A Garden Lover’s Retreat: Powderham Farm Shop, Courtyard Greenhouse, Urban & Rural Plants Centre

Some places go beyond retail. They invite you in, slow your pace, and make you feel at ease the moment you step through the door. That was exactly our experience at the Powderham Farm Shop and Garden Centre — a place that blends the best of local produce, lifestyle inspiration, and garden charm into one beautifully presented destination.

Within the Powderham Castle estate, next to the car park, is the Powderham Farm Shop and Urban & Rural Plants Centre. This isn’t your average countryside stop. Instead, it’s a thoughtfully designed space that captures the essence of Devon living — natural, seasonal, and quietly elegant. With every turn, we found a new detail worth admiring: crates of fresh apples beside artisan preserves, rows of terracotta and porcelain finished pots tucked among lavender plants, a greenhouse brimming with life and light.

Having finished our lunch at the Powdersham Bistro, we were in no particular rush. We explored both the farm shop, the courtyard. greenhouse and plant centre — discovering curated garden ware, flourishing greenery, and styled corners that felt like pages from a magazine. Here, we’ll take you through what makes this tucked-away spot such a treasure, especially if you love gardens, interiors, or simply beautiful things well put together.

Inside the Farm Shop: Local Charm and Seasonal Produce

The farm shop is housed in a warm, rustic space with wooden beams, hand-lettered signs, and shelves thoughtfully stocked with local and artisan products. From the moment we stepped inside, it was clear this place has character. There’s a sense that everything here has been chosen with care — not mass-produced, but meaningful.

On display were:

West Country cheeses, neatly wrapped and labelled
Small-batch chutneys and preserves, perfect for gifting or picnics
Freshly baked breads and cakes from the in house bakery, made with local ingredients
Devon ciders, juices, and wines, many from producers just down the road
Fresh produce from the farms
Meat counter and resident butcher

What sets this farm shop apart is its combination of authenticity and curation. You can browse for kitchen essentials and seasonal ingredients, but also pick up beautifully packaged gifts, textiles, and even candles and ceramics. It’s the kind of place where you come in for a jar of jam and leave inspired to host a dinner party.

By the entrance to the Farm Shop are some picnic benches, where you can enjoy the food you bought from the farm shop, an affordable alternative to the Bistro.

Just beyond the farm shop courtyard garden, converted barn and greenhouse, filled with an impressive collection of indoor and outdoor plants. The space opens up into a small but beautifully styled garden courtyard, with a T-shaped greenhouseat its centre. Framed by rustic wooden fencing, paved paths, and a huge collection of plants for sale, it feels like stepping into a secret garden — intimate, calm, and endlessly photogenic.

Into the Courtyard Garden: A Secret World of Greenery

We stepped into what felt like a secret garden — a quiet, open-air courtyard surrounded by plants, raised beds, and the elegant shape of a T-shaped greenhouse at its centre (more about the greenhouse in the next section). The setting was relaxed and picturesque, with gravel underfoot and sunlight filtering through the greenhouse glass.

The courtyard is designed with visual storytelling in mind. Each corner has a different feel — Mediterranean herbs on one table, hanging baskets along a wooden trellis, rows of perennials spilling from vintage crates. The garden décor and accessories are part of the story too: weathered watering cans, lanterns, stoneware pots, and rustic benches scattered in between the greenery. Of course, being a small garden centre, everything is for sale here.

We were especially drawn to:

Outdoor plant displays with seasonal blooms and hardy shrubs
Terracotta and ceramic planters in soft, natural tones
Stylish garden ornaments, including lanterns, sculptures, and bird feeders

It’s all highly photogenic, and we took our time capturing shots of the textures, tones, and tiny design details that made the space feel so inviting.

Inside the Greenhouse

The greenhouse is the centrepiece of the courtyard — a sun-drenched space filled with indoor plants, lifestyle accessories, and botanical-themed gifts. Here, the line between home and garden blurs beautifully.

Inside, we found:

Houseplants in woven baskets and glazed pots
Decorative vases and flower pot, floor standing planters and plant stands
Tablescaped arrangements of succulents, trailing ivy, and flowering herbs

IMG_E8189Powderham Urban and Rural Plants

IMG_E8190Powderham Urban and Rural Plants

The arrangement of items was more like a concept store than a garden centre — inspiring and artfully composed. You don’t need a green thumb to enjoy it. Even if you’re just browsing, there’s plenty to discover, and the atmosphere invites you to slow down, soak it in, and see how nature and design can work together.

IMG_E8188Powderham Urban and Rural Plants

IMG_E8186Powderham Urban and Rural Plants

Inside the Converted Barn

Everywhere we looked, there were carefully arranged potted plants, decorative watering cans, terracotta pots, lanterns, and hanging planters. Tables were dressed with seasonal flowers, succulents, and garden accessories, all styled with an effortless charm. Inside the greenhouse, we found houseplants in ceramic pots, gardening tools, natural woven baskets, and botanical-themed homeware. It felt more like a boutique garden store than a countryside add-on.

We took our time exploring each corner, taking photos of the plants, garden ornaments, and home décor, especially the cleverly curated indoor arrangements and lifestyle accessories. Every shelf and surface seemed to tell a story of countryside living with an elegant, modern touch.

What impressed us most was how thoughtfully presented everything was — not just for gardeners, but for anyone looking to bring a little outdoor serenity or rustic warmth into their home. Whether you’re there to pick up herbs for the windowsill or to refresh your living room aesthetic, the garden centre has something to inspire.

Powderham’s farm shop and garden courtyard is more than a place to shop — it’s a place to experience. From the warm scent of bread in the air to the delicate flowers spilling out of baskets, every element is layered with care and intention.

It’s ideal for gardeners, stylists, slow-living seekers, and anyone looking to bring a bit of countryside elegance home. Even if you’re just passing through, it’s well worth a visit — to gather some inspiration, pick up a thoughtful gift, or simply take a walk among the greenery.