We get our tree here every year. Its indoors under a large tent which keeps the trees from the…read moreelements. Located just off the M50 at Leopardstowm Racecourse so way to access. Multi award winning tree grower and you can tell by the trees. Around 60 euro for a 6ft tree. They also deliver and you can order online if you are unable to collect.

Known locally simply as Matt's, this is actually a cross between a treasure trove and a hardware…read morestore. About as far away from Woodies or B&Q as it's possible to get, avoid it at all costs if you like ordered aisles, signs, clearly displayed prices, or a lot of choice. To be sought out if you have a general sense of curiosity and might like to witness a wily, wiry man, not in the first flush of youth but nimble as a goat, disappear into the midst of what looks like pure chaos in the form of a shelving system, and arrive back within 60 seconds with precisely what you asked for - however odd or out of sight - and present it to you without fuss, usually at a cost of around two euros. If that's ok. Because he may well ask you. Bulbs. Paint. A colander. Electrical stuff. Wire. Rope. Pots. Plants. Trees. Keys. A laser spirit level, anyone? Lamps. Bike locks. Vacuum bags. It wouldn't surprise me to find there's a sofa in there somewhere, or a self-assembly garden shed (maybe even modest dwelling?), in fact next time I might ask. It might better be know as the hardware Tardis of D7, as it carries much more than its exterior suggests is possible. In fact, the question may be, what's not available in Matt's shop? I've yet to find out.

Every locality needs a good hardware store and Phibsboro's is Phibsboro Hardware. If you're doing…read moreeven the smallest spot of DIY at home, then here's the place to get your supplies. Whether it's paint, tools or nails that you're after, it's here. The photo of the shop's exterior says it all really. They even have plants and they sell Christmas trees during the Yuletide season. Only problem is you could go in there and lose track of time purchasing stuff that you never knew you wanted or needed!

If you love Christmas decor, this is the place for you at Christmas time! It is absolutely…read morestunningly decked out in all of their Christmas decorations, from baubles to ribbon to fairy lights to artificial trees! It's one of my favourite places to visit for Christmas decorations and display ideas because it is always so, so beautiful. I can never deny myself a visit to Plantagen at Christmas time, and I can never manage to leave empty handed. For the last few years, I've been picking up one or two different decorations to add to my Christmas tree and around the house, and I feel the quality of their products can't be beat, especially when you consider price! Plantagen also has an Insomnia cafe located inside the store, as well as an Edinburgh Woollen mills section, so it's great to make a day trip of coming here to have a look! You can enjoy a coffee after spending time searching through and admiring some of the most beautiful decorations you can find located in Dublin. #dublinshopslocal

I was horrified this morn, half way through September, to hear an ad on the radio for Christmas…read moreparties... the first Christmas ad of the season... good god, where did that last year go? Anyway as I mulled over all things festive I happened to be on Sandymount avenue and there are the gates to Enable Ireland and their great little garden centre where I have gotten our Christmas tree for the last 4 years. I wander in, and realise that there is more here than trees and plants; they have garden tools and pellets, compost and oddly enough a selection of posters saying things like you 'don't have to be crazy to work here' yada yada yada. They also have a display of Ballydongan pottery (nope, never heard of it either) jolly nice as it happens. The garden centre is part on Enable Ireland so when you shop there you are not only getting some very nice greenery (or dodgy plaques/posters) but your cash is doing some extra good.... which is nice.

...and one day i found myself really getting into the gardening thing…read more.. but alas, i needed supplies. SUPPLIES!!! and my searches all ended up in tiny TINY little places where i had to dig underneath things to find other things and generally didn't find many things i needed at all. so imagine my thrill at finding Avenue Garden Centre. not only is it larger than a cupboard, they have loads of things. they have an entire area dedicated to ginormous bags of compost. another area just for pots. short of flying back to the america and going to home depot, it's the best garden store i've found within throwing distance of city centre. yes, i'm sure there are more magical places out in the burbs, but please people, i don't have a car and i don't fancy hauling 50kg bags of compost around on the LUAS. i'm sure you can understand. i was able to get there on DART, find the things i needed (and then some) and hail a nice lady cabbie (i know, right?) to get it all back to the house for me. luckily, i also had Husband with me to do the heavy lifting. oh i should also mention that the staff was also extremely helpful and friendly. i didn't feel like a complete retard asking them for help. that's a bonus in my book :)

Whilst the Garden Centre is rather small is still offers a nice variety of plants, pots, grills and…read morepet supply. I love browsing here and the staff is very friendly.

From the owner: Welcome to Howth Garden Centre…read more We opened in 2011 with only a few tables and plants but a lot of drive to offer our customers a genuine, friendly service. Each season we have added onto the services we can provide to our customers. We now currently have a Pet Food Store, Weber Barbecues, High Quality Tools, all Fuels, Christmas Trees and a wide range of Irish Grown Plants. Whether you need some advice on barbeques, a colourful plant to gift to a friend or food for your pet, we at Howth Garden Centre are always happy to help. We are open seven days a week so be sure to pop in store and have a look.

The shop itself is quite small, but it's packed with all your hardware essentials, which for me is…read morereally just your usual nuts and bolts, hammer and nails. Handily they've also do key cutting and if you're every unfortunate to leave your keys locked inside your house (don't be ashamed I do this all the time) they've also got a locksmith that can come out and work miracles so that you can sleep in your own bed! Also they're selling Christmas trees so if you've left it to the last minute to get yourself one there's still quiet a few nice ones ... no Charlie Brown Christmas tree for you!

This is definitely a local place. They don't have a selection to sustain anything but the most…read moresimple projects, but if all you need are a couple of nails and some tape I'm sure they would be sufficient. They also do key cutting and little neighborly things like that. Unfortunately, the best they could do for us was refer to a larger store in Rathmines. I suppose that is better than nothing.

Plantagen, the name reminds me of a cartoon warrior that uses plankton to destroy her enemies. But…read moreit's not, its a cute garden centre opposite Malahide Castle. It probably has the coolest version of the chain coffee shop Insomnia that I have seen, it's in a thatched house. My friend laughed at my awe and thought it was tacky but he's a fool anyhow - it's in a thatched house people, that's like McDonalds in a mosque. I'm not a plant person but I want to be so I started small and got some purple daisy looking things for 99c, they are probably weeds but pretty weeds. I saw a baby Christmas tree there too for €45 which seems steep to me, but then this whole plant thing is a whole new world to me. I think I will get it.

Loved this place. It is so well laid out in a beautiful location. Great way to spend a saturday…read moremorning.....it is really well laid out with lots to browse through and teh coffee shop next door (even if it is a chain) is really brilliant.

Mother of God, this is a dangerous place to step into. I've heard it before as an 'Ikea for small…read morethings', which is an absolutely perfect description. Need a money box shaped like a dinosaur? Perhaps you've been searching high and low for an owl nightlight? Every house needs a disco ball lightbulb or two, right?! Ok so they have useful stuff too - napkins and candles and picture frames and rice cakes and wooden toys and wrapping paper and and and and... Enter at your peril. Your wallet will be lighter afterwards, but only because of the size of the haul you're likely to leave with. I doubt there is much in the shop that costs more than a fiver. Most items are at the 1-2 euro price point. DANGER.

My favourite shop, jam-packed full of useless useful things. They have everything! An impressive…read morerange of cutsie stationary, candles, glasses, herbs and spices, napkins...you name it. A godsend now as the silly season is in full swing - the ideal place to pick up your secret santa gifts! A toilet golf set you say? Yes please!