[Stella Loves] Hunting for succulents at Clifton Nurseries

You should know that I am a hopeless gardener but this summer I have been trying to get over my gardening-phobia. I thought a garden centre would be a good start. But I had this image in my head of drab garden centres full of tacky ornaments and messy displays. Not exactly inspiring... But last weekend, I discovered the holy grail of garden centres: Clifton Nurseries, London's oldest garden centre. I mean, it's way more than a garden centre, it's an little heavenly urban oasis, tucked away in a residential street in Maida Vale, West London... The place is like an Aladdin's Cavern of beautiful things for the garden, with an endless selection of indoor and outdoor plants, from jungle vines to olive trees to cacti and exotic orchids. You name it, they have it, and man, they know how to display it!

They also have a beautiful range of garden furniture and accessories and if you have the budget, they offer bespoke garden and landscaping services. And don't get me started on the Quince Tree Cafe... Set in the palm house, it's a destination in itself that serves breakfast, delicious lunches, afternoon tea and a mouth-watering selection of cakes.

I have been meaning to visit this magical place for months, and boy it didn't disappoint. While I was there with a client friend to shop for house plants for her flat, there was no way I could leave the place empty handed. So I brought back a couple of succulents for the kitchen. The staff there are really knowledgeable and helped us find what we were looking for, while giving us tips on how to look after our new purchases. I mostly own faux plants so I hope I can manage to keep this batch alive for more than a month... (Green) fingers crossed... 

Here is a little photo reportage of our day. Obviously Stella, was the star of the show... 

The beautiful setting of Clifton Nurseries

Stella having a snack in the green house while we shop for succulents

Stella amongst fabulous Japanes mapple trees...

The palm house where the Quince Tree Cafe is located.

One of our new friends...

The new addition to the Stella + the Stars team, styled in our dining room...

I hope this gives you a bit of inspiration for your outdoor space... Happy Shopping!