The winter draws on.....done most of my Christmas shopping already ! Just hoping it doesn't snow too...
The winter draws on.....done most of my Christmas shopping already ! Just hoping it doesn't snow too soon.
Member since:04.03.2003
Reviews:123
Members who trust:42
Gordon Riggsgarden centre- a legend in its own lifetime. When I lived at home with my parents in Bury, we used to travel all the way to Walsden, near Littleborough, to buy plants and seedlings. IN the olden days, there were't many of these pioneering garden centres about and people travelled for miles to get to them.
Now Gordon Rigg has a few of these centres in the Lancashire region, and they are doing well. People travel to them from miles around- still..and fill up their cars with plants.
We went there today becasue we needed some shrubs for a hedge in our garden. We took my mother because she likes to look at what
the latest plants are like- and we like having her around!
WHAT IT'S LIKE
YOu park your car in a huge car park and walk to the entrance-braving the mobile tea shop that sells bacon sandwiches- and pumps out the bacon smell so your stomach begins to rumble BEFORE you go into the centre.
Get a trolley because you'll need it.
I walk through the fresh vegetable and fruit stalls becaue I am on a mission to get shrubs..if I want cucumber it will have to be later- I notice that a whole cucumber is 60p- cheaper than Tesco- remind me to come back later.
Through the compost..100litres for £3.99- very cheap ...
AAnd into the part where pots and containers are sold. We pick some up for £2.45...actually we get 6...my mum likes the ones with faces on but we deflect her interest and take her to the little plants section- bedding plants mostly.
These are stacked in multi level trollies and are very varies. There's lots to choose from and almost everyone has bought some if you look in their trollies. I bought some snapdragons and aubretias in a lovely purple. They are supposed to spread like billy-oh but I bet mine die!
We bought some herbs from the herb section because we want to get them growing in the garden - we chose thyme, mint, rosemary, marjoram, and lavendar and got them planted out when we got home.
There's a house plant section that you can browse round if you need something for indoors. The variety is brilliant!
Inside also there's a section for pet food, and weedkillers and fertilisers. Very useful if you have remembered that you need some budgie food before you go home.
The conifer section is my favourite but I was not allowed to buy any today- we had already decided on hedging stuff and leylandi was not on the pass list! Both my partner and my mother enforced this rule...what a pity as I love confiers...... GOrdon Riggs sell conifers from the tiny to the box variety at £80+..specialised!
Outside is also the shrub section, and we saw some lovely shrubs. On the label it says the conditions for keeping the plants- and many of them require full sun..a bit ambitious in the British climate, but never mind- people buy them and if they die..the peopl come back to Gordon Riggs and get some more- never ending supply of customers!
The fruit trees are also outside- beware if you buy a big tree and you have only got a small car- you might lose half of the tree when you shut the door!
We noticed lots of topiary today- and this is a new development. We saw trees cut into the shapes of bicicles, stags, leaping dolphins, galleons in full sail ..and so on- the drawback is the price. The dolphin is the cheapest, at over £120.
OVERALL
Good variety of plants but just watch out for being ripped off. If you are willing to pay £80 for a Box plant, then you want your head feeling! Palms for £80+ are out of the reach of most people..
But Gordon Riggs has the feel of the ordinary person there. The tubs for planting out are really nice and are not expensive at £2.45. The little plants are not expensive for packs of 4 or 6 and you do get good Value for money. Privet hedge-instead of the expensive Box plants- was £4.75 instead of £30+...and I'd say easier to keep control of.
A good card seletion in a seperate section.
When you get to the tills..there are not many but at least now they take credit cards- a few years ago they didn't and it was cheque or cash only..I don't miss the olden days! You don't have to wait long to get served and they are open to 9pm each evening so you don;t get trampled by the rush.
And when we'd taken the stuff to the car, we made our way over to the cafe for a cup of coffee and a toasted teacake which was very welcome.. and not expensive...
GO to visit this place- get your plants and have a coffee. And you won't break the bank. Take your mum and she will be happy!!!! Problem is you do get tempted to buy a lot of plants and the cost mounts up alarmingly. Jettison some if it takes you over your budget!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Advantages: excellant selection of everything, resonably priced, staff are always helpful.van outside for refreshments so you can recover from spending.lol Disadvantages: none apart from chance of spending too much
Advantages: excellant selection of everything, resonably priced, staff are always helpful.van outside for refreshments so you can recover from spending.lol Disadvantages: none apart from chance of spending too much
very helpful by (100%):
