token crockery and decorative items and sewing machines for sale. Then you get to the vast array of beautiful materials lined up against the walls, and past the big tables used for classes and get togethers. I know you probably think patchwork - mmm, daggy 70's cotton handbags in pastel colours - but this shop carries some truly lovely materials including a big range of Japanese fabrics which I use for all kinds of things. The colours are beautiful and the prices here are really good, they always seem to have some sort of sale going on. The staff are very helpful and the shop clearly serves as a major stopping point for lots of local women. You see, while I'm trawling the bins for cheap fat eighths (sewing term, really) I overload on the gossip. This place is Gossip Central. Even if there isn't a class going on (and they have lots of them, call in and ask) there's always a bunch of women having a chat. I adore it. As an inveterate Student of the Human Condition (some may say eavesdropper) the conversations swirling around are fantastic. 'I won't have him in the house, I said.' 'And that was after I left my second husband...' Love it. Quilting as socially cohesive force. Truly.

The patchwork/quilting shops in the nearby Blue Mountains are so poorly run I find myself…read moretravelling to Penrith to this customer-friendly shop with great stock.

The Hippy Shop in Springwood is right opposite the train station, and takes up almost the entire…read moresidewalk! But I like it, it has a very marketplace-y feel. And, true to their name, all the products are hippy-like! Tie-dye tops, dresses and baggy pants, hemp totes, Buddha statues, antique-looking artefacts like an old chest of drawers, a small cabinet, what looks to be an armoire, plush, ornate pouffes.. and that's just on the outside! If you venture inside (where it's dark and only lit with lamps), you'll see more intricately designed artefacts, like little stone figurines, ornamental lanterns, windchimes which are constantly making soothing tinkling sounds in the background as you browse... it's really quite a lovely atmosphere. There's even all kinds of incense, including one that is made to smell like marijuana. Why one would want incense that smells that marijuana, I'm not quite sure. You also get a nice mix of cheap items, and expensive items, so there will always be something to fit your budget.

Ok, take a deep breath…read more.. New Age Markets, known to all and sundry as 'The Hippy Shop' (it even says so on the sign) has been a much loved local institution for decades. It is not, however, for those whose nightmares involve asphyxiation by tie-dyed Indian cotton and rampaging throw pillows. The Hippy Shop takes the notion of abundance to nigh absurd levels, consistently cramming a level of stock to the point where walking down an aisle becomes an all-terrain obstacle course, leaving you clambering over piles of Vietnamese crockery, Nepalese picture frames and Buddhas in collective repose. Not the mention the death from above threat dealt by hanging lanterns and children's toys of bewildering variety. And that's only the first half of the store. Duck through a doorway suffocated by handbags I suspect are breeding together in quiet moments and you reach the clothing room, barely navigable for the arms of silk, cotton and hemp reaching out from the walls and from the centre racks. There's an indiscriminate range here too - from the cheap and awful to some genuinely stylish pieces. My advice is to buy something straightaway if you like it, set it down for a moment and it'll be sucked back into the seething maw never to be seen again. The staff are more than friendly and the store itself stocks everything from crystals to handmade soap, shoes to jewellery; you can even get a psychic reading on request. I couldn't bet on it, but there may be the odd kitchen sink lurking under piles of sari bedspreads and scented candles. I'm in two minds about this claustrophobe's nightmare of a shop, although I can only manage a 15 minute stint before I feel like I'm drowning, if the store did clear out to normal levels, it just might lose a great deal of its oddball charm, and as it is you're sure to find something to suit just about any taste. Just don't expect to find it in a hurry.