I love a garden centre in the summer. It’s something the British do so well. Within every one you’ll usually find a cafe. The English like to sit down for a cup of tea at every opportunity so you’ll find a place for a coffee and and a cake in garden centres around the country. We have DIY stores that sell plants in the US but not dedicated “Garden Centres” like Home Depot but they are not so quaint lifestyle centres so I always find these places quite a quaint a British thing.

I remember stumbling across one in the Cotswolds in Byford which was very swanky, home interiors, farm food, lifestyle shopping and thinking this place has really charm and creativity, I could spend the whole day here. The English do.

I was on my way back to Coventry from Market Bosworth, I had been to see a man about a dog, an English phrase I love that means mind your own business when I spotted the large black sign on the road between Market Bosworth and Hinckley in Leicestershire. Gates Garden Centre, lifestyle, dining and Farm shop, I needed a few provisions a new washing up bowl I know exciting and some fresh bread so I decided to have a look.

First off the place is vast, the carpark massive and it was pretty packed for a Monday lunchtime. They were drawing a big crowd, it took me a few minutes driving around to find a space.

The garden centre area is vast and runs along the top and then down one side, next to the old carousel which did remind me of home, there were a row of shops kinda like an outlet mall, a kitchen and homewares store, a pet store a camping and outdoors store, Mountain Warehouse and then I have to say one of the most gorgeous farm shops selling everything from pre cooked meats, fresh fish, enough wine to fill a winery and a selection of fresh fruit and veg any market gardener would be proud of. It was all pretty impressive.

I got my washing up bowl for a few pounds in Lakeland, the kitchen and laundry store, not too bad and my bread from the Farm Shop for what I thought was the pretty steep price of £4.00

I was blown away by the visual in the food store, I can see why the car pack was so packed.

No one was riding the Carousel, which did look a little out of the place in the setting. The last one I rode like it was on Santa Monica Pier but it was beautiful to see all the same.

If you are close to Market Bosworth in Leicestershire and need provisions this is a wonderful place to stop and have a cuppa as they say.

It’s kinda a cross between an outlet mall, a country provisions out station, a grocery store and gardeners paradise.

With an amazing old carousel there to pass the time.

Unusual and wonderful in equal measure when everywhere is so often the same it was great to visit somewhere different.