Survey:How Far Would You Travel?

To find a good assortment of unusual/hard to find tropicals?

I'm doing a little market research.

I love to take road trips to hunt plants. While my main interest is hardy perennials and shrubs, picking up an unusual tropical is always possible. Last summer, my wife and I took a road trip of about 600 miles through three states stopping at nurseries and garden centers. The nurseries are normally the best bet as the garden centers have pretty much the same basic plants. Usually, we research books and Dave's Garden to find out-of-the-way nurseries to visit.

I travel an hour to an hour and a half to visit some of my favorite nurseries--any farther than that and it would only be a once in a while trip at most. A lot also depends on what else is in the area--one of the nurseries I like is a long drive, but it's near a botanical garden that I also like so I'll go down there twice a year for the botanical garden sales and hit the nursery on the way back. Otherwise I probably wouldn't go as frequently. And the selection of plants is important too--if I'm only going to find one thing I want then I wouldn't go farther than 10-15 minutes, but if it's a place that is going to have a bunch of stuff I might want then I'm willing to drive farther. Most people here on DG are probably a little more willing to "go the extra mile" to find plants than the average person though, I suspect for most people, they won't regularly visit someplace that's not within ~15 min or so drive (unless it's in a "destination" location where they go regularly to eat, shop, etc).

I think that with the economy, as it is, a lot of people will stay a little closer to home than they would if it wasn't so bad. I tend to keep closer to home, say about an hours drive from where I live in Buffalo, NY. I also try to catch our local Botanical Garden Sales when I can. It's amazing though what you can find in Lowe's or Home Depot now-a-days. There are also a lot of nursery's around this area that do have different types of plants as well.

This message was edited Feb 2, 2009 8:56 PM

The farthest I've ever gone was 120 miles....only because my niece went along for company....I'd never go that far on my own, about 70 miles is the max I have and *will* go.

From Tampa to Miami is 285 miles, I can't go any farther than that without being on a boat.

Furthest I've gone for plant(s) was from Columbia, SC to Homestead, FL - I was looking for some small cheap palms (up here the same $30 palm in Florida costs several hundred $$). I also never go to Hawai`i without bringing plants home, I even plan ahead for what I'll get - most tropicals grow like weeds there, sometimes literally.

I have to drive at least 90 miles to get to a town with socks. So while I'm there I'll go to Fred Meyer. Or the other direction [Bend] is 170 miles. But I have to go there anyway regularly so I'm investigating nurseries.

You drive 90 miles to get to a town that wears socks? :)

well, planter, now that I've wiped the tears of laughter from my face.......................my husband said that did sound confusing. OK! I'm blonde!

I only have to drive 30-35 miles to get to a town that wears socks or even sells shoes. Those 2 towns (in opposite directions from me) are also where I do a lot of plant shopping. If I want violets, I drive 80 or so miles to Dave's Violets in Springfield, MO - very much worth the drive.

;-)

LOL! ROFL! But what do socks have to do with it :) Don't tell me that people in MO don't wear socks? or wear just shoes without socks in one town and wear socks in another? Sorry, I just can't help myself sometimes :) (thats why I take these little blue pills hehehehehe yes doctor I did take my pills) hehehhehehe

Blue pills and socks - well this thread took an interesting turn, lol

Amazing, LOL, LOL, ROTFL!

I have this very dry dry dry run it into the ground type of humor :)

You need the experience of living in a big geographical state to know that 3 or 4 hours is a nothing drive one way to a favorite nursery.......

Oh believe me gessiegail I do understand. I may live in Buffalo NY but if I want something different I have to go through the mail to get it. Very few nurseries around here carry unusual tropicals and such :) But socks na....just go to store, buy socks, have shoes :) hehhehehe I use to live in the country and I'd have to drive about 30 miles to get to the biggest town that would have a grocery store :) I just have a bad sense of humor.....

Oh, I think mine is worse....

But........I think it is fun. Just got home today and let me tell you how much fun I had in one day. I live in the middle of nowhere but only have to go 10 miles for groceries, socks, etc ^_^

Yesterday morning a friend and I (but she doesn't drive on the highway) drove first two and half hours to Seguin to a nursery, then on through New Braunfels, etc. We ended up in Boerne, Texas which is 41/2 hours from here at wonderful nursery. Shopping in Boerne is wonderful for everything so we had a great time. We didn't get back to the motel in New Braunfels until 7 last night, didn't eat dinner and went to bed. I was home by noon today.

The plants I found and the prices were fabulous............loved going.

I will only show you just a few pictures......hope I don't bore you. I won't show the 11 streptocarpus I got in Boerne.

Here is my 12.00 new ZZ plant........she doesn't go in the basket, although I did find those two baskets for my daughter.

Geraniums were on sale for 2.50 each and the Euphorbia were nice in the lighter colors.

I would like to keep (not really) the baskets for my stromanthes.

I really found a steal on these Jewel Orchids for 9.00 each............each pot has about 5 plants in it.

How about a sale on Fushia baskets. This was 9.00

another Fushia they had on a table for 5 bucks each.............I know they hate the heat but I will bring them in during the summer to hang on the side of my gro light stands.

This particular picture is why I am willing to drive forever to find bargains.........I got 4 Sweet Olive Trees for a particular bed and a car full of Natal plums for 5.95 each. They get so big and bloom so well down here.

And......tah dah............even had time to do a little personal shopping for my adult kids......
I must show you!

Life is Good! It is and we had fun. I knew I was going on Tuesday when you started this thread, Threegardeners, but didn't want to say I was going out of town. One giant bargain day of shopping was had
good night.............
gail
PS Hope people really answer you as I would love to know how far people are willing to travel to find plants! I will drive up to 9 hours one way, catching nurseries all along the way. But that would have to be a 3 day total away from home.
Our little outing just last one very full day and then home this morning......

WOW you go girl!

Planter56, my adult kids may not let me out of the house too much longer ^_^

First I left all my cash at a restaurant at noon in New Braunfels in a bank envelope on the table.
But, people are good! I came back 7 hours later and the waitress who had waited on us came up behind me and whispered, "Would you like your money"?. Do I need to tell you how grateful for the goodness in people!

Then I forgot my 'old lady' medicines at home.........

Born to nursery hunt until they take my keys away from me........hopefully I have at least 10 years before they do that!
gail

Hmmm well I'm only 52 and not that bad, yet. :) There are those senior moments that come and go and I can forget something that I just thought of...now where was I going with this :) Heheehehehe. If ya can't drive then drive your kids nuts until they take you :)