Plant Centre

Thornhill's plant centre is the sort of place you stumble into expecting a quick browse and emerge from an hour later with three bags of things you didn't know you needed. It's proper old-school - rows of shrubs, perennials, seasonal bedding, and the kind of knowledgeable staff who'll actually help rather than point vaguely at a shelf.

What you get depends on the season. Spring means bedding plants everywhere, summer brings hanging baskets and colour, autumn's quieter but that's when the specimen trees and shrubs come into their own. The polytunnels are worth a look if you're after vegetables or tender plants - less Instagram-friendly than a garden centre café, but more honest.

This is spot-on for anyone planning the garden side of their holiday at Penpont Holiday Park, just 2.7 miles away. If you're staying nearby and the weather's turned damp - which it does round Dumfries & Galloway - it's a solid indoor-ish activity that doesn't feel like a museum visit. Families won't find it thrilling for hours, but a walk around takes 45 minutes without rushing, and kids often enjoy picking a small plant to take back to their accommodation.

Admission's free, which is the right price for what's essentially a proper local business rather than a destination attraction. Go mid-morning on a weekday to avoid the Saturday crowds. Take a list of what you're actually looking for - the place rewards focused shopping rather than aimless wandering.