Meadow Croft Garden Centre

New to the specials board this week - steak ciabatta with homemade caramelised red onion chutney, skin-on chips and side salad. No food was eaten in the making of this story.....honest! 😂

If you are bringing Mum to the garden centre this Sunday (Don't all Mums love garden centres?! - or is that just mine? ;-) ) then she'll be in for a real treat if you're planning on dining with us.
All Mums dining with us will be given a rather special treat to be enjoyed again at a later date....but what could it be? Come in on Sunday and you will see.

Restaurant Assistant (Weekends)
We are looking for weekend (Saturday or Sunday) restaurant assistants to work in our busy restaurant.
The role will include both back and front of house duties, such as serving customers, operating tills, serving drinks and meals, food preparation in the kitchen, cleaning and washing up.
... Applicants will need to be at least 16 years old and of school leaving age. (i.e. post GCSE's).
If you would like to apply, follow the link to our website for more information.
http://www.meadow-croft.co.uk/work-for-us
See More

Show Mum you care that she'll lose an hour of sleep on Mother's Day (as the clocks go forward), with one of these lovely planted baskets 😊

It's the last weekend to see the #violaandpansyfestival. Your votes count. Which experimental varieties will win the trial and go into production next year?

If you are looking for local gift ideas for Mum this Mother’s Day, pop in. We have lots of new lines being added in our gift shop, including #katieloxton bags, Ashleigh & Burwood diffusers and scent lamps, #Powder clothing and accessories, WoodWick Candles and Hot Tomato jewellery.
Lots to choose from, and not too far to travel (if you live in Essex, anyway!) 😊

For any of our Schools in Bloom competitor schools or anyone who helps with school gardening. We’ve met some amazing helpers, educators and young gardeners over the years very worth of such a prize. Good luck if you enter.... Win a greenhouse with the RHS Campaign for School Gardening

I don't know about you, but the arrival of Spring always gets me giddy with excitement, because I really (and I mean REALLY) like mowing my lawn. Porquoi, I hear you cry? Because I think nothing can make a garden look smarter more quickly than a good mow and some tidy edges. :-)
If, like me, you are a bit loony about your lawn, it's good to know that repairing it can begin now. We have fresh turf deliveries every Friday from now until the end of June, and if you want to place an order for a larger area, you can give us a call on our main number. #madaboutgardens #lawncare #springgardening #turfwars #GIGFY #springhassprung
Victoria :-)

Mini Meadows Mini Golf is featured in a piece on ‘the Top Mini Golf Courses in Essex’ in the Exquisite Concierge this week. Many thanks to Little Miss Eden Rose - Parenting & Lifestyle Blog for the picture.
https://exquisiteconcierge.co.uk/…/top- mini-golf-courses-es…

Check out this very old spring-loaded trowel / fork. We've affectionately named it the 'trork' 😂 #80yearsofgrowing

These pictures were taken of the Viola and Pansy Festival plants laid in our glasshouses by our lovely friends Home Grown Flowers & Plants #violaandpansyfestival All of these plants are now on show at Meadow Croft - come in and cast your votes for your favourite viola and pansies and receive a voucher for a free hot drink in our restaurant. (to be redeemed in April).

We are getting some of our displays ready in anticipation of the Viola and Pansy Festival specimens being delivered from our growing site to our benches today.
Debbie, Tam and Elaine have been busy potting up this 'Potmore Potting Bench', which was used on our nursery daily a long time ago - it is said to be around 55 - 60 years old. (It still works too!) #80yearsofgrowing

Join us for our Viola and Pansy Festival. Starting this weekend, the festival is the biggest plant trial of its kind in the UK, with breeders around the World awaiting the results of the public vote on your top 10 favourites.
Drop in and vote for your favourite 3 varieties and receive a voucher for a free hot drink in our restaurant (redeemable in April).
There are 540 new varieties to see this year, including trailing, experimental and edible varieties.

Meadow Croft Food and Drink Festival - Do you run a craft or artisan food business, or perhaps you know someone who does? We are still looking for both eat-in or take home stallholders to complete our line-up.
Get in contact with us to find out more about pitches and what types of food and drink we are still looking for.
You can find out more about the event here;... https://www.facebook.com/events/326474107 976548/
See More

Our restaurant will be serving Sunday roast and pudding as just some of our seasonal specials on Mother's Day, as well as breakfast too.

Stuck for Mother's Day ideas? We've got it covered, with Tiptree gins, gift-wrapped chocolates, Powder UK scarves, Hot Tomato Jewellery and more besides.
PLUS, our beautiful planted containers will be arriving shortly and our restaurant will be open for breakfast and lunch too. :-)

Lisa is taking a no nonsense approach to what houseplants can do.... 😂 #gardening101 #houseplantsmakeushappy

haveing come all the way from wales to see lisa mike and family myself and pauline was amazed at the improvement meadow croft as come in sutch a short time german market and all that is xmas mikes father on the organ lisa giveing away free chocs what more is to come its a ten fom Len 5 stars

We love this garden centre , especially the outside area for the cafe , we bring are dog it's cozy and warm under cover and the food is lovely x well done see you in the new year x

This garden centre is absolutely beautiful, they lay everything out so well. The plants are so well looked after and in top condition. They have an excellent cafe, a little outside area where we can sit and have lunch with the dog even if it's raining. They have a reward card system as well so you feel like your getting a bargain every time you visit!!

The family went to Meadow Croft Garden Centre today to visit the German market, we visited the cafe and spoke to several members of the team - everyone was so lovely! What a great team here, the prices are very reasonable, the bratwurst and chocolates delicious! Well done!

Meadow Croft Garden Centre: Easter Egg Hunt



Although this event was only today, definitely worth putting a note in your diary for next year. Also, to be honest this place is well worth a visit any day of the week simply for coffee or lunch!



So for today, the kids had to go round finding 10 plastic eggs (they know how many tickets have been sold so put the right number in each bucket at each point) then they get an Easter egg fron the Easter bunny - Rolo/Creme Egg etc.



You can have lunch before or after (we did after) which is an Easter cardboard lunchbox with sandwich, Pom Bears, Capri Sun, raisins and Haribo, adults get a tea/coffee and huge slice of homemade cake - the Victoria sponge was delicious!



The staff were loving it, dressed up and dancing with all the kids, playing music to requests and at the end they had a conga! Lucas and Jenny are 3 and they loved dancing and cuddling the Easter Bunny.



As for a general day trip, the flower part you walk through is stunning, almost like a garden and the cafe is clean, modern and gorgeously decorated with comfy sofa's plus it has a kid's colouring table and books to read which is rare. It also has a little climbing frame/slide just past a beautiful landscaped garden area. Finally, they have some lovely items for sale and seems cheaper than Alton/Summerhill! We got decorative eggs and toy chicks for 50p each so we went twig hunting in the garden to build them nests!



Thank you to all the staff for putting on such a lovely day xx

Loved the market and impressed by the variety and selection throughout the whole garden centre. Staff were very helpful and polite.

The funniest thing was deciding that the centre was piping the loud birdsong over the speakers ... until we saw the very tame Robin singing his heart out!

Meadow Croft will be an annual Christmas event from now on.

Love going to Meadow Croft Garden Centre Yesterday as the the flowers and Shrubs are at a good price as you get your moneys worth, plus its so Colourful and the Staff are so welcoming and friendly.

Well Recommend Meadow Croft Garden Centre to everyone xx

I've been to many other garden centres of varying sizes but Meadow Croft has to be my favourite. You are guaranteed a warm welcome from the staff when you walk in. I like the way the garden centre is laid out in different areas. When you first arrive you are met with a wide selection of plants which change with the time of year. At the present it is a delightful German market complete with bratwurst und bier and lots of interesting stalls. You then enter the area with a huge selection of all you need for your pets and outdoor birds, insect houses, other gardening items, doormats etc. From here you then step out into a vast area with garden tools, shrubs, plants which display the conditions required for growing, there are pots and garden ornaments too. There is a further outside area full of rose bushes and trees, a seating area, play area. There's a cafe serving a selection of meals, snacks, cakes with seating inside or outside to suit. Then the final gift shop with items that you may not have seen anywhere else. There is a florist too and at the present time the shop is full of Christmas trees, ornaments, lights etc. Highly recommended.

I love Meadow Croft. Have been using wit for years. They have a great selection of plants, garden tools and accessories and a great gifts. That have a nice cafe and their German Christmas markets are a must.

Had another fabulous afternoon flower arranging with Sharon yesterday. I've been several times now and each time we make something different. Brilliant and good value too.

First time at Meadow Croft for the German Christmas market. We had a fab time looking at all of the stalls, Christmas decorations and all of the plants outside. Will def be going back to try out the cafe next time.

First ever visit, was expecting it to be pricey, much to my surprise everything was very reasonably priced, lovely atmosphere and nice gift ideas. Had breakfast in the coffee shop and our little friend enjoyed the play area. Will definitely be returning throughout year. Lots of effort has gone into the German market well done!

Fabulous array of everything. Found two particular plants I hadn't managed to find elsewhere. The greenhouse is a feast for the eyes as you go in and there is plenty more as you walk round. The best garden centre I have been to (and I go to a lot!) I will definitely be back.

Another weekend.... and another visit to Meadowcroft ! Once again, wonderful service from all your staff, but particularly your students. They are always polite, willing to help. I had parked in the overflow carpark (as I prefer to keep away from the busy main car park !!) but Josh helped me back to my car, pushing a trolley with two bags of compost, whilst I pushed the other trolley full of bedding plants - and he took both trollies back !

Amazing place, a lot of nice things to buy, great quality on everything including the service. You can easily lose track of time in there. Thanks. Both the Garden Centre and the Christmas Market worth a visit . Me and my family want to thank you for a nice day out. 😁👍

We go regularly to Meadowcroft as we like to take our little dog along, the staff always make a fuss of her! We really like the restaurant & often have just a coffee or a breakfast. Always lots to look at and can even go when it's raining as most of it is undercover. The German market is also great at Christmas.

I thought the lay out very good ,the selection of roses at this time very good, we ate there tge omlettes was good tge potvof tea sadly luke warm, would suggest warm pot with hot water firstother than that a lovely place to be.

It's a bit overpriced. You can buy the items cheaper else where and as for the food, unless you've got a lot of money the canteen is expensive and not much choice of hot food a portion of chips was over £2.00 which was about the size of a egg cup

great garden centre, we come here a lot buy all our plants and eat here regularly. we printed off the breakfast voucher and tried the breakfast, unfortunately It, wasn't very nice, such a shame, the sausage was hard and the food luke warm. But, we will still came here the plants etc.