Another trip to Bent's Garden Centre.

Our young prunus tree died, probably because of the winter temperatures. So did one our friends had. So a trip out to get a replacement was required. It's only about fifteen minutes or so away off the East Lancs Road. Although we weren't going to buy another, curiously, Bent's had none. We bought a Sorbus hup. "pink pagoda" It's about eight feet tall and I only just managed to get it in the car.

Here's a few photos from Bents.
Excellent huge restaurant, this is just the entrance, all freshly prepared dishes. You can't actually see the seating area it's beyond the wall in the far distance. The tables outside the café perimeter, are for people who just want coffee and cakes etc., there's a separate serve over counter for them.



They've even a big exotic grocery section and deli now.
It's difficult to convey how big it is. There's a big indoor area with exotics and a huge range of garden furniture and tools and chemicals.
This is the "greenhouse" that is between the indoor area and the main out-door area, which is is massive.









This straggly looking Japanese Maple is only slightly bigger than one of ours, nowhere near as nice and seemed late in budding. It was priced at £3,000.



They had some nice grasses but at £20 each I said "No."



As well as the tree, two David Austin roses "followed us home when I wasn't looking" and with lunch at £25 (£3 for a bottle of Peroni too!) I didn't get any change out of £110. In fact I've never managed to get out of there having spent less than a hundred. Nothing's cheap, but the quality is first class.
We've a koi pool and a little "frog pond" and my wife's looking for a "water feature" for the patio..... It won't happen. They've a few dozen....



You can see part of the café seating area behind.



This is about a quarter of the outside area.



They are very good at presentation.



A big display of Hebes.

 

I live near it too, it is a gorgeous garden centre no doubt about it. It is rather unfortunate that there is a premium to pay on the plants you buy there. Having said that I drool over the greenhouse section.

 

We've been going there for over 20 years and it has just got bigger and bigger.
There's nothing I can think of even remotely connected with gardening that they don't sell.

This is their grocery/deli section, every sort of jam and honey you can think of and all sorts of bottled beers. Most of their products are from specialised companies.

Mind you they'd run out of smokey Bar-B-Que sauce. So we'll have to go again when they've rung to say it's back in. But I'll just take some loose change and leave my wallet at home.

 

Very nice full of all sorts of things. The garden centers I go and find my plants at are so rustic.

this is my go to place for plants---http://www.groffsplantfarm.com/news.html

Your place reminds me a little of Waterloo Gardens, except no food.

 

Nothing wrong with rustic. This Japanese acer, which Bent's wanted £3,000 for one hardly any bigger, I bought in a "rustic" garden centre near Failsworth in North Manchester for £7.



Mind you, that was 25 years ago.

 

The place I go to "Groff's" is way out in the country, down windy roads, past acres of Amish country. But when you get there it is huge, huge. Full of open tables of everything and anything. Unique to the general plants. His selection of hostas and sedum are the best. Shrubs and tree just wonderful. When I look in my books at home and call him inquiring "do you have" I can't recall when he ever said "no" he does not have it. And the prices are wonderful also. And the plants are so healthy also.