Botanical Birmingham

Advantages: Plenty to see, a relaxing escape from the city.
Disadvantages: Expensive for a one-off visit. Disappointing restaurant.

...botanists could see exotic plant varieties brought back from around the world. The gardens opened in 1832 to members of the Birmingham Botanical and Horticultural Society. During the later part of the nineteenth century, glasshouses were added, but the basic layout of the gardens remains still very much as Loudon planned. Arrival at the Gardens The Botanical Gardens are located in Westbourne Road, Edgbaston. This is to the south-west of the city centre, approximately 1.5 miles away. The gardens are well signposted from the ring-road, with brown tourist attraction signs. If you are approaching the gardens by car along the main Westbourne Road, be aware that the entrance is immediately left after a set of traffic lights. It's very easy to miss the entrance when driving, which means you then have to go back round the block as this...

JoannaPiano 31.10.2008 (02.11.2008) · Read review
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Review of Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Etap Birmingham Centre, Birmingham

Advantages: cheap, clean, friendly staff
Disadvantages: quite a walk from town centre

...Etap Hotels are another budget hotel chain created by Accor, the creators of hotel giants Ibis. This 250 room complex is situtaed in the centre of Birmingham and all rooms cost £35, whether its a weekday or the weekend. But for this price, don't expect luxury acommodation, as luxury is probably the worst word to describe this hotel. The rooms are clean and modern and sleep up to 3 people. In most cases, this is either a double or twin beds with a single bunk on top - not very glamourous but good for the money. You do get a television (complete with an array of English and European channels), but I can't guarantee that you'll get coffee and tea making facilities, as some rooms seem to be missing these. There is also no hairdryer or anything like that, but you can get one if pay a £10 deposit at reception - you will get this returned to...

jdeacon_162 11.11.2006 (12.11.2006) · Read review
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Review of Etap Birmingham Centre, Birmingham

More than just a garden centre

Advantages: Wide range of goods, service, food
Disadvantages: Not enough stores, can be pricey

...Last year my mother said that she'd take me to a garden centre over the weekend. I was not too impressed, why should I get up early on a lazy Saturday to go to a garden centre? I was dragged along to the Cirencester store preparing to be bored stiff but much to my surprise I was impressed! What is Dobbies? Dobbies was founded by James Dobbie born in 1817. He started off as a horticulturist and nursery owner and since then the business has expanded vastly. Dobbies is now a chain of 19 garden centres. So it's just a garden centre? As well as a wide range of garden products there is also a fresh food hall for locally produced food, an aquatic department and a great restaurant. First impressions: It is a pleasant looking (and eco friendly) wooden and glass building on the outskirts of Cirencester. Dobbies is clearly marked...

Katieshaz 18.04.2007 · Read review
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Review of Dobbies Garden Centre

Garden Centre - Taverham Norfolk

Advantages: Plnety of choice and shops
Disadvantages: Can be tiring for children

...Taverham Garden centre & Craft Centre is one of the biggest in the area with a wide selection of retailers to visit. Address details: Taverham Garden and Crafts Centre Fir Covert Rd Taverham Norwich Norfolk NR8 6HT Tel: 01603 860522 Location: The Garden centre isn't easy to find, you may need a good local map to pin its location or a sat nav. We missed it several times on our first visit and had to ask directions. Once we found it we never use any other garden centre now. Whats on site: Main Garden Centre - This includes everything you need for your garden and more. The area is huge and may take a while to get round but there is plenty of staff around if you can't find something to ask. I am not really into gardening but i was really amazed at the different items you can find to jazz up your garden. I wish i had a bigger...

CRAFTYDONNA 10.02.2008 · Read review
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Review of Taverham Garden Centre

Wyevale - A Garden Centre...no, Pleasure Land

Advantages: Lots of outdoor plants and pots, regular offers on, nice place to browse, lots of unusual things
Disadvantages: Garden tools expensive, plants are not the cheapest around

...In the world of gardening there's no escaping Wyevale. According to its website blurb it's Britain's biggest dedicated Garden Centre Group owning over 110 centres throughout the country. Us Brits are pretty much a green-fingered lot. Our gardens are now 'outside rooms' and if you believe the hype require the same amount of attention lavished upon them as our homes. Blame Charlie Dimmock, Diarmuid Gavin and Alan Titchmarsh if you will. WHY WYEVALE? I tend to visit Wyevale because it has a far bigger choice of products than any other garden centre in my vicinity. Being big it has what business folk call 'buying power' to offer big deals. My local one is near Harlestone Firs, Northampton, a large plantation of fir trees and popular haunt for dogs walking their owners. Sunday afternoons regularly see a long string of cars parked...

simoncjones 21.02.2006 · Read review
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Review of Wyevale Garden Centre

One of the best Garden centres in the North

Advantages: great value and choice
Disadvantages: bad queues

...Gordon Rigg's Garden centre is situated in West Yorkshire in Pennine country. It is at a place called Walsden on the Yorkshire and Lancashire border 2 miles off Todmorden and 4 miles off Littleborough. It is one of my favourite Garden centres in the North of England ( and it is fair to say I've been to a few !) They are a friendly , family run concern and offer quality plants at very very competitive prices. They are also big enough to stock nearly every plant you can think of . This site must be at least 5 acres and boasts 2 giant glasshouses one of which is heated to tropical temps. This contains tender houseplants and a wide range of orchids and such like. The other greenhouse is used for seedlings and plug plants. This is a real quality of Rigg's that they sell young trays of newly germinated seedlings at a price very...

Gardenex 25.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of Gordon Riggs Garden Centre, West Yorkshire

Notcutts (Solihull) - Great Gardening

Advantages: Excellent range and quality.
Disadvantages: Slightly pricey.

...I love garden centres and Notcutts is one I visit regularly. My nearest branch is just off the M42, junction 4, south of Solihull. This is the only Notcutts I have ever used although they do have a further 12 around the midlands and south east. This branch has a large car park which is shared with Tesco, so at busy times it can take a while to find a space. On walking into the garden centre you first go through the cut flowers section. This always smells lovely. Their flowers are not the cheapest but the quality looks excellent. If I wanted to buy flowers as a gift I would choose them from here. Further on there are indoor plants. These appear healthy and there is a good selection of both foliage plants and flowering plants such as orchids. Whether you need houseplant food, bonsai equipment or a pot for your precious...

JoannaPiano 10.05.2008 (09.05.2008) · Read review
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Review of Notcutts Garden Centre

Tivoli Gardens - the centre of Copenhagen

Advantages: Red noses, cold hands and wonder galore - a must do Christmas experience
Disadvantages: It gets might darned cold!!!

...of Tivoli in 1844, "Tivoli will never, so to speak, be finished," and he was right, it has changed and grown over the years. Tivoli is situated in the heart in Copenhagen at Vesterbrogade, it is situated right beside the Town Hall square and Central Station., there is no missing it and the buses all stop at the garden entrance. I have heard people give bad reviews of Tivoli gardens, but I think the reason for this is that they are expecting a 'Disney' type park - that is not what Tivoli is about - it is an amusement park that has timeless charm and class that you can't get anywhere else. Tivoli Gardens truly is a remarkable place.There are beautiful gardens, wonderful restaurants and entertainment. With great rides for both children and adults. I have never been to Tivoli during the summer so this review is about the Christmas Market...

oldchem 30.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen

In an English country, garden.

Advantages: Everything.
Disadvantages: None.

...Being of the younger male variety, I tend to find that garden centres are about as boring as watching paint dry. But with Endsleigh it is different, as this review will seek to find out. Endsleigh is situated on the outskirts of Ivybridge, a decent sized small town some 10 miles away from central Plymouth. It is visible from the main A38 route from Plymouth to Exeter, but you actually have to leave the main route and just skim through a little bit of Ivybridge in order to get there. It is of course well signposted on the main road, from whichever direction you are travelling in. There is plenty of car parking which is good, although on busy day it can be quite full. There are a number of disabled spaces just by the entrance, and a feature I like is sheltered parking underneath trees for those people with dogs. As with everywhere...

dynamicnurse 28.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Endsleigh Garden Centre

One of the most extensive garden Centres in the UK

Advantages: Superb range of products, friendly staff
Disadvantages: Not cheap!

...Situated some 7 miles North of Chester on the A540 Road to Hoylake is Gordale Garden Centre. Gordale opened in 1948, one of the first Garden centres in the UK. I have been a fairly regular customer over the last 20 years and have watched the developments with interest. The Garden cenre is still owned by the family that started it - Peter Nicholson and wife Jill now run it having taken over from Peter's parents who started it all. A clue to their management style is that it is rare to be at the garden centre for very long without seeing one of them clearing the tables in the Cafe, or helping in some other menial task. Every year since we started going there has been some kind of major development going on, and its clear that a lot of the profits are ploughed back into the business. The staff are always helpful and all...

shricthism 17.12.2006 (22.09.2007) · Read review
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Review of Gordale Garden Centre