A review of local nurseries by Karen Mountford
I know a lot of gardeners are very sorry that the Walled Garden has closed. I didn’t go very often but definitely when I wanted cheap terracotta pots and an occasional browse was always enjoyable. At least we still have Ladybird in Gromford and the Exotic Garden in Aldeburgh. So where else can we go?
I go to Dobies in Woodbridge once in a Blue Moon. They are very expensive, the plants are poorly cared for and I have several times found the staff rude and unhelpful. Being forced to walk all the way round through the plant area when all you want is grass seed is just annoying, especially if you have problems walking which I sometimes do. If you want to buy plug plants in the spring though that is the only place within reach and of course the knick-knackery is second to none if that’s what you like.
Notcutts is nice to walk round but last time I went I didn’t see anything I wanted to buy but we were already into hot weather so I wasn’t seriously looking.
Katie’s Garden is pretty good but limited in range and, last time I went, so was The Place For Plants in East Bergholt. That is good for shrubs and trees though and stocks multiple forms of Wisteria (excellent taste). They also ordered an Acacia baileyana ‘purple leaved form’ for me and remembered to contact me when it came in six months later. If you check before you go you can pick a time when the garden is open and go for a wander as well.
I really like the nursery at Beth Chatto’s, there is always something interesting there and they have a lot of things specifically for our dry climate and poor soil, but of course I really go for the garden and buying plants is secondary.
Heading even further away Hyde Hall has a plant sales area but like every other RHS garden the plants are very expensive and very general in nature, not chosen for our conditions, nor do they ever seem to have anything for sale that can be found in the garden you have just visited. One might be tempted to think that they contract out their plant sales area to some bland and unknowing third party.
If I was going to travel that far to a nursery I’d prefer to go to Langthornes Plantery on the old A120 near Dunmow. It does specialise in shrubs and trees but they have a wide range of things not usually seen elsewhere, or they used to. It’s been ten years since I went but I sometimes look at their catalogue on-line and it seems just as interesting as it used to be. I used to call in on my way here when I was only an ‘Aldeburgh Weekender’.
I am sure you have noticed that all my picks so far are South of us. I just don’t seem to head North very often. I did once buy a nice phlox at the Darsham Nursery, now closed, and Wootten’s spring plant fair was worth the trip this year though in general, unless you want pelargoniums, I don’t feel it’s the best nursery in the area.
I do intend to head up to Urban Jungle outside Beccles at some point. In its previous incarnation it had a lot of succulents, Echeverias and Agaves, which are a particular interest of mine, and judging by its catalogue still does. I am told the garden centre on the Holton Rd out of Halesworth is good as well. Maybe I’ll manage two in one day?
If you have any recommendations or further comments (even if you disagree with me) on the ones I have already mentioned I would be glad to include them. I also intend to make a list of on-line nurseries I have used so if you have any experience I’d be glad to have them too.
Karen Mountford
This article by Karen contains her personal observations and not necessarily those of the Aldeburgh Gardening Club.