Sandy Lane Nurseries, Liverpool

Hi all,

Took a trip to Sandy Lane yesterday on the recommendation of a few friends, but have to say I was pretty disappointed. The majority of plants were sweltering and withering away in one big greenhouse, the trees looked a bit pot bound and past their best, and the outside potted plants had tall weeds growing up between most of them :(

It is only a small nursery, and I really wanted to buy something to give them some business, but I just wasn't impressed with anything I saw.

Anyone else visited? Was it just a bad day?

Dave

 

hi dave,

not heard of sandy lane, so probably haven't been there. liverpool is rubbish for nurseries i think. i get most of my plants now from the college in preston where i study.

i go to aigburth hall nurseries occasionally, but often come away empty handed or having bought something just because i had already decided to spend some money on plants...

do you reccomend anywhere in your neck of the woods?

 

Hi Chan,

I don't tend to visit places in Liverpool but will check out Aigburth Hall for some new ideas! :D

Around me there is a nice little nursery along the A570 towards Warrington (just on the left past Mersey Valley golf club) but can't remember its name. There is also a place called Sure Grow, just down from the East Lancs Road, but not tried that yet. Been recommended a few times.

I also frequent one a bit further afield near Manchester Airport, as you head past the airport towards Quarry Bank Mill and on towards Styal. Again the name escapes me, aren't I rubbish!?

 

Chan/Dave there's a few garden centres on this link in the area Bents is just off the east lancs road pricey but good choice (nice restaurant)High Leigh is't bad.
http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/daytrips/out/gardencentres.html

 

Yes - been to Bents a few times. Bought a couple of dwarf Rhodies from there! V expensive from my budget point of view!

Not tried High Leigh - will check it out!

 

Hiya everyone. Never been to Sandy Lane, but doen't sound like I'm missing much.

Never been to Bents either Walnut, but might check it out when I've got some spare shilllings if you think it's ok? I din't think much of High Leigh, we went to Bridgemere on the same day, and what a difference - it blew me away!

Dave, I think I know which one you mean on A570, is it 'round the corner from Wyvale? Opposite The Griffin? If so, I wasn't impressed.

Am I sounding like I'm difficult to impress?? lol.

We found a good one tucked away off Cronton Road in Widnes a few weeks ago, Gorse Lodge, very reasonably priced, but she only opens for 3 months a year, and I think it's April, May & June.
Rivendell on Mill Lane, Widnes has to be my favourite.

 

We find Rivendell extremely expensive. Try Morrey's between Delamere Forest and Kelsall. We bought 16, big (9 in) pots of perennials at an average price of �£2. Similar ones were �£5.99 in Rivendell!
Peonies, in flower were �£3.20 (�£12 in Wyevale).
Their trees are sometime a bit pricey, but the selection is good. This is a Nursery not a garden centre so no food, no gifts and from my point of view a bad thing, no toilets.

 

Beki try, Blakemere Craft Centre for hardy tropicals
Chester Road
Sandiway
Northwich
Cheshire
CW8 2EB
Tel: 01606 883261
or Marlborough garden center
comberbach
northwich
on the edge of marlborough park

 

Sorry second place is Marbury not Marlborough

 

Cheers Walnut, I've added those to my list of places to visit, tucked in the glove box. Have to wait till Mr Mac is in the mood though, tut (lessons are going well, but not ready for my test yet)I'll make a note of Morrey's too. Thanks for the recomendations

I do agree that most of the Garden Centres can are expensive as opposed to Nurseries. Wyvale is extortionate! Sometimes I like all those gifts and things though, when relatives birthdays re coming up for example.

My favourite part of Rivendell is the 'plant hospital', all those neglected babies that no one picked up off the shelf. I love bargains, and taking them home and bringing them back to health is so rewarding

 

I have been going to Rivendell since it was a wholesale only place where the original owner sold from his parent's farm and he had one big polytunnel.
We bought many of the shrubs in this garden from there at 10 for 9 quid! When it was sold to NorthWest Farmers the prices went up by 4 and 5 pounds per plant!
Most of the stuff in the sales area, last week was total rubbish and still expensive!
Not been to the one at Marbury for 15 years, gosh!! If it is the one in the Walled Garden, they used to have pot bellied pigs too.

 

It is the one in the walled garden Palustris no pigs now, the park is nice for a walk round as well you can easily spend the day there.

 

The new Easy Tropicals at Blakemere is great, but a big olive tree from there a few months ago, will need to go back in a bit.

The nursery at Arley Hall was pretty good when I visited that! :D