Sunshine Garden Centre Reviews 

Been going here for a number of years. Could you pick up some of the stuff a little bit cheaper from a surly youth at B&Q? Absolutely. What makes this place great is the choice but fundamentally the staff who actually know what they are talking about. Thanks Fiona on invaluable advice for a plant we thought was a goner. And no hard sell.

WOW… WOW… WOW! 🤩

We were completely blown away by the exceptional customer service we received from every member of staff during our visit to purchase a Weber BBQ.

We travelled from Hertfordshire after seeing the fantastic deal Sunshine Garden Centre was offering on the Weber BBQ we wanted, and from the moment we arrived, the service was outstanding.

The staff were incredibly knowledgeable, proactive, polite and friendly — but what really stood out was that they genuinely seemed to care. They cared about us as customers, but also about their jobs and the company they work for. That really showed.

We left in a bit of a daze because we honestly couldn’t remember the last time we had received such a high level of care and attention. I think a lot of customer-facing businesses could learn an awful lot from Sunshine Garden Centre.

Even having someone at the front on the Welcome Desk was such a lovely touch. It immediately made us feel welcomed.

In fact, I think a fly-on-the-wall documentary following the goings-on and all the wonderful characters at the garden centre could be brilliant television! 😂

We will definitely be back.

Thank you to everyone at Sunshine Garden Centre for helping make our weekend such a lovely one. ❤️

And the BBQ? Absolutely fantastic! We cooked steak on it last night and it was delightful! 🥩🔥

Thank you again! 👏

On Friday 3rd July at approximately 3.30pm the van driver for this company over took my bicycle at speed and far too close on a hill.
They may value plant life but no value on human life.
Reg SL21 PXV
Photographic evidence available.

Brought a dozen strawberry plants.
They have already started to flower. Plants in an excellent condition.

Very happy with them

Came again to the delightful Sunshine Garden Centre and compelled to write another review, oh cumon! It's not my fault if this place and the staff give me such joy! Needed to top up my spring plant supply and knew that I would get excellent advice from the most experienced staff, hastily put down the beautiful plant that it seems the beastly squirrels will enjoy as well... who knew?! I came on St Patrick's Day and the centre's thirtieth birthday, what a lovely surprise. I was greeted warmly by charming Denis, who had arrived here as a student and returned after university, if staff say for this long, Sunshine Garden Centre is certainly doing something right. I had free prosecco, cake, pizza at the entrance and also free Guinness in the cafe, hic! Delightful Zel could not have been more kind and helpful as I attempted to squish my plants, lantern, bird bath, greetings cards, chocolate, garlands etc into my suitcase ready to wheel it back to Bounds Green tube.If you have never visited before, it's well worth a trip, the displays inside are simply splendid!

Wonderful Staff!
Over 30 Years since the local outdoor swimming pool closed and Sunshine took the premises.
All the staff. Always a delight. Today David has to be noted as going above and beyond!
Thank you Sunshine for continuing to make even rainy days sunny 🌞
Shelly

I have previously given the Sunshine Garden Centre a 5☆review.
Today I was shocked by the way I was treated. I was hustled out of the till area by a surly, unsmiling till operator. I was the only person at the till, and I had my membership card ready on my phone to scan at checkout. I paid for my items, and turned away from the till to put my debit card back into my purse. I was bewildered to see that the trolley and my handbag were not with me at the checkout.
The till operator had, without saying anything to me, rolled my trolley with my bag on it, outside of the exit area. I was shocked, as this was done without saying anything to me! I walked out to the trolley to retrieve my bag. I found the till operator, an older man - who ought to have known better, quite surly and dismissive. I've not seen him before and can only assume that he's casual staff to cover the till over the holiday period.

Excellent garden centre. The plants (especially the small ones) are slightly expensive, but everything they sell is very healthy and thrives once planted. The service is also impeccable. Lots of the negative reviews here appear to mention their dogs policy. Personally I quite enjoy shopping without being accosted by misbehaving dogs.

Today I had such a bad experience at this garden centre and am really upset.

I went with my very well behaved dog, which I do to many many garden centres in London.

When I arrived, this lady said to me dogs are not allowed unless carried or in our trolleys. I said to her I must’ve been to 20 garden centres and never had this.

She brought me a trolley and said don’t worry your dog will be fine, and it will really like it in the trolley.

I said her I’m not sure she said don’t worry they really enjoy it so on her assurance , I put my dog in the trolley

Then my dog jumped out whilst I was restraining her with her lead as she found the whole experience so distressing. I think she has hurt herself Which is really upsetting for me

I have to say, I’ve never heard of a garden centre that doesn’t allow dogs and that would recommend a trolley that a dog can jump out of. So dangerous and not acceptable!

Not only did they lose out on my purchases as I have to leave as my dog was not allowed. I asked a number of staff for the way out as my dog would not stay in the trolley and they intimated they didn’t agree with the policy.

Their policy is totally antiquated anbd dangerous for dogs against other garden centres and other store institutions and totally cruel to dogs.

My dog Goes with me to Selfridges, Libertys, John lewis, mark and Spencer , Zara, H&M, Prada and many many garden centres , so why I can’t go to an open Air garden centre is a ridiculous situation

I will take the dog to the vets and if there is any injury, I will consider your establishments responsibile
I’m so upset of the situation

Arrived with our two dogs to be told there was a no dog policy unless they could be carried or put in basket. Not an option for our dogs.
Very fed up as visiting garden centre is one of the outings I expect to be able to have my dog accompany me.
Returned to local rivals, and myself and other dog owning friends shall not be returning to sunshine.
Very silly policy.

I started working at Sunshine Garden Centre in 2019 as a Customer Service Assistant on the tills, I was well supported by existing staff and made to feel part of the team from day one. Customers are friendly which added to the welcoming atmosphere.
During my time at Sunshine I have worked in a number of different areas of the business (starting on the tills, then in the yard assisting customers load their cars with compost, etc..., at the time of Covid I started to work with the online side of the business packing customer orders). After Covid I moved to work with the online side of the business preparing orders, picking stock and packing the orders ready for dispatch.
All the staff are very friendly and I have really enjoyed my time working at Sunshine Garden Centre, I have felt fully supported and valued by the management and other staff, everyone is approachable and ready to help.
There is always something to do and the days passed quickly especially during spring.
Well stocked and staff always willing to help.

First negative experience in Sunshine but staff member was rude and treated me as if he were doing me a favour - I was in a hurry and had reserved my plants that had already been scanned, he wanted his trainee to rescan as he needed to 'do his job' which had already been done perfectly by another member of staff delaying me and, making me feel humiliated by his attitude- horrible, why should I spend my hard earned for this treatment

Visited with my partner last week. She had received a plant in a pot as a gift the day before, but already had one similar so was hoping to exchange it. We spoke to the manager who advised us that they wouldn't do anything without a receipt. The plant was perfect and the pot had their barcode on the bottom, but they refused an exchange. The 'computer says no attitude' was really poor...we have been customers for over 20 years, but will go to a business that values it's customers in future.

I visited once before and had a lovely experience. Was happy to return today to spend money on bulbs, compost and plants. Sadly I had gone there straight from a walk and brought my dogs, having assumed that like all other garden centres in the UK, they would be dog friendly. Not so. They employ a bouncer on the door to keep undesirables like us out. He looked at my two 32kg greyhounds and told us we could only come in if we carried them or balanced them on trolleys with cardboard underneath them. Possibly the most bizarre policy ever. Presumably their paws touching any part of this precious garden centre presents a hazardous risk. As long legged greyhounds won't be balancing on any trolleys, we understood the message that the likes of us are not welcome. We were ushered out of the door while the bouncer smirked and pretended he was sorry. We were left feeling humiliated and having been treated like us and our dogs are dirty.
The happy ending to the story is that we drove to Ally Pally garden centre where we were greeted by plenty of signs announcing they are dog friendly. The lovely staff made a huge fuss of our lovely placid, gentle and clean dogs and we spent our money there. And will continue to do so.

What made this experience so great is, despite the rain, the staff were all smiling and happy to help. I had forgotten to take a certain plant so the nice lady at the desk called for a nice man to go and get one for me.

Speaking of not being able to get plants, Sunshine website says, "Needless to say, requests for unusual plants are always taken seriously, and we will try our best to source them from growers in the UK or abroad," I had phoned to see if they could get me Moringa. They couldn't but sent me to a site in Sussex that grows them. How's that for service? Not only that, but the manager (Peter?) remembered the details when I was next in. Impressive! When I got home, I sent a photo of an anonymous plant that he identified and emailed me back as being an Argyranthemum. They will be in stock within the next month.

Sunshine Garden Centre also have a spare wheelchair, for which I was most grateful. Kudos to the two members of staff who helped me to transfer out of it later on.

Further, I am MOST PLEASED with my Sedum plants. I know that in Autumn the bees and butterflies will be all over them; and that stray hummingbird hawk moth is welcome back any time.

I went with my friend and my dog. At the front clearly states “dogs on the lead except for guide dogs”, so I kept my dog on the lead and inside the lady working in there looked at me and my and said “either you carry your dog or it needs to go in the trolley “ not sure how to carry a 20kg + dog, that the lady clearly could see.
Here is me thinking they will give me a suitable trolley, the lady gave me a tiny piece of cardboard “for the paws” apparently, when I got to the trolley it was a ridiculous L shape trolley where no dogs the size of mine would let you push him around and very uncomfortable as his paws were going through.
It’s a shame as I live in the area and I’ll tell all people I know with dogs to not set their foot in there as clearly they don’t care about dogs unless it’s a tiny one that you can fit in the tiny basket of the trolley plus it should be clearly stated at the door so I could have made my decision before entering and if you really wants dogs in trolley provide suitable one!

I found the staff really friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The plants all appeared to be very healthy (unlike some of the big diy stores) and reasonably priced.
The only downside is that they are within the ULEZ zone - not their fault but I have to factor it into my visits.

Extremely rude managers who have no respect for their staff who treat their 17 year old staff with disrespect and ask personal questions.
When I called to have a civil conversation about them matter, the manager shut the phone on my face.
Will be leaving daily reviews as I can not stress enough how bad the management is!!!!

Went in today to get a Christmas tree with my five year old. Five out of the six people who worked there treated us like we should not have been there.....no smiling ,being helpful, no interest in helping us at all.....overpriced,rude staff...never going there again.

Amazing customer service. Not only are the staff friendly and helpful if you approach them. it's the only garden centre I've ever visited where the staff walk around asking if you need help.

I'm a new customer, but from what I can tell the plants look like they're all kept healthy and vigorous.