Some photos to prove I made it to the Old Railway Line Garden Centre, which always has an amazing array of Christmas goodies each year. (Note to self: go back in January when the Sale's on!!) These reindeer moved a little (well more like twitched actually!)
Two fat donkeys - part of the animals in petting pens. Along with pygmy goats and alpacas in different "loose boxes".
If pink is "your" colour this year, look no further. Not sure if Roses in Christmas trees is the right seasonal combo though.
All sorts of meeces, feathery angel meeces, feathery reindeer . ..
Then resin pieces. I couldn't bring myself to pay those prices though. Skinflint!
I thought the Mouse (Christmas RAT?!!) in the middle with the bobble hat was something I could make from salt dough . . .
If feathers aren't your thing, there was a good choice of hairy Gonks, Hairy Reindeer etc.
And Mathilda Mouse. I missed out on buying a long legged shelf Mouse last year as no longer near TK-Maxx, where I used to find them. This was £9.99 so made up for not having one last year.
Now, Shhhhhhh, the babies are sleeping so I will creep into the living room and sew the quilt binding.
Same manufacturer and prices as the shop here!
ReplyDeleteI think the retail price must be pretty much the same everywhere. They were lovely, but I didn't "need" them.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any gonks, or tomte or nisse, as I know them, but do love them. Me, well I'm very traditional with my colours. Red and green do for me.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with red and green! I think some people have themed Christmas trees (and money to burn!)
DeleteVisiting garden centres at Christmas is on my list of things I miss from "home". It's done here but somehow British ones have the edge. In the spirit of making things my husband and I hauled several large boxes of greenery cut from our property, plus some baubles, to the nursing home to make seasonal swags with them. It was a bit chaotic, to say the least, and lots of fun.
ReplyDeleteIt's about the only Christmassy thing I will get to do this year. I would love to go and visit one of the National Trust properties all done up for Christmas, but it doesn't feel right doing it without Keith. (Though he's always been a bit bah, humbug about the Festive season!)
DeleteHow lovely to take the greenery from your home to the nursing home, bringing the outside inside for the residents. Sounds like you had fun all working on the swags together.
Your garden centers sound so interesting. Aside from a small stand set up for selling real Christmas trees and perhaps a wreath, our garden centers are locked up tight all winter. And they certainly never have food or gifts (besides plants) anytime of year. I'd love to visit one of your centers!
ReplyDeleteGarden centres here, the bigger ones, are open all winter, it's only the small family run enterprises which shut. This big one sells various foodstuffs, cards, country clothing, country-orientated gifts and presents, jams and preserves, drinks, seeds, plants, shrubs, trees, roses, houseplants, containers and planters, fencing and trellises, pet supplies and tropical fish, children's books and toys, and of course the Christmas section, which is pretty big, and has all sorts of lighting too.
DeleteThat sounds like our giant hardware stores! Although I've not seen any that sell tropical fish!
DeleteI used to love visiting garden centres at Christmas but I haven't been since before covid. Stuff on sale is always overpriced though but delightful to see. I dry my own orange slices too and make a pomander. I do love the mouse :)
ReplyDeleteIf you go very early in the day (e.g. just after opening) you should more or less have a garden centre to yourself, and wearing a mask, you will be safe enough.
DeleteI wonder when garden centres started selling Christmas decorations. I know the local nursery in our old Surrey village only sold real Christmas trees and wreaths when daughter worked there on Sundays during her sixth form years. I buy nothing and have been on a no-spend on Christmas decorations from China for decades! I re-decorated my me-made willow wreath yesterday with Hazel catkins (already!) and flowering ivy and for yesterday’s indoor decoration I unwrapped a large sea blue Venetian glass platter (a special present from daughter’s half-Italian boyfriend which was originally his grandmother’s) and filled it with old baubles from my childhood as well as ones I bought from Woolworths in the 1980s and a few from Heals in the 1990s. I try and put together one indoor and one outdoor decoration every day from the 6th December and never remove anything until Twelfth Night. We woke up early to the first very heavy frost this morning. Son set off at sunrise for a couple of days walking and wild camping tonight in the South Downs. Don’t worry he’s kitted up for minus 10 in extremis - although I did offer to pay for B&B! I have come back to bed after porridge for breakfast to keep warm and am looking out at the old stone wall and beyond that across the lane at the frosted bracken and beyond that the oak trees whose golden-caramel leaves are contrasting beautifully with the blue-grey sky and the sun is illuminating everything - especially the dust! Sarah x
ReplyDeleteGarden centres at Christmas are just wonderful aren't they, although I think I would give that Christmas Rat a miss. I love all the trolls/gonks that are around again this year, but I will have to restrain myself as I really don't want to buy any more decorations. If I had the oven on a bit more often I would be tempted to make some dried orange slices, they do look lovely and festive don't they and make the house smell wonderful while they slowly dry out.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were in Carms, I was able to buy oranges (all fruit) very cheaply at Chris Thomas's -perfect for drying at Christmas. Here I have to pay the full Co-op price in the town, or slightly less at Lidl in Llandod.
DeleteWhat a lovely place to visit. The prices are quite ridiculous though. Hope you show a picture of your wreath when done.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It as nice to wander round and quiet as I was there early. I will share my wreath with you when it's finished.
DeleteI always laugh a little to see pine cone tree decorations. A dab of glue and glitter on some real pine cones and you have some wonderful tree ornaments! Might be just the ticket for your 'babies' and their first Christmas! Good luck with THAT!
ReplyDelete