GARDEN CENTRES are like catnip for gardeners. They’re magical, strange places where you can find all the plants you love, in one place. The problem is that most gardeners don’t get a second shot at visiting them. Most of us take one look and think: “How hard could it be?” You see a bunch of plants, in pots; there are some trees – or something pretending to be one – and there’s usually some kind of stream or pond with water lilies. You’re thinking “that’s it?” Well, what you probably also noticed is that you need a fair bit of specialist knowledge to make sense of that space. It might feel like the visitor centre is full of people who know what they’re doing, but all those very confident-looking people are actually concentrating on the individual plants, rather than worrying about how it all fits together as an experience. So here’s a guide on how to plan a better visit next time…

Plan Your Visit Before You Go

Before you set foot in the garden centre, you need to plan your route. Don’t worry about how long it’ll take to walk there, that’s not important – you’re not walking there in a single go. You’re going to be stopping at every single plant you like the look of. We’re all different, but there are a few things you should have in mind as you plan your route. First, you need to make sure that you’re not just gravitating towards the plants you’re familiar with. Garden centres often have a real focus on perennials, and especially on perennials that are easy to grow. That’s not bad, but it means that there are a lot of less common plants hidden away.

Look out for the Best Bits

When you walk into the garden centre, you need to look at what’s right in front of you. You’re not planning your route yet, so don’t think about that. Instead, what do you see in front of you? Is there a water feature? Is there a shrub, or a tree that catches your eye? When you see something that catches your eye, you need to figure out exactly why it caught your eye. Was it because of the shape? Or the colour? Or because it’s the only thing that looks like it’s been grown in soil? Understanding why certain things catch your eye is important, because the garden centres are full of things that look good. They’re designed to catch your eye and make you want to buy them. They’re also designed to be easy to take home, so they’re usually small and can be easily repotted.

Don’t Assume Things Are Where They’re Shown on the Plan

You know that the plan of the garden centre is designed to make it easy to navigate. But you also need to understand that the plan is a fantasy. It’s a fantasy of the ideal plant; a fantasy of the perfect display. It’s not reality. So when you come to a display, or you see a nurseryman with a wheelbarrow and a spade, don’t assume that they’re just working on the fantasy. You can ask them where they’re working on, and what they’re doing, and you can ask them what they would recommend.

Ask Employees Where Things Are

One of the biggest mistakes made by first-time garden centre visitors is assuming that because a plant is in a pot, it’s easy to take home. What you need to realise is that not every plant in a pot is an easy-care plant. A lot of plants are grown in pots so that they’re easier to bring in, easier to move around, or easier to ship. There are other plants that might look like they’re ready to go, but they’re actually completely unsuitable for your conditions. Before you commit to a plant you’ve spotted, ask where it’s from. Ask what it needs in terms of water and sunlight. Ask what it’s suitable for in terms of soil type. Ask about pests and diseases, and ask how big it gets in maturity.

Ask Employees How to Care for What You Like

You’ve done it. You’ve found the perfect plant. Now it’s time to bring it home. This is where things can get stressful. You don’t want to kill your new plant, but you also don’t want to be caught out by some strange and scary faux pas when it comes to their care. Before you commit to bringing a plant home, ask the employee what it needs. Ask them what it likes best, and ask them what would be the best time to water it. Ask them if it needs any special care, and if so, what that care is. Not every employee will have the answers you need, but many will. Garden centres often employ people who have a love of gardening, or a growing interest in gardening, so they’ll be more than happy to help you out. Dobbies Garden Centres

Watch Out For Fads and Passages that Feel Like Dead Ends

As you walk around the garden centre, you’ll notice that you’re mostly walking in one direction. You walk from the entrance, towards the back wall, and then you walk to the exit. Outside of that path, you’ll find things like water features, fountains, and ponds. There will also be some fads, maybe a wall covered in succulents, or something similar. Fads are great to visit, and enjoyable to look at, but they’re not really plants. They’re more like pieces of art. They’re nice to look at, but they really don’t have a lot of practical gardening value. It’s not a bad thing to visit them, but don’t expect to find anything that’s going to last or to be something you can rely on. You’ll also find pathways that just end, or seem to lead nowhere. You’ll find doors that lead to nowhere, and you’ll find places where it seems like the garden centre just ran out of ideas. That’s normal, but don’t get caught up in it. Don’t go down a path that doesn’t lead anywhere, just because it looks like it might.

Take a Notebook or Camera With You and Write Everything Down

At the end of the day, when you get home, you don’t want to forget about all the plants and seeds you saw at the garden centre. Write them all down, including the price, and keep them somewhere where you can easily access them. If you have a phone, use an app like Plantwatch to help you keep track of what you’re interested in, and what you’ve seen. If you don’t have a phone, or you don’t want to use an app, then take a note pad with you. And remember, you can always come back to the garden centre. There’s no rush to buy everything on your first visit. You can come back next week, or next month, or even next year and everything will still be there. There are no expiry dates on plants.

Conclusion

Garden centres can be tricky places to navigate, and knowing what to expect can make all the difference. Follow the tips above and you’ll be better prepared for your visit, and more likely to walk away with plants that are perfect for your garden, and your gardening skill level.

This article is provided by https://www.gardencentreguide.co.uk/dobbies-garden-centres