Bents was first conceived in 1937 when Alfred and Margaret Bent began cultivating and selling roses from their front garden in Glazebury. Though today, it’s grown into one of the UK’s most progressive and innovative garden centres, where the third-generation family team channel their passion for plants and the good life.

But to call it a garden centre is to undersell its appeal. Bents is truly a destination in its own right. Imagine if John Lewis sat next to Harrods Food Hall with an inspired mix of plants and botanicals in between, and you might just come close to this beautifully curated store.

It’s the sort of place you could lose yourself for hours, pottering around its corners and picking up everything from al fresco gear to pizza ovens and even a dry robe or a Barbour Jacket. There are rails of hip and boho kids’ clothing, dreamy house plants, Town & Country wellies and a curated world of interiors and knick knacks. Looking to dial up your outdoors? You’ll need its Instgrammable dining and gaming table (which niftily transforms into table tennis or a pool table) that went viral on TikTok. Or how about an all-frills summer house with an in-built bar for punchy Negronis when the sun’s out? Essentially, Bents has all the green-fingered know-how and avant garde gear to bring your ultimate garden space to life.

Feeling hungry? You can dine on tapas or order just-baked cakes, surrounded by a tangle of plants. Or during summer, diners sit on the Alfresco Terrace for languid lunches of hot, billowing pizzas washed down with crisp glasses of wine. Whatever you chow down on though, everything is handmade right here.

Bents’ food hall is another level too, stacked with artisan goodies and a corner dedicated to Reserve Wines – the beloved indie wine enterprise with stores in West Didsbury, Mackie Mayor, Altrincham Market and Picturedrome. All this plus kiddie play areas (including a covered beach area) and a whole calendar of events and workshops.