The best garden centres still open in lockdown to visit across the UK

Since March, Britons have had to adjust to the new 'normal' of self-isolation. Cooped up indoors, it's no wonder that many households have turned to the shed, digging out dusty old mowers and secateurs to tend their gardens.

It seemed a particularly cruel blow when garden centres nationwide were forced to close on March 23. At the time, there was widespread outrage; some gardening broadcasters, including Alan Titchmarsh and Gardeners' World presenter Monty Don, took to social media to voice their disdain.

Thankfully, things are different this time round. According to the Government’s official guidance published on Saturday October 31, garden centres are deemed essential for the public: 'Food, shops, supermarkets, garden centres and other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open.'

Is it any wonder? A recent RHS-commissioned survey by OnePoll revealed that seven out of ten participants admit that having a garden helped their mental health during lockdown, while 60 per cent noted an improvement in their physical health. Keen to bring the outside in, the nation has flooded plant retailers with orders over the past seven months.  Some have reported a 600 per cent increase in sales.

It cannot be disputed that this is a victory for many British business owners. Gardening is booming - and it's easy to see why. Offering respite from the relentless flow of depressing news, the plants in our garden lift our mood.

So if you're looking for inspiration regarding where to go, we asked Telegraph Gardening writers to reveal their favourite garden centres nationwide.

Sarah Raven

Gardener, cook, writer and television presenter

Special Plants

"I love Derry Watkins’ Special Plants near Bath. She has a brilliant eye for a plant and grows and trials them in her own garden to select the very best. That's worth a special trip, particularly if you love very long flowering tender perennials and annuals."

Special Plants, Greenways Lane, Cold Ashton, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN14 8LA;  specialplants.net

Worton Organic

"My favourite plant place is Worton Organic. It concentrates on productive plants. It's more a farm shop than a nursery but they sell brilliant and unusual veg seedling varieties as well as veg. Based outside Oxford, I take a detour to go there if anywhere vaguely near."

Worton Farm, Worton, Near Cassington, Oxfordshire OX29 4SU; wortonorganicgarden.com

Jekka’s Herb Farm

"Jekka's Herb Farm is brilliant too. Her varieties are tried and tested over decades and her huge and long experience of propagating them mean the plants are quick to get established and grow on big and strong. I have just put in a new herb garden taking her advice on good culinary varieties and only a year on, the plants supplied by her are huge too."

Rose Cottage, Shellards Ln, Avon, Bristol BS35 3SY;  jekkasherbfarm.com

Francine Raymond

Telegraph Gardening writer and author

Woottens

"Woottens always surprises and enchants with new plants and exciting specialities and varieties to collect: auriculas, irises and scented pelargoniums. They also have a handy mail order catalogue."

Wenhaston Halesworth Suffolk IP19 9HD;  woottensplants.com

Madrona Nursery

"This is a charming nursery specialising in trees and shrubs, but with plenty of other rare and unusual excitements to tempt the exacting gardener. It has lovely buildings and café, and courses and a design service are available."

Bethersden Kent TN26 3DD; madrona.co.uk

Meadow Grange

"This is my local garden centre and has an exhaustive supply of anything you could need for the garden, including trees, shrubs and perennials, bedding plants and sundries. Homemade composts are a speciality."

Honey Hill, Blean Kent CT5 3BP; meadowgrangenursery.co.uk

Great Dixter

"This is a complete day out with a fantastic nursery featuring all the glories to be found in the garden that are also available from their catalogue. They have an eclectic selection of perennials, grasses and clematis."

Northiam Rye East Sussex TN31 6PH; greatdixter.co.uk

Helen Yemm

Telegraph Gardening columnist and author

Merriments Nursery

Merriments made its reputation by specialising in (and growing a lot of) herbaceous perennials. The big pluses are the knowledgeable staff and the interesting plants on offer. It is the excellence of the cafe, the main other 'distraction', that just about makes it into a 'garden centre' rather than a nursery.

Hawkhurst Road, Hurst Green, East Sussex TN19 7RA | merriments.co.uk

Sussex Country Gardens

It sells all the usual gear and an ever-improving selection of plants. But I nominate it as much for these as for the excellence of its cafe, its Christmas decorations and friendliness of its staff.

Tunbridge Wells Rd, Mark Cross, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 3PJ | sussexcountrygardener.co.uk

Telegraph Writers

Holden Clough Nursery

Established in 1927, the Holden Clough Nursery with its stone built tea room and farm shop is an enchanting destination. There's a nursery with old tools, gardening possessions hanging on the walls and a grand stone fireplace as the centerpiece, plus all the food from The Garden Kitchen is locally sourced, offering something for everyone.

Holden, Bolton by Bowland BB7 4P; 01200 447615; holdencloughnursery.com

Barton Grange Garden Centre

The award-winning Barton Grange Garden Centre is based in the Lancashire countryside. Named Destination Garden Centre of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017, Barton Grange is excellent in all departments from the outdoor plant area, two stunning restaurants and farm shop.

Garstang Rd, Brock, Preston PR3 0BT; 01995 642900; bartongrange.co.uk

Bud Garden Centre

If small independent garden centres are your thing, look no further than Bud in Burnage, South Manchester. Established in 2011, the centre sells UK Grown plants, shrubs and trees that are mostly peat free. There's also peat-free vegetable plants, houseplants, compost, mulch and manure as well as natural feeds and pest control and much more. If no plants take your fancy, choose from a range of UK sourced plants and gifts.

Omer Dr, Manchester M19 2JN; 07505 403422; budgarden.co.uk

Bridgemere Garden Centre

Started 50 years ago as a rose nursery, this sprawling horticultural centre now covers a whopping fifty acres with its plant nursery, gardening products and cafe - Britain's largest centre by far. From climbers, alpines and flowers to furniture, food and tools, there is something for everyone.

Bridgemere, Nantwich CW5 7QB; 01270 360003; bluediamond.gg/garden-centre

Do you have a local garden centre you'd like to recommend? Give us a comment below!