Can anybody recommend a good local plant nursery or garden centre?

[Sue]

On 22/04/2025 at 11:22, HeadNun said:

The Secret Garden is great and delivers - excellent customer service and advice. I think the Nunhead Gardener is way too expensive and not sure they really know their stuff. 

I hate to admit that I go online for plants but Gardening Express is just brilliant - great value for money (I used to use Crocus, which is extortionate and so many of their plants didn't make it) and their plants have grown like crazy since I got them. 

Yes, I have had bad experiences with plants from  Crocus in the past.

I will have a look at Gardening Express, but I am wary about buying plants online, particularly if they use Royal Mail and might now take ages to actually arrive.

ETA: I've just looked at Gardening Express, and I'm very impressed by the fact that they have a 5 year guarantee for perennial plants. That's extraordinary.

I will definitely investigate further!

Edited April 24 by Sue

[Katherty]

It's useful to see these recommendations for local gardening centres.

Wondering if anyone has used the RHS online plant shop, and if you'd recommend that? 

 

Currently trying to choose some new plants for our small garden! 

I got some good euphorbia from Croxted Road the other day. I had asked for them a previous week, and they said they'd put some aside for me when they got some in. They did and gave me a call. It seemed a good service with friendly staff. 

[Sue]

41 minutes ago, Katherty said:

It's useful to see these recommendations for local gardening centres.

Wondering if anyone has used the RHS online plant shop, and if you'd recommend that? 

 

Currently trying to choose some new plants for our small garden! 

I got some good euphorbia from Croxted Road the other day. I had asked for them a previous week, and they said they'd put some aside for me when they got some in. They did and gave me a call. It seemed a good service with friendly staff. 

I haven't used the RHS online shop, however to the best of my knowledge none of the RHS gardens such as Wisley have a nursery (though they may sell plants there) , so whatever plants the RHS are selling will be grown elsewhere.

It might be worth trying to find out where they get their retail plants from (it could be several different places, eg one for perennials, one for shrubs) and then googling reviews of those nurseries.

I may be wrong, but I'm  not convinced that buying from the RHS necessarily ensures a good plant. I once bought a perennial wallflower (Bowles Mauve) from Kew (not RHS, but you would expect good quality)  which looked fine when I bought it, but didn't last long.

I don't think it was due to my neglect, but who knows. It was in a large pot by my front door, where it got a lot of sun, so I have no idea what went wrong.

Thanks for the recommendation for Croxted Road. I wonder if they can suggest some plants which I can put in the area  under my bird feeders to deter the wood pigeons, who have transformed a large part of my very small garden into bare earth, and destroyed some treasured plants which I had had for years.

Btw I'm sure you know this, but be very careful with Euphorbias. If you get any sap on your skin and it is exposed to sunlight, you will get an absolutely massive blister.

I speak from past experience 😭

 

Edited April 24 by Sue

[jazzer]

Try Evergreen, out Orpington direction from memory, good quality stock and about half the price of the likes of what was homebase & B&Q

[Castleton]

On 19/04/2025 at 17:13, malumbu said:

Surprised nobody has recommended Peckham wildlife centre:  https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/nature-reserves/centre-for-wildlife-gardening

Very close.

Also the greenhouses at Brockwell Park Greenhouse, Google it, another wildlife garden, open some weekends.

Thumbs up to both!

On 19/04/2025 at 14:46, Sue said:

Now that we have sadly lost several of the local and localish  places to buy plants, can anybody recommend a good nursery which is reasonably near and has a good selection of shrubs?

Or alternatively a good place to buy plants online (though  I would rather see what I am buying, as I've had bad experiences in the past when buying plants online).

I need something urgently which is evergreen and prickly and will grow quickly to fill a shady  corner space at the back of my garden where fences have become bare and cats are climbing  over and waiting for birds to come to the feeders 😭

I'm thinking a Mahonia. It doesn't actually have thorns, but the leaves are prickly.

Alternatively, is there some other way of deterring the cats without harming them (I like cats!) I don't want to use anything like spikes or barbed wire.

If this is in the wrong section, admin, please move!

I'm fond of Alexandra Nurseries in Penge

[Amika]

If you want a small prickly evergreen for shade I would recommend Ruscus aculeatus. Unlike Pyracantha, which grows big and is unpleasant to prune, Ruscus only grows to a metre and it will grow in very dark dry shade where almost nothing else does. It is viciously spiny and has very good  red berries in winter.  Berberis darwinii and Berberis julianae are two good evergreen Berberis that will grow in partial shade. I usually order from Burncoose but I have always had a good service from Crocus. 

[NewWave]

We go to Coolings garden centre which is'nt exactly local its near Bromley but they do deliver.

Since Shannons closed we've been going there-its HUGE good knowledgeable staff and not overpriced.

every plant we've purchased from them has done really well-AND theres a lovely pub nearby!

[ElenaR]

I've read this thread and made notes! So many useful tips! Would anyone have a recommendation for  a place that sells good quality topsoil that would also be able to drop from a tipper? 10 cubic meters minimum. Thanks in advance and any further advice on garden centres with good selection of shrubs/climbers would be welcome, I plan to visit them all. Garden is fully dug up with drainage just put in. 

[Happyme5]

Paul's on lordship lane is a good place for garden plants.  He is based near the old harvester on the opposite side of the road he offers good advice on which plants will grow in different positions etc.  

[intexasatthe moment]

On 24/04/2025 at 22:25, NewWave said:

We go to Coolings garden centre which is'nt exactly local its near Bromley but they do deliver.

Since Shannons closed we've been going there-its HUGE good knowledgeable staff and not overpriced.

every plant we've purchased from them has done really well-AND theres a lovely pub nearby!

what's the name of the lovely pub NewWave?

[NewWave]

13 hours ago, intexasatthe moment said:

what's the name of the lovely pub NewWave?

Queens Head in Downe its a 16th century pub do great Sunday roasts too!

[David Peckham]

Isn't that one of Farage's locals?

[Sue]

2 hours ago, NewWave said:

Queens Head in Downe its a 16th century pub do great Sunday roasts too!

You have to book for the Sunday roasts in advance.

I have bad memories of once going for a circular  walk around Downe and then trying to eat.

The Queens Head staff (and customers)  looked at us as if we were mad for attempting to get a meal without booking.

The other pub in the village  reeked of bleach. 

We had to  drive around in search of a meal, and ended up at some large pub whose name and location  I have thankfully forgotten. All I remember is the food, which was truly awful. 

[MrCheeky]

https://walworthgarden.org.uk/ these are Awsome

[Sue]

1 hour ago, MrCheeky said:

https://walworthgarden.org.uk/ these are Awsome

Thank you so much for that link. I had no idea they were there.

Also there's a brilliant video on their website about making environmentally friendly gardens, both the hard landscaping materials and the plants used. I learned a lot.

Though it was a bit disconcerting hearing someone talk with a fraightfully posh accent  exactly like the late Queen.

I will definitely be visiting!

[lizlegs]

My favourite local place to buy plants, browse gorgeous pots and homewares (and eat delicious cakes) is Alexandra Nurseries in Penge. It has a wonderful vibe, the staff are knowledgeable and the array of plants is great. Genuinely my favourite local place to visit! Hard recommend. 

[Sue]

Just posting this to bring the thread to the top so I can find it easily!

I'm intending to do a plant centre crawl later in the week to get ideas. Thanks so much everybody for your suggestions.

My very small garden is presently mostly taken up with a very beautiful rose (Seagull) which has single white flowers which  the bees love, then hips which the birds eat (I think)  but which has totally outgrown its space!

[intexasatthe moment]

I hope you update us on the results of your research Sue.

[green bean]

I’ve had (free delivery if you spend over £50) from Woodlark Nurseries before. They grow from their nursery in Hersham, Surrey (also open to the public, but now been). Not ordered for a couple of years but the plants I have had have all been great.
 

Stock frequently changes. They also sell compost and pots. They deliver in their own van (so you do have to be available to take delivery). See: http://Woodlarknurseriesretail.com

For topsoil, compost and mulch in bulk bags - ordered topsoil and mulch for complete garden makeover last year and these people were excellent. Deliver on pallet to roadside: https://www.fieldcompost.co.uk/

[Sue]

2 hours ago, intexasatthe moment said:

I hope you update us on the results of your research Sue.

Will do! 

[Sue]

Here you are, intexasatthemoment (you seem to have been in Texas for a very long time!)

We went to three of the recommended places yesterday,  as they were all in the same road (just near Wallington)  and I needed to give the car a run to avoid another slap on the wrist from my garage (and another new battery).

Here's my findings.

BARNES

Parking

We thought we would go here first as it was the earliest to close on a Sunday (3pm).

There was no apparent entrance or anywhere to park. One notice said do not park on grass verge, and another one said staff cars only!

Flittons was opposite but I'd already passed the entrance, so I had to drive down the road, turn round at the next available place (covered in signs saying do not park here) and park in Flittons car park!

Plants

Barnes  specialise in hardy perennials, so that was basically what they had, but an excellent selection, and many more unusual plants (or at least, plants you probably wouldn't find in a garden centre), eg Corydalis,  lots of different varieties of Epimediums, Trollius, some lovely Phygelius, lots of different ferns).

The plants were divided into sections according to whether they needed sun or shade or could cope with both.

They had a particularly good selection of  shade loving plants.

There was really useful information above  each group of plants, which meant you didn't have to look at individual labels.

All the plants looked in good health and  very well cared for.

They don't produce a printed catalogue, but they  said their plant list was online (I haven't looked yet). I assume most of  the plants they have at any one time are when it's their flowering season (if they flower).

I wasn't intending to buy anything, though was very tempted, but I'd definitely go here again once I've sorted out my overgrown garden.

Other Stuff

Don't think they sell pots, compost, etc.

No cafe/tea room and I didn't see a loo, but Flittons is just over the road.

FLITTONS 

Parking

Easy to park

Plants

Sorry, but mostly terrible.

There was one section with vegetables and the rest was flowering plants.

There was a general feeling of delapidation.

Some of what was on display was actually dead (surely it would only take a minute to remove dead plants) and a lot of the rest was very poorly maintained, eg gone to seed, weedy, apparently unwatered, or with a lot of dead leaves.

There was a notice asking for volunteers to work there, so I can only assume they can't afford to pay staff.

Other stuff

There was a notice to a play barn (?) saying invited people only, so I think they must host kids' parties or something.

They redeemed themselves with a cosy little cafe with savoury stuff, nice cakes, iced chai and oat milk, and a loo. Also a selection of books and CDs on sale for charity. If you want an Andrews Sisters CD, you can find one here.

There is a small shop with gift shop type stuff and a display of the history of Flittons, which apparently is family owned since the sixties (I think it was).

I suspect that the arrival of Dobbies down the road must have greatly affected Flittons' fortunes, which is sad.

DOBBIES 

Parking

Easy in theory once you had navigated a rather narrow entrance, but it was very busy so it took a while to find a space.

Plants 

Lots of plants, well maintained but I imagine their turnover is high.

Lots of nice bedding plants for hanging baskets, window boxes etc  to cater for all tastes (ie some of it wasn't mine, but fine if you like those horrid little begonias (my opinion only) but they did have some nice (in my opinion) stuff as well.

I was tempted but decided to buy from North Cross Road market.

Fair selection of climbers, various different Clematis etc.

I'd be happy to buy plants from here. The prices seemed reasonable and they were in good condition.

Other stuff 

It's a big garden centre with all that entails these days, so a large area selling garden furniture and storage, tools, animal collars, pots, all the usual stuff you would expect.

Very helpful staff.

There's a cafe which we didn't check out, charging points for electric cars, a Waitrose (no idea how big, we didn't look).

Only on our way out did we see that there was a drive through "express section" for compost etc, which was annoying as I wanted compost and hadn't seen any anywhere,  but I was getting tired by that time.

WILDERNESS ISLAND 

Off topic, but a ten minute drive away is Wilderness Island, not selling plants, but a nature reserve in Carshalton which is well worth a visit.

We heard eleven different kinds of bird (according to Merlin) and saw a Kingfisher flying down the tiny river!

Free entry and open 24/7.

Edited 7 hours ago by Sue

[intexasatthe moment]

Wow , excellent feedback Sue 

Thank you so much !

If I ever get back from Texas I'll be off to Dobbies.

[Sue]

1 hour ago, intexasatthe moment said:

Wow , excellent feedback Sue 

Thank you so much !

If I ever get back from Texas I'll be off to Dobbies.

I'll post another update after the next  car run!

Will have to wait a few weeks!

Probably to Coolings, as the local places aren't far enough to charge up the car battery (and I can't buy any plants till after the nesting season, when I will be cutting back my rampant climbers - sorry neighbours - and also filling in the three large fox holes and addressing the pigeon trampling problem beneath the bird feeders 😭)

This is the smallest garden I've ever had, and presently the hardest work - curses on the friend who highly recommended Holboellia 🤬 , beautifully scented as its flowers are  🤬

 

Edited 7 hours ago by Sue