Dunston Hall Garden Centre Reviews Summary

Garden Centre and Plant Selection

Pros:

• "Gorgeous garden centre, a wonderful selection of plants and garden bits and bobs."
• "Excellent garden centre! The plants are beautiful and nurtured by the staff."
• "The best plants for miles around."
• "Great variety of plants available but the best part is the staff."
• "The selection of plants is impressive, ranging from vibrant flowers to healthy shrubs and trees."
• "Very well stocked sundries department. Outdoor plants were a little lacking, but so are most centres in the winter months."
• "Absolutely cracking coffee, really well done. And a good food choice."
• "Lovely Garden Centre, not too big, but they sell most things you would want."

Cons:

• "Prices are reasonable and plants, pots, water features, garden furniture etc. all here. Cafe too, food and drink is very good."
• "Good cakes and pastries and lovely scones. Frindly staff, coffee a bit weak."
• "Not a lot of selection. Went in for some new houseplants and pots and they had almost nothing."
• "Fine for outdoor plants but not a huge range of indoor ones."
• "The nursery wasn't busy at all, had some beautiful spring plants on display and plenty of shrubs, bulbs and seeds."
• "The garden centre is good - healthy plants and an extensive range."
• "Plants always look healthy and at their best. Staff always polite and helpful and the food and drinks are great also."
• "Garden centre still the same, quite expensive compared to others close by."

Café and Bistro Experience

Pros:

• "Lovely food and great value for money."
• "The cakes are to die for."
• "The onsite cafe is nice and sells a wide selection of teas and cakes."
• "Went to restaurant for a coffee and cake, even though they were busy they found us a seat and served us quickly."
• "Really excellent, delicious food, fairly priced."
• "Had a lovely afternoon tea with a friend for a belated birthday. Staff were lovely and very attentive."
• "Lovely bistro cafe xxx food drinks lovely too."
• "The food is extremely tasty and atmosphere and staff are very pleasant and helpful."

Cons:

• "Very disappointed, just had the spicy pumpkin soup. It was awful, less spice more pumpkin please."
• "We waited over ten minutes to be served after several staff blanked us."
• "Can't comment on the rooms because only looked around the garden centre. But felt the cafe was quite expensive."
• "Tried the bistro with a friend wasn't too busy because when it's full you can't hear conversation."
• "The old cafe was perfect! The food was good and reasonably priced and the staff pleasent."
• "Just had breakfast with the kids and hands down, the best breakfast in the area by miles."
• "Good Garden centre however the highlight is the great cafe."
• "The bistro cafe at Dunston Hall Garden Centre is our favourite place for coffee/tea and cakes."

Staff and Service Quality

Pros:

• "Friendly, helpful staff and a wide-range of Everything!"
• "The staff never came to check if it was ok."
• "Staff are knowledgeable and friendly."
• "The staff made us very welcome. All our meals were superb!!"
• "Excellent garden centre good quality plants. New bistro with amazing food."
• "The staff are always friendly, the service is efficient, and they always bring water for our dog."
• "The staff, each and everyone, are pleasant, caring and friendly."
• "Friendly local garden centre. Knowledgeable staff and good range of products."

Cons:

• "We waited over ten minutes to be served after several staff blanked us then we has to ask."
• "The waitress who bought our two coffee's both weak and one scone that was so dry the butter wouldn't spread was so miserable."
• "Cafe manager clearly didn’t want to be helpful today."
• "Disappointing. New cafe/ bistro looks great but style over substance today."
• "The cooked English breakfast was a small portion and lots of fat on bacon."
• "The quiche was tasty but there was very limited choice for vegetarians and even less for vegans."
• "After years of going here being an enjoyable experience, since Covid have found the check out staff to be less than helpful."
• "The staff, each and everyone, are pleasant, caring and friendly."

Prices and Value

Pros:

• "Reasonable prices and better quality than places like b&q."
• "Great selection of plants and pots. A little pricey but you are getting quality for the outlay."
• "Prices not too bad either."
• "The plants are very good quality and there is always someone to ask advice of, there is a small cafe and lots of other items in their shop with a big outside area."
• "Plants always look healthy and at their best. Staff always polite and helpful and the food and drinks are great also. Prices are reasonable as well."
• "Very good garden centre very well equipped for all your gardening needs also nice gift shop."
• "This is a lovely garden centre, the plants are very good quality."
• "Good value nursery - whether for plants, gifts, items for garden or just for a snack."

Cons:

• "Some solar fountains are priced up to £70 that can be found elsewhere for around half this price."
• "It's a cafe charging restaurant prices."
• "Tried the bistro with a friend wasn't too busy because when it's full you can't hear conversation. lunchtime menu not much choice."
• "Overpriced plants compared to surrounding garden centres."
• "Nice garden centre, premium prices."
• "Very pricey, the cafe is a joke. It's a cafe charging restaurant prices."
• "Garden centre still the same, quite expensive compared to others close by."
• "Not a masive place but nevertheless it offer's an exellent choice, and wide variety of plants, also a good stock of hard landscaping materials."