I was told that the flowers were the best they had ever received and the biggest arrangement…read more So the advise from the florist and the suggestions all paid off - nice little shop and very helpful staff.

After being loyal and good customers to Andrea's for some time, when we rang to enquire about…read moreflowers for our small Civil Ceremony, instead of explaining that they only service one wedding a day and had already had one booked, we were told very rudely no and that they were very busy so did not have the time to discuss the matter. As we are two males having a Civil Partnership as you can imagine our flower requirements were minimal. Definitely will not return there again! It takes a long time to build a good reputation and a minute to destroy it!

This is a wonderful little shop on Llandaff Road, very near to Chapter Arts Centre, and not too far…read moreaway from the main Cowbridge Road which heads straight through Canton. It's an easy place to find, but sadly can be easily missed if you don't know that it's there. This shop sells a great range of Fairtrade and worldly items. From incense to clothes, bags to gift items. If you've ever been to a folk festival and wandered longingly around the stalls wanting buy everything, then this is the place to come. The busy displays and bright colours capture something of the market stall atmosphere, even when it's raining outside. They even manage to have the right smell: far away places mixed with a slight musky aroma. For yourself or for gifts, this is a truly charming shop where you'll not be likely to go too far wrong. It's a very friendly space, and a joy to pop into regularly, or at least stare longingly through the window. Unique. Ish.

Fair Do's is probably my favourite shop in Canton for buying gifts for my friends or even my own…read morehome. It's a lovely shop, well stocked with environmentally sound products that have all been sourced from fair trade companies. I set up projects in India, when I was in my twenties, for Trade Not Aid, the non exploitive trading arm of The Body Shop International, and so I am keenly supportive of all who operate with the same ethos. But, even if I wasn't, I would still shop here. They have a great kids section as well as plenty of affordable high quality gifts for adults. The cards are pretty good too. The people who run the shop are lovely too. It's always really peaceful, and you are allowed to browse for as long as you like without interference, but help is on hand if you need it.

A fantastic shop to visit for Welsh-themed gifts of all kinds! Everything from fridge magnets and…read morekey rings to beautiful carved wooden love spoons - or silver ones if you prefer. There are rugby souvenirs and jewellery, T-shirts, postcards and fudge, not to mention little sheep ornaments and toys! The shop is right across the road from the castle so easy to find. Friendly, helpful staff too, as I found out today.

Chocolate wasted! Literally. These boozy chocolates are like having a shot... Wow! Go home drunk,…read moreyou're chocolate. I mean... Go home chocolate, you're drunk. I mean... I'm moving to Wales just for this alcoholic's dream: boozy chocolates! Hiccup. Oh. And, they have a ton of non-alcoholic, delicious chocolates too, for those who don't understand what kind of magical-bliss-heaven-paradise is found in a piece of delectable chocolate that serves as a shot too. Also, I suggest a chaser. This is one STRONG, POTENT bite. Trust me. I wouldn't (hiccup) steer you (hiccup) wrong (hiccup). Goodnight. Oops, I forgot to say we tried the whiskey one and the pink champagne truffles. Beautiful. Ok. Goodnight. Hiccup.

This is an excellent florist on Cowbridge high street stocking a wide range of flowers, the orchids…read morebeing my particular favourite (simply stunning). The shop also had a good selection of quality garden ornaments as well as some very unusual larger gifts for that special birthday or anniversary. A beautifully carved coffee table made from a tree trunk aught my eye, and may just appear on my Christmas list (I think way ahead)! It was a pleasure to wander around this tasteful airy shop. The owner was pleasant and the background classical music added to the overall ambiance of the environment.

I think that there are actually three florists in total in Cowbridge, and then there's a number of…read morestores that sell ready made bunches of flowers and potted plants, including Tesco, Filco and the fruit and veg shop. This means for pretty stiff competition in a town this size! Bay Tree contends with the competition in two ways. For one it's carved out a bit of a niche in that it it's cornered the cottage garden sector of the market, as well as having branched out into gardening supplies and a few gift items. I really like this florist. It carrys a lot of blooms that I really appreciate. They aren't as showy as some of the exotic imports that we can get these days, but they are as equally impressive in their own particular way. The quality of the stock here is also excellent. I've had some bunches of flowers from here last a good three weeks... so they offer value for money too!

The ordering process did not go smoothly. I had to explain what I wanted to a second person, two…read moredays after I had originally placed the order. I asked for the bouquets to be delivered to a particular place and they were delivered to a different place. But the worst thing was the actual flowers. I asked for brightly coloured flowers. Instead I got a mish-mash of random types of flowers, and most of them in drab and washed-out colours. A lot of them had started curling at the edges of the petals, even though they were still in water and there were lots of stalks of berries for some reason. I asked for flowers, not berries. It looked like I got palmed off with the flowers nobody would choose at the shop.

I don't like red roses, boys/ men. Take note. I do like flowers though. Actual, real flowers in the…read morewild, in plant pots, but mostly in big bright beautiful bouquets given to me, meant for me, from someone quite lovely. What kind of flowers? Orange gerberas. Sunflowers. Crazy exotic creations. Daffodils. Cornflowers. Pretty little posies of wild flowers and sweet peas. I am not alone in this. A lot of people like giving and receiving flowers. They say things we don't know how to otherwise. Things like: 'Sorry' I dumped you/ ran over your cat/ spilt red wine on that dress I borrowed and promised not to spill red wine on... 'I love you' friend/ mum/ tiddles/ Romeo/ Charlotte Church 'Thinking of you' ... I know I've not called for three years but, well I've been busy Gran, and I'm sure you understand. Things like that. If you need to say things like that I'd recommend the Secret Garden because they can say it beautifully. They've got fashion know how to bring to creating bouquets. They offer a sensational selection of seasonal blooms, full of vibrant colours for any occasion - hand-tied bouquets; wedding flowers; corporate contracts; gift ideas and sympathy flowers. Delivery: They have a same day delivery service to surrounding Cardiff, and a next day delivery for nationwide orders placed before 2pm.

Two years late "reviewing " this fantastic business (sorry). in the 2 years since we had these…read morebeautiful rings made as our wedding rings, My partner and I get continued complements. It was the ring used by Peter Capaldi's role as Doctor Who. This is the jeweller who created such a wonderful work of art for the show. So impressed by the wonderful experience. Also we got a great recommendation from him for a wonderful pub near the shop. Great food, great drinks.

From the owner: Independent Family business, Traditional Jewellers est.1963read more

Isabella's is a beautiful gift shop situated in the ill-fated Morgan Arcade…read more Like The Royal Arcade, it is enclosed under a beautifully ornate Victorian glass ceiling, but where this works to the advantage of The Royal Arcade, intensifying the vibe, with the noises amplifying as they carry down this lovely long mews, it has the opposite effect in The Morgan Arcade. With very little activity, the few sounds that are made tend to echo harshly off the buildings and ceiling, accentuating the fact that it isn't much used. Businesses like Isabella's are staving off the demise at the St Mary Street end of the arcade. Well positioned sandwich boards at the mouth of the arcade are drawing in a steady stream of visitors as far as her shop at least. But even this isn't an entirely successful quest. Isabella's was once an up-market gift shop selling originally designed accessories and ornaments. These days such items sit gathering dust on the shelves, whilst the low cost cheap and cheerful Welsh souvenirs and nick-nacks fly out of the door. And even though these sales keep her busy all day, the average spend is about £1.00 per person, and so when she tots up the take at the end of the day it is depressingly low compared to the volume of custom. This is a tragedy. What's more, if Isabella is lucky enough to sell one of her beautiful handbags or a piece of exquisite jewellery, the money is immediately reinvested in the more gimmicky souvenir stock, instead of the more creditable higher cost items. It's a war of attrition that will eventually culminate in the unique identity of the shop being lost, and a valuable outlet for more creative endeavour will be lost forever. Isabella clearly has taste and flair in abundance. She's a smart woman attempting to do what she loves. I'm not sure whether she can see the transformation through to the bitter end. But with bills to pay, she's there for the meantime at least. And who knows, something may happen to turn around the fortune of this declining arcade? The Cardiff Arts Institute

Located in the Grade II listed Morgan Arcade, Isabella's seems to specialise in two main types of…read moregifts: Murano Glass Jewellery and Welsh Gifts. It's a slightly odd mix, to be honest - with the rather expensive-looking glassware and gifts on the one hand, and the rather brash, touristy, Welsh-themed items on another. It's probably best known for its brightly-coloured range of Antica Murrina handmade Murano glass jewellery, and Simstars - which are some kind of charm beads made of sterling silver or Murano glass, which you can put together in your own design to make up a unique charm bracelet or necklace. They also stock IVV, a range of Italian hand-made decorative glass in all sorts of interesting shapes, vibrant colours and different textures. When it comes to Welsh gifts, you can choose from a fairly predictable range of mugs and kitchen aprons with a Welsh flag design; slate house numbers and name signs; fridge magnets showing the traditional Welsh costume; ornaments of Welsh dragons; and postcards of local scenes and attractions. Although this shop does contain some beautiful objects, it doesn't hold a great deal of appeal for me - but if you're a visitor to Wales, or you're really into glass jewellery, Isabella's is worth a look.