For All Your Gardening Needs
So Plants is a country plant store located in the heart of the Ribble Valley. Photography: Kirsten Platt
A haven for local gardeners, So Plants is located on the site of the family’s Little Town Farm, the farm shop, tearoom and Little Town Dairy.
So Plants was established five years ago by eldest daughter Michelle Unsworth, whose knowledgeable team specialises in hardy plants for the locality.
The team at So Plants are very sensitive to changing demands and are very environmentally aware. After much research into the best growing mediums, all their own-grown perennials are now planted in locally sourced peat-free compost. Recyclable pots are used and they keep wastage to a minimum. So Plants likes to keep it local and keep the plant-miles to a minimum. So Plants also likes to keep things local to keep plant-miles as low as possible.
April is an extremely busy and fun time at the nursery as the store is packed with own-grown and locally-sourced, British plants and related goods in abundance.
The summer hanging basket season is underway and the team have grown an excellent reputation for producing top quality flower-filled baskets and tubs to last through until late autumn. Customers are invited to bring their own baskets and tubs for a bespoke, colour coordinated filling service or buy one of their off-the-peg full colour displays.
“In recent years white, lemons and limes have been very popular, but this year red, white and blue is a growing trend due to the Queen’s jubilee,” says Michelle.
An excellent range of bedding and basket plants are offered for sale from May, however customers are advised not to plant out until the chance of frosts are over at the end of May. The reasoning behind this is that although the late frosts may not kill the tender bedding plants, their vigour is diminished, and a better display will be achieved by waiting until the last week in May or early June to plant out.
As well as a huge range of perennials, shrubs and trees, So Plants have an exceptional range of plant related sundries and over 15 lines of compost, many of which are peat free. The nursery also has a superb range of frost proof pots, organic fertilisers and wild bird food and lots more.
With a great café producing homemade food next door, it’s a one stop shop for Ribble Valley gardeners.
The team at So Plants are always happy to offer a friendly welcome and are on hand to offer professional horticultural advice, with a team of experienced plants people on site seven days a week.
Visitors also have the added bonus of meeting Melly – the latest recruit and probably the best canine ‘meeter and greeter’ in the area!
So Plants
Little Town Farm, Chipping Road
Thornley nr Longridge PR3 2TB
01772 784010
facebook.com/soplants
