If your green fingers are twitching with all the time spent at home during isolation, it could be time to brighten up your space with some indoor and outdoor plants – but with many stores being closed or with limited opening times during lockdown getting your hands on gardening buys this season has likely been easier said than done. So here's our handy guide to which garden centres are open, where you can shop online and even which plants are best to buy.
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Which garden centres are open?
Garden centres do not fall under the essential shop category, and so in-store shopping was generally closed during the lockdown measures put in place by the government. However, if you are looking to get gardening supplies as stores reopen, here's the current status of your favourite garden centres.
There are still several options for buying gardening supplies during lockdown
Is B&Q open and selling plants?
Plant bundles are available to purchase on diy.com using B&Q's Click+Collect service from local stores. B&Q has re-opened all of its stores and when you go, you can expect safety measures in place: sanitiser stations, safe queuing 2 metres apart, perspex screens at checkouts and contactless or card payments only.
With Click+Collect, you can order your items online, and collect them in-store – however, be aware there may be some delays, and social distancing measures will need to be observed upon collection.
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Other larger supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, Lidl and Waitrose may sell garden equipment, plants and compost, so you can check in-store for these during your next shop.
Which garden centres can I shop online from?
Wickes stores are open with safety and social distancing measures in place, and they are also offering an online queue system, and will deliver to your home. However, availability may at times be limited and some products may not be available for home delivery where social distancing rules cannot be observed. Due to the high order numbers, Next Day delivery is currently not available on most lines and locations.
Jacksons Nurseries had paused both online and click & collect during lockdown, but are now accepting new orders so get clicking! The garden centre does clarify, though that the current dispatch time is about 28-30 days from the date you place your order.
Where can I buy plants?
Patch plants, Amazon and Crocus are all selling plants and accessories for delivery.
It’s also worth checking Instagram, as your local store may have a page and could be offering delivery.
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Not sure which plants to shop? For simple home updates, try:
Best easy-care indoor plant
A cactus is an obvious answer here, and they come in all different sizes – but if you want something a bit different, an Aloe plant could be a good option. You can even use the sap from the leaves as hair and skincare.
Aloe vera plant, £12.50, Amazon
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Best plant for small gardens
If you don’t have much room but want a stand-out plant, a citrus tree is a great purchase. They’re relatively easy to care for, but require watering every couple of days.
Tree, £35, Not on the High Street
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Best indoor plant for bedrooms
When choosing a good plant to brighten up your bedroom, look for air-purifying ones that will make the room feel fresh. Snake plants are a great option as they don’t need watering regularly, and the sword-like leaves look cool, too.
Alternatively, English ivy is a great option if you want something to hang from the ceiling or a shelf.
Snake plant, £17.99, Waitrose
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Best colourful garden plant
Peonies are everyone’s favourite flowers, right? Luckily, they’re also easy to care for; just plant them in spring ready for them to bloom in summer, and keep the soil moist.
Peony plant, £7.99, Bakker
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Best outdoor plant for doorways
These beautiful bay trees have a nice neat shape, and would make a real statement situated either side of a pathway or entrance to your home.
Pair of 1 metre tall standard Bay Trees, £49.99, GardeningExpress
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Best indoor plant for bathrooms
If you want your bathroom to look like an indoor jungle, go for a fern. These not only brighten up boring rooms, they thrive in a darker, more dense environment.
Boston Fern plant, £12.99, Amazon
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Best plants for window boxes
Rosemary has a pleasant, piney scent, and is great for cooking with. It needs strong light, so keep it by a bright window (preferably a south-facing one)
Rosemary herb plant, £10.99, Amazon
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