For being located on such a busy road, Sunhill Garden Centre is surprisingly peaceful. Perhaps it…read moreis the tree-bound setting combined with the trickle of the water features that distracts you from the sound of traffic, I don't know. But what I do know is that Sunhill Garden Center has a really great wide range of plants, from perennials and succulents to dwarf shrubs and citrus, which are all clearly labelled and well organised in the garden out the back. You can also pick up Oakdale Organics vegetable and herb seedlings starting from 3.99 each or 3 for 10, which seems to be a good deal. Inside you will find all sorts of gardening supplies and also plenty of gifts, such as potted plants, ornaments and various gardening accessories. And if you have a little one with you, then Sunhill has arranged for that too, with a small playground at the back overlooking the Apirana Reserve.

Yesterday was the first time I've visited Sunhill in 20 years. Amazing and beautiful, and really…read moregreat service from helpful and knowledgable people. I'll be back! Rose, Epsom

Who knew that tucked in the backstreets of Otahuhu was this beautiful green oasis?!…read more This was my first visit to the garden centre, Natural Tree Products (NTP), who have the largest range of indoor plants in NZ, and I must say I was impressed. There were Cycads, Ficus Trees, Queens Palms and a whole host of Sub-Tropical plants. My green fingers were quite literally tingling as I walked from greenhouse to greenhouse. Whilst Natural Tree Products specializes in Plant Hire, their nursery is also open for the public from Monday to Saturday and with prices lower than most garden centres, this place is well worth checking out. On my trip to NTP, I also discovered (and fell in love with) Woolly Pockets. Originally hailing from San Francisco and sold locally by NTP, these clever little planters are an accessible and affordable way to create your very own living wall. Made 100% from recycled plastic and starting at only $50 a pop, these things are genius and as soon as our kitchen is renovated I will be installing a succulent wall ASAP! Also good to note, is PalmCo, the big palm professional is down the same driveway.

For anyone with a green thumb this place is heaven! I could get lost for hours walking through the…read morearray of palms, ferns and specialty plant life. I get so bored of the limited selection and quality at standard garden centers so was absolutely chuffed when I heard of this gem in Otahuhu that has an enormous selection and premium quality without the premium price tag. These guys know their plants too so can offer some great advice and help plan for every type of garden. If you are lucky you might spot the adorable sausage dog Frank who is lucky enough to call this place his second home. Get in quick before the rest of the green thumbs out there discover this hidden sanctuary!

The milkshakes are so good and really good plants but fries mushy and bad but still goodread more

This plant barn is bigger than I remember with a cafe, kids playground and gift shop on site. I…read morepopped in on Sunday and there were children everywhere. It's clearly a weekend hotspot for families with young tikes. Despite the garden centre being a decent size I couldn't find the one thing we were after, hostas... Who knew they'd be so difficult to track down. Anyway, we ended up getting a calthera instead but they wouldn't sell it to us without the shitty pot, which was rather irritating. Personally, I prefer Bunnings. Better service and substantially cheaper!

A new garden centre based on Universal Drive in Henderson. It's got a great range of plants and…read morestuff for the garden but probably the best thing about it is the cafe. It's got a light airy feel to it and green decor gives it a funky vibe. As regards the food, it is excellent and I quite surprised how good it was as I wasn't expecting all that much to be perfectly frank. I got a the 'Big West Fest' which was as hearty and filling as the name implies. My other half went for the baked eggs which she too thought were really good. I was further pleasantly surprised by the coffee which was also very good. We sat outside and though it was Saturday afternoon, there was a relaxed vibe there. I reckon this place would be more popular if more people knew about it. Personally, I think this cafe is a bit of a hidden gem and I am looking forward to having brunch there again at some stage.

What better way to sip your warm frothy drink than surrounded by gorgeous flowers everywhere?…read more I ordered the ginger latte because it piqued my interest. It was definitely a good call! I've been craving another ever since. To eat I just had fruit bread with apricot jam. It was tasty, but I mean it's just toast so no big deal here. I wish their menu had a few more options, especially in the under $18 price range, as I wasn't in the mood for a pricey breakfast. The staff was so friendly. As I sat down on the world's comfiest bench seat, I plugged my charger in, noticed it wasn't charging, and the food runner caught my eye and turned on the power for that outlet just for me! This place definitely buzzes with people in and out from the surrounding businesses, but it still maintains a quiet atmosphere so you can hold a conversation or read a book. I'd like to go back for another ginger latte and to try one of their larger breakfast options!

Big bowls of delicious & nutritious salad for $9 - what a steal! And in City Works Depot....I'm…read moreimpressed. The Botanist is part cafe, part florist. The cafe serves salads to go or eat in as well as fresh juices and coffee. The space isn't huge but there are also outdoor tables that get plenty of afternoon sun! I didn't go into the florist this time but peered in and it looked delightful. Small but delightful. All in all a great spot for a healthy lunch at at a reasonable price.

This is the best superette by far. A super superette in fact. The flowers out the front really grab…read moreyour eye and if you didn't think that about 5 meters of flowers displayed out the front was enough, there are more inside, a florist down the back of the store actually and it puts a lot of stand alone florists to shame and it is inside what I would describe as a gourmet mini market and frutier. I absolutely love it here, such a range of wonderful international foods, brands that you would find in the deli section of New World or in a Nosh store. They also stock fresh breads from Wild Wheat on Mt Eden Road, which is very good bread and all the ingredients you would need to make a meal to impress. Additionally there is a wonderful range of chilled product, gourmet frozen yoghurts, sorbet and ice creams and more for the sweet tooth, New Zealand chocolates and Turkish Delight actually form Turkey. A fantastic place to come and stock up on some less than ordinary foods but if I lived in the area, I'd be a frequent customer for sure. Unbelievable prices on the flowers too and so many varieties to choose from, an amazing place and very friendly are the people who own it.

Bhana Brothers is pretty much one of the nicest fruit shops/superettes I've ever been to. The fruit…read moreand vegetables are always lined up perfectly and the flowers out the front are really enticing. They stock upmarket ice-cream and pasta brands and good cheeses as well. It's like a cross between Nosh and your dairy for sure. Like a really fancy dairy. The prices are pretty 'Ponsonby' if you know what I mean, but I mean, the location is great and I've always had good service, so if you don't mind paying a little extra, go for it. Definitely good place to head to if you're looking for some special groceries.

There are heaps of places to buy plants now, however if you are keen on gardening and getting…read moresomething special in the ground then you need to take a look at Kings. As the core business of the place is plants, and the staff are actually gardeners who are passionate about plants, you are going to find if you want something different and a choice of size and variety, then you need a specialty store like Kings. You can also get on the mailing list, and get a 'heads up' about what is coming up in the next week. This summer with all the hot weather my partner and I fell in love with hibiscus, and as we were told via the weekly email about the 50% hibiscus deal we managed to pick up 5 varieties of hibiscus! Kings staff will be able to advise you about plant problems you may have, and also sell all of the fertilizers and sprays that you may need, plus pots, soils, stones, bark, and tools. They can get very busy on the weekend, and if you have a tricky question it may be better to go in mid week when there will be full-time staff to answer your questions.

King Plant Barn renewed my love for garden centers. You see, these days I find Garden Centres to be…read morea bit lackluster, full of dizzy lizzies and petunias and whatnot. Sure, Kings had these too but they also had a number of other interesting options - succulents (not as good as coromandel cacti, mind you), ferns, mosses and bonsais as well as plenty of beautiful floral options. They even sell fake flowers and a great range gardening tools and accessories. We came here recently to get a couple of white flowered plants to liven up my Marketing booth. There were so many to choose from we spent a good hour making up our minds. In the end we got a couple of Kalanchoes and a Chrysanthemum and some white pots to match. The total spend was v.reasonable! I know it's heading into Winter but I have a feeling I am going find excuses to get here on the reg.

Honestly it is quite a drive out to the Kaipara coast but this is a beautiful part of Auckland, we…read moreare lucky to have places, out of the way that are just stunningly natural. This is how all plant centres would of been if they were not planted amongst suburbia. I like the drive down from the main road, through a gravel road, and through native flora and fauna. The staff are friendly and local, the centre is full of beautiful plants and flowers to beautify your garden, lots of decorative art for the garden on sale as well. The centre has attached to it a little canteen, which had a lovely lady working on the till, she made us devine coffees and fluffies, and because of the luscious smell had to purchase a few of her brownie biscuits she was experimenting with. The seating area is quite substantial, and even has a kids corner with a massive blackboard for the kids to draw on. Very relaxed and chilled surroundings, and a wonderful place to potter around and find some delightful new additions for the garden. I like this place a lot.