Another local insider tip and I was tempted to reintroduce pot plants into my home. Botanic was…read morelike a trip back to my childhood in Germany when I had a bedroom filled with cactus and succulents ... there were even pots hanging in macrame nets just like the ones I used to make - not sure if this made me feel young again or just very, very old. Luckily I couldn't take too many plants on the train back to London, but it was a joy just looking around and overhearing the very knowledeable owner giving advice to customers. I hope some of the many people crammed into the small shop bought more than just a couple of greeting cards!

From the owner: Plant themed, independent shop within the historic York City walls specialising in house plants…read moreincluding foliage plants, cacti and succulents.

Barnitts is a lovely shop selling things like lighting and other home ware. It's a big well laid…read moreout shop and although I often go in I've only bought one thing from there-a gorgeous big feature lamp which people always comment on when they come round. The only reason I rarely buy things there is because it's quite pricey compared to the likes of Ikea and in this day and age price is important!

Need something for your house? Go to Barnitts…read more Need something for the garden? Go to Barnitts. Doing some DIY? Barnitts again! If you need it, Barnitts will probably stock it and won't charge you an arm and a leg for it. Student discount is available on most items that aren't already subject to discount. From wooden spoons to wood screws and from pans to pond liner, Barnitts literally have it all. Sounds like we're on commission? Well we're not, get yourself down to the shop that goes on and on and on. Worth noting that they currently open on Sundays in the run up to Christmas only.

The Garden of Eden in York, run by Angela Ellis-Skelton, is truly a great find. The staff in there…read moreare helpful and so knowledgeable, which is useful as I know nothing about flowers! Angela is a Master Florist and does everything from general bouquets to weddings and funerals. She once even made a car out of flowers (how?!) If you're looking for flowers in York I'd definitely recommend popping in here.

I only went to Homebase for the first time last week, as I normally go to B and Q for my DIY needs…read more I found Homebase really similar in terms of prices and product range. Would go to either one of them in the future as like I said there's not much difference between the two. I also found the staff at Homebase really helpful in helping me find what I wanted.