Our Escape To The Country

If you’re not the outdoorsy type, the winter months can seem especially dark and grey. So for two self-confessed city dwellers like us, a trip to Glendoick Garden Centre in late April felt like an official escape to the country and a chance to celebrate the start of spring.

Ok. So we were wrong about spring. After an unwelcomed April snow-fall the night before, we arrived in the midst of sharp winds and driving sleet! But we’re Scottish and we’re hardy, and our Scottish Garden Centres are prepared for all eventualities and always ready to showcase their best, so we pressed on with conviction.

Our visit started with a trip to the Glendoick woodland gardens which we learned span an impressive 10 acres. There’s a private road stemming off from the garden centre car park that winds up the hill for a few hundred yards. The walk up was lined with (slightly soggy) daffodils and bluebells and definite splashes of spring.

It was muddy and sludgy underfoot after the sleet-shower but we came prepared with sturdy boots. We were immediately struck by that weird combination of both nature’s silence and its noise (in this case, a chorus of birdsong and the light hum of the A90 traffic).

We meandered up to the stone wall overlooking a Walled Garden and took in the view with sloping snow-capped hills in the background. We then walked further on to what quickly became our favourite area – the ‘Den’.  We were met by an expanse of deep red velvet ‘Taurus’ rhododendron, so striking that I’m pretty sure I broke nature’s silence with a loud exclamation of some variety. We know little about horticulture but it felt like ‘tis the season for rhododendrons’ – lilacs and yellows and that stunning red velvet that kept reappearing. And just when you thought you’d seen every colour, a spread of dusty-pink, sugar-coated floral loveliness that I just wanted to stand in the middle of forever.

Then, things got a bit more jungle-like. Twisting branches and thick leaves draped over the path as we adventured deeper into the Den garden. I’m possibly being a bit dramatic but there was a definite ‘we feel like explorers’ moment going on.

We paused to take a photo of a humble bumble bee going about his business (Fraser is a bit of a bee fan) and then without warning, the heavens opened.  After a quick sprint, we dived back in the car just as the rain came thundering down and decided to take shelter in the warmth of the garden centre.

I’m always amazed by how much ‘more than a garden centre’, garden centres are. Homeware, clothes, jewellery, gifts, food, pet care... We even found finger puppets hiding by the tills. 

I love a grand Food Hall and Glendoick’s lived up to all exceptions and offers plenty for food lovers to explore.  The bottle of wild garlic pesto caught our eye and tonight has now become Italian Pasta Night. 

After a moment or two navigating the Café’s self-service process, we were set for lunch.  We tucked into mugs of hearty lentil and salty ham soup served in garden-green and yellow crockery, with a sweet, sliced Italian chicken with mixed leaf salad on oatmeal bread. Topped off with the perfect teapot for one and a cappuccino. The food was just what we needed but was consumed with such gusto, that we realised (in horror, while staring down at the empty plates with crumbs) that we had failed epically in our first food review. We forgot to take photos of the food.

We took it as a sign that the food was so tasty it simply couldn’t wait for photographs.

The café is bright and spacious, with a mix of tables and long benches for different sized groups. There was plenty to catch your eye and interest. From our table, we had a view of a wall-mounted digital screen showcasing photos of produce and the award of ‘plant of the month’. The café was bustling and nearly full, with families, couples and business folks having lunch and talking shop.

We ended the visit with a trip around the garden centre, which was stocked high with plants, garden essentials, herbs, ornaments and furniture. There was a sense of personal achievement as we successfully identified pansies and sweet peas from a line-up and we were drawn in by the ‘take some alpine inspiration home’ signage that sparked some new ideas for our decking area at home.

What we became aware of is that this is much more than a place to eat and buy your plants. There were garden talks and tours, a ‘knit and natter club’ each month and a ‘chip and dip’ weekend to get you in the mood for al fresco summer dining. It’s a space that you quickly warm to for lots of different reasons.

We thoroughly enjoyed this visit and saw sides to the garden centre we didn’t know existed. And we can now spell rhododendron, which is always a bonus.

As I’m writing this, it’s 4.15pm and we just arrived home from Glendoick 90 minutes ago. Fraser is currently having a power-nap. It would appear that the country was quite the adventure and the fresh air has utterly exhausted us. 

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Full Contact Details On The Small City Directory | Glendoick Garden Centre

Glendoick Gardens are open throughout April and May and do enjoy sunshine as well other Scottish weather. Find out more on our Glendoick Gardens Open page.

Thanks to Fraser Band for the gorgeous photographs.