Every time Cruise Hill is even mentioned my heart quickens. A subtle hint in a sentence, a passing referral to this paradise, an out and out plan to visit this oasis, makes my credit card groan and my smile broaden. I just can’t help myself. The garden centre utopia known as Cruise Hill is always worth a visit and I rarely come away without spending a small fortune.

It all started with a trip to a bird centre in the vicinity. I am a bit of a boffin when it comes to birds, keeping and breeding them for many many years. I often find myself spending hundreds of pounds, pounds that I hadn’t intended on parting with. Its’ a finch here, a parakeet there, thankfully never a parrot…..yet. I must admit that I did return today with a tiny white zebrafinch hen. She was all alone, I had a single cock sitting in the avairy…it’s the perfect pairing.

But its in recent days that I’ve gone slightly plant crazy. Its not a want, its a physical need to fill my overflowing trolley with more and more plants. It’s the foliage, the smell, the overpowering need to keep buying thing’s that grow. I did well though, £40 later and I’d got an assortment of ferns, californian poppies, heucera’s, dahlia’s, osteospermums and ornamental grasses. I pushed the boat out on a stunning Echium Webbii. Also known as the “bee plant” it’s soaring spires of white flowers change to blue as the mature, attracting the buzzing of the friendly bee and filling the garden with an unusual and rare plant. I can’t believe I found one. It must be my favourite buy of the day! Along with Mary, and budding gardener Leone, we managed to spend £150 and fill the car to the brim!

Seeing out the back of the car could be difficult!

£40 got me this lot, I’m quite, quite happy. Good day out!