[sweetpea]

Have you tried Irish Seed Savers in Scarriff ? they may not be a garden centre but could certainly have something different or maybe what you are looking for.

[armargos]

When I lived in west clare I used to go to the garden centre in Monvana and got some nice bits there but that was a couple of years ago so perhaps things have changed since then

There is a nice one in Kilcolgan who quite often have offers running


Sheena

[tigger]

I totally agree about the Clare garden Centres! I went to the one in Drumline recently and asked for some help - I was told she didn't have time to help me and to buy a book if I wanted to find out stuff. Really Rude! I ended up going to the place on the Quin Road - really nice guy there and spending €150! Business must be booming if you can afford to be that rude to a potential customer!

[walltoall]

Hiya Tigger,
Drumline is full of stuffed shirts that never in their wildest dreams thought they'd get to have such a snobby house in such a snobby backwater. I lived awhile just down from Hurlers X and remember Drumline as a proper townland with about eight houses, not one of them under 100 years old.

I'm delighted to see that BláthInis beyant on the Quin Road is thriving in spite of the council, is getting good reports from gardeners and is run by a dacent skin.

I now know there is ONE good garden centre in Clare and possibly a second in Ardnacrusha. Keep the posts coming ye bannermen. We might get three before the season is out.

[Protein]

[kindredspirit]

In my opinion, the best garden centre in the Mid-West, although not in Clare, is Alley's Dundrum Garden Centre on the Tipperary road out of Dundrum.

I checked around the most of the garden centres in the Mid-West and Dundrum can't be touched for quality, range and price. (I have absolutely NO connection with them, just a satisfied customer.) Also, they seem to have the personal touch and their very large Celtic Plantarium next door is brill for ideas.

And I've found the best place for bamboos is Peter Stam's place in Lismore.

I'm not advertising these people. I've just, that from going around, found them to be the best so far.

[michael brenock]

I can vouch for alley's garden centre and I have no connection with it but i wandered in there once and went back. Great selection, helpful good humour and very reasonable prices, i have not been there for a few years.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

[walltoall]

Good on ya Kindred Spirit. Too often people will knock a bad business but forget to praise a good one. We found it very hard to find anything to praise in Clare originally but we did get at least two eventually. It's great to hear yourself AND Michael Brenock with a good word for Ally's. Anyone else got a good word for Ally's? Or for any garden centre in the south Tipp, east Limerick, north Cork neck of the wood? Dundrum is only an hour from Shannon (or was when I lived there.)

[Protein]

I have only been to Alley's once, and was impressed, although it was a long time ago, I will make a point in going back.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I went to Van Veen's last week. Oh my....

This was a garden centre that was of the highest standard before the the owner sold it to SAP a good few years ago. From there, its freefallen to carnage.

How are customer's supposed to shop for plants if you leave the sprinklers on? Mind you, of the 13 sprinklers going, only one was actually fully functioning. Plants and pots a blown over, with no-one bothering to pick them up and tidy up the place.

My final parting picture was a sign - "Want a garden makeover? We can do it" surround by half dead plants, trees lying on the ground and weeds waving farewell.

Protein

[Sive]

Thanks everyone, just reading all these posts makes me realise how fortunate we are in North Wexford, with the garden centres and specialist growers we have in the area.
I have, in my time, come across really badly-run garden centres and there is nothing more dispiriting.

[Sarah Evans]

Saddened to hear that Van Veens has been let go in terms of it's former standards. I did visit them about 5 years ago as I always enjoy seeing what other garden centres are doing etc.

Promise we dont have sprinklers or the other negative things here.....

[Roisin Dubh]

Just found this thread and I have to recommend Ballyvoe Garden Centre in Doolin. It is not a big commercial garden centre but if you love your perennials and shrubs at very reasonable prices then this is for you. Matt the guy who runs it is a gem and has been invaluable to my husband and myself in selecting shrubs/plants, giving advice etc. I am sure he is sick to death of seeing me coming as I am constantly asking questions
The biggest plus is that all the plants he sells are in his own garden so you can see them in all their glory as you walk around.

Here is a link from the discover Ireland website which tells you a little more:

http://www.discoverireland.ie/Search-Results/Details.aspx??touristItemID=74698&type=Attraction&LocationID=879&SearchString=&FromDate=&ToDate=&SearchByDate=0&CategoryID=410&LocationName=&CountyID=879&Radius=0&rbSelect=&SortBy=1&SubCategoryID=410

The link seems a little long so apologies if it doesn't work. However if you go to the Discover Ireland website and type in Ballyvoe you should get it.

For those of you who don't know the area very well the garden is at the far end of Doolin, just turn at the church past the graveyard and it is about 100m further on.

[blade runner]

hi guys,

i came across a garden centre in ennis advertising blight resistant potatoes recently and went to see it and to be honest after seeing most of the other places in ennis this one is head and shoulders above the others.clonroad garden centre is across the road brom dunnes stores on the clonroad and i was amazed to see the large range of seeds,seed spuds and other items they had.

they whole place was clean, well run and the staff were very polite and helpful.its worth checking out if you have time.also there organic range of composts was the best i have seen in a while.

[verge]

Any connection blade runner?