Tag: Dobbies

Spring starts with Dobbies’ Spring Shopping Evening at Edinburgh store

Celebrate the colours of spring at Dobbies’ Spring Shopping Evening, a free-to-attend evening event dedicated to outdoor living and seasonal inspiration, taking place on Thursday 2 April at the Edinburgh store.

Bring friends and family together to join the local community to mark the start of the season, with entertainment from local groups, hands-on workshops, delicious samples from Dobbies’ new foodhall, and in-store garden inspiration.

Start the evening with a complimentary drink on arrival and be in with the chance to receive a pair of gardening gloves, available to the first 100 customers that come through the door at the Edinburgh store. Browse Dobbies’ Easter Bank Holiday Weekend offers and receive a free £5 gift card when you spend £40 or £10 when you spend £70.

Shoppers can enjoy live musical entertainment from local community groups while they get inspired this spring by Dobbies in-store garden furniture and 2026 spring summer trends. There will also be samples on offer from the brand-new Dobbies ‘cottage kitchen garden’ foodhall as they shop and the restaurant will be open until 7.30pm for drinks and light bites.

A free Create Your Own Spring Container Workshop will begin at 6pm, where attendees will have the opportunity to learn from the Dobbies’ Green Team as they demonstrate how to design and plant a beautiful spring container using seasonal foliage and flowers. They will also share tips on plant combinations, soil preparation and feeding, and how to keep your container looking vibrant all season long.

Dobbies’ Events Programme Manager, Ayesha Nickson, said: “We are excited to invite our customers to Dobbies for our Spring Shopping Evening at the Edinburgh store, where they can discover fresh planting ideas and explore the latest outdoor living trends.

“This special event is the perfect way to kick off the season, celebrate community spirit, and spark garden inspiration. We can’t wait to welcome our customers and help everyone make the most of garden living in the months ahead.”

Tickets for Dobbies’ Spring Shopping Evening are free but sign up is required to receive an arrival drink. To book visit dobbies.com/events.

Hop into Easter at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store with Gabby’s Dollhouse Little Seedlings Club

An action-packed free gardening workshop for children

Dobbies is teaming up with Gabby’s Dollhouse to bring an extra special spring themed experience to families at its Edinburgh store with a free-to-attend Little Seedlings Club on Saturday 4 April, packed with fun and creativity.

Gabby’s Dollhouse is a kid-favourite, cat-tastic show by Dreamworks that follows Gabby and her cat friends in their adventures around her magical dollhouse. Each episode is filled with fun, crafts, baking, music and problem solving.

This April, the Little Seedlings will step into the magical world of Gabby’s Dollhouse for a 60-minute Easter adventure bursting with springtime fun at the Edinburgh store. Joined by Eggy the Easter Kitty Bunny, children will discover the wonders of the season, from learning about baby animals to blooming, colourful flowers, before diving into hands-on activities and a fun filled in-store quest.

The workshop will begin by welcoming Gabby and her kitty friends, before Eggy hops in to sprinkle some Easter magic and share fascinating traditions from around the world. Little Seedlings will then set off on Gabby’s Easter Hunt, inspired by the celebration in Kitty Fairy’s Fairy Tail Garden, before learning about the bright, beautiful blooms that spring brings.

To round off the adventure, every child will create their own adorable kitty or bunny planter, filled with cat grass seeds. A perfect take-home reminder of their magical day.

Dobbies’ Event Programme Manager, Ayesha Nickson, said: “We’re delighted to welcome fans of Gabby’s Dollhouse to our April Little Seedlings Club and team up with Dreamworks on a truly special Easter workshop at our Edinburgh store.

“The interactive, hands-on event is a wonderful way for children to celebrate the start of spring and learn more about animals and flowers that come to life at this time of year. We’re looking forward to watching the Little Seedlings enjoy a magical Gabby’s Dollhouse Easter adventure at Dobbies.”

Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club is a free-to-attend workshop that typically takes place on the first Sunday of every month in the Edinburgh store. The workshops are suited for children aged 4-10 and covers a range of seasonal topics set to inspire the next generation of gardening enthusiasts.

For those looking to get involved in Gabby’s Dollhouse Little Seedlings Club at Dobbies, and book a free space this April, visit www.dobbies.com/events.

Dobbies invites local schools, charities and community groups to get involved in gardening initiative

Applications now open for Dobbies Community Gardens

Dobbies’ Edinburgh store is inviting local schools, charities and community groups to apply for this year’s Dobbies Community Gardens, giving successful groups the opportunity to receive support to help bring green spaces to life across the country. 

In 2025, each of Dobbies 53 stores selected a winner from over 600 entries to receive support, supplies and advice through the community initiative. Dobbies’ Edinburgh is committed to giving back to the community on both a national and local level and is passionate about encouraging the nation to discover and share a love for gardens. 

Dobbies Community Gardens will support its local communities by providing essential tools, plants and expert knowledge from colleagues to groups, to bring their green spaces to life. Dobbies’ Edinburgh store colleagues will also provide dedicated time to each project through volunteer hours. 

The community gardens initiative nurtures wellbeing, connections and inclusion to help inspire local residents to spend more time in nature. 

Dobbies’ Edinburgh store is looking to hear from local groups hoping to start, restore or upgrade their indoor or outdoor green spaces, and learn more about what they would do with the support. 

Dobbies’ Plant Buyer, Nigel Lawton, is encouraging groups across the country to apply. He said: “Every year we look forward to hearing from the variety of inspiring groups about what they are looking to their garden spaces, with our support.

 “We encourage local communities and groups within 20 miles of their local Dobbies store to apply to help create their perfect shared garden spaces that will bring joy to the community all year long.

“Whether they are a charity looking to upgrade their green space, a local group looking to bring the community together with a new project, or a school with plans to restore a vegetable patch, we want to hear from anyone who has a garden project that we could support.”

Craig Allardyce, Secretary of Your North Muirton, helped transform an area of land into a community garden with more than 30 raised beds with help from Dobbies.

Craig said: “Our new space supports a wide range of local involvement from individuals renting a low-cost raised bed to grow their own food, to schools and community groups using the area for hands-on learning and shared planting.

“Dobbies Community Gardens is a fantastic initiative to help bring local communities together and we would encourage groups looking for help with a garden project to apply.”

Applications are now open and close at 5pm on 31 March 2026.

Those entering must be within 20 miles of Dobbies’ Edinburgh store. Successful projects will be invited along to their local store for a consultation before getting recommendations from Dobbies’ colleagues about what products and tools will help bring the space to life. 

To find out more information about Dobbies Community Gardens and to fill out an application form, visit Dobbies Community Gardens | Dobbies Garden Centres

Dobbies Edinburgh launches Spring Garden Savings Weekend

Dobbies Edinburgh store is welcoming the new season with its Spring Garden Savings Weekend, running from Thursday 5 to Monday 9 March, inviting local gardeners to kick-start spring with fresh inspiration and great savings across plants, gardening tools and more.

As the first signs of spring begin to appear across Edinburgh, the Green Team at Dobbies is marking the change in season with five days of offers designed to help gardeners refresh their outdoor spaces.

Customers visiting the store will be able to explore more than 415 own-brand gardening products, alongside new-season plants and new outdoor living ranges as spring gets underway. From colourful primroses and pansies for instant colour, to houseplants that will liven up your interiors, there’s plenty to help you embrace spring vibrancy both indoors and out.

Special offers during the Spring Garden Savings Weekend include:

  • Buy an orchid and pick up a 13cm pot (cream, pink or green) for just £4
  • Spend £15 on bulbs and get a dahlia beds and borders jumbo pack half price (usually £10)
  • 20% off all magnolias and hebes
  • Erysimum 2L – 2 for £15
  • Cottage garden plants (1L) – 3 for £12
  • Carry pack primrose (6x9cm) – 3 for £15
  • 1L primrose – 4 for £10
  • Primrose hanging pot – 2 for £15
  • Half price 3L pansy and viola – now £3.99
  • Yardforce 1500W scarifier – save £30, now £89.99
  • Yardforce 1500W power washer – save £20, now £39.99
  • Miracle-Gro all purpose peat free compost 40L – 2 for £10

Nigel Lawton, Dobbies Plant Buyer, said: “Spring is one of the most exciting times of the year for gardeners, and our Spring Garden Savings Weekend is all about helping our local communities to make the most of the season ahead.

“We’ve got fantastic offers across plants, bulbs, gardening tools and essentials, plus plenty of new arrivals in-store to inspire customers.”

In addition to garden savings, Dobbies Edinburgh store will also be unveiling its new spring summer menu in the restaurant, offering customers the chance to enjoy seasonal dishes and sweet treats as part of their trip.

The Spring Garden Savings Weekend runs from Thursday 5 to Monday 9 March at Dobbies Edinburgh store. For more information, visit www.dobbies.com.

Dobbies’ Edinburgh unveils new foodhall format 

Chance to win hamper during launch weekend 

Dobbies has unveiled a vibrant new cottage kitchen garden style foodhall at its Edinburgh store. 

Edinburgh is one of Dobbies’ first stores to transform its foodhall with a further 47 stores planned in the coming weeks, offering customers the opportunity to discover and celebrate great food. 

The new foodhall reflects Dobbies’ commitment to investing in the Edinburgh store and responding to what local customers want. By listening to feedback from the Edinburgh community, new ways were identified to improve both the food range and the overall shopping experience.

The new foodhall at Edinburgh has opened with a host of introductory offers including 30% off Farmhouse biscuits and Belgid’Or chocolates and 20% off Coolmore cakes, and favourite brands like Fever Tree and Savoursmiths, available to 31 March. 

To mark the first weekend of opening from Thursday 19 February, sampling of some of the new products will be available at various times, and one lucky customer through the doors will win a hamper filled with selected products.

Jenna Bavidge, General Manager at Dobbies’ Edinburgh, said: “The foodhall is one of the most popular areas in the store and an important part of our garden centre experience. 

“We’ve been working hard on the new format that’s inspired by a cottage kitchen garden and brings together essentials, treats and seasonal variety through a range of both popular and new brands. We’re excited to welcome customers in to see the new ranges and try them for themselves.”

With more than 2,000 products, Edinburgh customers will be spoilt for choice, with Dobbies’ famous scones and tray bakes available, as well as a host of new brands like Botham’s of Whitby and Patteson’s. 

Sweet treats will be prominent with well-known brands like Bonbons, Lindt and Tony’s Chocolonely.

The new food hall will have its own greengrocer and deli counter, with everything to make the perfect cheeseboard or party platter, with a new range of chilled products including cheese, deli meats, olives and dips. To accompany this, there will also be a wide selection of biscuits for cheese, sharing bags of crisps and snacks, nuts and dried fruits. The pantry section will also host foods from around the world. 

There will also be premium frozen food ranges, with brands including Cook, FieldGoods and award-winning Supper Club, and ice cream from Jude’s.

The ranges of gift foods will increase with a broader selection of alcohol and premium soft drinks. Everything from gin gift packs to all-natural handmade beverages from Hullabaloo.

The new foodhall at Dobbies Edinburgh is open from Thursday 19 February. For more information visit dobbies.com.

Half-term Savings at Dobbies

Great-value family fun

Families looking for great-value half-term days out will find plenty to enjoy at Dobbies Garden Centres this February. Younger children can experience a fun-filled session at Dobbies’ Soft Play where they can let off some steam, and parents can make the most of Dobbies’ Kids Eat for £1 restaurant offer. 

Soft Play

Families are welcome to join the fun at Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Soft Play, where toddlers and young children can burn off energy and play in a safe environment. 

The soft play is located in the restaurant, where families can enjoy a hot drinks, snacks, meals, and a famous Dobbies’ scone while the kids play. There’s also the chance to take in the wider garden centre experience as part of the visit, including plants and gardening, toys, pet products, homeware, clothing and gifting. 

Pre-booking is recommended to avoid disappointment, but there may be walk-in spaces available on the day. Prices and age ranges vary for each store, starting from £2.50.

For more information and to book, visit Soft Play | Dobbies Garden Centres

Kids Eat for £1 restaurant offer

Dobbies offers Kids Eat for £1, allowing children under the age of 16 to enjoy their food for £1 with every traditional adult breakfast and main course meal at lunch. Children can pick from the kids’ breakfasts, lunch menu or pick ‘n’ mix meal, and this deal also includes a drink. 

Kids Eat for £1 is available every day, all year round, with no membership required. Restaurants are open Monday to Sunday from 9am, location times may vary and customers are advised to visit the website to check the restaurant opening hours. * 

A £1 supplement applies to kids’ Sunday roasts, and customers are advised to visit dobbies.com to check local opening times and menus.  

* 9am for Scottish stores, 10:30am for stores in England and 1pm for the two Northern Ireland stores.

Celebrate love with your Paw-fect Valentine at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store

Dobbies Garden Centres is inviting pet parents to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their beloved furry friends at its Edinburgh store. Back for its second year, the experience is bigger and better with increased capacity to meet demand.

My Paw-fect Valentine takes place at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 February, with a great line-up of activities, treats and photo opportunities.

Tickets are priced at £15 per pooch and include access to the Dobbies’ mini-Valentine’s Garden where dogs willl get a ‘forever’ rose toy for every dog; create a paw-print keepsake picture; and pose for a digital photo in front of a Valentine’s themed backdrop. One owner can enjoy a free hot drink in the restaurant while their dog has a puppuccino, with the purchase of a cake or breakfast roll. Each party will also receive money-off vouchers to redeem in store.

There is also a sniff-ari around the Edinburgh store which allows dogs to explore their environments with their noses. The dogs set the pace and direction, and there’s plenty for pooches to find and explore with scented baskets and Valentine’s balloons placed around the garden centre.

For My Paw-fect Valentine, customers can donate to Dogs Trust when booking online, helping with Dogs Trust’s mission of caring for, rehabilitating, and rehoming thousands of dogs every year. 

Dobbies’ Events Programme Manager, Ayesha Nickson, is looking forward to welcoming the dogs attending My Paw-fect Valentine. She said: “We are very excited to welcome dogs and their owners back for our dog-friendly Valentine’s Day event.

“After a successful launch in 2025, we are pleased to encourage furry friends back for a bigger and better experience of enjoying treats and making memories. Share the love with your pooch and join us for an adorable event this Valentine’s Day at Dobbies.”

Well-behaved dogs on a lead are warmly welcome in the Edinburgh store and in a dedicated area of the restaurant. Customers can also explore the fantastic range of pet products at Dobbies, with everything from healthy treats to dog accessories and toys.

Dobbies Garden Centre in Edinburgh is also home to a ‘The Pet Shop,’ a new area featuring an expanded pet product offering. The bespoke area includes dog accessories, toys, puppy training and health products, as well as an impressive range of dried dog food and fresh frozen products from brands like Barking Heads, Pooch & Mutt, Boost Pet and Orijen.

Customers can take part in Dobbies’ monthly social media competition, Dogs at Dobbies, by posting a photo and using the hashtag #dogsatdobbies to be in a chance of winning a Dobbies’ gift card to spend in store.

My Paw-fect Valentine is priced at £15 per pooch and takes place on 14 and 15 February at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store.

To book, visit www.dobbies.com/events

Dobbies’ Edinburgh hosts free-to-attend workshop for kids in the New Year

Budding gardeners will learn how to recycle their Christmas trees

Dobbies Garden Centres is hosting a free-to-attend children’s workshop on Sunday 4 January at its Edinburgh store, where children can discover fun and creative ways to recycle their Christmas trees as the festive season comes to a close.

In January’s Little Seedlings Club workshop, children will learn about where real Christmas trees come from, why Christmas trees are good for nature, what happens to them after Christmas, the importance of recycling and how to stay safe while doing so.

Children will then get to take part in a true or false game to test their knowledge on what they have learnt during the session. This is then followed by a build a mini wildlife habitat activity which involves children using recycled Christmas tree branches to make a habitat for their own gardens, that animals from hedgehogs, insects to frogs can call home in the cold winter months.

Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club is designed to be fun and engaging space for kids to learn about gardens and nature, with interactive activities and games, and the chance to ask lots of questions. The session takes place monthly at Dobbies’ Edinburgh and covers a range of topics and activities to fit with the seasons.

Dobbies’ Events Programme Manager, Ayesha Nickson, said: “Our Little Seedlings Club in January is ideal for young gardeners looking for an exciting project now that Christmas is over.

“The workshop at our Edinburgh store also covers some simple ways to help the planet. We are all looking forward to welcoming the Little Seedlings for the first session of 2026 and to see their wildlife habitat creations created from recycled Christmas trees.”

Those interested in learning more about the free children’s workshops at Dobbies’ Edinburgh are encouraged to visit www.dobbies.com/events to book a free space.

Dobbies Edinburgh store welcomes delivery of poinsettias for Christmas

Dobbies Edinburgh is preparing for a blooming festive season as its annual delivery of poinsettias lands in store. 

This year, it’s the traditional red variety taking centre stage as Dobbies anticipates a surge in demand for this classic Christmas plant driven by the growing trend of nostalgic festive styling.

In addition to the popular red variety, white and pink poinsettias will also be available at Dobbies Edinburgh store for those looking to switch up their Christmas colour palette.

Speaking about poinsettias, Dobbies’ Senior Plant Buyer, Claire Bishop, says: “Poinsettias have been a Christmas favourite for generations, bringing colour and warmth to homes during the festive season, so we’re excited to welcome them to our Edinburgh store to kick off the celebrations.

“Our customers loved the pink and white varieties last year, so we’ve brought these back for 2025, along with the ever-popular red – which we’re expecting to be the standout choice this Christmas for creating a show-stopping centrepiece as more people embrace a traditional festive look.

“Whether used for decorating or gifting, poinsettias, also known as Euphorbia pulcherrima, remain a simple but effective way to grow festive cheer and will instantly bring that classic Christmas feel to any room.”

Claire’s top tips for keeping your poinsettia looking its best

Choose a bright spot

Finding the right place for your poinsettia is key. Poinsettias like a lot of light so you should place them in a bright spot where they’ll get as much indirect sunlight as possible per day. However, you should avoid direct sunlight as this could scorch the plant. The red parts of the flower are known as bracts which have tiny yellow flowers at the centre, known as cyathia. Being a tropical plant, poinsettias also like warmth so you should keep them away from windows and other draughty spots as this could cause the plant’s bracts to drop.

Watering your plant

You should only water your poinsettia when the soil feels dry to the touch. This will vary on the temperature of your home, so your plant could require watering every few days, or once a week depending on its surroundings and they don’t like waterlogged soil.

Feed your poinsettia

Your poinsettia will benefit from monthly feedings to keep it thriving long into the new year. Consider using a liquid plant food to fertilise your poinsettia.
For more advice, and to explore Dobbies’ full range of houseplants and decorations for Christmas 2025, visit www.dobbies.com

Feel the festive cheer at Dobbies’ Christmas Shopping Night in aid of Alzheimer’s Research UK

Dobbies Garden Centres is encouraging customers to come along to the Edinburgh store on Thursday 27 November to be the first to shop exclusive Black Friday offers at its late-night shopping event, in aid of Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Seven days of festive Black Friday offers gets underway at the Christmas Shopping Night event, from 5pm to 8pm. These offers include 20% off a selection of 7ft artificial trees, 20% off selected lighting, half-price LED tabletop games and 20% off advent calendars and selected Christmas food gifts. Customers will also receive a £5 off £25 voucher, and £10 off £50 vouchers to spend on the night when booking online at dobbies.com.

Tickets are priced at £1, £2.50 and £5 with a pay-what-you-can approach, with all proceeds donated to Dobbies’ National Charity Partner, Alzheimer’s Research UK. Alzheimer’s Research UK volunteers will also be in attendance at the Edinburgh store with fundraising activities, including raffles and donation buckets.  

Customers at the Edinburgh store will receive a glass of prosecco or a soft drink on arrival, the opportunity to book in to visit Santa in his North Pole adventure themed Grotto and enjoy entertainment from local community groups who have been invited to perform in store.  

There will also be in-store demos and tastings from the foodhall and in-store Bakery to Go (where available) and Dobbies’ Edinburgh restaurant will be offering a light bite menu until 7.15pm, including soups, seasonal toasted sandwiches and a selection of festive sweet treats and cakes. 

As part of the event, local schools and nurseries who have been successful with Dobbies Community Christmas Tree campaign will be invited along to pick up their free real Christmas tree.

Dobbies’ Events Programme Manager, Ayesha Nickson, is looking forward to welcoming customers for an evening of festive shopping. She said: “Christmas Shopping Night is a great opportunity for friends and family to come together and get a head start on the Christmas shopping at our Edinburgh store.

“We have some great offers and promotions to take advantage of, whilst soaking up the festive atmosphere and fundraising for a great cause. 

“Christmas Shopping Night is a staple in our seasonal events calendar and, this year, will raise funds for our National Charity Partner, Alzheimer’s Research UK.” 

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity. Dobbies is working together with Alzheimer’s Research UK to highlight the benefits of garden living for brain health and raise funds to find a cure for dementia, raising more than £40,000 for the charity since the partnership launched in March.

Paul Glazier, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Dobbies for raising vital funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s Research UK through its Christmas Shopping Night. 

“With almost one million people currently living with dementia in the UK, it is vital that we come together and end the heartbreak of this condition. Thank you, Dobbies, for standing with us for a cure.”  

Tickets are available at www.dobbies.com and in-store on the night. All proceeds from tickets and donations at the event will be donated to Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Customers can explore Dobbies’ festive ranges and inspiration at www.dobbies.com