We first discovered Colett & Tyson a few years ago when my kids asked if they could get a pet bunny rabbit. After a bit of googling and asking around for recommendations, we found some gorgeous baby bunnies at the garden centre and went in to have a look. We chose two dwarf males, a lop and a dutch, the staff were really helpful and we’ve often been back since for food, treats and advice.
They have a great pet area with all sorts of pets, including a tropical fish section, so whenever we go to Coletta that’s the first place we stop. There is also a great gift and toy area that we love browsing in, and a really good cafe where we often make a pit stop. These are the bunnies they had in when we visited last week!
However, more recently we have been going to Coletta to indulge my new hobby – gardening! It started in lockdown but has gradually been taking over my life ever since. We used to have a small garden but I bought lots of tubs and grew all sorts of things during the lockdown – mostly things we could eat such as lettuce, carrots, strawberries and grapes, but also flowers and shrubs. My kids really enjoyed planting seeds with me and watching them grow, and of course harvesting them, and it passed away some of the lockdown boredom! The ‘who can grow the tallest sunflower’ competition has become a new annual tradition.
A year ago we moved house to a home with a bigger garden and my passion for gardening has grown. The highlight of my week is watching Gardeners World and seeing what jobs Monty Don says I have to do in the garden that week! There is something therapeutic and calming about weeding and planting and it is my little bit of peace and quiet. We built a veg patch and have been trying to become more and more self-sufficient by growing our own fruit and veg. The kids have also really enjoyed helping and transforming our new garden – except for my son who every time he goes to kick his football around hears me yell ‘mind my plants!’
We have had lots of trips to Coletta to choose seeds to grow and new plants to buy over the last year. The staff are always really helpful and there is a great selection of outdoor plants. We also like their indoor plant section and the pots, my daughter has quite a few cacti and pots on her bedroom windowsill now!
Although I have enjoyed visiting Coletta through the Summer, there is something magical about a garden centre at Christmas. Both of my children love to see the decorations and lights and browse for a new decoration. My son is 11 and, although he is becoming less enthusiastic about most days out with us now, as soon as I said we were going to Coletta to look at their new Christmas shop he was really excited.
The Christmas shop is packed full of lights, trees, decorations and gifts. The decorations are set out in colours and look beautiful. Despite my insistence we were just going to get a bauble, we came back with a red gonk for my son, a pink reindeer for my daughter, and a wooden reindeer for the fireplace for me. We could have easily come back with a lot more though, the selection is amazing. The visit really put us in the Christmas spirit and was a great way to start the festive period.
The Christmas shop is open daily now right through the festive period. Coletta also have Santa coming to visit! Tea with Santa includes a meal, meeting Santa, activities and a gift. Runs 19th to 23rd December 2022, 5.30-7.30pm. Book online here.
Coletta & Tyson, 324 Hull Road, Woodmansey, Beverley, HU17 0RU.
NB This is an Advertorial Feature for Coletta & Tyson but all views and opinions are my own.
