Free children’s workshop in Edinburgh store this March
The UK’s leading garden centre retailer, Dobbies, is hosting a free Little Seedlings workshop on Sunday 6 March in Edinburgh, delving into the much-loved garden strawberry.
The workshop will take place at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store and is perfect for children aged 4-10. During the Little Seedlings Club, children will take a closer look at one of the most popular fruits in the world, the strawberry, and discover the history surrounding the fruit and its importance to our eco-system.
Children attending the workshop will soon become strawberry experts, learning how to grow this marvellous fruit, how to nurture and look after their plants, and top tips for selecting the best crop.
Dobbies will also be introducing children to the different ways they can use their delicious homegrown produce in the food and drink they enjoy at home.
This workshop has sustainability at its core and will highlight the key benefits of using peat-free compost and safer pest control products. Growing your own heavily reduces your carbon footprint, packaging waste, food waste and eliminates the need for harmful chemical fertilisers – a brilliant way to support your body, mind and the planet.
Sarah Murray, Partnership and Events Manager said: “We’re looking forward to our March Little Seedlings Club in our Edinburgh store. Our horticultural team thoroughly enjoy supporting these keen young gardeners, while introducing them to different ways to help look after our planet.
“The fun and interactive format of our Little Seedlings Club engages children from all backgrounds to learn while finding their passion for gardening.
“We’d advise those looking to attend to book in advance to avoid any disappointment.”
Advance booking is required to secure your space for this free to attend event at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store. For more information on how your little one can take part, visit www.dobbies.com/events
Free demonstrations relaunch at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store
The UK’s leading garden centre retailer, Dobbies, relaunches its highly requested free in-store ‘Grow How’ demonstrations, taking place on the first Saturday of every month in its Edinburgh store.
Available in Edinburgh, Grow How offers customers an interactive opportunity to learn from Dobbies’ horticultural experts and finesse their gardening skills. Encouraging the nation to be more green, sessions will cover sustainability and growing your own, working with the seasons to maximise your outdoor space, no matter how big or small, and how to create sought-after landscapes.
Dobbies’ Grow How educational sessions are built to be flexible, fun and interactive, taking around 10-15 minutes. Customers in Edinburgh can look forward to a live demonstration with a Dobbies’ horticulture expert and an ask the expert section, where the floor will open to relevant questions.
Sarah Murray, Dobbies’ Partnership and Events Manager said: “We couldn’t be more excited that Grow How is relaunching in our Edinburgh store next month.
“We’d encourage customers to take advantage of our free expert advice in-store and hopefully learn something new about how to make their green space bloom.”
Marcus Eyles, Dobbies’ Horticultural Director said: “Our team of horticultural experts across the UK thoroughly enjoyed hosting these relaxed ‘how to’ sessions in previous years and we can’t wait to get our gardening gloves back on for this interactive and popular experience.
“We would encourage anyone in Edinburgh, no matter their gardening experience, to come along and give these sessions a go – we’ll provide tips and recommendations to ensure you can make the most of your outside space, whether you have a window sill or sprawling lawn.”
The demonstrations will take place in Dobbies’ Edinburgh store on the first Saturday of each month at 10:30am.
Topics for March – September are detailed below, but may be subject to change depending on customer feedback:
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, is hosting a free sustainable workshop on Sunday 6 February in Edinburgh for the Little Seedlings Club to learn how to grow indoors.
Suitable for children aged 4-10, this workshop will take place in Dobbies’ Edinburgh store and will encourage children to take advantage of the cold winter months and start growing fruit, vegetables and herbs indoors.
Children will learn about what fruit and vegetables can successfully be grown indoors, the best technique for chitting potatoes to prepare for sowing and all the benefits and uses of indoor herbs.
Dobbies will also be educating children on the benefits of growing your own for their health and the planet. Home grown produce creates no plastic waste and also reduces food waste as you only harvest what you need. In addition to this, locally grown vegetables reduce carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels.
Sarah Murray, Partnership and Events Manager said: “At Dobbies we always look for ways to help our customers be sustainable and we’re delighted to be educating and encouraging the next generation of gardeners to use sustainable practices.
“Our gardening club allows children from all backgrounds to come together and connect with one another in a friendly group setting. Learning about the plants in their garden, wildlife and environment, we strive to nurture their minds with fun-filled activities.
“Our Little Seedlings Club is ever-popular and spaces are filled quickly. We’d encourage anyone looking to bring their children along to our Edinburgh store to book in advance to avoid any disappointment.”
Advance booking is required to secure your space for this free to attend event at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store.
For more information on how your little one can take part, visit:
Local charity, Young Lives vs Cancer, has been named as one of three winners for Dobbies’ Not Your Average Community competition.
The nationwide contest, run by the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, invited community groups, clubs, charities and neighbourhoods to apply and tell the Dobbies’ team about the work they are doing in their local areas and what they would do with the prize – £1,000 to spend in their local store on Christmas trees, lights and decorations
Dobbies were inundated with entries from across the country, reading heart-warming stories about the incredible work being carried out by dedicated volunteers and community workers, and had a difficult job selecting the three winners.
Young Lives vs Cancer at Ciaran’s House was a very worthy winner, providing accommodation to families whose children are receiving cancer treatment at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People. The families are able to stay as long as required and siblings can also stay in Edinburgh.
In their winning entry, the charity told how they wanted to transform the nine-bedroom house with trees, lights, wreaths and decorations for the families to decorate their own rooms and communal living space with their prize.
A member of the Edinburgh Dobbies’ team met with Mandy Tait, House Manager and Sandra Fox, Deputy Manager from the Ciaran’s House team to help them select the best products for their requirements, as well as treating them to Christmas Afternoon Tea in the restaurant.
Mandy Tait and Sandra Fox, said: “A huge thank you to the lovely team at Dobbies, not only for selecting us as winners, but for being so supportive and helpful while we selected our festive decorations.
“Dressing the house will make a massive difference to the team working there and those spending time with us this December.”
Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “A huge congratulations to Young Lives vs Cancer at Ciaran’s House for winning our Not Your Average Community campaign this year.
“The work they do is inspirational and we’re proud to be able to help them spread some festive cheer during what will be a difficult time for many.
“A huge thank you to everyone who entered our Not Your Average Community campaign. It was wonderful to see so many great projects taking place across Edinburgh and beyond.”
For more information on Not Your Average Community:
Dobbies is encouraging people in Edinburgh to think sustainably this Christmas, as they mark ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ (today – 4 December 2021).
Dobbies’ annual ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ takes place on the first Saturday of December and marks the day most shoppers visit their local garden centre to pick up their real cut or pot grown Christmas trees.
This year, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer has launched a new range of real Christmas trees for every space at its Edinburgh store, making it easier to find the perfect tree no matter your style or budget.
From small trees like the pot grown Picea ‘Conica’, ideal for compact spaces; to the slim grade Nordmann Fir, perfect for tight spots; to the impressive Premium grade Nordmann Fir for large rooms, there is something for every home, so you can do Christmas your way.
This ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’, Dobbies is encouraging shoppers buying real trees to think ahead about how they can reuse their Christmas centrepiece once the festivities are over.
The garden centre has announced its top tips on how people can repurpose their cut Christmas trees to create a wildlife haven for small animals and insects to shelter in during the winter months and reduce waste in the new year.
This is part of the #SustainableDobbies campaign, in which the retailer raises awareness of sustainable products and practices for customers and supporters.
Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles said: “Choosing a real tree is one of the most-loved Christmas traditions, and on this year’s ‘Bring Your Christmas Tree Home Day’, we want to encourage people in Edinburgh to be mindful of how they can recycle their cut real trees once the festivities are over.
“Cut real Christmas trees can be a great tool when it comes to creating a safe place for wildlife to shelter during the winter months, so we’re delighted to show people how they can make use of their trees once the Christmas decorations have come down.”
Fay Vass, Chief Executive of British Hedgehog Preservation Society said: “We’re delighted that Dobbies are shining a light on ways in which people can create a safe space for hedgehogs and other wildlife in their gardens.
“Hedgehog numbers are in decline, and they have recently been added to the UK Red List as a species that is vulnerable to extinction. We all need to play our part in improving their habitat and we hope people will take advantage of these tips to help create a safe place for wildlife in their gardens.”
Marcus has outlined a step-by-step guide on how people can reuse their real cut Christmas trees to make a wildlife haven in their gardens in the new year:
1. Remove the tree from your house carefully to stop any loose needles from dropping. Marcus recommends wearing thick gloves to protect your hands.
2. Using a good quality pair of secateurs, starting from the top remove each branch as close as possible to the main stem.
3. Stack the branches together four or five pieces high and place onto soil or leaves under large shrubs, trees or hedges.
4. Repeat this process until all the branches are used. This will provide a great shelter for small animals and insects to protect them from the worst of the winter weather. Marcus points out that the needles and branches will breakdown over time to produce organic matter than will enrich the soil.
5. For the main trunk of the tree use a pruning saw to cut into 30cm lengths, which can then be stacked to make a mini log pile which is a great habitat for wildlife to shelter in.
Dobbies is encouraging the children who attend its Little Seedlings Club to take the lead in creating wildlife shelters.
Ethan Firth, Dobbies Little Seedling Ambassador, adds: “Christmas is a time to create fond memories and what better way than to keep a memory of Christmas whilst considering the environment and being sustainable all at the same time!
“I plan to re-pot our family pot-grown Christmas tree and reuse for next Christmas, and the cut Christmas tree in my bedroom I’m going to recycle and make a hedgehog shelter.”
Christmas is officially in full swing in all 74 Dobbies’ stores across the UK.
Edinburgh customers got their first glimpse of Santa and snow, as a snow machine featured at their late night shopping event in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust on Thursday.
With the most wonderful time of the year just around the corner, get into the seasonal spirit and enjoy Dobbies’ Christmas Afternoon Tea.
Dobbies has decked the Edinburgh store out in festive decorations, and has everything customers could dream of do Christmas their way. From real and faux trees and wreaths, to decorations in a variety of dazzling winter themes, plus gifts, festive food and stocking fillers.
Dobbies’ Christmas Afternoon Tea includes a selection of seasonal finger sandwiches, mini cakes, sweet slices and mince pies. Freshly-made festive scones with jam and clotted cream will also be served, perfectly paired with a pot of tea or coffee. For added sparkle, there’s the opportunity to upgrade with a bottle of Prosecco.
Also available for little ones is Dobbies’ Children’s Christmas Afternoon Tea. Freshly-made sandwiches, delicious festive treats, a selection of healthy snacks and fruit juice means the whole family can enjoy a seasonal treat.
Sarah Murray, Partnership and Events Manager at Dobbies said: “Christmas at our Edinburgh store is a magical time of the year and we can’t wait to welcome customers in to enjoy all that we have to offer. We’re not your average garden centre.
“Our restaurant is the perfect spot for a festive bite to eat after a busy day shopping at the Edinburgh store. The Christmas Afternoon Tea is a lovely way for customers to enjoy our fantastic selection of baked goods, leaving them feeling festive.”
Dobbies’ Edinburgh Christmas Afternoon Tea experience is available for a limited time throughout November and December. Prices start from £13.50 per adult and £7.50 per child and booking is essential.
To book your experience or for more information visit:
Raising funds for national charity partner, Teenage Cancer Trust
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is inviting shoppers across Edinburgh to join them for extended shopping hours to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust.
Taking place from 5pm to 9pm on Thursday 25 November in Dobbies’ Edinburgh and Livingston stores, in addition to little dobbies Stockbridge, the Christmas Shopping Night will showcase the Christmas ranges, and feature competitions, discount vouchers, demos and sampling.
Customers across Edinburgh will have the opportunity to make donations to Dobbies’ national charity partner, Teenage Cancer Trust, write festive messages on Christmas baubles for the Wish Tree, and win prizes in a fantastic festive raffle.
The Christmas Your Way raffle will offer customers the chance to win all the items featured on specially created Christmas trees. There’s a tree for chocolate fans in partnership with Lindt, one for kids with Living Nature, one for those who love their pets with Chuckit, gardening gurus with Burgon and Ball, and fashionistas with Powder. The raffle will open on the night and close on 17December.
*Dobbies’ stores will offer an exclusive preview of their Christmas Grotto and customers will be able to enjoy a two-course festive meal at Dobbies’restaurants for £12.95, choosing from vegan and vegetarian options as well as traditional turkey with all the trimmings. This is bookable in advance.
Sarah Murray, Partnership and Events Manager said: “Christmas is a time of year we all look forward to at Dobbies stores across Edinburgh, and we can’t wait to welcome people for a full festive experience with our late opening evening. There will be a free welcome drink and a range of Christmas gifts, decorations and products to choose from.
“Most importantly, we are raising funds for our national charity partner, Teenage Cancer Trust, who do incredible work with young people across the country. It’s going to be the perfect way to get the festive season started.”
Donna Bednarek, Senior Relationship Manager for Teenage Cancer Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted to collaborating with Dobbies as they stay open late on 25 November.
“The donations from Dobbies’ customers will enable us to give the gift of care from our nurses, or the gift of community on one of our specialist units, to young cancer patients across the UK.”
For more details on Dobbies’ Christmas Shopping Night, visit:
There is a £1 donation to attend, with all monies raised going to Teenage Cancer Trust – this is available in-store in advance or on the night.
Dobbies is also going to be sharing some festive joy in the run up to Christmas, celebrating community groups, charities, clubs and neighbourhoods who make a difference to their local areas.
Not Your Average Community will see three local groups from across the UK win £1,000 to spend on decorations to brighten up their local area for Christmas.
In the festive spirit of giving, Dobbies’ Edinburgh store has launched a new campaign to share some joy in the run up to Christmas.
Not Your Average Community will see three local groups from across the UK win £1,000 to spend on trees, lights and decorations to brighten up their local area for Christmas. The campaign follows on from the successful Not Your Average People and Not Your Average Gardener campaigns, which saw Dobbies recognise outstanding and talented individuals making a difference in their local areas.
Now Dobbies is looking to celebrate special community groups, charities, clubs or neighbourhoods in Edinburgh who deserve some festive treats.
A member of the Dobbies’ team will help each winning group select their Christmas items, providing expert advice on the best trees, lighting and decorations to make the most impact. As part of this visit, the winning groups will be invited to enjoy afternoon tea in their local Dobbies’ restaurant.
Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “With Christmas just around the corner, we’re looking to spread some festive joy in Edinburgh with our next community initiative.
“We are looking forward to hearing from community groups from across Edinburgh who want to brighten up their local area for their friends, team members or neighbours. Whether they need outdoor lighting, Christmas trees or festive finishing touches, our teams will be on hand to help them make the most of their prize.”
Not Your Average Community is open to community groups, clubs, charities and neighbourhoods in Edinburgh, where they will be invited to complete a simple application form online telling Dobbies about their community group, why they are important to their local area and what trees, lights and decorations they would need to make a difference to their space.
Entries will close for all applicants at 5pm on Monday 22 November, and winners will be selected and contacted by the end of November.
Prizes will be collected at the start of December.
New quiet grottos introduced at the Edinburgh store
With colder months on the way, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, Dobbies Garden Centres, launches its events for the festive season, with booking open now in the Edinburgh store.
The ever-popular Santa’s Grotto experience is back. As one of the most loved, traditional festive experiences at Dobbies, little ones in Edinburgh will love walking through the outdoor woodland, spotting Christmas characters along the way before being welcomed by Santa and receiving a special gift. For those looking to create a lasting memory, a photo can be purchased.
New for 2021, at 50 stores across the UK, will be Quiet Grottos. Working in partnership with Autism Together, there will be Santa visits which are supportive of children with additional needs, considering sound and visual elements, and helping to minimise anxiety.
Michelle Walklett, Head of Autism Together’s Autism Training and Advisory Service, said: “As a specialist UK charity supporting autistic people, we’re pleased to be working with Dobbies in Edinburgh to help enhance their Christmas Grotto experience for visitors with autism and other sensory needs.
“Through this partnership, we’ll also be delivering autism awareness training for Santa and all his elves and helpers in time for the festive season.”
Christmas is not just for children, and Dobbies is extending the festive fun to four-legged friends. At Santa Paws in Edinburgh, dogs have the chance to meet Santa, along with the whole family. Guests are invited to bring their cameras to get a snap, making it the perfect Christmas card photo opportunity.
At Santa’s Breakfast, families will be able to enjoy the ever-popular Dobbies’ breakfast. The festive event includes breakfast options for adults and children, followed by fun games and a visit from Santa with a special gift for each child. This event is suited to families with children aged 10 and under.
Sarah Murray, Partnership and Events Manager, said: “At Dobbies we want to offer families an opportunity to come together and make memories that last a lifetime. There truly is nothing more magical than Christmas for a child and our range of events helps to bring the season to life for all the family.”
Dobbies’ Edinburgh Christmas events are available to view online, with customers requested to book in advance. Also new for 2021 is the opportunity to add a donation to the price of an event ticket, for Dobbies’ National Charity Partner, Teenage Cancer Trust.
