A lovely vintage card and trinket boutique attached to a vintage furniture space. I love popping…read moreinto this shop after having my hair down or grabbing a coffee nearby. The greeting card selection is fab, and several of them had me laughing out loud in the shop! Quality scented candles, home items and unique jewellery are also part of this shops great finds. My favourite is their picture frame wall, which also boasts printed quotes that you can frame yourself and give as a thoughtful and unique gift.

I guarantee you that if you are looking for a pressie for your mum or nan, you will find it here…read more It is a mum and nan heaven! Sitting conveniently opposite the entrance to Hampton Court Palace, The Gardenarium sells garden gifts (not big stuff like lawnmowers), such as trowls, matts, watering cans etc, as well as a full range of home gifts. I spied a cabinet full of jewellery, candles, cushions, kitchenware, organic jams, chocolates etc. The items on sale here are well chosen. The food comes from places like Daylesford Organic, the kitchenware includes a range from Emma Bridgewater. I love her stuff so much. But it is pricy. My dream would be to have a kitchen with all of her spotty range in. Spotty crockery makes me happy. There were plenty of yummy mummies visiting when I was here. I'm sure this shop gets its full share of tourists. Even though I live in this area, I don't see why I can't shop like a tourist too - why let them have all the fun?

A lovely shop for browsing and finding little treasures and treats for the home and garden. If…read moreyou've always craved a French bistro chair, you'll find them here, in an impressive and surprising range of colours, from sky blue to aubergine. Their other garden furniture is pretty, tempting and often well-priced. Also worth looking here, for sweet, inspiring and sometimes quirky items for gifts - suitable for all age groups and tastes - or as a personal treat.

This is a really great little shop where you can be guaranteed to find the perfect gift for your…read moregirl friend, your friend's baby, your parents... or even yourself! From scarves to jewellery, trinkets and crockery, cheese knives, gardening accessories, homewares and old maps, plus a wide selection of cards, gift bags, lovely baby clothes, accessories and toys; everything is nicely arranged and of good quality.

Stylish window displays tempt passers-by to step over the threshold, into this well laid-out,…read morespacious interiors store. Once inside, it's easy to be tempted by the wide array of accessories and household treats on offer. Prettily-packaged, scented, glass-filled candles start at £3.75 and come in a delicious and unusual range of fragrances (including spiced pear). In November, much of the focus is on seasonal decorations with many 'twinkling' items ('gold' and 'silver'-hued angels, cherubs, hearts and stars) from just 75p. If you're looking for a gift, at any time of year, you'll be spoilt for options and budgets here. A plethora of photo frames, glassware and candle holders have a wide appeal. I was almost tempted to pick-up one of the vibrantly colourful door mats by Bombay Duck but thought them a little pricey (and potentially impractical) at £22.75. Staff are enthusiastic and helpful.

Lots of lovely little treats in this shop. Great place to buy a unique gift but to be honest, I…read morefind it's a great place to find yourself a little 'cheer up' treat. Beautiful costume jewellery, pretty candles and funky household nick-nacks. Fabulous! Staff also really friendly.

Mercado has been the go-to gift shop in Bridge Road for about 12 years, and it shows no signs of…read moreslowing down, or handing this mantle to anyone else. It really is an Aladdin's Cave of gifts. I like the fact that I can go here and buy presents for my mum, dad, brother, sister and grandma without having to venture into the larger shopping town and give money over to big chain stores. Even if I have brought presents elsewhere, I go here to get cards, wrapping and gift bags. Look out for lines by Cath Kidston here, as well as wash bags and bath stuff from ZPM. There are also plenty of gifts for that hardest to buy for demographic, The Man! (they have a great range of cuff links here, which is always a dead cert for A Man present) It is also a great place to pick up children's toys, and I don't mean all those loud ones that take 26 batteries and change into a car. I mean good quality, even educational toys. (Remember those?). Many years ago, when I was going off to be a nanny for 6 boys in California, I stopped off here to pick up some wooden toys for them. When they opened these simple gifts, they honestly spent more time playing with them then the flashy-lights gifts that others had got them. I have also brought my niece an adorable little raincoat decorated with ladybirds and a matching set of boots that I haven't seen anywhere else. I would definitely recommend this place for a gift search.

I just want to say a big thank you for the flowers I ordered for my mums funeral. They were simply…read morestunning. I did visit the shop to say thank you to Elaine and her team but my emotions got the better of me and I couldn't fully explain my families gratitude. Kind regards

Whether you are in a hurry to pick up flowers, need flowers for a wedding, as a gift, this shop…read morewill truly supply your needs Rushes is a good florist where you can buy beautiful blossom flowers.I like it also because the staff there help you pick out the flowers you need for each occasion and advise you on what's best. The prices are quite reasonable for the great quality they have. The roses are as red as blood and are so touching. I also like the fact that you can have your flowers delivered to your door which means they are even more fresh as they are brought there straight away rather than you; maybe branching off somewhere.

Ashton House is tucked away next to Waitrose in the Hersham Centre. It is an absolute treasure…read moretrove! The handmade cards are wonderful, and are always commented on whenever they are given. They have a great range of glassware and china, many of which are really unique. Their jewellery range is also different to anything for miles around and is funky and excellent value for money. I have never failed to find a present for someone when visiting this shop, they truly have something for everyone!

This chic and funky shop offers a little glamour to this lovely street in Twickenham. To be honest…read morethe high street is rather lacking but Church Street where London Zu is situated is a little gem. I've been happily surprised to find really affordable things in this shop even though it looks pretty posh and the selection is really different from the usual suspects on the average high street. The staff are really friendly too.

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.