Essex

<p>Hi Gary, thanks for this, am going to take a look!</p>


<p>I think the British Garden Centre in Braintree is the best garden centre In Essex</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-barn-colchester"><a aria-label="The Barn (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.thebarnstanway.co.uk/departments/the-barn-cafe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Barn</a>, Colchester</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/1-9.jpg" alt="The Barn Colchester Essex garden centres with cool cafés" class="wp-image-11367" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/1-9.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/1-9-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/1-9-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/1-9-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>First on our Essex garden centres with cool cafés round-up is <a href="https://www.thebarnstanway.co.uk/departments/the-barn-cafe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Barn</a>. Bear in mind tables booked online are allocated inside, so specify if it&#8217;s nice out and you want to eat al fresco. People drive from all around to enjoy an afternoon tea here, with its white chairs, wooden beams and rattan lampshades. The gardening section&#8217;s packed with inspiring displays and the shop has lots of clothes, toys and homewares. It’s an afternoon out. With a shedload of cake.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-altons-garden-centre-wickford"><a aria-label="Alton Garden Centre (opens in a new tab)" href="https://alton-gardencentre.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Altons Garden Centre</a>, Wickford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/2-10.jpg" alt="Alton Garden centre Wickford" class="wp-image-11368" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/2-10.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/2-10-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/2-10-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/2-10-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p><a href="https://alton-gardencentre.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Altons</a> has been running for 53 years and is absolutely huge. Why tell you this? Because be warned; you might pop in for some bedding plants but it’s easy to come away with patio furniture, books and even a pet or two. Digbys, its popular café, is well-known locally for serving the best breakfast and brunches. Meat and veg are locally sourced and there’s an outside area, too.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fillpots-boxted"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Fillpots (opens in a new tab)" href="https://fillpotsonline.co.uk/" target="_blank">Fillpots</a>, Boxted</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/Untitled-design-2-2.jpg" alt="Fillpots Boxted " class="wp-image-11366" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/Untitled-design-2-2.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/Untitled-design-2-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/Untitled-design-2-2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/Untitled-design-2-2-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>You really can have your cake and eat it at <a href="https://fillpots.co.uk/pages/fillpots-cafe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fillpots</a>, a family-run garden centre near Dedham Vale. The café serves up local produce and is open for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea (best enjoyed in the outside garden). And when it comes to transforming your own garden, this place has a brilliant range of pots, furniture and more to choose from.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hilltop-garden-centre-weeley"><a aria-label="Hilltop Garden Centre (opens in a new tab)" href="https://hilltopgardencentreessex.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hilltop Garden Centre</a>, Weeley</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/3-10.jpg" alt="Hilltop Wesley" class="wp-image-11369" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/3-10.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/3-10-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/3-10-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/3-10-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Get to Clacton&#8217;s <a href="https://hilltopgardencentreessex.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hilltop Garden Centre</a> for the perfect morning or afternoon out. We&#8217;re talking pets, homeware, gifts and outdoor furniture. Floral Days café’s super-cool, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a living roof – not what you expect from your average garden centre eaterie. The sample lunch menu sold us, but we&#8217;re suckers for a coronation chicken sandwich, or a brie and cranberry toastie. Is it wrong to have both?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-perrywood-tiptree"><a aria-label="Perrywood (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.perrywood.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Perrywood</a>, Tiptree</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/05/1-8.jpg" alt="Perrywood, Tiptree" class="wp-image-17057" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/05/1-8.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/05/1-8-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/05/1-8-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Also on our Essex garden centres with cool cafés line-up is <a href="https://www.perrywood.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Perrywood</a>. Here the café&#8217;s all about afternoon tea, where chefs whip up a selection of tasty treats including scones with local Tiptree jams and finger sandwiches. There’s also a tempting selection of homewares and gifts alongside acres of plants. Warning: if you take the kids it’s hard to get them away from the toys in the gift shop, though the garden tools for toddlers are hard to resist snapping up. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parker-s-garden-company-frinton-on-sea"><a aria-label="Parkers Garden Company (opens in a new tab)" href="https://parkersgardencompany.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Parker&#8217;s Garden Company</a>, Frinton-on-Sea</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/05/2-8.jpg" alt="Parker's Garden Centre" class="wp-image-17056" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/05/2-8.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/05/2-8-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2024/05/2-8-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p><a href="https://parkersgardencompany.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Parker&#8217;s</a> is renowned for its food hall with local produce, like freshly-baked bread and Tiptree chutneys. And that&#8217;s before you check out their curated plants, gifts, clothes and homewares. Then there&#8217;s the Coffee Shop &amp; Restaurant serving breakfast, sweet treats and lunch. There&#8217;s separate menus for kids and vegans, but the Slow Cooked Beef Barbacoa Tostadas with salad and slaw is right up our street.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-summerhill-garden-centre-billericay"><a aria-label="Summerhill Garden Centre (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.summerhillgardencentre.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Summerhill Garden Centre</a>, Billericay </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/6-7.jpg" alt="Summerhill Garden Centre Billericay" class="wp-image-11372" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/6-7.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/6-7-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/6-7-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/6-7-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p><a href="https://www.summerhillgardencentre.co.uk/concessions/loliveta-restaurant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Summerhill&#8217;s L’Oliveta restaurant</a> is a destination in its own right, with handmade pizza, pasta and lasagne on the menu. Consider the afternoon tea, too, which includes macarons, scones and perhaps a cheeky glass of Prosecco. This place also has some stunning garden furniture alongside all the lovely plants and homeware. You can even pick up a Jacuzzi (if you&#8217;re a Strongman competitor; if not just have one delivered). </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beth-chatto-s-plants-amp-gardens-elmstead-market"><strong><a href="https://www.bethchatto.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beth Chatto&#8217;s Plants &amp; Gardens,</a> Elmstead Market </strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/7-7.jpg" alt="Beth Chatto Gardens " class="wp-image-11373" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/7-7.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/7-7-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/7-7-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2023/02/7-7-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Technically <a href="https://www.bethchatto.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beth Chatto&#8217;s</a> isn&#8217;t a garden centre, but a nursery with grounds you can pay to view. Here it&#8217;s all about specialist plants, plus gardeners who arrive in abundance to pick up grasses and shrubs. Attached to the nursery is a gift shop, plus Chatto&#8217;s Tearoom, open February to October. Enjoy locally produced pastries, cakes, scones, sausage rolls and sandwiches delivered daily, as well as fresh coffee, herbal teas, hot and cold drinks.</p>


Chrysanths, coffee and cake: Essex garden centres with cool cafés

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