Inside Mayfield Garden Centre’s Refurbishment (2025)
Here’s an inside look at the refurbishment of Mayfield Garden Centre in Southampton.
Run by charity Solent Mind, Mayfield Garden Centre is a not-for-profit plant nursery, cafe and community centre based in Mayfield Park. I was invited to celebrate their reopening after an extensive renovation which saw the main greenhouse’s roof and floor completely replaced.
I visited during their official reopening which was attended by the mayor and a local television crew, who filmed the cutting of the ribbon, followed by a tour of their fantastic new space.
Stepping inside the garden centre, the first thing you’ll see is the main greenhouse, which is home to the centre’s shop and cafe, with a wide variety of plants, gifts, gardening accessories and decorative ornaments available to purchase.
A brand new sign has been designed and created by the local Men’s Shed, who have a workshop at the centre. You’ll see it by the till in the centre of the shop, which has been signed by everyone who participated in its creation.
As a keen plant collector, I had a great time browsing their houseplant selection in the shop. With a wide variety of fantastic plants to choose from, I decided to be basic and took home a gorgeous monstera plant.
The cafe is lovely and serves a variety of hot and cold drinks, yummy pastries and lunch options such as loaded hash browns, cheesy chips and mushroom arancini. There’s also plenty of space to eat outside when the sun is shining.
Other onsite facilities include an outdoor area selling garden plants, a small fruit and vegetable stall selling fresh produce, and a dog grooming salon named Bella’s Beauty Groom.
Mental Health Groups and Support
All of the profit generated by the garden centre is funnelled back into Mind’s mental health work and supporting the local community. This includes a variety of groups including Gardening for Dementia, a 16 - 25 Mental Health Collective, and a Therapeutic Horticulture group. They also host Mayfield Men’s Shed.
Anyone who lives in the local area and is currently facing mild to moderate mental health difficulties is welcome to join in with activities at the garden centre, and a GP referral is not required.
Information about their current groups is available on their website here.
How to Get to Mayfield Garden Centre
The centre is easily accessible by car and public transport, with a few free parking spaces, including a disabled space, outside the gates. Free parking is also provided at Mayfield Bowling Club.
Bus stops are available nearby and trains stop at Sholing Station, which is just a 10 minute walk away.
The full address for Mayfield Garden Centre is:
Mayfield Park, Weston Ln, Southampton SO19 9HL
Opening Times
The garden centre is open between 9am and 4pm Monday - Sunday, with the cafe opening at 8:30am and closing at 3:30pm.
Are you planning to visit Mayfield Garden Centre? Leave a comment and let me know!