Greedy Garden Centres

Garnet_Gem

Are garden centres getting greedier? The price of plants seems to have rocketed and the cafes in them seem really bad value for money. i paid £6.10 pence for 2 really small pots of tea, 2 scones and 1 crispy cake. Is this dear or have i become a MSE-er who doesn't want to spend too much money now?

LindseyM

i think its probably because they are having to compete with all the larger stores, B & Q, Homebase etc who buy in such large quantities that they can sell for cheaper.....

i get manchester tart from my garden centre, it's £1.50 a slice :eek: but its also delicious and homemade so what can i say, i'm a cake-aholic! :rolleyes:

Poppycat

Rarely use cafes to be honest and never in garden centres or motorway service stations for there prices alone.

Yes I noticed prices have higher this year possible to do with price of fuel, heating etc.

harryhound

Buy from the local nursery.

If you must buy from a retail outlet; keep an eye on Aldi or Lidl at the appropriate time of year (My new cheepo apple tree seems to be doing very well).

Harry

winnie81

Garnet_Gem wrote: »

Are garden centres getting greedier? The price of plants seems to have rocketed and the cafes in them seem really bad value for money. i paid £6.10 pence for 2 really small pots of tea, 2 scones and 1 crispy cake. Is this dear or have i become a MSE-er who doesn't want to spend too much money now?

My garden centre ( Dobbies ) is extortionate. If I had what you had in the cafe here I would've paid over £10 for! We don't use the cafe anymore. :rolleyes:

We are pretty stuck with the choice of plants available to us so we end up buying our plants from there though

sandieb

harryhound wrote: »

Buy from the local nursery.


Harry

Yes I agree. Plants seem to be sturdier and cheaper.

Plum_Pie

This thread makes me glad I have this place, not too far from me.

http://www.camdengardencentre.co.uk/

(A garden centre partly run as an educational charity.)

The selection of plants was v good except for fruit trees. They all looked healthy and came in a range of sizes. Lots and lots of other garden stuff crammed into a small-ish site. The staff are really great and shopping there was so relaxing.

My local megastore is a Homebase on a retail park. It's more of a DIY store. It doesn't have a wide selection of plants and the staff are amiable but not exactly trained in horticulture!

WelshHybrid

We go to Read Garden Centre, near Burnley (in Lancashire, for those who don't know). They've recently added a cafe and the prices are very reasonable - we were there at the weekend and had 2 sandwiches and cakes, plus drinks (including a free refill) for £8.50.

Their plant prices are reasonable too. It's not a huge place, a little off the beaten track, but by far the best one we've been to.

roses

This place in Neasden North London is also very good. most small herbs are 99p & the larger ones are £3. I think it is also a council one like the Camden centre:

http://www.greenhousegardencentre.co.uk/

MKwife

I think all Garden Centres plants are over priced. I buy all my plants from Car Boot sales. Every boot sale I go to there are always at least 3 stalls selliing plants/herbs etc. People sell plants really cheap compared to Garden Centres.

Plum_Pie

Roses, my thanks button has just decided to have a tea break, but I shall definitely be visiting there!