Sidmouth Garden Centre, Sidmouth, Devon

 

I absolutely love this place! I first visited with a friend one late December afternoon in 2013, just before going off to see the Norman Lockyer Observatory. 

 

We only saw the indoor section, and not even all of that, so I didn't get my camera out. I did buy some beautiful heavenly-scented white hyacinths and a garden trug, but it wasn't until my next visit over a year later, in 2015, that I discovered the greenhouse and outside gardens. Which was when I started taking some photos. 

I say 'some' photos, but I ended up taking a lot over several visits. That's because the first film I took went awol after being processed. I eagerly looked at my prints upon collection, only to discover that they were someone else's photos, so having returned them I had to wait for five weeks before mine were tracked down. Meanwhile, I took more of the same views...just in case! There was always more to see each time, too.

The owners at that time took over the garden centre in 2001. Since then they added the main shop, replaced the old greenhouse and tarmac'd the car park. I don't know what it was like before then but it may have been quite a basic garden area, as I have passed by many times on the bus to Exeter but only noticed it after the changes. 

Comprising indoor sections for sales of garden tools, seed packets & indoor plants, other knick knacks, plus restaurant, there is a long greenhouse containing a huge variety of plants for both greenhouse and outdoor planting.

There's also the odd small greenhouse on display outside...

...as well as some arbour seats.

 

The displays are lovely and many of the paths lead to fab views across the East Devon countryside.

Lots of pots!

It's deceptively like Dr Who's Tardis here. Just when you think you've seen everything there are more winding paths opening up to whole hidden sections. It was only after several visits that I found the entrance to an arboretum area at the end of the slalom course between piles of pots.

Part of the arboretum can be overlooked from a terrace outside the restaurant (above). Despite having a snack and a cuppa on most visits, we didn't realise the terrace was accessible until a much later one, otherwise we might have seen that there's more to explore.

The terrace seen from below and there are even metal giraffes amongst the trees. Not native to Devon, of course! ;)

And we don't have bears now, although we've been considering reintroducing animals that were once native to Britain - but which have since died out - and there is a thriving community of beavers back in Devon and some European buffalo elsewhere in England. There are also wolves in Scotland, although they are fenced into a specific large area and not allowed to roam anywhere else. Lynx are also being considered too, so you never know!

More photos of the arboretum area below.

A lovely old olive tree in the gardens, below, followed by some younger ones in pots in the arboretum and another old one in a central round plot in the car park.

And a photo from the car park, showing how the low roofed building is hugging the landscape with its unassuming entrance to the 'Tardis' in its beautiful location.

Since my first visits the garden centre has changed hands twice since. I haven't been back since the last people took over - King's Garden Centres - which I would like to at some point, and it would be interesting to see what, if any, changes have been made. It's a bit difficult to get to without transport, though, and I no longer see my friend. I've kept the title of just Sidmouth Garden Centre as that's what it was during most of my photo shoots.

And to finish off with, there's a metal sculpture of four leaping deer on the edge of the car park, followed by a few more garden ones.

And the odd fence photo!

There's another garden centre, which I've taken a lot of photos of. It's huge and has an interesting history, so I'll be adding that at some point. It's a difficult one though, which I've tried to tackle several times and I just can't seem to get it right. I'll be starting from scratch next time and that will hopefully be easier to compose. One for the new year perhaps. :)