It’s always a tough call knowing where to go plant shopping, like everything else the price of gardening has gone up tenfold.
Not because the plant nurseries and garden centres are being greedy, but because the cost of business has increased so much.
What once cost £1.99 is now costing £5.99, which is why I’m a great advocate for splitting and taking cuttings of what you already have and swapping with friends and family.
But if you love your garden there is nothing like the feel of looking round new plants and shrubs.
I obviously go to many plant nurseries & garden centres in Northampton, picking up the healthiest and best priced for my clients.
I quite enjoy seeing what’s around and getting some new ideas and inspirations, but I understand not everyone shares my enthusiasm or knowledge of plants.
So, I thought I’d put together a list of my favourites so you can decide which to go for yourselves if need be.
Firstly, knowing the difference between the plant nurseries & garden centres in Northampton is important.
A nursery is normally a smaller independent family run affair, selling only plants (and maybe the odd bag of compost) of which the majority have been cultivated themselves.
This means they are slightly cheaper than the garden centres as they have smaller overheads and do it more for the love of gardening. A great way to pick up some plant bargains.
A garden centre is a larger establishment, normally (although not always) part of a chain like Dobbie’s, Wyevale and the like. These will have cafes and gift shops attached and make a lovely escape out of the house for a few hours.
The stock is vaster, but it is rare they cultivate the plants themselves, instead buying them in, therefore the prices are higher.
I tend to use a mix of both plant nurseries & garden centres in Northampton, depending on what I’m looking for. Here’s 6 of my favourites...
Plant Nurseries:
A small but very lovely place to go and see. Specialises in wildflowers and cottage garden perennials, it’s a great place to stock up on those wildlife loving plants for a fraction on the cost. Best for nature lovers.
This is an absolute gem, run by an older couple who have won many RHS garden design awards in their time. Situated in what feels like their back garden, you wander around the borders finding the plants you like. It’s a great way to see plants in situ so you can get an idea of how they look in a border. Best for ideas and inspiration.
Just nestled on the Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire border, this is a lovely place to go if you are needing plant knowledge. Bigger than the last two nurseries, this one is family a family run business with amazing customer service and a larger stock. You can get trees, shrubs and perennials here much cheaper than the bigger garden centres. Best for customer service and advice.
Garden Centres:
This is my all time favourite garden centre and it just so happens to be on my doorstep. This is still a family run business even though it has expanded through the years and has many shops on site now. A lovely place to go for a coffee and cake, see the chickens (my kids love the chickens) and buy something for home and garden. The prices are in line with all other local garden centres. The reward card is the best around, your points mean money off future visits!
Slightly smaller than Bells, this chain has a more reasonably priced cafe and shop attached. The reward card doesn’t give points only membership deals. Best for coffee and cake
This garden centre has won the best garden centre in Northamptonshire award. Famed for its seasonal events you can go ice skating at Christmas, (they have one of the best santas around) and I took my girls to a Harry Potter afternoon tea a few years back. Geared up for kids and adults alike there’s plenty to do for everyone. The plants are a similar price to all other places and the café is a reasonable. Best for an afternoon out with the family.
Do you have favourite plant nurseries & garden centers in Northampton? I love finding new places to explore, so drop me a comment below :-)