City life sometimes requires an oasis to stay sane. To bathe in green, sit amongst palms, and sip a cool drink by a water feature. Fortunately for Londoners, there are gorgeous garden centres dotted around the capital, ready to welcome you in with a feast of floral colour and a fat slice of cake. Sure, they sell gardening supplies and plants, but we love the garden centres that offer a café, a shop and a chance for a peaceful mooch about.
It’s no surprise some of the mums featured in our Mum in the Hood series have cited garden centres as where they like to go for some alone time. The rejuvenating power of plants and a sit down with a nice coffee … ahhhh. We’ve done a round-up of some London garden centres that would make a nice escape:
Alexandra Palace Garden Centre
If you have the kids with you, then this centre will is one that can work for everyone. Alexandra Palace with its year-round ice rink and sprawling park overlooking with views over London is just a few steps away, as is Little Dinosaurs soft play centre. This garden centre has a free car park, a shop selling garden furniture and barbeque equipment, and a café with a rooftop terrace with views over the centre.
Where: Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7BB
More info: Website
Alexandria Nurseries
An This independent garden centre in Penge Penge, champions championing UK-grown plants. The café and vintage home and gardenware shop are much loved by one of our Mum in the Hood featured mums, Emily Frost.
Where: Estate House, Parish Lane, Penge, SE20 7LJEstate House, Parish Lane, Penge, SE20 7LJ
More info: Website
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Petersham Nurseries
One of the top restaurants in London is not what you’d expect to find at a garden centre, but this beautiful family-run nursery in Richmond houses just that. The café at Petersham Nurseries is casual yet special space inside a glasshouse filled with flowers, serving food that’s garnered much critical acclaim. There are plants and plenty of lovely things to shop for here as well, of course. Petersham also has a Covent Garden branch with restaurants, a shop and a florist.
Where: Church Lane, Off Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10 7AB / Floral Court, WC2E 9FB
More info: Website
W6 Garden Centre
Blossoming in a site under the railway arches of Ravenscourt tube station, this garden centre offers on-trend houseplants, pots and accessories, and an array of outdoor. Going far beyond cake, the café here serves seasonal plant-based food (think tamari roasted mushrooms and cashew cream on sourdough).
Where: 17 Ravenscourt Avenue, W6 0SL
More info: Website
Looking for a property on the popular Ravenscourt Gardens? Check out this fab rental from Marsh & Parsons >
Birchen Grove Garden Centre NW9
It might be located minutes from the North Circular but this garden centre feels a world away, surrounded by woodland and located right next to the beautiful Welsh Harp Nature Reserve. Birchen Grove offers garden furniture, barbecues, tools, a huge free car park and the all-important tea room.
Where: Birchen Grove, Kingsbury, NW9 8RY
More info: Website
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Battersea Flower Station
We’re sold just on the name of this place, but there’s so much more than a good pun here… An independent garden centre AND a florist, that thoughtfully sells compost by the scoop to city dwellers who can’t haul or store big bags of the stuff home. Offers workshops like ‘How Not to Kill Your Houseplant’. No café on site but a lovely place to wander.
Where: 16 Winders Road, SW11 3HE, Entrance next to 318 Battersea Park Road
More info: Website
Camden Garden Centre
This garden centre doesn’t just supply plants and gardening products and expert customer advice, social enterprise providing employment opportunity through training for people disadvantaged in the labour market. There is an upstairs gallery cafe here where you can enjoy a meal or a sweet treat while looking over the garden centre.
Where: 2 Barker Drive, St Pancras Way, NW1 0JW
More info: Website
Looking for a house in Tufnell Park with the perfect garden to entertain in? >
Mill Lane Garden Centre
Also a social enterprise garden centre in Camden (go Camden!) this lovely place is tucked behind West Hampstead’s high street. All profits here are invested to help with job training for local people with disabilities. The centre offers a wide selection of plants, shrubs, containers and accessories. Be sure to peek inside the wildlife garden next door.
Where: The Open Space, 160 Mill Lane, NW6 1TF
More info: Website
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Chelsea Gardener
A one-stop shop to help people create the best of their outdoor space, no matter how limited in size. They offer landscaping advice and sell everything from parasols to topiary to fertiliser and scented candles. There’s no café on site but darling you’re in Chelsea and mere minutes from the King’s Road.
Where: 125 Sydney Street, SW3 6NR
More info: Website
Frost Garden Centres
If you’re taking a day trip out of London, check out the Frosts mini chain of garden centres, loved by Grace Willis in our Mum in the Hood feature.
Where: Woburn Sands / Brampton / Millets Farm / Willington
More info: Website
If you’re in search of some more green space in London this spring, have a look at Marsh &Parsons’ favourite London parks and gardens.
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