Top 5 independent garden centres

Indie nurseries and garden centres with a special focus

Most of us have a garden centre within easy reach to pop into for a bag of peat-free compost, a selection of bedding plants to brighten up a border, or seeds to nurture for the vegetable plot. But sometimes its worth seeking out a place that perhaps specialises in growing one type of plant, can offer vintage gardenalia or expert advice. Here are our pick of favourites.

Winterbrook Garden Nurseries

Best for: Eco living

Garden antiques and quirky gifts make this small and friendly nursery near Wallingford in Oxfordshire a must-visit. Family-run, we love Winterbrook‘s sustainable ethos too – this was one of the first nurseries in the UK to use Posipots, a cardboard alternative to traditional plastic pots. The shop stocks Dalesfoot organic peat-free compost and lots of the plants are grown from seed or cuttings and watered using harvested rainwater.

The Palace Gardener

Best for: City spaces

Established by David Fenwick in the late 1930s, The Palace Gardener is a friendly business in Fulham run by the second and third generations of the Fenwick family, with a special focus on the needs of small urban gardens. Today the garden centre is a thriving hub with outdoor furniture, houseplants, gardening tools, outdoor plants, gifts, barbecues and a great range of pots and containers. The airy Glasshouse Café is a gorgeous spot to linger after browsing the plants.

Old Court Nurseries

Best for: Amazing asters and planting inspo

Old Court Nurseries specialises in Michaelmas daisies and holds the Plant Heritage National Collection of autumn flowering asters with more than 400 varieties, but you’ll also find snowdrops, heritage narcissus, ferns and much more. Based in Colwall, Herefordshire, the nursery was founded in 1906 by Ernest Ballard to propagate and sell his new range of Michaelmas daisies and today it’s run by the third generation of the Picton family. All the Michaelmas daisies are propagated and grown on site along with the majority of other plants that are stocked. The attractive 1.5-acre Picton Garden acts as a display garden and stock bed, and plants are all grown peat-free.

Wellington Home and Gardens

Best for: Salvaged finds

Reclamation yard addicts with green fingers will love Wellington Home and Gardens. Created by Pru and Rupert Woods, the owners of English Salvage, both businesses can be found on the same site near Wellington in Herefordshire. What was once a run-down Wyevale garden centre is now a chic shop filled with quality plants and lovely gifts. Thanks to panelling made from old doors, a café with walls clad in reclaimed timber and salvaged gym flooring in the food hall, it oozes character throughout. A one-stop-shop for homeowners, gardeners, designers and architects.

Ruxley Manor

Best for: Advice

Founded in 1964, Ruxley Manor is an award-winning fifth-generation family business in Orpington, Kent, that has roots stretching back to 1876. There’s usually a great programme of gardening talks and workshops, plus the expert Ruxley team publishes online videos and even a magazine filled with tips and step-by-step projects. There’s a café, a restaurant, a soft play area and a fantastic food hall. Ruxley offers an impressive guarantee too: if you purchase a hardy plant and (having followed the care instructions) it fails to grow and thrive, you can return it with your original label and receipt within five years to get a credit note or exchange.

WORDS: ELLIE TENNANT