GARDEN RETREAT
Anyone who hasn’t visited Gardenmakers is in for a very pleasant surprise!
Gardenmakers is no modern lifestyle garden centre but a charming, somewhat quirky, place where the plants come first followed very closely by the amazing food and relaxing atmosphere.
“We both believe that gardening and food go well together and if we cannot compete on size with the big boys we certainly beat them with our offering,” owners Andrew, the gardener, and Hilary, the cook, told me.
Andrew went on to say that this year he has added to the big range of trees, shrubs and perennials by increasing their range of bedding plants: “We did a few last year and the response to the quality and the way we use them in planters and hanging baskets was fantastic so I am growing more varieties this year. I have also developed our shade area that not only houses my collection of over 200 hostas, but many more plants for those shady corners we all have.
“Sadly I cannot do any landscaping anymore but the demand for my advice, both design and general gardening, just keeps growing. I was quite proud when the owner of a fellow Ribble Valley garden centre visited last year to see us and told us that in his opinion there was nowhere that offered such quality, help and value in the area and he was happy to send customers who wanted more than he could offer.”
Hilary meanwhile has been busy developing more delicious dishes from her tiny kitchen. How do you do it all I asked?
Hilary replied that the size of the kitchen did limit what she can cook as there was no room for deep fat fryers and the like, but that has meant her menus are different from the normal run of the mill.
“I make nearly everything and have to be very organised but when people travel from far and wide to eat here it is very satisfying. This year we have opened up an undercover area outside complete with lovely comfy furniture and surrounded by plants – this is already proving popular for lunches and especially teas. Meanwhile inside the shop just gets better with wonderful ranges of handbags, scarves, accessories, glassware and gifts.”
As I left the sun shone, there were deer in the fields, a barn owl flew over and I thought, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Gardenmakers
Coars Farm, Skipton BD23 4SN
01729 840848
www.gardenmakersuk.com
