For a florist in the middle of town this place is hard to beat…read more Walk in from the main street passed lots of pots and even huge urns at over 200 quid. The plants and flowers are stored under a massive glass roof which gives it a hothouse effect - it was scorching the last day I was in. There is a large selection of real flowers as well as fake plants. The garden ornaments, wind chimes and decorations are beautiful but quite expensive. Anything you need for your garden, I could almost swear you would find it here. Out the front there is a gift store filled with toys and jewels and candles. At Christmas it is like a little Santa's grotto filled with internal and external ornaments for the home. I love it at Christmas time.

In my quest to find the cheapest Yankee Candle melt in all of the greater Belfast area (see my…read morereview on 'Aroma'), I decided my next stop was to be Regency Gift House in Newtownards. Actually, that's a complete lie. I used to walk past this gift shop on the way to work, and would always note the china mugs displayed in a little wooden cart on the outside of the shop. So really it was sheer nosiness that brought me here. But we'll not mention that to anyone...ssshhh. Upon stepping into the shop, my eyes caught sight of the Yankee Candle display, in all its colourful glory. I immediately picked up a beautifully scented 'Fruit Salad' melt and glanced at the price - 95p! I'd found it! The cheapest Yankee Candle melt in all of Belfast, at just 95p. Naturally I had to purchase this alluringly aromatic Fruit Salad candle, just to add to the ever-growing collection of my mum's (think was no. 11 I purchased today). Oooh, it was a good feeling. Aside from the Yankee Candle collection, Regency Gift House has the most beautiful china / pottery / ornamental gifts for incredibly decent prices. Waterford Crystal, bronze figurines, Belleek pottery...it's all there. Oh, and by the way, the Yankee Candle melts are only 95p, just in case you missed that. It's going to take me a while to get over this fabulous news anyway...

I guess this is the kind of place where people go to buy people little things that make them smile…read morefor a while. Then the little things become dust gatherers and there is nothing I hate more than dust gatherers! I hate delph and trinkets and statues of dogs playing the guitar - you know what I mean. Other people do like this king of thing otherwise this shop would be gone. There is cabinet after cabinet of delph, candlesticks and silverware. Tyrone Crystal and Beleek pottery have substantial amounts of things stocked here. There is also a full wall dedicated to baby gifts like photo frames and little money boxes with 'baby's first baby box' on it. Two things always get me about this place. First of all they have quite a good collection of those little dinky replica cars, motorbikes and trucks. These are displayed in the front window and have been there for years. The range stretches from Delboy and Rodney's three wheeler to a Goldliner bus. Secondly, there is a wooden cart out the front filled with bone china mugs with a variety of images on them: dogs, cats, cows and rather bizarrely, those little dolls called golly-wogs - isn't that little racist image not illegal now? I'm sure it must be. Anyway, if you want a trinket or a little statue of a ballerina this is the place to go.

I have to say, I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to flower shops. In fact, I rarely wander into…read moreone, namely because they make me sneeze, but also because I've never had to buy flowers for anyone. Sad I know. So, with all this in mind, I have to be honest as to my purpose in visiting Floral Creations... It was the 'Gift Room Upstairs' sign that caught me. I'm a sucker for little gift stores like this, and I just could not resist. So, sniffing in the delightful scents that pervade a store such as this, I dandered through the downstairs section (not before I was greeted by the lovely, lovely flower lady behind the counter, who made such an effort to say hello whilst in mid-flow of another conversation with a customer, she has to be applauded). Upstairs was just as I'd imagined. A plethora of wedding gifts, baby gifts, toiletries, cute lamps, those wonderfully wise sayings in sign form (such as "I like my money where I can see it, hanging in my wardrobe), scented candles and other goodies. I picked up a small bag of pot pourri (ooooh the smell), and, noting it was handmade in Co Down, turned it on its top. I nearly collapsed at the price (well, I would have had I not been kneeling) for such a small bag...£4.99! But smelt so good - Mulberry Meadow was the name, and it lived up to every inch of its name. Stuff it, £4.99 it was... The delightful sales lady was even more delightful when I went downstairs to purchase my pot pourri, especially when I couldn't find my purse, began searching frantically for it, and then discovered it to be under my arm. Apparently that happens when you're older, not at 22. Whoopsies. The Mulberry Meadow was beyond beautiful when I opened the bag at a later stage. Ah yes, that stunning scent almost obliterated all thoughts of price. Almost...