The best of Oxfordshire Garden Centres: Inspiration for Your Garden Design
Oxfordshire is home to some inspiring garden centres and nurseries — places where plant lovers, designers, and weekend gardeners all find something special. Whether you’re looking for new ideas, sourcing plants for a redesign, or just enjoying a relaxing browse, these destinations are full of horticultural inspiration. Oxfordshire really does have a bit of everything — from stylish destinations full of design ideas to traditional nurseries where the staff know every plant by heart. Here are some of my personal favourites (and the places I find myself returning to again and again). I usually take my dog, Ruby, when visiting garden centres, so, if that’s a consideration for you too, all in the list below are dog friendly except Yarnton, Burford and the gardens at Waterperry.
Top Oxfordshire Garden Centres
1. Yarnton Home & Garden (near Kidlington) 
Yarnton feels more like a lifestyle destination than just a garden centre. It’s bright, beautifully laid out, and full of stylish inspiration. Their outdoor area is always immaculate, I think they’ve had the same plant manager there for years, I often find myself taking photos of their plant displays because they have such a great eye for texture and form.
Inside, you’ll find everything from cushions and candles to high-quality garden tools and furniture, it’s a great place to find presents. And when you need a break, the café does excellent coffee and homemade cakes — perfect for refuelling after a bit of retail therapy. We often use Yarnton garden centre to take clients who are still finding their garden style — the displays make it easy to imagine how everything might come together at home. Just nest door to AWBS, a building supplies company we use a lot, our clients very useful to see how the slabs that we’ve suggested for patios or walls are laid out. The location is perfect for north Oxford and Oxfordshire, well worth a visit.
2. Bunkers Hill Plant Nursery (Kidlington)
If Yarnton is polished and modern, very close by, Bunkers Hill is its charming, down-to-earth cousin. I’ve known the owners Liz and Andrew for over thirty years and am always made to feel welcome here. It feels like the kind of place real gardeners go. You’ll find row upon row of healthy plants, plenty of advice, and prices that make you feel like you’ve discovered a hidden gem. It used to be called ‘Good Value Plants’ and that is exactly what it is – very good value.
The staff are incredibly knowledgeable they remember what grows well in Oxfordshire’s soil and they’re always happy to chat about plant choices. There are always seasonal displays and small events around gardening. I love the no-nonsense, genuine enthusiasm of the place. Just a word of warning about shoes though, don’t wear your best high heels to visit. In winter it can get very wet and muddy so wellies or gardening boots are a must!
3. Waterperry Gardens & Plant Centre (Wheatley)
Waterperry isn’t just a garden centre — it’s an experience. The gardens themselves are beautiful, with a lovely mix of formal planting and natural charm. You can easily spend a few hours wandering the grounds, and then ending up in the nursery. Waterperry gardens was used as a school of horticulture for ladies until 1971 and continues the tradition of education by running gardening courses and events.
Their plants are top quality and many are grown on-site. It’s also a great place to see mature plant combinations in context — I often get planting scheme ideas here. It is useful to visit the garden see a ‘must have’ plant to find it in the nursery. It combines inspiration, history, and expert horticulture all in one spot. And, their café does a brilliant lunch if you’re making a day of it! If you have a dog, they aren’t allowed in the formal gardens, but welcomed in the garden centre.
4. Burford Garden Company (Burford)
Burford Garden Company is a design lover’s dream. Everything about it, from the wonderful plant displays to the café lighting, is beautifully curated. It’s not your typical garden centre; it’s more like a garden, art, and interiors emporium rolled into one. Definitely a place of destination as opposed to picking up a bargain plant or two because cheap it is not. But that’s not the intention of the place. The plants are guaranteed and of very high quality and variety. You won’t find any bargains, but I go there when I want to recharge creatively. The way they layer plants and pots, the colour palettes they use, and the sense of atmosphere they create are always inspiring. The café and art gallery are worth a visit on their own.
5. Millets Farm Centre (Frilford, near Abingdon)
Millets is such a friendly, feel-good place. It’s perfect if you’re combining a bit of plant shopping with a family day out, we bring the grandchildren here to burn off energy in the playground and to see the animals.
Their garden centre (used to be owned by Frosts but is now part of the Webbs group) is well stocked, but it’s the wider atmosphere that makes it special — the farm shop is excellent quality, the pick-your-own fruit, the animals, and seasonal events make it a lovely day out. We did the landscaping and planting for the outdoor buildings area so I have a special soft spot for this attractive garden centre! Here’s what the garden building area looked like during planning (2020):
And here’s what we did with the space:
6. Local Oxfordshire Garden Centres -Applegarth Nurseries (Chipping Norton)
Applegarth is one of those places that instantly puts a smile on my face. It has that traditional, family-run feel that’s becoming rare these days. It is the opposite of a ‘destination garden centre,’ in fact it is quite tricky to spot the entrance! This is the sort of garden centre that is set up for locals to use. It has everything you might need in terms of garden supplies – lots of well-grown perennials, shrubs, and seasonal colour, plus a good range of fruit trees and hedging. You can tell the plants have been well cared for — everything always looks robust and ready to thrive. The prices are about average, you won’t find any bargains, but for me at least, it’s very convenient to combine shopping at the supermarket just across the road with picking up a few essential gardening supplies at Applegarth. If you love discovering small, independent nurseries, this one’s a gem.
7. Wyatts Garden Centre (Chipping Norton)
Wyatts is set in a lovely rural spot just outside Chipping Norton, surrounded by open countryside, and it has that calm, unhurried atmosphere that makes browsing a pleasure.
The plant selection is excellent — you’ll find a wide range of perennials, shrubs, and seasonal bedding, all beautifully presented and clearly well cared for. There’s a good mix of the familiar and the slightly unusual, and everything looks healthy and ready to thrive. It’s a proper plant nursery, they grow at lot of their own stock, so a good place to go if you want plants as opposed to candles. I’ve picked up some wonderful specimen plants here over the years that have gone straight into client gardens. There is also a fantastic selection of large terracotta pots, at reasonable prices I’ve got my eye on!
And then, of course, there’s the tearoom. Wyatts is well known locally for its delicious cakes, homemade lunches, and generous cream teas — the perfect reward after a wander through the nursery. The café has that cosy, countryside feel that makes you want to linger with a pot of tea and watch the world go by.
What I also love about Wyatts is the friendly team — they’re genuinely helpful, always ready with advice, and clearly passionate about what they do. It feels like a proper local garden centre in the best sense: personal, peaceful, and full of charm.
8. Hillier Garden Centre (Banbury)
Hillier’s is a name most gardeners recognise, and their Banbury site is a lovely example of why. It’s smartly laid out, with a large outdoor plant area that’s a pleasure to wander around. The displays are neat, the signage is clear, and there’s a real emphasis on plant health and presentation.
I often head here when I need something specific, because they usually have a broad and reliable stock and their indoor area is well stocked with tools, and a small selection of gifts.
Parking can be an issue at weekends but it is very conveniently located in central Banbury so very handy for popping into other local shops.
What’s particularly nice about Hillier is how consistent they are. You always know you’re going to get quality, healthy plants and solid advice from staff who know their stuff. What Ruby, my dog, likes about it is she always gets a dog biscuit at the checkout!
9. Bloxham Nursery and Tea Rooms (Bloxham)
Now this one is a proper local garden centre. Bloxham Nursery is small and unpretentious, with a really welcoming, community feel. Their plant selection is compact but they grow their own plants and the prices are reasonable. It is a bit rough and ready, but I like that sort of place, this is all about the plants. Run by the same family as Wyatt’s garden centre, if you enjoy gardening in a relaxed, no-fuss way this is the place for you.
10. The Oxford Garden Centre (near South Hinksey)
One of the newer additions to Oxfordshire’s garden scene, this garden centre brings a modern, spacious layout and a wide range of plants, gifts, and outdoor living products. It has a clean, contemporary approach to garden retail — with plenty of inspiration for modern outdoor spaces. We did the landscaping of the cafe area here a few years ago (photos below) and I’m pleased to see how well it is doing since first opening 👇
It’s conveniently located next to AWBS Oxford, which we use a lot for our building supplies. At AWBS they have an excellent display of patios and fencing, which gives our clients an idea of how paving slabs and fences look when installed .
11. Local Oxfordshire Garden Centres – Cassington
It’s been a while since I’ve visited Cassington nurseries so for the sake of research for this article I went back a few days ago. I like to be positive (us gardeners usually are a cheerful bunch) but I have to give my honest opinion or this wouldn’t be a review.
So, firstly there was no sign of life let alone staff. Secondly it looks very shabby, the entrance sign was broken last time I visited. Finally the prices are very high for the quality of plants. Most garden centres but their best plants on display at the entrance, not so here. There’s a ‘bargain’ table to greet visitors, but from what I could see no bargains to be had. I spotted a foxglove, digitalis purpurea, which had flowered and was reduced from £20 to £12. Fair enough except most foxgloves are biennuals, which means that they grow leaves and roots in the first year, then flower and produce seeds in their second year before dying, it is not a perennials, which live for several years, with roots surviving and the plant regenerating to flower reliably each year. The person who buys this plant will not unreasonably assume that the plant will survive. I’m almost certain it won’t.
I won’t be visiting this particular one of the many Oxfordshire garden centres again in a hurry 🙁
12. Local Oxfordshire Garden Centres -Charlbury
Charlbury Garden Centre is tucked away just enough to feel like a local secret, it’s is peaceful, surrounded by countryside and my closest garden centre. I’ve been visiting this place for over thirty years. Since it was called ‘Hilltop’ (for the obvious reason it’s at the top of a hill) it has seem many changes but retains the really charming, independent feel. The plant selection is excellent — lots of hardy perennials, shrubs, and cottage garden favourites — and the staff (some of whom are friends of mine) are genuinely enthusiastic and helpful.
It’s also a fantastic place to pick up decorative pots and garden ornaments; they have a surprisingly broad range for a smaller centre. On sunny days, the whole place feels relaxed and welcoming — the kind of spot where you want to take your time and chat about plants. If you have a dog they are made to feel very welcome at the Charlbury garden centre, there is usually a dog biscuit for well behaved dogs behind the till 🙂
13. Bicester Avenue Garden Centre
No trip through Oxfordshire’s garden centres would be complete without a stop at the Bicester Avenue garden centre. This is the same group as Yarnton (Blue Diamond) but unlike Yarnton, dogs are allowed here, which pleased my Labrador – she loves a good snoop round a garden centre as much as I do.
More than just a place to buy plants, it’s an inspiring destination for anyone passionate about outdoor living. The centre offers an impressive selection of trees, shrubs, and perennials, alongside high-quality garden furniture and decorative accessories that help turn ideas into reality. It’s not the cheapest garden centre in the area, but the quality of plants is excellent.
The first thing I noticed when I last visited was the smell…it was a lovely mix on candles, reed diffusers and indoor plants but what really stands out is the team’s knowledge and enthusiasm — happy to advise on plant choices, soil conditions, and design. Whether you’re sourcing statement specimens for a new project or simply looking for a touch of seasonal colour this is a valuable local resource, especially as it’s among other non-related shops, this is one of the Oxfordshire garden centres that can be part of a day out.
14. Local Oxfordshire Garden Centres – Freeland Nursery
Freeland Garden Centre is one of those hidden gems that always feels worth the trip. It’s smaller and more personal than some of the larger centres, but that’s exactly its charm — you can really take your time browsing, and there’s always someone nearby ready for a chat or to offer advice. The plant quality is consistently excellent, with a great mix of reliable favourites and interesting varieties you don’t always see elsewhere. The prices tend to be lower than in larger garden centres too.
I often head there when I want to source healthy, well-grown plants for a project or to top up a client’s borders and I usually end up with more than I planned to buy! It’s the kind of place that reminds you why supporting local nurseries matters: good plants, friendly faces, and plenty of inspiration. There’s no cafe at Freeland nursery but that’s not what this place is all about, if you want decent plants at decent prices with no frills this one is perfect for you.
Visiting Oxfordshire’s garden centres is one of the best ways to explore planting ideas and discover what works in our local climate. From structured evergreens to soft, romantic perennials, the possibilities are endless.
If your visits have inspired you to create something new, our team can help. We offer bespoke garden design across Oxfordshire, from courtyard transformations to large-scale landscape projects — always tailored to your home, lifestyle, and the beauty of the local environment.
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