Garden Centring Oneself

If gardening isn’t at the centre of a garden centre then why on earth would said garden centre be called a garden centre? Riddle us that! Recent years have seen many an emporio de jardin mix it up with lifestyle products that appeal to a ‘broad church’. Such popular and delightful and innovations have proved a great ‘pull’ for all kinds of people who might not otherwise have ventured inside. That’s a good thing!

Now well-familiar with gardening as a whole, more and more garden centre converts are looking to products that serve the sharp-end of horticulture. As a result we’re seeing vastly increased interest in watering systems from our friends in boutiques of bloom, salons of seed, and purchase points of plants (garden centres) across the nation. We’ve visited and installed in some remarkable markets of late, care to join us as we take you for a tour? 

How long have we ached for Longacres? After casting many an admiring glance and shamelessly fluttering our watering systems at the popular chain of horticultural outlets our flirtations have finally come to fruition. You can now find our complete dedicated garden centre range in-store or online, with click and collect available from their Bagshot, Bybrook Barn, Chelmsford, and Shepperton branches. 

Feature-packed events calendars plus a huge range of practical and inspirational products make Longacres stores a fun and varied visit every time. If you’re feeling peckish and dropping into Bagshot why not try the legendary prawn and crayfish sandwiches at the Green House Cafe!

Truth be told we’ve been no more demure in our approaches to Garthowen Garden Centre  and with such a lovely, family backstory to the business who can blame us for being so smitten! Garthowen’s history goes way, way back to 1957, a time before AutoPot – when terracotta roamed the earth! Originating as a plant nursery and with a lineage of growers still represented at the helm of today’s store, Garthowen undoubtedly know a thing or two about growing. 

The modern garden centre and cafe is situated in Four Marks village, a place with a dizzying amount to see and do. Fans of plant transpiration-fired transportation will surely flock to the formidable Watercress Steam Railway, or is that, ‘Watercress’ Steam Railway? A tipple in the Triple (brewery tap) surely has to be on your itinerary before toddling a little further afield to Lower Farringdon. There, would-be daredevils can marvel at the Milk Tray Bridge, scene of covert chocolate distribution 58 years ago.

Every bit as tenacious as the Milk Tray Man, we’re keen to see our products offered to all, including those who might not have a garden in the traditional sense of the word. That’s why Ferndale Garden Centre near Sheffield feels like a really nice fit for AutoPot. Their ethos is promoting things of beauty even for customers with limited space. Small balconies, patios, even indoor areas, are perfect for our systems and allow anyone to enhance their home with plant life. AutoPot, meet Ferndale. Simpatico!

Ferndale combine the best in garden centres (product range and accessibility) with serious plant cultivation on the part of their specialist, horticulturally trained plant team. Such are their credentials you can often see new plant varieties at Ferndale ahead of their official launch dates. 

Firmly rooted in growing experience, Lowden Garden Centre in Shaw, near Bath, has naturally expanded from Lowden Nurseries into nothing short of horticultural destination. Just one look at their astonishingly beautiful, quite immense range of trees and plants belies their total mastery of all things gardening and, for that matter, all things outdoor. 

Large and diverse, Lowden features an excellent restaurant to which one can repair before taking in more wonders, plus a huge range of quality, up-to-the-minute lifestyle products. Needless to say we’re delighted to be in-store!

Wherever will we pop up next? There’s only two ways to find out, maybe three, more if you count announcements by the garden centres themselves. There are lots of ways to find out! Not least our Insta and Facebook feeds, and – available now – the Store Finder on our shiny new Garden Site – enjoy that please.