A good garden centre in Cambridgeshire is half plant shop, half Saturday morning out. Some still grow their own stock, some sit inside an old orchard or a walled garden, and a few have turned into proper family days out with mini golf, go-karts and a Christmas market that opens in September. Others are simply the most reliable place within twenty minutes to buy compost, have a bacon roll and pick up a birthday present.
This guide covers twelve garden centres across Cambridge and the south, Huntingdonshire, and Ely, the Fens and Peterborough. Opening hours come from each centre’s own website, and we have only listed Christmas events where the centre has confirmed them for 2026.
Details were accurate at the time of research in November 2026. Opening hours and events change, so please check each garden centre’s own website before you travel.
Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire
Two of the garden centres around Cambridge started life supplying the wholesale trade, one as a cut flower nursery and one as an apple orchard. All three here are within a few minutes of the M11 or the A14, and two of them belong to the same local family business.
Scotsdales Garden Centre, Great Shelford
Indoor and outdoor
- The flagship of Scotsdales, a family-run group of three garden centres around Cambridge, on Cambridge Road at Great Shelford
- The 14 acre site was bought by a Swaffham Bulbeck farmer in 1968 and started out as a nursery growing cut flowers for the wholesale trade
- The Greenhouse Café opens 9am to 4:30pm Monday to Saturday and 9:30am to 3:30pm on Sunday, with hot food stopping 30 minutes before closing
- The garden centre opens from 9am Monday to Saturday, and from 10am to 4:30pm on Sunday, with tills opening at 10:30am
- A Christmas Shopping Evening runs on Thursday 12 November 2026 from 6pm to 9pm, and Santa arrives with a party in the planteria on Saturday 14 November from 10am to 11:30am, with no booking needed for either
- The Santa’s Grotto and Enchanted Elevator at Great Shelford is fully booked for 2026
- The Gruffalo Trail and the Letter From Santa service run at all three Scotsdales stores from 15 November to 24 December 2026
- Free antique valuations are offered every Wednesday from 10am to 2pm
- Dogs are not allowed in the Santa’s Grotto experience
Address: Cambridge Road, Great Shelford, Cambridge CB22 5JT
Website: scotsdales.com
Phone: 01223 842777
How to book: Grotto and event tickets online through the Scotsdales website; no booking needed to shop
Great Shelford is the one locals mean when they just say Scotsdales. It is a big, well run centre with a serious outdoor plant area, and it has the feel of a business that grew out of a working nursery rather than a retail park. The Greenhouse Café is the usual meeting point for south Cambridge, so expect a queue at Saturday lunchtime. In November and December the place fills with families for the Christmas events, and the grotto sells out early. If you only want plants, a weekday morning is far calmer.
Scotsdales Garden Centre, Horningsea
Indoor and outdoor
- A smaller Scotsdales store on the High Street in Horningsea, just north of the A14 on the north east side of Cambridge
- Scotsdales bought the Horningsea garden centre in 2013, making it the third store in the group
- It is Cambridge’s largest Weber barbecue showroom and an official Weber World store, so it is the one to visit if you are buying a barbecue
- The Sunflower Café serves breakfast and lunch from 9am to 4:30pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 3:30pm on Sunday
- The garden centre opens 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday
- Santa’s Grotto at Horningsea runs on various dates through December, and tickets must be booked in advance
- The Gruffalo Trail runs here as well as at the other two stores until Christmas Eve
Address: High Street, Horningsea, Cambridgeshire CB25 9JG
Website: scotsdales.com
Phone: 01223 860320
How to book: Grotto tickets online through the Scotsdales website
Horningsea is the smaller Scotsdales and the closest one for Milton, Waterbeach and Fen Ditton. The barbecue showroom is the main reason many people make the trip, but the plants, café and gifts are all here too. The grotto is a good choice if Great Shelford has already sold out. The village itself is worth a short wander, and the River Cam towpath is a few minutes away.
Coton Orchard Garden Centre
Indoor and outdoor
- A Blue Diamond garden centre on Cambridge Road at Coton, just off Junction 13 of the M11 on the western edge of Cambridge
- The orchard was planted in 1922 to grow apples for the wholesale trade, and the site still has apple and plum trees, strawberry fields and grape vines around it
- There is a farm shop selling locally sourced produce and a Post Office counter, which opens on weekdays
- The garden centre opens 8:30am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4:30pm on Sunday, with the first half hour on Sunday for browsing only
- The Coton Orchard Café serves breakfast, lunch, coffee and cake from 8:30am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday, and afternoon tea can be booked
- Santa’s Grotto, Breakfast with Santa, a Christmas afternoon tea and a Santa Paws session for dogs are all listed for this Christmas
- In the grotto, children start at a North Pole set, mix reindeer food for Christmas Eve and choose a gift from Santa’s Toy Workshop
- The centre and café close on 25 and 26 December, 1 January and Easter Sunday, and close early on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve
Address: Cambridge Road, Coton, Cambridge CB23 7PJ
Website: bluediamond.gg
Phone: 01954 210234
How to book: Christmas events online through the Coton Orchard page on the Blue Diamond website
Coton Orchard is the easiest garden centre to reach from west Cambridge, Cambourne and the villages along the A428. The orchard history is not just a name, as fruit is still grown on the land around it, and the farm shop gives it a more local feel than most chain stores. The 8:30am opening suits early risers who want to be in and out before the weekend traffic builds. The café gets busy with grandparents and toddlers mid morning, so go early or after lunch if you want a table.
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire’s garden centres follow the main roads: one by the A1 and A14 at Brampton, one on the Great Ouse at Wyton, and one tucked inside the walled garden of a stately home on the Nene at Elton. They make an easy stop on the way to Grafham Water, Hinchingbrooke or Ferry Meadows.
Notcutts Garden Centre, Brampton
Indoor and outdoor
- A large Notcutts garden centre on Buckden Road at Brampton, just south west of Huntingdon and close to the A1 and A14
- All hardy plants carry Notcutts’ lifetime guarantee, and plant experts are on hand in the planteria
- A show garden displays structural and seasonal planting, which helps if you are planning a border
- The garden centre opens 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Saturday and 10:30am to 4:30pm on Sunday
- The restaurant opens 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 3:30pm on Sunday, with hot food served until 3:30pm, or 3pm on Sunday
- A festive afternoon tea arrives in the restaurant from 18 November, and a festive menu is also on offer
- Free children’s garden trails have run here and at the Peterborough Notcutts in recent school half terms
Address: Buckden Road, Brampton, Huntingdon PE28 4NF
Website: notcutts.co.uk
Phone: 01480 453048
How to book: Book the festive afternoon tea through the Notcutts website
Brampton is the straightforward choice for Huntingdon, St Neots and anyone coming off the A1. It suits people who know what they want, with a large planteria and a restaurant that opens for breakfast at 9am. The lifetime guarantee on hardy plants is worth knowing about if you are spending real money on shrubs and trees. It is less of a family day out than some others in this guide, but it is reliable and easy to park at.
Huntingdon Garden and Living, Wyton
Indoor and outdoor
- A Blue Diamond garden centre at Banks End, Wyton, on the edge of Huntingdon towards St Ives
- Blue Diamond took over the former Dobbies store here and opened it under its own name on 10 April 2025
- Maidenhead Aquatics has a shop inside, selling fish, plants and equipment for aquariums and ponds
- The garden centre opens 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4:30pm on Sunday, with the first half hour on Sunday for browsing only
- The Gardener’s Rest restaurant opens 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday
- Santa’s Grotto and a new Breakfast with Santa are on this Christmas, with a North Pole story and a gift for every child at the breakfast
- The centre and restaurant close on 25 and 26 December, 1 January and Easter Sunday, and close at 4pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve
Address: Banks End, Wyton, Huntingdon PE28 2AA
Website: bluediamond.gg
Phone: 01480 279870
How to book: Christmas events online through the Huntingdon page on the Blue Diamond website
Wyton is the handiest garden centre for St Ives, Houghton and Hartford. Most of the shop is under cover, which makes it a sensible rainy afternoon trip with a restaurant lunch. The aquatics shop is a draw in its own right for anyone with a pond. Houghton Mill and the riverside meadows are a couple of minutes away, so it pairs well with a walk.
Bosworth’s Garden Centre at Elton
Indoor and outdoor
- A family-owned garden centre inside the old walled garden of Elton Hall, in the village of Elton on the Nene south west of Peterborough
- Bosworth’s grows many of the plants it sells at its own nursery, and the plant centre is surrounded by mature trees
- The Mulberry Café looks out over the planteria and serves breakfast, light lunches, afternoon tea and cakes
- A kitchen garden on site grows fruit and vegetables for the Mulberry Café
- From October to March the centre opens 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sunday, with longer weekday hours in summer
- For Christmas 2026 there are Breakfast with Santa sessions, festive workshops and a chef-prepared festive dinner in the Mulberry Café, which must be booked
- Visitors to Elton Hall park here, and the Hall is a 300 metre walk along a tree-lined gravel path
Address: Elton Walled Garden, Elton, Peterborough PE8 6SH
Website: bosworthsgc.co.uk
Phone: 01832 343104
How to book: Christmas events and festive dinner online through the Bosworth’s website; booking the Mulberry Café is recommended
Elton is the garden centre in this guide that feels most like a place to linger. The old brick walls shelter the plants and the café, and the setting on the Elton estate makes it a natural stop on a drive along the Nene valley. Bosworth’s started as a nursery in Northamptonshire in 1959, and it brings that approach here, with shrubs and herbaceous perennials alongside the seasonal plants. On summer days when Elton Hall opens to visitors, the café gets busy with people combining both. In winter it is a calm spot for lunch.
Ely, the Fens and Peterborough
In the north and east of the county, garden centres are often the biggest indoor space for miles, and they act as café, gift shop and children’s day out rolled into one. Peterborough has the widest choice, while the Fen centres have a loyal local following.
Twenty Pence Garden Centre, Wilburton
Indoor and outdoor
- A large garden centre on Twenty Pence Road at Wilburton, about four miles south west of Ely, trading since 1982
- Applejacks Restaurant, the Orchard ice cream parlour and a food hall with a deli are all on site
- Outdoors there is a nine hole mini golf course, pedal go-karts and a children’s play area
- The Christmas Market opened on 24 September 2026 with more than 40 stalls, entry is free, and it stays open until 7:30pm on Fridays from 20 November to 18 December
- Breakfast with Santa runs at 9:30am on 19, 21 and 23 December, and Afternoon Tea with Santa at 3:30pm on 18 and 22 December, with a gift for every child
- Santa breakfasts cost £15 per child and £12 per adult, and Santa afternoon teas £13 per child and £9 per adult
- The centre opens 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Saturday and 10:30am to 4:30pm on Sunday, and closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Easter Sunday
Address: Twenty Pence Road, Wilburton, Ely CB6 3RN
Website: twentypence.co.uk
Phone: 01353 741024
How to book: Santa events by phone on 01353 741024 or in store
Twenty Pence is the one people drive to from across the county, and it earns that by doing a lot more than plants. Children head straight for the mini golf and go-karts, which makes it an easy sell for a family weekend outing. The Christmas Market runs for three months, and the Friday late nights are the time to go if you want to avoid the Saturday crowds. The Santa events are booked by phone rather than online, so ring early. Ely is a short drive away, so it is easy to combine with a trip to the cathedral.
Scotsdales Garden Centre, Fordham
Indoor and outdoor
- A Scotsdales store on Market Street in Fordham, between Soham and Newmarket in East Cambridgeshire
- It began as Fordham Nursery, which Scotsdales bought in 1991 as its first expansion beyond Great Shelford
- The Sunflower Café opens 9am to 4:30pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 3:30pm on Sunday
- The garden centre opens 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday
- Free antique valuations are held on the last Thursday of each month from 10am to 2pm
- The Gruffalo Trail and Letter From Santa run here from 15 November to 24 December 2026, as at the other Scotsdales stores
Address: Market Street, Fordham, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 5LQ
Website: scotsdales.com
Phone: 01638 720455
How to book: No booking needed to shop
Fordham is the local garden centre for Soham, Burwell and the villages towards Newmarket, and it sits in the village itself on Market Street. It is a smaller, quieter place to shop than Great Shelford. The Sunflower Café makes it a sensible stop on the way back from Wicken Fen or Anglesey Abbey. Come here rather than Great Shelford if you want the Gruffalo Trail without the city traffic.
Skylark Garden Centre, Wimblington
Indoor and outdoor
- A family-run Fenland garden centre on Manea Road at Wimblington, between March and Chatteris, set up in 2003
- Café Skylark opens every day from 9am to 4pm and stays open on Easter Sunday, when the garden centre itself is closed
- The garden centre opens 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday, and closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day
- Santa’s Grotto tickets are on sale for this Christmas, and each visit includes gingerbread decorating with Mrs Claus, meeting Santa and a Make-A-Bear
- Real Christmas trees can be pre-ordered online
- Local delivery is free on orders over a minimum spend
- A car boot sale uses the back field on most Sundays, run by a separate organiser
Address: Manea Road, Wimblington, March PE15 0PE
Website: skylarkgardencentre.co.uk
Phone: 01354 741212
How to book: Grotto tickets online through the Skylark Events website
Skylark is the garden centre the Fens actually use, and on a Saturday morning the café is full of families and grandparents. The plant range follows the seasons rather than trying to stock everything, and the café opening every day of the week makes it a regular stop for many March and Chatteris households. The grotto is the main Christmas trip for much of Fenland, and the Make-A-Bear gives children something to keep. Sunday mornings can be busy when the car boot is on, so allow extra time to park.
Dobbies Garden Centre, Peterborough
Indoor and outdoor
- A large Dobbies store on Phorpres Way at Hampton, on the southern edge of Peterborough near the A15 and the A1M
- It opened in 2011 as one of the chain’s flagship stores
- The garden centre opens 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays
- The restaurant opens 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Saturday, with hot meals served until 3pm
- An indoor soft play has a baby area for children up to four and a main area for ages four to seven, open 9:15am to 4:45pm Monday to Saturday
- Soft play sessions cost £3.50 and booking online is recommended, with last entry an hour before closing
- An aquatics concession sells fish, plants and accessories for aquariums and ponds
Address: Phorpres Way, Cygnet Park, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8NY
Website: dobbies.com
Phone: 01733 898640
How to book: Soft play online through the Dobbies website
Dobbies at Hampton is the obvious choice for families in the south of the city, mainly because the soft play keeps preschoolers busy while adults browse. Everything is under one roof, and the car park is large. The big thing to know is that it does not open on Sundays, which catches out plenty of people. If you need a garden centre on a Sunday in Peterborough, head to Notcutts at Orton or Peterborough Home and Garden instead.
Notcutts Garden Centre, Peterborough
Indoor and outdoor
- A Notcutts garden centre on Ham Lane, off Oundle Road at Orton Waterville, close to Ferry Meadows and Nene Park
- All hardy plants carry Notcutts’ lifetime guarantee, and the centre takes old plant pots back for recycling
- A pet centre on site has hosted free meet-the-animals sessions for children in school holidays
- The garden centre opens 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Saturday and 10:30am to 4:30pm on Sunday
- The restaurant opens 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 3:30pm on Sunday
- A Christmas wreath making workshop runs in December, and the festive afternoon tea is served from 18 November, with booking recommended
Address: Ham Lane, Oundle Road, Orton Waterville, Peterborough PE2 5UU
Website: notcutts.co.uk
Phone: 01733 234600
How to book: Wreath workshop and festive afternoon tea through the Notcutts website
The Orton Notcutts is a few minutes from the Ham Lane entrance to Ferry Meadows, which makes it a natural add-on to a morning walk round the lakes. The pet centre is a quiet hit with younger children, and the restaurant is a steady option for lunch on the west side of the city. The pot recycling is useful if you have a garage full of black plastic. The wreath workshop is a good way to start December if you want a front door decoration you made yourself.
Peterborough Home and Garden
Indoor and outdoor
- A large Blue Diamond garden centre on PE1 Retail Park, on the eastern side of Peterborough
- It opened in February 2010 as a Van Hage store and is now run by Blue Diamond
- The building has a large glass atrium, cedar panelling and a tall central mall, so it stays bright even in winter
- The garden centre opens 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4:30pm on Sunday, with tills opening at 10:30am on Sundays
- There is a restaurant on site for breakfast, lunch or a coffee break
- Alongside plants, the centre sells homeware and gifts, as its name suggests
Address: PE1 Retail Park, Peterborough
Website: bluediamond.gg
How to book: No booking needed to shop
The glass atrium makes Peterborough Home and Garden feel more like a department store than a nursery. It is the most convenient garden centre for the east side of Peterborough. Plants are here in quantity, but the homeware and gift departments draw plenty of shoppers in the run up to Christmas. Unlike Dobbies across the city, it opens on Sundays.
Seasonal Highlights
Spring: March and April are the busiest months, when bedding plants, seed potatoes and vegetable plants arrive. Bosworth’s grows much of its own seasonal bedding at its nursery, and hanging baskets go on sale across the county from late April.
Summer: June is the month for perennials and roses at their best in pots. Elton Hall opens its gardens on selected summer afternoons, and visitors park at Bosworth’s, so the Mulberry Café is a good lunch stop beforehand.
Autumn: September is spring bulb month, and Twenty Pence’s Christmas Market opens in late September. October is the time to plant bulbs, shrubs and trees while the soil is still warm.
Winter: Scotsdales’ Christmas Shopping Evening at Great Shelford is on 12 November 2026, Notcutts’ festive afternoon tea starts on 18 November, and Twenty Pence runs Santa breakfasts and afternoon teas from 18 to 23 December.
A Note From Inside Cambridge
A good garden centre is a day out in itself, with a café, a wander round the plants and usually something you did not mean to buy.
If you run a garden centre or nursery in Cambridgeshire, or you spot something that has changed, please get in touch and we will update this guide.
Before You Go
- Dobbies at Hampton is closed on Sundays, so check the day before you set off
- Several garden centres in this guide close on Easter Sunday, including Coton Orchard, Wyton, Twenty Pence and Skylark
- Several Blue Diamond and Scotsdales centres open at 10am on Sunday for browsing only, with tills opening at 10:30am
- Book Santa grottos and Christmas breakfasts as early as you can; the Great Shelford grotto was fully booked by early November 2026
- Café hot food usually stops 30 minutes to two hours before the centre closes, so check the cut-off if you are going for lunch
- Notcutts’ lifetime guarantee on hardy plants means keeping your receipt is worth the effort
- Bring a blanket or old sheet to protect the car boot when buying shrubs, compost or Christmas trees
- Garden centre car parks fill up on bank holiday weekends in spring, so arrive at opening time
