Gardens and Nurseries to Visit

I love to be inspired by other gardens. As I travelled up and down I-91 over the years, heading to visit ailing parents in northern NH, I searched for something to liven up my trips. This led me to check out a lot of nurseries and garden centers within easy reach of the highway. I have found beautiful places to visit, and great places to purchase unusual plants along the way.

•  If you are up for a long ride ( like up by Stowe, VT) Check out the Cady Falls Nursery up in Morrisville. An old farm with an amazing collection of plantings. You wouldn't think some of these plants would survive up in northern VT. The owners are trying to retire, so the hours are more limited now, but they are friendly and so knowledgeable.

Note: they sell these prints- image is copyrighted.

• For all the hosta lovers out there, you have to visit O'Brien Hosta  in Granby CT. John O'Brien has amassed an amazing collection of over 1600 varieties of hosta. Walking through the displays, all under towering pines, down the hill to new beds across the brook is like walking into a cathedral. Just beautiful!

• For everyday plant shopping- as well as some wonderful unusual plants, the first places I go are Baystate Perennials in Whately, MA or Andrews Greenhouse in Amherst, MA.
  
• When heading up to NH on I-91 I make time to visit Edgewater Farm in Plainfield, NH; Walker Farm in Dummerston, VT; Frost Gardens in Fairlee, VT and  EC Brown in Thetford, VT
  
• Looking for bargains- check out Meadowview Farm over in Southwick, MA.  This is a seasonal resource... great selection of typical bedding plants, veggies and perennials, but they are gone before the end of June.

On my list to visit:Recommended by my friend Peter, of Baystate Perennials is  Hollister House Gardens in Washington CT.  The website looks great, just haven't made it down there yet.

The other nursery on the list is Avant Gardens in Dartmouth MA They also have a great blog to visit as well.