Plowmans Garden Centre in East Dorset

We visited Baskets and Blooms on Sunday with my brother and sister in law who are on holiday from Devon. We met for coffee then having looked at the menu decided to stay for lunch. My sister in law required a gluten free choice so she had a discussion with the manager. He was very helpful and understood her requirements completely which gave her confidence as she can become very poorly if cross contamination happens. The food was lovely as was the atmosphere. The manager and staff were very attentive and ensured all their customers were well looked after. We have been there for their afternoon tea and a fundraising cream tea in the past and will definitely be revisiting.

The coffee and cakes were delicious BUT let down by the officious lady who at 3.28 pm told us that the. Café was shut and it was Sunday trading laws! Nowhere on the website was 3.30 closing of the Café mentioned nor any information given at the time of ordering. So us and two other tables of customers were hustled out. Disappointing. Clearer information and a more customer friendly attitude would have been appreciated.

Not the correct food bought to table, when queried, the waiter was rather rude and said he was 'only the messenger! Correct food came later no apologies from him. Later, went to use the toilets, now porter loos. Filthy, we left and found another place we were able to use!!

Our original choices were no longer available. So the panini with bacon & cheese &chili jam was offered.it was very poor.very thin & hardly any cheese.wont be returning to cafe.

Great place for meeting friends and enjoying a coffee and delicious cake. Friendly staff great service. Really worth a visit

Cannot understand why Golden Acres hasn't beem amended to "Baskets and Blooms". Reviews could confuse new visitors. The restaurant offers an excellent variety of barista made coffees as well as other hot & cold drinks. Dorset Apple Cake, Carrot cake & Coffee & Walnut Cakes are all good & popular at most cafés. Always check which cakes are freshest. There is nothing worse than paying for a cake because it looked good but was dry & stale. On the day we went, Dorset Apple Cake was served with whipped cream on the side, just the way I like it! Panini's & Burgers or Fish and Chips are popular lunch choices.

Met friends for lunch again in Parley branch. Last time I visited I complained to staff and on line about the disgusting condition of the toilets.Again this time I was met by Lid less unsecured toilet seats.Debris around the bowls.Sanitary pad on top of bin.No toilet paper and a filthy wall behind the hand dryer. I complained to cafe staff and was told the toilets are cleaned ONCE a day (early afternoon)and that they kept replacing items but “the customers kept breaking them”Looking at the average age and type of customers I find this hard to believe. If this is the practice for the toilets it makes me wonder about the hygiene practices in the kitchen.I did visit the loos once again before leaving and someone had been around with bleach but no toilet brush. I shall have to think seriously before visiting again.Sad because prior to loo visit we had a very nice lunch.

The tables outside had not been cleared when we arrived, the young staff all looked like they didn't want to be there and were very busy. Had to wait for ages to be served, they weren't sure if they could omit the tuna and give me plain cheese in my panini to start with!!. When our order arrived the young lad waiting gave my son his and said he didn't know if he had the order correct "but have it anyway." I bit in to mine only to find there was no filling what so ever, so they omitted the tuna AND the cheese just a plain piece of cardboard bread thinner than a flatbread. (My husbands had a miniscule amount of cheese in his.) I informed the waitress of this who confirmed she thought it looked awful and offered a replacement and said "the cheese had probably slipped out as there was nothing to hold it in!" There would have been traces of cheese on it if they had put some in. I took the order back and told the man I assumed was in charge and he said "that's not what we are about" but in fact it was because it had happened. He did apologise and gave me a refund but to me that was the least they could do. I shall remember my Mothers day lunch for all the wrong reasons and won't be going back for any other meal in the future.

Had what was supposed to be cod and chips today at lunchtime. Only batter - a tiny morsel of fish - maybe a fish finger in the batter? Don’t eat here!

Now run by In Excess...we really enjoyed our light lunch here a couple of weeks ago. My ham, eggs and chips was delicious, on a hot plate and good value. Very good and friendly service, on the level, good value, lots of parking with a few disabled spaces near the entrance. My mother has walking issues, and the staff helped her so much, which getting the Covid measures just right. As a garden centre, it's very good here too; plenty of plants, pots and pretty-much all you need for gardening in the indoor shop and outdoor areas to the rear. A modest selection of gifts and greeting cards too. (If they'd put jacket potatoes back on the menu, I'd have given them 5/5!)

We hadn't been here for a while but were glad we went in for lunch today. All the staff were friendly and welcoming and there was plenty of variety on the menu. The food took a little longer to arrive than we expected but when it did it was very tasty and portion size was good. The decor is attractive and vastly improved from when we last visited, and Covid guidelines are being strictly adhered to. Well worth a visit!

So, Baskets & Blooms have revamped the Wheelbarrow café, now called "Blooms Café.) Still huge areas of covered seating inside and out, good friendly service, popular snacks on the menu, (panninis/jacket potatos/sandwiches/cakes), and quality teas and coffees. Our jacket potatos with melted cheese/tuna sweetcorn were as delicious as ever, and good value too. Their covid measures are thorough. Plenty of parking here at this popular indie garden centre. Love it!

Visiting Baskets & Blooms this morning, so nice to see the lovely Squeaky Wheelbarrow cafe reopended today. They ran through the social distancing system with customers, there's hand wash, and plenty of "outdoors" tables. Oh yes, our coffees and coffee and walnut cake were delicious and good value. Great that you've reopened.

Brilliants choice of Potted plant displays to choose from at reasonable prices. Also an excellent choice of plants for gardens. Plus friendly service and a nice restaurant with home cooking

Brilliant gluten free breakfast, they really understand gluten free lovely hot food in very pleasant clean environment would certainly recommend the all day breakfast.

I took my mum for lunch as a treat, but we were very disappointed. We went on a Monday, and should have realised that the pork roast on Monday, was Sundays roast. Mum said the pork was tough, and vegetables cold. I had fish and chips, and said exactly the same, it was cold. . We left 3/4 if our meals before leaving, but staff were not to be seen. i felt really let down, taking my elderly mum for lunch was a rare treat, but not on this occasion. We won't be going back.

Great for hanging baskets, tubs or bedding plants, really healthy plants, Highly recommend a meal or snack at the squeaky wheelbarrow the food is really tasty.

We popped in for a light lunch; jacket potato with melted cheese, ham, egg 'n' chips. Followed by a slice of coffee and walnut cake, and coffee. Yum. Fast, friendly service, plenty of spacious inside seating, reasonably priced. And it's a great-value garden centre too! Hints; huge car park with the row closest to the building reserved for blue-badged visitors. Everything's on one level. The toilets are out past the café.

A family lunch for four; chilly bbq beans jacket potatos, Sunday roast, sandwich. All very good and great value too.Generous-sized portions, lots of good service and smiles.Dining inside and out...the ceiling fzns were working overtime inside and made a huge difference.Sunday roast is limited to one meat, roasties and 2 veg + gravey. It was spot-on. (I've often thought that while a carvery style has it's positives, with plenty of choice, a simple set carvery ticks most of the boxes too. It certainly did here.)The menu is quite extensive; paninis, jackets, specials, desserts, cakes, etc.There's plenty of car parking, with the closest row to the entrance reseved for blue-badged visitors. From then on, everywhere is on one level, and dpacious too, so it's easy to get around.Nice toilets.Love it.And everything here is very good value.No wonder it's become so popular with mzny locals.

Been visiting Basket & Blooms since bought from Plowmans. Now visited the Café called "Squeaky Wheelbarrow" for lunch. The range of food was very good and we ordered a variety of sandwiches, coffee's and cake. The were bought to our table and freshly cooked and made. Soon the café seemed to get popular with other people ordering and having food.Note: The also do Sunday roasts. Cannot be bad for a Sunday visit then with the family.

They stock lots of different plants, and quite reasonably priced. Well layed out and staff are very helpful. Well worth the visit.

Since changing hand in 2017 it has charmed me and family. We shall return to sample more reasonable priced hot food.

We always enjoyed our visits to Ploughmans Garden Centre...so nice to visit the new "Baskets and Blooms" incarnation.

We've always preferred Plowmans to the 'other' bland garden centre chain across the road. Wonderful cafe, knowledgable and friendly staff, and a delightful miniature railway! How gutted were we today to find it is closing down. It's terribly sad. We will miss it very much.

Cafe was open but garden centre closed preparing for a sale seems strange but Large cafe with good looking hot food Good array of cakes very reasonable priced

We were visiting Plowmans for my baby Grandaughter to meet Santa in the grotto. It was a brilliant experience and the present received was amazing. The elves were very amusing and it was nice to see the small collection of animals and all the lovely decorations.

Took my grandchildren to see the birds of prey, and have lunch. They really had a good time and enjoyed their lunch. We all went on the train which was very pleasant. A good time was had by all!!

Took an unplanned trip on a Sunday afternoon to see santa with my two children and a friend and her two. Staff were really helpful and friendly. No queues to see santa. Great prezzies from santa and a nice touch that the children can choose there own followed by a large bag of sweets. Loved the train ride and very reasonable at only £1 per person. Saw the owls on the way out too - a lovely little extra.

Can’t recommend this event highly enough. We went in lovely sunshine at the weekend. There is a walkway with a minion and loads of nice things to look at. The nice railway guy who used to be at Poole Park and who did Upton last year was an elf and we were laughing all the time. We saw some beautiful baby piglets, turkeys and a reindeer with it's gorgeous baby. They were having a nap at the time but lovely to see a baby reindeer and they are there all the time, not just for a few hours one weekend.

We called in there with elderly parent for lunch. Food on offer looked good and freshly cooked. We queued up waiting for food, the first in our party gave their selection and there it stopped. the server went along the counter and dealt with someone with their toasted sandwich, and then their teas/coffees. After about 5 minutes she came back and served us our lunches. then remained there to serve the other people in the queue. Lunches were tasteful and nice but spoilt by the first one served cooling. The other staff were attentive, clearing tables quickly.

Such a lovely place for lunch. Fantastic food with fantastic staff. Lovely environment and ever so clean. Looking forward to going back.

I have eaten here many times on a Sunday & never been disappointed. The food is always served on time, is piping hot, tasty well-cooked main courses with a great selection of vegetables. Desserts equally lovely. All great value for money.

Went shopping for an apple tree and just happened to be a day that they had owls there.

Called in today for Sunday lunch just to check that last visit was not a one of.

Called into this garden centre and there is plenty of parking.

Decided to try the Roast Lunch. Excellent portion of both meat and vegetables, which I believe were frozen and could have been cooked a little longer. It was, however, reasonably priced and enjoyable. On a warm day it was good to see jugs of water and ice. The tables were kept free of used crockery but there were used serviettes dotted around on the floor. Well worth a visit, there is a good menu choice and I am sure if you only go for a coffee or tea you will probably have a piece of cake!

when we visited the garden centre was shut, but the café was open. They had a range of hot meals and snacks. I tried the chicken pie, which was pre-cooked along with the vegetables, in a carvery style. The pie was surprisingly good and the vegetables were generally hot. My partner had a jacket potato with chilli, which was okay but didn't seem to have a lot of chilli in the mince.

We took advantage of the afternoon tea for two for £12 and we were amazed at the variety, freshness and good value. We got 2 types of freshly made sandwiches, 3 types of cake, scones, jam and cream plus 2 large fresh strawberries each plus tea/ coffee all included. We sat in the 'outside' patio area which is largely covered and very sheltered so that our little dog could be with us. Very helpful and friendly staff.

My wife and I visited this garden centre. As it was approaching our lunchtime we decided to visit the restaurant as previous reviewers had recommended it, how dis-appointing the quiche was running with oil from the cheese and my pork was tough and not what I call cooked, the vegetables were luke warm and could only be described as raw with the exception of the roast potatoes which were encased in a very hard outside that the knife struggled to deal; with. We both left most of our meals and left to purchase some garden plants which were of good quality.

The Restaurant has a marvellous Chef who cooks good wholesome Meals and you get a really good portion size, it is always very fresh and beautifully arranged on the plate. The Cream Cakes are to die for and the Salads are wonderful. The Garden Centre has good quality plants and very reasonably priced, we love it here and go most weeks.

We visited the café today (8th May) and because it was warm and sunny decided to have our cup of tea in the outside area which was empty. Sadly, the scones were dry and stale and the floor was littered with serviettes, spent sauce sachets and receipts, one of which was for 25th April. So I ask the question "does no-one sweep up every day?". Not impressed.

Everything here you might want from a garden centre , its a large one with ample car parking. But we went for the café this time. I highly recommend the roast lamb dinner which was superb , well cooked and more than enough! If you have kiddies we noticed a play area inside for them which might be handy. Give it a go .. we recommend it..

Clean and tidy and now nearly double its original size. Outside 'Patio' seating but mainly inside. Food hot and plentiful. If very busy it can be frustrating to wait to pay with a hot meal while those in the queue in front of you wait for their coffees to be made. Good experience overall.

After garden shopping we had tea and cakes. Cakes here are fantastic. A lovely selection and really yummy.

A late breakfast for us, we have driven past hundreds of times. I almost don't want to give a review, please keep this place a secret. Hidden at the back of the garden centre it is bright and cheerful inside, yet nowhere as bright and cheerful as the young lady serving us. We had 4 breakfasts which were a good size and well cooked, my wife commented that it was nice to be served hot food! Rather than the warm offering at other establishments nearby.

Another really great lunch at Plowmans. We had the lamb and apricot casserole with a cobbler. Absolutely delicious, nicely cooked with a very good sized serving. And only £12 for the two of us. With two custard slices and a pot of tea our total bill was only £20. Now that's is good value.

Just home from Christmas lunch at plowmans. We both thoroughly enjoyed turkey with all the trimmings, trifle or Christmas pudding and coffee and mints. Less than £24 for both of us.

Had an amazing morning with all the family for the breakfast with santa. Really good value for money which offers lovely food and lovely atmosphere. All staff were so well organised and all so friendly. Gifts from santa were also very good and even had a really good photo taken with santa which was also very good value. to end our morning we then went on the train for only £1 and the kids got a sweet. would recommend this so much and thanks again to all the staff. Will be returning next year

I went here after hearing many good recommendations from friends who were not wrong. Good, wholesome food cooked by a great chef. Generous portion size, good for me as I like to eat! Very tasty selection of cakes.

I attended Afternoon tea with Absoluetly WI Ferndown at the beginning of the month. We were given a tour of the Garden Centre followed by a scrumptious afternoon tea. This you must try! After tea we were given the opportunity to ask Mr. Plowman many gardening questions. Many thanks to all for a lovely afternoon.

Had a super mid week lunchtime meal with a friend and were amazed by the value for money. and the relaxed atmosphere.Food was freshly cooked and served by staff who were courteous and eager to please Will be visiting again

I visited with my parents and found half the shop was flooded and the restaurant, although its been refurbished, was freezing cold. My parents are elderly and found it too cold. We hoped for some nice plants and gifts but the garden centre is awful. The food we had was hot and quite nice, but the service wasn't very friendly- we will stick to the Wyevale opposite- much warmer in temperature and welcome! The Garden Centre Is much better too!

The restaurant here serves very nice homemade food,it's clean the staff and top class and you get what you pay for,it's a lovely spot,near the airport,so take your ear plugs ,

A real find, hidden well within the garden centre. The food is of the highest quality presented in a most attractive manner in a bright modern setting. The portions are generous and the staff attentive and most friendly. The chef converses with and relates well with the customers.

Recently re-furbished cafe in Ploughmans Garden, Nursery & Plant Centre. Pleasantly referbed and extended. Excellent buffet style food. Good portions and pleasant and caring staff. You might be put off by the fact that the cafe is not immediately noticeable but persevere it should be worth your visit. Not licensed. Plenty of car parking.