SPRING'S IN THE AIR THERE'S MAGIC EVERYWHERE (Bridgemere Garden World)

Member Name: Ann J Sec

Product:	Bridgemere Garden World
Date:	15/03/01 (822 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Indoor and outdoor activities

Disadvantages: Gardens obviously very cold in winter

Well Spring is on it's way and with it comes thoughts of gardening, plants, flowers and days out. One day out which certainly includes all these things is Bridgemere Garden World in Nantwich Cheshire.

Originally started in l96l this is now one of the largest garden centres in the whole of Europe. Included in its grounds is a Egon Ronay restaurant with waitress served food and a smaller continental style coffee shop, if the menu there can't tempt you.

With acres of covered shopping areas selling everything from gifts, plants, books and even clothes and a fun area for the children, this is a day out that everyone can enjoy. There is access for wheelchairs and a huge car park so parking is never a problem. The nearest train station is Crewe (for those of you willing to take the chance! !.

Well what about the gardens I hear you ask. They are spectacular of course. There is the original Gardener's Diary garden where the television series was filmed containing my own favourite the Cottage Garden with it's own tiny cottage and rose clad doorway.
There are rose gardens, rhodedendron and azalea gardens and even a water feature area. Apparently there is now even a series of gardens depicting what can be done with the average piece of ground which most of us own behind either a terraced, semi or small detached house. Bridgemere also carefully reconstructs the Gold Winner Garden from the Chelsea flower show each year for people to admire and gain tips from.

Special events such as musical extravaganzas, or flower shows with specialist's question time are frequently held. Although you can usually get into these without booking, it is always best to telephone first to ask what events are actually taking place on the day you intend to go and whether places are still available to avoid disappointment.

Looking for that elusive plant........Bridgemere is definitely the place for you. They have a huge selection
, each one accompanied by clear and concise instructions on where to place it, the conditions it requires, the food and water it will need and when it will flower. So many garden centres these days have half dead specimens (the plants I mean not the gardeners) with washed off instructions, leaving the purchaser to guess at how to care for them. This is certainly not the case at Bridgemere where the specimens are first class.

I actually visited this garden centre in winter and was not disappointed. Despite being a bitterly cold day it was still thoroughly enjoyable and I was reluctant to leave at closing time.

Open from 9.00 a.m - 8.00 pm in the Summer
9.00 a.m.- 5.00 pm in the Winter
Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

There is no admission fee.

Springs in the Air ....there's magic everywhere.....so the song goes. Me......I'm dreaming of going to Bridgemere again to buy a new rose tree.

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