Check out my local greenhouse vendor: some real treasures!!

I buy the vast majority of my plants from a greenhouse located in Vestaburg called Snyder's Greenhouse. The owner there is named Doris Snyder. Over the years, Doris has increasingly enabled my plant and flower addiction.

Anyway, I went to her greenhouse this afternoon to check out what she will have this year that is new and different. While I was there, she was telling me how she and her husband had just returned from Wayside Gardens for an event that was by private invitation only. I was absolutely salivating over the treasures she returned with. Now maybe those of you who live in large metropolitan areas will find what she brought back as kind of ho-hum but for me, living in the country with Mt. Pleasant and Alma being the nearest "large" cities near me, I was thrilled by what I will be getting from this greenhouse. Many of the greenhouses here sell a lot of marigolds, pansies and petunias. I have always liked Doris' greehouse because she always manages to have a few things that are out of the ordinary for this area. But boy, this year, she has a LOT that is out of the ordinary.

For instance, Doris came back with several japanese maples. She has the dark red ones but also one called "peaches and cream."I Very unusual, colorful leaves. am definitely going to get one of those! She also came back with several David Austin rose bushes -- Glamis Castle and Pat Austin. I will likely buy one of each. She also has several exotic looking caladiums -- Thai Beauty is one of them. Very showy! She brought back some hardy bamboos and even a few banana trees. She has some lace cap hydrangea called "Lady in Red" and yep, the flowers are red. Even the leaves are reddish in color and Doris says the color is even more intense in the fall. She also got about a dozen brugmanisa (angel trumpet) plants - Ecuador Pink. They are in quart size containers and so kind of small, but based on the ones I grew last year, these babies grow very, very fast. She brought back a brunnera called "Looking Glass". I already have Jack Frost but the Looking Glass is even more silvery in color. She has some heuchera called "Key Lime Pie" that is a bright light green that I will love to have in the shady areas of my garden. She is waiting for shipment from Wayside Garden of some Red October hosta. I don't know if you have seen these, but they are a red-stemmed hosta. If they look like anything I have seen in the catalogs, I am sure I will have to get one! I know that there are a lot more I am forgetting. I am going back to her greenhouse tomorrow and pick out what I want to buy.

Sorry for babbling, but I am just so excited to have the opportunity to buy these plants from a local greenhouse. I am hoping that she is successful in selling them so that she continues to get an even better variety next year.

Anyway, if any of you are in the area, you might want to check out this greenhouse. It is located on Crystal Road just South of Vestaburg. The phone number for the greenhouse is (989) 269-5909. You could call the greehouse and get more specific directions (I totally suck at giving people driving directions). Just wanted to let you all know .

Lucky you to have such a vendor!
I too seek out those vendors that offer more than just the usual annuals and perennials.

My husband and I go down to Shipshewana, Indiana a few times a year and they have a herb & perennial nursery business right in the downtown area called "Greenfield Herb Gardens" that I go to every May but very unfortunately the business is for sale since the owner has an ailing elderly parent in another state she has to go care for but they might still be open this Spring for business OR maybe the buyer will just take over this business. Anyway there is also another vendor in that area called "Prairie Trail Farm". To find out location (short drive outside of Shipshewana) just pick up the tourist information guides. Anyway she has alot of herbs, alpine plants, perennials and a huge number of heirloom tomatoes plus a gift shop. Its well worth the side trip if you are going to be in Shipshewana. The Shipshewana Flea market also has alot of plant vendors.
For my immediate west Michigan area I love *Ludema's* in Grand Rapids.
On Eastern south of 28th St. They offer a choice selection of potted roses (including English, Romantica, antiques, etc) and unusual perennials and annuals. They also have lovely display gardens (with alot of roses/a must see in June), concrete garden statuary and containers, florist service and items for the home as well.

Maybe others could list their favorite home & garden business here.

Riviera gardens in Union Pier, Mi. Awesome place. You'll walk through, get mesmerized, want to buy alot, decide you can't and never want to leave. Natural setting, like a maze and by the time you leave you will have bought something. Everything you could ever want is there. My 66 year old neighbor turned me on to this place ( evil old woman that she is ) and my husband had to drag me to the car to get me out of there. Hate it when that happens!

If anyone is ever down this way, go visit, it's great.

Riviera Gardens
16024 Red Arrow Highway
Union Pier, Mi
49129

Another great greenhouse in the mid-Michigan area is Van Atta's in Haslett (just outside Lansing). It is huge! They have just about every kind of plant and shrub that one could hope for. When I go there, I have to make sure I have a couple of hours in my schedule because I just never want to leave once I get there! They have trees, shrubs, roses, annuals, water garden plants, and perennials. Their staff is some of the most helpful I have ever encountered at a greenhouse. They also have a large supply of outdoor furniture, statuary, birdbaths, and general garden decor. They also offer various gardening-related classes, some dealing with landscaping, others with various arts and crafts projects, etc. They also offer a variety of different mulches, including mushroom compost, which I really want to try out this year. Van Atta's is a family operation that seems to expand a little more each year. Also, they have some excellent planted containers with very unusual combinations. I really do recommend Van Atta's and especially if you are looking for a particular plant that you have been unable to find at other greenhouses.

I go to VanAtta's every year. It is a really nice place. I like Bordine's too. I visit my mother and Bordine's in Brighton.