Rooted in the New Forest since 1947
A working nursery reimagined as one of the South’s most distinctive garden destinations.
Shallowmead began as a traditional nursery with deep horticultural roots. Today, it combines that working nursery heritage with a more considered retail experience: quality plants, garden goods, interiors, gifts, food, drink and independent makers, all set within a relaxed New Forest setting.
It is a place for gardeners, food lovers and lifestyle shoppers; somewhere to browse slowly, meet for lunch, choose plants with confidence, discover local products and enjoy a destination that feels calm, characterful and genuinely different.
Plants
Garden Retail
Mabel’s Café
Farm Shop
Independent Shops
Gin Distillery
A slower way to shop
Designed for people who enjoy gardens, good food and individual places.
Shallowmead is not a standard garden centre. It is a more layered destination: part working nursery, part lifestyle retail space, part food and drink stop, and part independent courtyard. The experience is deliberately unhurried, with planted spaces, characterful buildings and a layout that invites visitors to wander rather than rush.
From the outdoor plant area to the café terrace, from artisan makers to the farm shop and gin distillery, Shallowmead brings together the elements of a modern rural destination without losing the authenticity of its nursery past.
Explore Shallowmead
A complete visit, built around plants, food and independent retail.
Mabel’s Café
No ordinary garden-centre café.
Mabel’s Café at Shallowmead is far more than a conventional café. Set within the nursery and opening onto landscaped gardens and a spacious courtyard, it offers a bright, relaxed and distinctive setting for coffee, breakfast, lunch and afternoon catch-ups.
Inside, warm timber, hanging planting, generous tables and garden views create an atmosphere that feels both informal and considered. Outside, the courtyard gives visitors space to sit among the planting, enjoy the New Forest air and make the café part of a wider Shallowmead visit.
Fresh, seasonal and generous
Breakfast, lunch, light bites, mains and daily specials.
The Mabel’s menu reflects a balance of comfort, quality and ease. Expect freshly cooked breakfasts, eggs on sourdough, granola bowls, deli subs, sandwiches, toasties, homemade flatbreads, light bites, burgers, mains, sides and changing specials.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available across the offer, with local and seasonal produce used wherever possible. Whether guests are stopping for coffee and cake, meeting friends for lunch or settling in after exploring the nursery, Mabel’s is designed to feel like a destination in its own right.
Outdoor spaces
A courtyard made for lingering.
The outdoor spaces are a central part of the Shallowmead experience. Seating, planting, broad paths and garden views give the site a relaxed, open feel, making it just as suitable for a quiet coffee as for a family visit, a long lunch or a seasonal event.
As the planting matures and the offer develops, Shallowmead continues to move towards the feel of a true destination garden centre: horticultural, sociable and quietly premium.
Visit Shallowmead
Plants, food, independent shopping and New Forest air.
Come for the plants, stay for lunch, browse the shops, explore the farm shop and discover a garden destination with more to offer on every visit.