November & December

2021 Newsletter

Late night opening on Wednesdays in December until 8 pm.

Autumn is such a beautiful time – the gorgeous colours of the trees help to compensate for the shorter days and it’s a great time to get outside and enjoy walking in the countryside and begin to tidy up our gardens in preparation for winter. There are so many plants that look amazing in the colder months and we will have some amazing examples such as Pyracantha with its bright glossy berries, Cyclamen, great in containers, Cornus (Dogwood) with their stems that appear to be on fire as the colours are so brilliant, and last but definitely not least, Daphne which has perhaps the best scent of all plants.

We also have so many other lovely things to show you:

Trees

Autumn is the perfect time to plant trees and shrubs – the soil is still warm and if you get them in now, they will have time to get their roots down and really romp away in the spring. We have some beautiful ornamentals such as Sorbus (Rowan), Prunus (Cherry) and Betula (Birch).

We also have a small range of fruit trees that are great for smaller gardens – they will never become monsters and you will be able to access the fruits without resorting to a crane! There are a few more unusual varieties such as Cydonia (Quince) and Morus (Mulberry) as well as the more usual crab apples, pears and plums.

Indoor Plants

We continue to carry a lovely range of houseplants and we also always have indoor pots and all the accessories you need to maintain them.

We will have terrariums made up and ready to go which will make lovely and unusual Christmas presents. You can also make your own as we have all the ingredients necessary for this.

Gifts and home

There are some elegant new ranges in the shop this year …

Octo candles and diffusers are hand made locally (in Dulwich); they come in apothecary-inspired amber glass jars. The smell was amazing even before we had opened the boxes when they were delivered! Only pure essential oils are used; there are no artificial fragrance oils in these. Come and see what ‘Sweater Weather’ smells like!

Pure Lakes body care products are made in small batches in the Lake District. As well as shower gels, bath foam and hand wash, we have some great Christmas present ideas such as the ‘Pure Cyclist’ and ‘Pure Gardener’ boxes, ideal for those ‘difficult to please’ people!

St Eval, based in Cornwall, has become one of our good value staples and the winter fragrances are now in. Orange & Cinnamon is particularly Christmassy!

This year we also have an inexpensive range of Bamboo candles from Heart and Home; they come with a bamboo lid that is useful for a coaster for the candle. There are also wax melts which can be used with the Warmer gizmo and are an inexpensive way to scent your home.

Christmas trees

The time is coming soon to pre-order your Christmas tree. We’re always delighted that so many customers come and tell us that our trees are excellent quality and last well throughout the season. They are all premium grade, unlike many of the ‘corner of the road’ outlets, so we’re sure you won’t be disappointed.

You can submit your Christmas tree order online which will help us enormously as we continue to manage the garden centre in a Covid secure way. Just go to our website and follow the link on the home page. Once we receive your details we will give you a call to arrange payment and a delivery day.

www.alleynpark.co.uk

• Our Nordmann (non-dropping) trees are cut from sustainable stock and we whittle them to fit in to a stand.

• Order and pay for your tree in November to receive 10% off the price and get free delivery within our local area. If you order from 1 ^st December onwards there will be a delivery charge of £10 and the full price of the tree as below will apply.

You can, of course, come by and check that you’re happy with the tree we’ve reserved for you prior to delivery (and change it if necessary and while stocks last). Alternatively, we can hold your tree ready for collection.

Prices this year are as follows:

3’ (90cm) £39.95

4’ (1.2m) £49.95

5’ (1.5m) £59.95

6’ (1.8m) £69.95

7’ (2.1m) £79.95

8’ (2.4m) £99.95

Taller trees: Price on request – please order in November

6’ traditional £34.95 Norway Spruce

Potted & pot grown: We have a wide range of sizes from mini at £7.95 up to 1.2m at £59.95.

Metal stands £19.95 – 4” for trees up to 6’ £24.95 – 5” for taller trees

Christmas Decorations

There are some truly exceptional items to grace your tree and home this Christmas including a range of indoor and outdoor lights.

One of our favourites, Felt-So-Good is back – we’ve got some new little characters this year such as Sven the Viking, Pirate Pete and Nurses, as pictured.

Last year we stocked Honest papier mache baubles for the first time and were delighted that customers loved them so much; we have a larger range of designs this Christmas.

Another new range is from the Ukraine called Koza Dereza, a most unusual collection of little figures, painted by hand and inspired by folk traditions. They are mostly made of either cotton stuffed with peeled buckwheat husks (some of these are vanilla scented) or are made from wood shavings. We think you will love these – they are really very different and special.

Wreaths and Table Arrangements

We have a fantastic new florist called Mathilde who will be supplying us with some gorgeous wreaths and table decorations. The wreaths are going to start arriving at the beginning of November; please come and see if you would like to order one or simply take away any that are currently on show here. If you are after something specific, please come and get your order in early so that she can make something specially for you.

We will also have a range of more inexpensive and simple wreaths on sale which can just be chosen from stock.

Last, but by no means least, remember to stock up with firewood so you’re always able to light that open fire or wood-burner on a chilly afternoon or evening. As always, we have a supply of wonderfully aromatic and slow burning olive wood, along with sustainably sourced hardwood, kindling and non-toxic eco firelighters.

We hope to welcome you to the garden centre very soon.

With warm wishes and an early merry Christmas!

Robby and the Team