Dobbies Garden Centres is inviting locals in Ayr to get excited for the busiest season in the gardener’s calendar with its Spring Launch Weekend, taking place 6-10 March.
To mark 160 years of helping British gardeners to grow, Dobbies is giving away 10,000 packets of limited-edition heritage seeds across all stores. The seeds have been specially developed for this celebratory year, taking inspiration from heritage ranges that have been popular across the UK over the decades. There will be FREE Grow How sessions over the weekend at the Ayr store, where the seeds will be handed out, as well as more generally in the store, to surprise and delight customers.
At the Grow How workshops, the Green Team will share top tips and advice for Spring planting, covering seed planting, adapting to peat free compost and recommendations for key gardening tools. These will take place on Saturday 8 March and Sunday 9 March at 10.30am and 3.30pm.
There will be great offers on a range of essential spring gardening products over the long weekend, including 1 litre primroses at four for £10, 20% off all magnolias and £3 savings on jumbo packs of bedding plants. There are also great savings to be made on compost, with Levington Multipurpose compost 40L at 3 bags for £12, savings of £10 on Dobbies’ 33cm 100% Recycled Pots as well as machinery, with the Flymo FSG300 at an introductory price of £79.99.
New ranges will be showcased in the Ayr store including great value tools from £4.99, new garden machinery such as the Webb 20v range, and a wide selection of grow your own options including tomatoes, potatoes and herbs.
Customers at Dobbies’ Ayr store can also indulge in new product tastings from the foodhall and experience a variety of demonstrations and community performances from local schools, choir groups and bands.
Spring will soon be in full bloom and so will Dobbies’ restaurant with a brand-new spring menu launch, offering a selection of light seasonal dishes. Chicken, ham and leek pie, Sri Lankan inspired roasted butternut squash, aubergine and spinach curry and a lemon meringue tart are just a handful of the new items that will be on offer, with prices starting from £10 for lighter lunches and £13 for main courses.
Customers will also have the chance to support Dobbies’ new national charity partner, Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK’s leading Alzheimer’s research charity. Dobbies is working together with Alzheimer’s Research UK to highlight the benefits of garden living for brain health and raising funds for a cure for dementia. Volunteers will be in-store collecting donations over the course of the weekend.
Dobbies’ Plant Buyer, Nigel Lawton, is excited for the start of the spring season. He said: “This is a brand-new event at our Ayr store will mark the start of spring at Dobbies. Spring is a wonderful time of year with brighter, longer days to look forward to, and it’s a great time to give gardening a go, no matter your experience. We’ll be helping garden fans get ideas, showcase our new spring products and help customers make great savings.
“Whether you’re beginning your gardening journey or an experienced gardener, there are a few things you can do to get the garden ready for spring. In store, customers will find great recommendations for adding instant colour with pots or seasonal plants, top tips on preparing for the first mow of the lawn and everything you need for growing your own fruit and vegetables and reap the rewards later in the year.
“We look forward to welcoming customers to our Spring Launch Weekend to celebrate the start of the season and take advantage of some great offers in store.”
For more information about the Spring Launch Weekend at the Ayr store, visit www.dobbies.com/events.
