Found new (to me) a wholesale plant nursery - happy as pigs in a wallow
After seeing the lily Conca d'Or my wife took to the office, a co-worker told her about a nursery that sold plants (mostly perennials) cheaply and gave her a list of plants available. Of course we had to check it out this weekend even if the nursery was about 25 miles away.
21 plants in 5" and 6" pots for $90!!! Let's add $10-15 for gas. The old beastie Toyota Previa is a gas hog despite having only 4 cylinders - that still makes it about $5 per plant and most were cheaper because we bought a tree peony that was $12. Several of the plants, Erygium, Agastche, Lobelia and Ascelpias were only $2.34 each. The $90 included a 10% discount because we bought more than 10 plants?
We were mainly looking for perennial plants blooming at this time of the year. Their list included hundreds of plants and when we went there we weren't disappointed. Here are some of photos the blooming plants we bought. They also had some specimen and native plants which I was glad to see. I bought a Kirengeshoma which I tried to grow from seed but was unsuccessful. I also bought a tree Peony. The nursery guy said it was a species tree peony crossed with a herbaceous peony - P. lutea var. ludlowii, a bright deep yellow with woody stems which wouldn't require staking.
I also tried growing Aconitums from seed without success but they had them at the nursery so I bought two - Aconitum h. "Sparks". They had a great selection of Echinaceas as well. Black cohosh, Eryngium (sea holly), Agastache, Cimifuga racemosa, Lobelia siphilitica blue, Asclepias tuberosa to replace the one that died several years ago, Stokesia, Anemone h. Pamina (red), and a couple of dwarf bleeding hearts Dicentra ex. Aurora and s. Alba rounds out the plants purchased.
(Lobelia siphilitica also known as the Big Blue Lobelia and Blue Cardinal flower, as native of the eastern U.S. has an interesting name. Apparently at one time, it was used to treat Syphilis although the plant is quite toxic thus siphilitica.)
Of course when we got home we realized we should have picked up several different kinds of Brunnera, and other plants we passed on because we thought we already blew the budget when we filled up the large pull wagon. We thought we had surely spent several hundred dollars and almost fainted when the bill was less than a $100! I'm sure we'll go back in a couple of weeks.
For those who live in Central NJ and Bucks County PA, the nursery is called Russell Gardens Wholesale. The address is 600 New Road, Churchville, PA. Phone: 215-322-4799. No mail order. They also have a regular Nursery which sells normal priced plants so make sure you go to the Wholesale part of the operation which is at the bottom of the hill not the top. Hours: M-F 8am-5pm sharp!, Sat. 8-12 sharp!, Closed Sunday. Happy plant buying!
21 plants in 5" and 6" pots for $90!!! Let's add $10-15 for gas. The old beastie Toyota Previa is a gas hog despite having only 4 cylinders - that still makes it about $5 per plant and most were cheaper because we bought a tree peony that was $12. Several of the plants, Erygium, Agastche, Lobelia and Ascelpias were only $2.34 each. The $90 included a 10% discount because we bought more than 10 plants?
We were mainly looking for perennial plants blooming at this time of the year. Their list included hundreds of plants and when we went there we weren't disappointed. Here are some of photos the blooming plants we bought. They also had some specimen and native plants which I was glad to see. I bought a Kirengeshoma which I tried to grow from seed but was unsuccessful. I also bought a tree Peony. The nursery guy said it was a species tree peony crossed with a herbaceous peony - P. lutea var. ludlowii, a bright deep yellow with woody stems which wouldn't require staking.
I also tried growing Aconitums from seed without success but they had them at the nursery so I bought two - Aconitum h. "Sparks". They had a great selection of Echinaceas as well. Black cohosh, Eryngium (sea holly), Agastache, Cimifuga racemosa, Lobelia siphilitica blue, Asclepias tuberosa to replace the one that died several years ago, Stokesia, Anemone h. Pamina (red), and a couple of dwarf bleeding hearts Dicentra ex. Aurora and s. Alba rounds out the plants purchased.
(Lobelia siphilitica also known as the Big Blue Lobelia and Blue Cardinal flower, as native of the eastern U.S. has an interesting name. Apparently at one time, it was used to treat Syphilis although the plant is quite toxic thus siphilitica.)
Of course when we got home we realized we should have picked up several different kinds of Brunnera, and other plants we passed on because we thought we already blew the budget when we filled up the large pull wagon. We thought we had surely spent several hundred dollars and almost fainted when the bill was less than a $100! I'm sure we'll go back in a couple of weeks.
For those who live in Central NJ and Bucks County PA, the nursery is called Russell Gardens Wholesale. The address is 600 New Road, Churchville, PA. Phone: 215-322-4799. No mail order. They also have a regular Nursery which sells normal priced plants so make sure you go to the Wholesale part of the operation which is at the bottom of the hill not the top. Hours: M-F 8am-5pm sharp!, Sat. 8-12 sharp!, Closed Sunday. Happy plant buying!
posted by Ki at
4:57 AM
3 Comments:
Looks like you got a great deal. The plants look really healthy, and are blooming beautifully! Great photos!
That's an impressive haul. Have you tried any of the intersectional peony hybrids before? They seem to be showing up frequently in catalogs lately, but the prices have put me off.
Hi Chey,
The plants were an extremely good deal! The plants were also in very good condition. I planted a few and not one drooped or wilted despite the heat we've been experiencing. Thanks!
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Hi Entangled,
I'm afraid we are through and through plant collectors. When the bill came to only $90, I was sorely tempted to go back for more plants! :) I haven't seen the hybrid peonies before, even in catalogs. I do a quick scan, actually look at the pictures of plants in catalogs but like you are put off by the prices especially when you have to add shipping. So I don't read the descriptions much. Not good to be tempted.
The peony I bought was quite small and it seemed a bit leggy with light green new leaves so I was a little wary about exposure to full sun but it held up well when I left it in the sun after I sited the plant and forgot to put it back in filtered light. I was surprised it was so robust since it was kept in a screened sun shaded greenhouse.
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