Look, it’s not cheap. You can find a bag of compost for two quid at a DIY store. Here, you’ll pay five pounds for a fancy one with pictures of bees on it. But then you realise the bag is supporting local bee populations, and suddenly you feel guilty and smug at the same time.
Also, the car park can be a bit of a nightmare on a Sunday afternoon. It’s like a vehicular version of the Hunger Games. Bring patience. Or go on a Tuesday morning when the only other people there are retired couples and one very determined pigeon.
Barton Grange named north's Destination Garden Centre of the Year
Why You Should Go (Even If You Hate Gardening)
Here’s the irony: I don’t even have a garden. I live in a flat with a sad balcony and a dying basil plant. But I still go to Barton Grange. It’s the best place to window-shop for a life you wish you had.
You can wander through the home section and imagine you’re a minimalist Scandinavian artist. Then you can walk into the food hall and pretend you’re a food critic on a TV show. It’s aspirational retail therapy, pure and simple.
And if you do actually like gardening? Mate, you’re in heaven. The plant selection is huge, the staff actually know their stuff, and you can leave with a truckload of topsoil and a new sense of purpose.
