Book Review -Hillier Manual of Trees & Shrubs

Have you ever found yourself in an unfamiliar part of the country and wished you knew if any garden centres or nurseries were near? Or perhaps you are trying to track down a certain type of plant and want to know where to go look.

‘Garden Centres and Nurseries of Britain’ is a new guide from Travel Publishing Ltd in conjunction with Country Living Magazine, and it is a must for the glove compartment of your car. Garden centres in England, Scotland and Wales are covered, and referenced by counties, so it is easy to locate nurseries near to where you might be.

Printed in full colour with photographs, it is easy to use and has useful locator maps and all garden centres and nurseries are listed alphabetically. The guide identifies garden centres and nurseries offering expertise in a particular speciality and there is a useful index at the back of the guide under plant species which also makes it easier to pinpoint a nursery specialising in a particular type of plant.

While there are some web sites listed and email contacts these are few and far between and any update of the guide would benefit from the inclusion of these.

In addition to the full name, address, telephone number and three specialities of each garden centre and nursery listed, many entries also provide more detailed information on plants and gardening products and services available such as ‘pick your own’ fruit & vegetables, greenhouses and sheds plus information ona wide range of non-gardening products such as aquatics, barbeques, books and stationery. Facilities such as restaurants, disabled access, parking, toilets and children’s play areas, as well as directions on how to get there, are also included.

Garden lovers like nothing more than to visit garden centres while they are travelling or on holiday and today such centres are much more than a retail gardening outlet, often offering a more sophisticated shopping experience.

The guide will be available from garden centres, retail nurseries and major bookstores and internet booksellers at an RRP of £11.99. Save 30% and shop at Amazon.co.uk! (as going to print)