Bents Garden Centre, Cheshire

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	Bents is really a stylish gift and home ware store with a good sized garden centre. It's the way up-market garden centres are going these days and this is one of the best examples. Everything is stylish but it comes at a cost, the high plant prices!

This is a totally independent GardenAction review of Bents Garden Centre in Cheshire.

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BENTS GARDEN CENTRE - THE PLANTS AREA

About a third of the outdoor plant area is enclosed in glass. It gives the impression of a huge glasshouse. Tender plants are stored under the cover whilst hardier shrubs are stored in the uncovered area.

Both the covered and uncovered areas are well designed with displays to provide lots of interest. At the same time, the paths are wide enough for wheelchair access.

The plants are prevented from being blown over by grid supports at the base. The plants are all in excellent condition and well watered. The whole are is immaculately clean.

The range of plants is extensive, both common plants and many unusual varieties.
The garden centre specialises in several plants. At the time of our visit the had a good range of hydrangeas and larger plants.

The outside area is large but the overhead signs make finding your way around very easy. They are clear and informative. When you have found the plant group you are interested in, the plants are in alphabetic order.

A lot of thought has gone into making the outdoor area interesting and the effort has paid off.

BENTS GARDEN CENTRE - THE PRICES

The prices at Bents are high, there's no other way to see it. In some cases the plants are 60% higher than the average. You need to work out for yourself if the surroundings, which are undoubtedly attractive, make up for those high prices. Take a look at our example shopping bag below.

Rose, 3 litre pot	Ł9.99 upwards
Common shrub (e.g. hebe)	Ł9.99
Clematis named variety	Ł12.99 upwards
Economy spade	Ł13.99
Stainless steel fork	Ł24.99
Runner Bean seeds	Ł2.45
Multi-purpose compost 60l	Ł4.99 (no multi-buy available)
Fish, blood and bone 3.5kg	Ł5.99
Tomorite 1 litre	Ł3.99
Miracle Gro 1 kg	Ł4.99
Large cup of coffee	not known

NOTE: Price comparisons are based on the prices we find at the time of our visit. We compare to them average prices in the same year as the date of the review.

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OTHER BENTS GARDEN CENTRE LINKS
The star of the BBC2 show Dragons Den was at Bents Garden and Home in Glazebury for a new show where the businessmen meet the entrepreneurs who turned down the offer of cash.....
http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/news/4671347.Eddie_meets_Peter_Jones_at_Bents_Garden_Centre/

Dragons' Den judge Peter Jones has visited Bents Garden & Home Centre in Warrington as part of the BBC TV programme's Dragons On Tour series.....
http://www.hortweek.com/news/945303/Bents-Garden---Home-Centre-hosts-Dragons-Dens-Peter-Jones/

About Bents Garden Centre (bents.co.uk): Offers garden tips, photographs of stock items and details about on site facilities.....
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/bents.co.uk

Resolution was approached by Bents Garden centre to be involved in the re-planning and designing of their centre following an extension to their current building.....
http://www.resolutioninteriors.com/info.php?pid=10&PHPSESSID=8cbe13ec73c4c27ff22868cfe745b025

Bents Garden Centre is a private company which is engaged in providing gardening services. Its products include indoor and outdoor plants, trees and shrubs, mechanical garden equipment, fertilizers, garden furniture and sheds.....
http://www.datamonitor.com/store/Product/bents_garden_centre_ltd?productid=4F88360D-BC17-47E6-89F5-B96347C349B1

Winner of the "Best Overall Garden Centre in the UK" Award, Bents began as a small back garden in the early 1940s and has now grown into one of the regions largest and most favourite for would-be gardeners.....
http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/daytrips/out/gardencentres.html