Groves Nurseries & Garden Centre, Bridport

The award-winning family-run garden centre and nursery dating back to 1866 and spread over three acres, sells all kinds of plants, including one of the largest selections of roses in the area, vegetable and bedding plants grown in their own nursery and everything else for the garden – from a watering can to a pizza oven. Events and workshops too.

Ivy house kitchen at Groves garden centre dorset

Go for breakfast (very Full English, ‘pile me high’ waffles, granola, baps and more) and lunch (salads, sarnies, specials and Sunday roasts) at the glasshouse style Ivy House Kitchen. It’s licensed if you fancy a bevvie. There’s plenty of seating indoors, in the conservatory or outside on the terrace, patio or around a giant koi pond.

Blueberry and banana cake Ivy House Kitchen, Dorset — Vegan blueberry and banana cake.

The Walled Garden at Mells, near Frome

This place is a true hidden (little) gem. Wander around the rambling historic cottage garden dotted with Asa Rich sculptures. Browse and buy plants from their small but excellent not-for-profit community nursery, which specialises in cottage garden perennials, herbs, vegetables and wildflowers.

Then find a corner on the sunny rose terrace, under the shade of the apple trees or in the cafe glasshouse to enjoy locally made quiches, cakes, hand blended coffee, teas, Marshfields ice cream and wood-fired pizzas. If you insist. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Stewarts Garden Centre, Christchurch

This bunch have been growing plants since 1742. You’ll find everything needed to create the garden of your dreams, from a packet of grass seeds to a life-sized metal statue of a highland cow to put on the lawn when it’s grown, and some stonking garden furniture sets.

Everything in the cafe is cooked or baked on the premises and their scones are legendary. The cakes aren’t too shabby either. Come for breakfast, lunch or coffee and cake all day long.

Cranborne Garden Centre, near Wimborne

There are over 300 varieties of rose and 350+ varieties of herbaceous perennials as well as summer bedding/veg plants, shrubs, trees and everything needed to grow them, in the former kitchen garden of Cranborne Manor. Garden benches, lanterns and other gardenalia, too. Go on a Wednesday to get some inspiration from the Manor’s own gardens. The brocante, aka junk, in the Vintage Barn is worth a gander.

The cut above cafe has rather good breakfasts (smashed avo on toast, eggs Benedict, toasted crumpets), hot and cold lunches (grilled peach, feta and parma ham, garlic potato rosti, Clark’s ham, egg and triple cooked chips), homemade cakes and afternoon teas.

homemade cake at Cranborne Garden centre

Riverside Garden Centre, Southville, Bristol

Tear your eyes away from the views of the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge, docks and the Bristol skyline, and concentrate on the array of plants at Bristol’s largest independent garden centre.

The super friendly veggie and vegan cafe has a seasonally changing menu of salads, soups. sarnies and more, plus yummy home made cakes, organic and Fairtrade coffees, teas and fruit juices. Seating inside and out; the kids’ll be happy – there’s a children’s play area.

Compton Acres, Poole

Did you know that the fabulous 10-acre ornamental gardens with five themed areas – The Italian Garden, The Wooded Valley, The Rock & Water Garden, The Heather Garden and The Japanese Garden – also has a plant centre specialising in unusual and exotic plants found in the gardens as well as acers, rhododendrons, perennials, shrubs and roses?

The licensed café and restaurant serves up home cooked classics for breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea.

6 local garden centres and nurseries with cool cafes

You may also like