Lay of the Land

Changing and Challenging Times

June 29, 2020 — Andrew Lay

Sitting here at my desk, in what would normally be the cafe, looking out through the rain streaked window at a sodden plant area being buffeted by unseasonably high winds, I finally get the time to reflect on everything that has changed this year.

Our Covid-19 Plan

May 12, 2020 — Andrew Lay

We will be open for limited browsing from Monday 18 th of May, by appointment only.

In the meantime we continue serving customers over the phone, email, Facebook, and soon on our website. We will continue to provide local delivery and contactless collection for the foreseeable future.

Why? On Monday the government very quietly announced that garden centres could open. We are concerned about how manageable this will be at the peak of the gardening season whilst maintaining everyone’s safety, but we are also keen to allow those who desperately want to get out, and browse our plants, to do so, and do so safely.

We encourage as many people as possible to use our home delivery and contactless collection services where possible.

Covid-19

March 20, 2020 — Andrew Lay

For obvious reasons our little Garden Centre has been closed to the public this week, and will be for the foreseeable future; we will shall continue to provide updates on social media channels. However we still have a small team in the garden centre trying to fulfil orders with a free local delivery service.

Please can we ask that people don’t visit the garden centre for the safety of all our customers and staff. Despite shut gates and signs we have had a number of people try and come in, doing so puts both our staff and yourselves at risk!

Sending out an SOS

November 28, 2016 — Andrew Lay

Here in the Yorkshire Dales we are blessed with a rich heritage of natural flora and fauna, as well as a stunningly beautiful place to live and work. However, if we’d like to keep it that way, we probably all need to do as much as we can to protect our wildlife.

What’s a garden?

June 26, 2016 — Andrew Lay

Gardens aren’t just for gardeners – gardens are for everyone.

What is a garden? Well, one often used definition is that of “an enclosed space near a house used for the planned growing of flowering plants, fruit or vegetables”. However, I have a few issues with that. For a start half the gardens in Settle aren’t anywhere near the house they belong to. Then again many gardens aren’t really planned in anyway – they have just sort of evolved. Gardens can be near a house, or not. They can be tightly planned and controlled, or not. They can be large or small, private or public, formal or informal, but the one thing most gardens are is contained or enclosed, even if the extent of the garden is a pot on the windowsill!

What to do with a potted Christmas Tree?

December 27, 2015 — Andrew Lay

If you followed my advice last year and bought a pot grown Christmas tree, or have previously done so, sooner or later you’ll be looking for a space in your...

A Christmas Season Treat

November 5, 2015 — Andrew Lay

Every Thursday during November and December we’ll be open for late night shopping until 8pm, serving complementary home made mulled wine to our customers. From 12th November we’ll also be...

The Pot Plot

October 29, 2015 — Andrew Lay

Gardeners may all dream of having acres to landscape in the style of Capability Brown, or a large town garden to give the Chelsea show garden treatment to, but for most of us that’s all it is – a dream.

Cafe Video

May 8, 2015 — Andrew Lay

To mark the opening of the Cafe at Lay of the Land we made a short video…

How green are your fingers?

May 7, 2015 — Andrew Lay

Gardening tips? Easy to roll out a few seasonal “what to do now”s, or “which plants look good in May”, like every other advice column. I’m not convinced that approach...

The Cafe is Open

May 7, 2015 — Andrew Lay

So now you can enjoy a wonderful cup of artisan roasted coffee whilst you ponder your purchases, or sample a freshly prepared snack or homemade cake at our new Cafe...

Autumn Beckons

September 20, 2014 — Andrew Lay

Cooler days, chilly nights and trees dressed in their russet, orange and fiery red shortly to depart leaves all herald the end of summer and the coming of winter. Autumn,...