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REVIEW SUMMARY
FOR
Lots of related shops nearby.
Good quality plants.
Lots of them.
Five year hardy plant guarantee.
Excellent fencing / paving department.
AVERAGE
Prices
AGAINST
None |
REVIEW RESULTS - BICESTER AVENUE
GARDEN CENTRE
Bicester Avenue Garden Centre is in the middle of the Bicester
Avenue Home and Garden shopping centre. Situated within half a mile
from the Bicester Outlet Centre these two centres provide a huge
area of shops.
Bicester Avenue Home and Garden concentrate on outdoor clothing
shops, pets, aquatics and similar shops. At the heart of this
shopping centre is set the Bicester Avenue Garden Centre owned by
the largest chain of garden centres in the UK, Wyevale Garden Centres.
Surprisingly, a garden centre / nursery has been on this site (way
before the shopping complex was developed) for over 35 years.
Starting life as a small nursery selling specialist plants, it was
bought by Blooms in 2000. They developed it into a largish garden
centre. Blooms was then taken over by Wyevale Garden Centres in
2007 which was then developed to be central to the shopping complex.
THE OUTSIDE AREA
The outside plants is covered as you walk out of the garden centre
main building and this space houses tender plants. This is a large
covered area and full of colour for most of the year. It then
extends into the uncovered sales area but even that has the main
pathway covered with a large awning. This gives good rain protection
to much of the plants area.
The plants area at the Bicester Avenue Garden centre lacks any real
creativity. A few centre pieces and other distractions would have
improved the appearance considerably. The paths are commendably
wide, clean and free from obstructions but most are boringly long
and straight. The surfaces are paved and very flat. This permits
excellent access everywhere for the able-bodied and wheelchair
users. If you need any horticultural information then the outside
information centre will not disappoint.
As well as plants the outside area is home to a very large fencing
and paving / stones centre. The choice is much larger than normal
and make this garden centre a good port of call for all matters
fencing and paving. The plants area is large enough to get lost in
it but the signs are good and easily direct you to specific areas
and plants groups. The plants in the shrub section are arranged in
alphabetical order.
Garden buildings are supplied by
Rowlinson Garden Products
and they provide a good display of a large range of small, medium
and large garden buildings and sheds. The display of greenhouses is
much smaller with only four on show when we looked. Outdoor tubs are
also sold at the Bicester Avenue Garden Centre with several on show
outside. These are provided by
Sapphire Spas.
THE PLANTS
There is a large selection of plant varieties for sale at the
Bicester Avenue Garden centre and in common with many other Wyevale Garden Centres outlets they are in excellent condition. All hardy
plants are guaranteed for a commendable five years.
Specialities include a far ranging selection of ornamental trees,
large bamboos, roses, topiary and larger plants.
As far as prices are concerned, a 60 litre bag of Arthur Bowyers
compost costs £4.99 or three bags for £12. Other items are roses
starting at £6.99, potentillas from £6.99 (although most are £8.99),
clematis from £8.99, 1 litr Tomorite £4.99, with a cheaper brand at
£3.99, 3.5kg Fish Blood and Bone £5.99, Miracle Go £4.99 for 1kg.
Garden tool comparisons include a Bentley stainless steel fork /
spade £24.99, and an economy Yeoman spade / fork at £12.99. These
prices are all about average for a large garden centre.
INSIDE BICESTER AVENUE GARDEN CENTRE
The interior of the garden centre is modern and airy with a high
ceiling. The paths are wide, clean and unobstructed. They sell the
full range of gardening tools, chemicals, fertilisers, garden
furniture, bird feeds etc. Other
non-gardening goods are also for sale in large amounts with cards,
books, gifts, shoes, clothes, indoor and outdoor furniture, barbecues all well
displayed. There is also a good Food Hall at this garden centre with
a delicatessen and meat / cheese counters.
Unusually, there is a display, quite sizeable, of house fire places.
Strange because a garden centre would not normally be your first
port of call if you wanted to buy a fire place!
Although this is a relatively modern garden centre it is not ultra
modern as some others are. This gives it a more homely feel and more
in line with what you would expect from a garden centre.
DISABLED ACCESS
Excellent access all round the garden centre, inside and outside.
Wheelchairs are available for free at the entrance.
OTHER STUFF
Car park - Huge, flat and well drained.
Pet Centre - A small range of pet accessories are available.
You would do better to go to the dedicated pet shop which is in the
shopping complex.
Aquatics - As for pets, it is preferable to use the aquatics
centre in the shopping complex.
Water Features - yes, a small range
Sheds and Greenhouses - large range of sheds and a small
range of greenhouses.
Toilets - Modern with clean ladies, gents, disabled and baby
changing.
CONCLUSION
Bicester Avenue is a very pleasant garden centre which sells a large
range of healthy garden plants. The fencing and paving section is
the one of the best in the area.
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We hope you have enjoyed and benefited from this independent review of
the Bicester Avenue Garden Centre. Remember that it is our opinion and may be the result of one visit
only. If you are the owner of the Bicester Avenue Garden Centre and want to discuss this review with us
then please contact us by going to our "contact us" page which can be found
here.
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