Amongst the lush green calming plants and water features of a Nottinghamshire garden centre, cats have found their home with loving owners. Anyone who has ever visited Bardills Garden Centre - which has been owned and run by the same family for over 150 years - may see a cat or two.
But there are actually eight rescue cats which have made it their home and are providing therapy and comfort not only to the staff, their adopted family, but also visitors as well. Of course, the cats are just part of the make-up of the beautiful scenery of the place.
People come to see the aquatics, take a moment in the stillness of the huge greenhouse complete with water features, and settle into some mindfulness. And this is at the heart of the Bardill's ethos, of how plants can provide much-needed therapy to people and help with mental health.
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The cats laze, and walk around as they wish, and have their beds like in any home, and are cared for and much-loved by everyone who works at the centre in Toton Lane, Stapleford. The felines are worshipped by the staff and it helps them to see their little faces each day. One of the Bardill's cats is in his 20s.
Students often come in for house plants and to stroke the cats, because they are missing their own pets at home. The centre has rescued cats from Derby RSPCA also.
A spokeswoman for Bardills said: "If you give the cats the time and the love, they give you triple the love back".
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