Topic: I hate garden centers.

[Plot69]

Hi Rosebud. If you get your husband to tag along behind you in the sewing, knitting and material department of John Lewis for two hours I'm sure he'll come to appreciate garden centers a bit more.

Flossy. I have a Barn GC within 10 minutes walk from where I live, a Wyvale 20 minutes by car and a Nottcuts 10 minutes by car and I think your right. The quality of plants, at least at my Nottcuts, is very good and I love walking round there.

The only problem with Nottcuts is, as someone mentioned earlier, before you get to the gardening section, there's far too much poofy stuff like bath balls, vases, plastic flowers, paintings, ornaments and all that other rubbish that has absolutely nothing to do with gardening.

Might as well toddle along behind the Missus in John Lewis  :-\

[saddad]

Wyvale are just as bad for the "non-gardening" rubbish. It is still an expensive visit to a GC when both of us are into plants...  ;D

[Pesky Wabbit]

It amazes me just how much stuff you can buy in Garden Centres which has nothing to do with gardens  !   Furniture, crockery, clothes, greetings cards, Xmas rubbish, etc but you can't buy a lawnmower at most of them !

The gardening season lasts from March to July, may be a bit longer, but certainly less than 6 months a year. Outside that the GCs have more staff than customers. Makes sense to sell other things during the quiet period eg Xmas.

Lawn mowers are hardware. If you want hardware, go to a hardware store. Some GCs sell lawn mowers, but only those brands which are gardening brands (ie expensive).

During the growing season, theres alot more profit to be had selling plants/seeds than there is hardware. So given the choice ...

In my local garden centre you have to walk for what seems like half a mile through loads of candles, baubles etc. to get to any plants ...

Just outside Lincoln, there was a GC that used to only sell gardening stuff. But then a couple of years ago they had a great new extension built.  Now, as you say you have to walk though miles of junk to get to the plants. I quite often ask "Do you still sell pants because I cant find them inbetween all this brick-a-brack."

   No other interest, except ''   I  love Nottcuts  ''      

I find the prices in  Nottcuts, South Birmingham way over the top. Yes they do provide a 'nice shopping experience', but I'd rather go to the local (cheaper) independent.

I only go to Nottcuts to laugh at their prices and the people who pay them, oh, and to read their large range of books so I know what to buy off Amazon (via A4A)

Still, if the buying experience gives them pleasure theres nothing wrong with that. Its what life is all about.

[Tinkie_Bear]

I am not allowed to go to garden centres - if I want to look at plants / seeds etc. in Focus I have to run away while hubby is distracted!!  I have never been to Notcuts :-(

I am a bit envious of all you lucky people who are allowed to go, even if it costs you a small fortune!

Helen x

[flossy]

   Go on then Pesky Wabbit,  have good laugh at me --   ;D  --  don't give '' a monkies ''

   Happily in our's  [ N....... ]  we get to go through the whole plant , gardening , bulbs , herbs , chicken

   and bulb experience  --  before we get to the '  adornments  ''  which you can sail through -

   ---   straight to the checkout.      ;D

   floss xxx

[Plot69]

I only go to Nottcuts to laugh at their prices and the people who pay them,

Not sure if I should take offense to that or not.

I've spent well over hundred quid in Nottcuts this week, what exactly is it your trying to say?

I'm more than happy with everything I've bought in there and don't begrudge a penny of it.

[Plot69]

I am not allowed to go to garden centres - if I want to look at plants / seeds etc. in Focus I have to run away while hubby is distracted!!  I have never been to Notcuts :-(

I am a bit envious of all you lucky people who are allowed to go, even if it costs you a small fortune!

Helen x

You brought a lump to my throat now. Why are you not allowed to go, or is that question a bit sensitive?

[Pesky Wabbit]

Flossy, you go ahead, enjoy yourself.  Its whats life is about ;D

Some people "do" chocolit;
Some "do" shoes;
Some "do" garden centres.

I "do" seeds (and A4A).  :-[

[Emagggie]

and I do vouchers ;D Had a sizeable wad for my birthday last year, and have been anxiously waiting for stuff to be available. Today I cheered myself up with a gooseberry bush, some autumn fruiting raspberries and some seed compost ..oh and a new fork. I was so happy;D ;D If I feel like a miserable old bat, a walk round our local Garden Center cheers me up no end-even if I don't buy.

[ber77tie]

Do you still sell pants - This really made my day Pesky Wabbit.I spend a lot of time in Garden Centres-love them, but never come across a pair of pants.
On Another point our wilko's plants are always dead.I've often wondered if I took them to the till if the girl would charge me for them.The garden centre costs a bit more but at least the quality is good and you get good advice.

[Plot69]

On Another point our wilko's plants are always dead.I've often wondered if I took them to the till if the girl would charge me for them.The garden centre costs a bit more but at least the quality is good and you get good advice.

I have to agree. While Nottcuts do sell all that other stuff, they are primarily a garden center and the plants are their main concern. My Mrs bought me an apple and a pear tree from Morrisons earlier in the week. While they both look OK I'm not too sure about the quality. It doesn't seem right putting a tree in my trolly from one aisle and a pound of cheese and frozen chicken from the next. I have every faith that the chicken and cheese are perfectly fine but I'm not placing too much faith in the trees.

Time will tell. Each to his own I suppose.

[Teen]

You guys are so lucky.  Wish I could afford to buy things at the garden centre.  Mind you if I had a fortune I'd spend it all in there ha ha

[flossy]

   Have got to say " I don't hate garden centres "  because --- 

   I can enter another world where I am totaly at peace, I love looking at the flowers

   .. the shrubs , herbs ,trees  ....  fountains , patios , mock ruins [ very clever ],  tubs, and

   bird tables, ---   plants I would love to have but havn't got room for or can't afford, I like to look

   at all the mock and real stone , imagining what I would make with them, the wooden seats

   and arbours .........   a cup of tea in the tea room and chose a special greeting card for someone,


   ... then come home , totaly satisfied ,   with ... my greeting card .   Lovely   ;)

   floss xxx

[Plot69]

   Have got to say " I don't hate garden centres " 

When I said I hate Garden Centers I didn't really mean I hate Garden Centers. It was an ironicism.

[flossy]

   I know, I know --  ironic I do , just me having a moment --  tis allowed  -  :D

[electric landlady]

I do love garden centres but agree about all the non-gardening rubbish they sell. I can understand they need to sell something during the lean winter months to keep going, but why must it all be so horrible? Yucky ornaments and hideous abstract artworks. You never see this stuff on sale anywhere else...is there a special factory somewhere turning out low-season overpriced garden centre crud?? Who on earth buys it???

Anyway (rant over) even though I know that seeds are cheaper in Wilkos and there is more choice online, there's just something about those racks of seed packets that I can't resist...and also, you can't get Bordeaux mixture in Wilkos.

PS if you are the person who does buy the ornaments etc mentioned above, then please don't take offence, it's just my opinion, each to their own, beauty is in the eye of the beholder etc. And thanks for keeping garden centres in business.  ;)

[DaveM]

Garden centres no! Nurserymen Yes!

Plants direct from the local grower good value ,rhubarb 3 litre pots £2.50, proper usefull advice and buy lots and u can a great deal...5 £12 apple trees £50.

I know 3 such horticultural gold mines down here in Kent one is a stones throw from a Wyvale. guess where I spend my hard earnt

[Borlotti]

Plot 69, my lovely Bramley apple tree from Morrisons had four apples the first year and about 8 to 10 last year, perhaps more but I took the smaller ones off the tree.  Morrisons are brilliant for hanging baskets, bedding plants, trees etc. etc.  My little fir trees from a hanging basket from Morrisons have now grown too big on the allotment, they are taller than me and I have to trim them.  Their own brand seeds (used to be 4 for a £1) are better than the more expensive ones.  I know that they do not do the exotic seeds, but their courgettes, PSB, spring onions, beetroot etc. etc are just as good if not better than the more expensive ones.  Also good for compost.  I do not work there or have shares but I just love Morrisons, go almost every day.

[Borlotti]

The garden centres at Crews Hill made quite an interesting ride out for mother-in-law when she was in an old peoples home and we took her out in the wheel chair on a Sunday. She loved gardening so had a good look round and a cup of tea and a cake and then we took her back to the home.  We also used to take the children out to the butterfly house (which I think no longer exists) and the fish shop (not fried).  Also at Christmas they have reindeer and put on a good display of Christmas lights etc.  It is certainly very busy on a Sunday afternoon and certainly more enjoyable than food shopping or the dreaded B & Q or Ikea.