The Willows GardenCentre, Usk

Willows Garden Centre occupies a site on Baron Street in Usk, run by Russell and Anna Walker as a family business. Around 85 per cent of the plants sold are grown on site in the centre's own nursery, rather than bought in from wholesalers, giving the couple close control over stock and quality. Alongside the plant houses there is a tea room, a pottery-painting cabin and a small soft-play area for children, making it as much a stop for a slow morning as a place to buy compost and bedding plants. It is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, with the tea room and other cabins running slightly shorter hours on some days. The centre serves gardeners from Usk, Monmouth, Abergavenny and Chepstow.