Garden Centres.

 
As it is the first day of spring I have a confession to make.
I’m afraid that I am in danger of turning into a garden centre gnome!

I’m an aficionado on the subject. You know when you have finally lost your marbles or caught the bug, when you find yourself talking to strangers about which one they have visited and would recommend.

 I actually enjoy visiting garden centres even though I’m not what you would call a gardener. But hey don’t knock them until you have tried them. Let’s face it they’ve got everything you need especially in the winter months - outdoor space for nice days with fresh air and colourful plants to look at and sigh over. And obviously buy!

 (I usually pretend that I know what I’m looking at and then there are the names, which are a real test  of your pronunciation skills!)

If it is cold or raining there is the indoor space, which in some garden centres out manoeuvre the outdoor ones in size. These are full of gift shopping galore. On offer are extremely expensive items, which are lovely to look at and touch but not to buy.

Usually there is a clothes section either suitable for outdated and old fashioned grannies or for the country set with Barbour coats, hats and ‘wellies’; think of Audrey from the TV programme To the Manor Born.( sorry for younger readers- just Google it or YouTube it and you’ll know what I mean)

Now don’t forget the expensive designer garden furniture, the art work and the organic delicatessen; all there for your delight! You would need to have a big bank balance in the black to afford some of the items for sale.

Finally, when all the goodies have been perused and debated over there is the café. WOW! How to spend your hard earned pension quickly and effortlessly by buying two cakes, a coffee and a tea!

 But hey a trip to the garden centre is a treat. It gets you out of the house and on grey days adds sparkle to your day. I love them. However, I usually leave them guilt ridden by my gastronomic extravagance but can’t wait to try the new one just opened down the road.

You never know one day I might be tempted to write a review blog of all the centres that I have visited; one idea to put on the back burner!

​Thought for the day: Wherever you go; go with all of your heart.

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