Tag: Dobbies

Pumpkin-ify your home this Halloween with Dobbies

Garden Centre to host Pumpkin Patch experience

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is launching its first of a kind Pumpkin Patch experience for families in the run up to Halloween (24-31 October). This is a pumpkin-tastic opportunity to pop along to Dobbies’ Edinburgh store and pick the perfect pumpkin to carve at home this Halloween.

Rustic bales of hay and vibrant autumnal pumpkins make for a memorable visit to Dobbies’ Edinburgh store, where families can get the pick of the patch. Here children can take a pumpkin home, carve it up using Dobbies’ guide and create their own personalised pumpkin for welcoming trick-or-treaters.

Sarah Murray, who created this year’s experience, loves Halloween and can’t wait to welcome customers along to the Pumpkin Patch. She said: “We’re really excited about this year’s Halloween offering in Edinburgh as this is the first time we’ve created a Pumpkin Patch. We warmly welcome everyone to come along and enjoy the experience.”

Pumpkins at the patch have all been grown in the UK and are priced at £2.50. No booking is required for this experience, and pumpkin availability is subject to a first come, first serve basis. There will also be an opportunity for families to use Dobbies’ Instagram frame to take a selfie of themselves at the patch and share on socials, for a chance to win a £50 gift card.

If you do come along to Dobbies and pick up a pumpkin this Halloween, Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles, shares his top recycling tips to help the environment.

He said: “Pumpkin flesh will make a welcome snack for wildlife and we recommend cutting the pumpkin into pieces before placing it in the garden.

“The seeds are another fantastic source of food for birds and small animals. Collect the seeds, leave them to dry out and place them on a flat surface in your garden to be enjoyed.

“If you’re feeling adventurous and would like to grow your own pumpkin next year, save seeds from this year’s pumpkin and try to grow it next April. 

“If composting is your thing, pumpkins work a treat as they break down easily and quickly. Just be sure to remove any seeds first to prevent unexpected pumpkin plants growing in your compost.”

Savour the season at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store

Garden centre launches festive restaurant events

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is tantalising tastebuds this Christmas with its great-value family dining experiences in its Edinburgh store, including a magical Santa’s Breakfast and its much-loved Festive Afternoon Tea.

Santa’s Breakfast is a great way to enjoy some magical time with Santa and fuel up for the festivities. It’s a chance for children aged 3 to 10 to take part in activities, get into the Christmas spirit, sing along to Christmas classics and receive a gift to take home and put under the tree.

Families in Edinburgh can expect festive entertainment from Santa and his elves and a hearty breakfast. Children can choose from a traditional breakfast of pork or Quorn sausage, scrambled eggs, hash brown and baked beans, or opt for a breakfast roll. All breakfasts are served with a choice of apple juice, orange juice or water.

Adults will also get a choice of breakfast options, including a traditional breakfast, vegetarian breakfast or three item breakfast roll, each served with a hot beverage.

Indulge this Christmas with Dobbies’ Festive Afternoon Tea offering, great for couples, friends and families alike. Enjoy this classic British tradition and tuck into three tiers of seasonal bites to jingle the tastebuds.

Expect all the favourite elements of an afternoon tea with a festive twist. Indulge in salmon, cream cheese and chive, and honey roast ham and mustard finger sandwiches in a mix of white and grain bread. Savour each mouthful of Cornish clotted cream and jam scones and tuck into a delicious selection of sweet treats, including blackberry delice, fruit and cream tart, carrot cake and a mini macaroon.

Children can also enjoy a mix of finger sandwiches, filled with ham, jam and tuna. In addition to Dobbies’ famous scones, kids will munch on Rudolph’s favourite snacks – carrot and cucumber sticks.

Adults will get the choice of unlimited tea and coffee refills, and children will receive a fruit juice. There will be additional extras for customers looking to wrap themselves in all the festivities, including prawn marie rose vol au vents, savoury cheese vol au vents and pigs in blankets with gravy and cranberry sauce. Drinks can also be upgraded for speciality coffees and teas, and if you fancy popping a bottle, there is an upgrade option for Prosecco.

Sarah Murray, who develops Dobbies’ festive line up, wants to make this year one for customers in Edinburgh to remember. She said: “Restaurant experiences at Dobbies are a chance to spend time with the family in a relaxed setting that involves zero cooking.

“Our Santa’s Breakfast and Festive Afternoon Tea events in Edinburgh are a great way to feel festive as Christmas approaches. The restaurant team thoroughly enjoy hosting these events and can’t wait to welcome customers.”

Santa’s Breakfast runs from 25 November through to 24 December and is priced from £9 per adult and £13.99 per child.

Festive Afternoon Tea experiences run from 1 November and is priced at £8.50 per child and £13.50 per adult.

For more information about Dobbies’ festive culinary experiences and to make a booking, visit dobbies.com/events

Little Scare-lings get in the Halloween spirit at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store

Garden Centre to host children’s pumpkin themed event

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is inviting children in Edinburgh to its great value Little Scare-lings event this Halloween, guaranteed to get them feeling pumpkin-tastic with a treasure trove of family-friendly activities. 

Available in Dobbies’ Edinburgh store between 26-29 October, Little Scare-lings is guaranteed to get everyone in the spine-chilling spirit. Great for kids aged 3-10, this event is action-packed and has something special in store for those hunting for the perfect pumpkin to take home and carve.

Kids can also strut their spooky style and take part in the garden centre’s annual scare-a-thon to be in the chance of winning a prize for the best dressed.

Little Scare-ling attendees will sink their fangs into Halloween treats, pumpkin-themed activities and games.

With plenty options for even the fussiest trick-or-treaters, children will have the choice of fish fingers, chicken nuggets or plant based goujons, served with chips and garden peas, or a cheese and tomato pizza with vegetable sticks.

Adults can enjoy a selection of soup and sandwich pairings or a slice of cake. Sticky chocolate orange, blueberry Victoria sponge or a nutty coffee and walnut cake ensure the parents are spoilt for choice.

Families will be invited to visit Dobbies’ very own miniature pumpkin patch. Here children can take a pumpkin home, carve it up using Dobbies’ guide and create their own personalised pumpkin for welcoming trick-or-treaters.

Sarah Murray, who created this year’s event, loves Halloween and can’t wait to welcome Little Scare-lings along for the event. She said: “We’re really excited about this year’s Halloween event in Edinburgh and warmly welcome kids of all ages to get involved with our pumpkin extravaganza.

“ These events are always extremely popular with our regular Little Seedling Club attendees, so please book in advance to save any disappointment. It’s a fang-tastic way for families to get together this Halloween.”

Tickets for Little Scare-lings are now available for Dobbies’ Club Members, priced at £9.99 per child and from £3.95 for adult tickets, which officially go on sale to all customers from 5 September.

For more information about how to take part in Dobbies’ Little Scare-lings afternoon event, visit Events | Dobbies Garden Centres.

Free children’s event: Engage your five senses at Dobbies

Join this free-to-attend children’s gardening workshop

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, has announced its September Little Seedlings Club workshop in Edinburgh, a free-to-attend, inspiring and educational session around Garden Senses.

Aimed at children aged 4 to 10, this workshop will take place in Dobbies’ Edinburgh store on Sunday 3 September, giving young gardening fans an understanding of how they connect with their natural world through their senses. 

During the workshop, Dobbies’ team of gardening experts will focus on the five fundamental human senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Through engaging activities and demonstrations, children will learn how to use their senses when exploring their outside space.

From the rustling of leaves to the chirping of birds, participants will understand the role that sight and sound play in their garden. The workshop will delve into humans’ intricate sense of taste, explaining why certain fruits like apples taste sweet and vegetables like broccoli taste earthy. 

Children in Edinburgh will learn how touch receptors in the skin send signals to the brain to interpret the different textures of plants in the garden, as well as the science behind how we are able to smell lovely scents in the garden. Chrysanthemums play a large role in enhancing sensory gardens and there will be the chance to uncover how these vibrant flowers can engage multiple senses at once.

Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles, said: “The five senses play a crucial role in how we connect with the garden and environment around us. It’s an interesting subject and we’re delighted to be using it as a topic for our next Little Seedling Club workshop in our Edinburgh store.

“We’re looking forward to making nature even more exciting to young gardening fans and helping them understand how their senses all work in harmony.”

Little Seedlings Ambassador, Iniya Raj, adds: “I’m really looking forward to September’s workshop and learning all about how I can use each of my senses in the garden.

“I enjoy listening to the different sounds in the garden, especially the birds and little creatures that live there.”

For more information about how to take part in Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club session, visit Garden Senses | Dobbies Garden Centres

Dobbies team members in Edinburgh won’t miss a beat with new lifesaving CPR training

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, has rolled out a potentially lifesaving defibrillator and CPR training programme in Edinburgh supporting the British Heart Foundation (BHF), to help improve survival rates from cardiac arrest.  

There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year, but less than one in ten people survive, often because those around them don’t have the skills or confidence to perform CPR.   

Now to help save more lives, Dobbies’ 4,000 team members across all 76 of its stores, including Edinburgh, and its Central Support Office are being encouraged to complete RevivR – the BHF’s online tool which teaches vital CPR skills for free in just 15 minutes – and all that is needed is a mobile phone and a firm cushion to practice on.   

RevivR shows how to recognise a cardiac arrest, gives feedback on chest compressions and outlines the correct steps of using a defibrillator, giving anyone the confidence to help in the ultimate medical emergency.  

The retailer has also committed to registering all of its 77 defibrillators, one in each store and Central Support Office, on The Circuit2, the national defibrillator network, which connects defibrillators to NHS ambulance services across the UK. This ensures in those crucial moments after a cardiac arrest, they can be accessed quickly to help save lives. 

Paul Green, Head of People Experience, at Dobbies, said: “We are proud to be working with the British Heart Foundation on this important initiative, which we hope will help save lives.

“We want to enable all our team at the Edinburgh store to learn CPR and to know how simple defibrillators are to use. We are committed to creating a safe environment for our customers and our team, and I am proud to celebrate this landmark moment for our stores.” 

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation said: “A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time and it could happen to someone you love.

“Knowing what to do in those vital moments could mean the difference between life and death. We want to thank Dobbies for their support and for working with us to make sure even more people have the skills they need to save a life.” 

To find out more about RevivR please visit: https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/how-to-save-a-life/how-to-do-cpr/learn-cpr-in-15-minutes  

Visit TheCircuit.UK for more information or to register your defibrillator.   

Dobbies’ Edinburgh store celebrates the start of summer with free events for children

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is announcing summer workshops in its Edinburgh store to celebrate the  start of summer.

The Little Seedlings Club workshop will teach children how to look after the garden with the  warmer temperatures, and Dobbies’ Holiday Club workshop is about the different herbs and microgreens that can  help your pizza taste great.  

Suitable for children aged 4-10, these free and interactive sessions in Edinburgh are guaranteed to keep them  busy during the school holidays and encourage them to discover more about nature.  

Taking place on Sunday 2 July, the Little Seedlings Club workshop is set to be fun-filled and educational with a  focus on how to effectively conserve water when looking after the garden this summer.

Children will learn about  the fascinating water cycle in plants and why plants need our help to stay green and lush, particularly during the  hotter months. 

Dobbies’ horticultural experts will teach the children in Edinburgh when to water the plants and how to preserve  water usage through sustainable mulching and planting drought-resistant species like Cordyline, Lavender and  Hebe. Mulching not only saves water but also suppresses weeds, provides nutrients to the plants and enhances  the overall appearance of the garden. 

Dobbies’ Holiday Club takes place from the start of July where children will learn about the different herbs and  microgreens that can be used as pizza toppings.

The Holiday Club session will show the difference herbs can make  to a pizza, adding bold or subtle flavours as well as having nutritional value. The children in attendance will also  learn how to grow herbs and microgreens at home with ease.  

Dobbies’ Community and CSR Communications Executive, Chloë Bell said: “We are excited to be hosting two  fantastic sessions for kids in our Edinburgh store this summer.

“Not only are these sessions a great way to keep  children entertained and busy during the holidays, but it’s a great chance for them to meet friends and try  something new. If you haven’t already checked out our free sessions, please do come along this July and get  involved.”

Advance booking is required to secure a free spot at July’s Little Seedlings Club workshop and Pizza Planting  Holiday Club. The Holiday Club will run throughout the school holidays and customers are encouraged to visit the  Dobbies’ website for booking as each store’s availability differs.  

For more information on how children can participate, visit: Events | Dobbies Garden

Dobbies’ Edinburgh and Lothian stores search for best local amateur gardeners

Entries live for Not Your Average Gardener

Dobbies’ Edinburgh and Lothian stores are inviting amateur gardeners, of all ages and backgrounds from across the region, to enter its annual Not Your Average Gardener Awards.

Set to celebrate novice gardeners and enthusiasts alike, both Stockbridge little dobbies and Edinburgh Dobbies stores are calling in the help of a robust panel of horticultural and wildlife experts to crown four winners.

With four new categories, judges will be looking for a variety of gardeners of all abilities to put themselves, or a loved one, forward to be in with the chance of scooping Dobbies’ annual gardening prize.

Dobbies’ Senior Houseplant Buyer and recently appointed Royal Horticultural Society Chair of Assessors, Claire Bishop, will join Dobbies’ Horticultural Director and seasoned judge, Marcus Eyles, to crown the new Creative Indoor Gardener and Little Eco Gardener categories.

Claire said: “It’s a real honour to be part of the Not Your Average Gardener Awards for its fourth year and I can’t wait to see the talent from our houseplant enthusiasts across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

“The awards have been designed with full inclusivity in mind, so we’re looking for people of all ages and skill levels to get in touch and tell us about their vibrant green space that they have a real passion for.”

RePollinate, a Scottish-based charity that conserves and enhances the UK’s threatened pollinators through education, scientific research and the creation of pollinator friendly habitats, will judge the Wildlife Friendly Garden category.

Leigh Biagi, Project Coordinator at RePollinate, is thrilled to be partnering with Dobbies on the judging panel. She said: “We are so delighted to be asked to judge the Wildlife Friendly Gardener category of the awards.

“At RePollinate we are passionate about doing all we can to support nature in our green spaces, no matter how big or small that space may be, and we know that this passion is shared by many gardeners. It will be exciting to see the entries and discover what people are doing to support sustainability and welcome nature into their gardens.”

Social media gardening expert, Michael Griffiths, aka The Mediterranean Gardener, joins the panel to judge the Plant to Plate Gardener category. He said: “I’m delighted to be part of this year’s Not Your Average Gardener Awards, and can’t wait to see all the fantastic entries from gardeners across Edinburgh and the Lothians. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate the creativity and commitment of amateur gardeners, who invest their time and skill into making wonderful outside spaces with a grow your own focus.”

There’s a prize pot of £4,000 to help successful applicants take their award-winning garden to the next level, each taking home a £1,000 giftcard to spend in their nearest Dobbies or little dobbies. Team members will be on hand to help winners select the best sustainable products and plants for their space. 

Entries close on Friday 30 June and winners will be announced early August.

To find out more about how you can get involved and to take part, visit Not your average gardener award winners | Dobbies Garden Centres.

Dobbies’ Edinburgh store teams up with RSPB to help save the house sparrow population

Garden Centre encourages customers to welcome declining bird species into their gardens

The UK’s leading garden centre, Dobbies, has teamed up with the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, the RSPB, to educate its customers in Edinburgh on the declining house sparrow population this May and encourage them to do their part to welcome this bird species into their gardens.

During the month of May, RSPB volunteers will be raising awareness and collect donations across a number of Dobbies’ stores while offering the opportunity to sign up to become an RSPB member.

Since the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch began in 1979, encouraging people to count birds for an hour in January, the house sparrow’s population has gone from an average of 10 visitors per garden to only about four in 2022.

Although house sparrows topped the Big Garden Birdwatch for the 19th year in a row in 2022, their population has declined so drastically that they are now on the UK Red List for birds, and any further declines would be disastrous.

As part of this campaign, Dobbies’ Edinburgh store hosted a Little Seedlings Club workshop on Sunday 7 May. Children learned about the official Red List and the house sparrow, as well as some helpful tips on how to encourage more house sparrows into their gardens.

Dobbies’ Community and CSR Communications Executive, Chloe Bell, explained: “Our Little Seedlings Club attendees are the next generation of gardening enthusiasts and this awareness workshop with RSPB at our Edinburgh store is extremely important when it comes to helping rescue the house sparrow.  

“I have fond memories as a child listening to the house sparrows as I watched them fly about the garden and we want the younger generation to experience this too. You can help these birds by planting trees, shrubs and flowers in the garden, a place for the house sparrow to take shelter, forage for insects to feed their chicks, and ultimately help increase the population.”

Adrian Thomas, the RSPB’s wildlife gardening expert, said: “We are really looking forward to working with Dobbies to spread the word about these wonderful garden birds, and how people can help them.

“They’re great fun for kids to learn about too – house sparrows are delightfully sociable and chattery and they really benefit when we give them the food, water, and home they need. It shows how little actions can really make a difference to our local wildlife.”

Dobbies’ latest podcast with Adrian Thomas talks about the house sparrow, where podcast host, ITV This Morning’s Daisy Payne, asks how we can create a welcoming environment in our gardens to help increase population numbers. The episode is available to listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, dobbies.com/podcast.

Customers looking to encourage house sparrows to visit their garden can pick up RSPB-branded supplies from their nearest Dobbies’ store. Spotlight products for May include Medium Easy-clean Seed Feeders, Sunflower Hearts, High Energy Fat Bals, Table Seed Mix, Suet Sprinkles and highly nutritious Mealworms.

Products:

–          RSPB Sunflowers Hearts, £12.99

–          RSPB Mealworms, £13.99

–          RSPB Favourites Blend, £6.99

–          RSPB High Energy Fat Bals with Sunflower Hearts, £2.99

–          RSPB Table Seed Mix, 6.99

–          RSPB Suet Sprinkles, £10.99

–          RSPB Medium Easy-Clean Seed Feeder, 16.99

For more information on Dobbies, visit www.dobbies.com

If you live rurally and can’t take part in the in-store workshops, there are downloadable resources at doobies.com you can access at home. 

For more information on RSPB and how to become a member, visit www.rspb.org.uk

Grow the perfect plants for your patio with Dobbies

Looking to create a blooming patio this National Gardening Week (1-7 May 2023)? Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is hosting a free Grow How session in its Edinburgh store with a live demonstration on how to design your perfect patio with stylish pots and plants.

Taking place on Saturday 6th May at 10:30am, this interactive workshop is suitable for all levels of gardeners, from beginners who dream of growing and nurturing beautiful plants to brighten up their patios, to experts searching for new ways to enhance their outside space.  

Dobbies’ gardening experts will demonstrate how to select the right pots and plants, with an emphasis on striking the perfect balance of colour and style. Key plants that will be a focus as part of the event will include Hydrangea and Senetti, and the team will advise on the correct tools, peat-free compost and watering for a successful season.

Marcus Eyles, Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, said: “We are constantly searching for ways to inspire people in Edinburgh to get involved in gardening.

“Growing plants for your patio is not only good for the environment and your mental health, but it is also a fun way to get the whole family involved in a project.

“You could even be inspired by the Coronation over this special weekend. National Gardening Week this year has a focus on ‘creating a Coronation container’. If you’re looking to create a regal display, consider plants in deep shades of blue, purple and magenta for a striking look reminiscent of King Charles III’s royal gardens. Pansy and Viola plants are great for this as they work well in containers and will give your pots a wonderful fresh look.

“We are really looking forward to this workshop and hope we inspire some beautiful new patio plants.”

For more information about how to take part in Dobbies’ Grow How session, visit Grow How | Dobbies Garden Centres.

Dobbies’ Edinburgh store invites local residents to cast their votes 

Helping Your Community Grow shortlist announced

Dobbies’ Edinburgh store is inviting local residents to cast their vote and help the UK’s leading garden centre crown the Helping Your Community Grow winner for the store.

Seventy-five groups across the country have the chance to create or refresh a community space with Dobbies’ support, and the garden centre is now asking locals to help narrow its shortlist down, to one winner for its Edinburgh store.

This year’s initiative has welcomed nominations from schools looking to enhance their gardens; charities supporting the most vulnerable members of the community proposing sensory gardens; and community groups and clubs looking to create a garden space where they can grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Newtongrange Community Garden is a community initiative looking to bring residents together. The group have begun growing fruit and vegetables to give back to the local community and are looking to encourage more locals to get involved. Dobbies’ help would provide the group with flowers, shrubs and peat-free compost.

Dalkeith Guerrilla Gardeners is a community initiative run by volunteers who aim to make a difference in the local area from gardening to litter picking. Funded by local donations and fundraising, Dobbies’ support would provide the group with plants, bulbs and seeds as well as watering butts to increase their sustainable practices.

Mayfield Nursery School are looking to improve the outdoor learning experience for the children through their field to folk learning scheme to help give back to the local community. With Dobbies’ support, the school are looking to grow more fruits and vegetables in their new polytunnels, as well as receive children’s gardening tools, peat-free compost and expert advice on the best varieties to grow.

There was a notable increase in the number of entries from groups looking to grow their own this year. This follows research from Dobbies and Censuswide (commissioned in March) that found 67% of people in Edinburgh plan to grow their own fruit, vegetables and herbs this spring. Tomatoes are set to be the most popular crop for this year, closely followed by potatoes. 

The winning group for Edinburgh will receive advice, gardening products and plants from Dobbies’ horticultural team. Dobbies’ own-brand peat-free multipurpose compost, recycled and recyclable containers, UK-sourced plants and safer pest control products are among the many products the garden centre will donate.

Notably, the project that receives the most votes from all Dobbies stores will be the national winner, receiving extra funding and support.

Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies said: “We were overwhelmed with the response to our Helping Your Community Grow initiative and have seen a significant increase in nominations, with over 800 applications for 2023.

“A huge thank you to everyone who nominated their project for our Dobbies’ Edinburgh store to support. It’s now up to the public to select the winner – our Edinburgh team are very much looking forward to seeing who this will be.”

To find out more about the Helping Your Community Grow shortlist and to cast your vote, visit Helping Your Community Grow | Dobbies Garden Centres

Votes are open until Tuesday 25 April. There is only one vote per person. The project with the most votes will be the winner. The project with the most votes across the UK will be the national winner.