Some common questions
Do you have any plans for opening up the website for pre-ordering? We have decided to not take pre-orders for the spring of 2025. We have to concentrate on digging our plants at the proper time and keep the shelves fresh and healthy.
Do you do end-of-season sales? We believe in the best pricing from the start although we do from time to time have unadvertised specials for those that drop in and lots of $2.99 pots and 10% not even listed that are rare/limited quantities.
During your season why are you closed Monday to Wednesday?
This is when we weed, pot up from our backstock beds, and bring in new plants from our trusted growers for the shelves. Our shelves change weekly and we always say to come early and often. Feel free during the season to email us/message us on FB to check the availability of your wishlist. Weather permitting we also dig Hosta up to mid-June for those requested via email or when you drop in and we are sold out *if we have them here in stock beds.
When do you update your site for the season?
We work on the website on and off all winter updating the perennials we have coming from other growers/orders and inventory on-site that we dig from. Usually, by the end of March, we complete it. Just use our site as a guide make a wishlist if you’d like and drop in to shop during our posted hours.
Not all plants are potted and ready at all times.
The best for:
Hellebore is the first 3 weeks we are open
Hosta Mid May until early JuneSpecialty rare plants – we receive orders weekly until early June. Please note some of these are not on the website due to quantitiesConeflowers are usually all available the third weekend in May and the best time for planting is when the ground has warmed up
We are no longer doing pre-orders in the spring or shipping. We will continue to maintain the website.
We often say come early and often and please feel free to compare our prices to others.
Do you know about HVX? test for it? We know about it, educate about it, and watch for it carefully. We always have tests on hand and if anything is in question we will test. Please note the growers we trust and buy from tests at their level so doesn’t make sense to spend $10.00+ per test to add to the cost of the Hosta. We have several past suppliers that guarantee 5%! – not good enough for us we will not buy Hosta from them unless 100%. HOSTA VIRUS X was discovered in 1996 and we were in the loop when the Ontario Hosta Society and American Hosta Society were educating us all. When I used to travel all over Ontario speaking about HVX – I always included information about it in my talks. Education is key. May do a workshop here in Early-Mid May about it. If interested reach out to me via email or please read up about it on the Hosta Library page.
Does your nursery use pesticides and herbicides? We do not use any chemicals of any kind in gardens (Stock & Display), or plants for sale in pots. Our growers we bring plants in do not either. We truly care about our planet and all living creatures in it. We dig and hand-pull weeds. We do sell natives but focus on those that behave more than those that will take over as most gardens are not large enough to tolerate overcrowding.
How do I keep my wishlist? Just set up an account?
To register just, click on SHOP, then select MY ACCOUNT.
Input your name, email, and a strong password
Tip: (if you want our website to remember your password each time you log in, check off the box “remember me”.)
No payment information is ever required and we never share your information with anyone.
Is it sold out?
If you see sold out in June – then likely we are. Just plan on dropping by when we are open to shop. Once the cart is taken away we will update but will never be kept up with accurate inventor at that time in May/June. Would have to spend hours each day after closing… If traveling again – just ask for an availability list or email us to check by at least Wednesday.
What size are your plants?
We do not sell or buy in what we call liners/1st year seedlings. Growers offer many sizes and we purchase the largest available to us to bloom the first year. Please compare our pricing but always check their small print. If it says plugs, starters, or liners, – you would have to grow them on.
The majority we offer have been growing on-site for 1 + seasons as we are growers. Most Hosta and Medium-sized perennials are in 5 1/2″, and 1/1.5 gallon pots. Our mini to small perennials including mini Hosta are in quart-size pots. We often offer onsite specials including mature 2-3 season perennials in 2 gallons. Also not on the website and usually gone by the end of May are the 3″- 4″ pots for $2.99 – $3.99 availability fluctuates from week to week.
Can I just drop in and pick from your pre-potted stock?
By all means, see hours on our main page and drop by.
We always have tons to choose from and even lots of very limited stock not on the website as well as shrubs (in May), grasses and special natives etc. We do not dig from our gardens.
WATCH OUR SITE and social media channels FOR UPDATES prior to opening we will update our site to use as a guide prior to stopping in. Although there may be an odd shortage, there will always be lots of choices. The plant industry has been turned upside down and many growers are playing catch up.
Do you take back your pots and trays?
Yes, please!
We love to reuse and as long as it is a size/colour we already use.
Please put them in the Blue Box by the shed. Just recycle your small annual pots or any broken ones.
Do you guarantee your plants?
We sell only plants that are healthy when they leave here. We can not be responsible for their care after they leave.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS – see planting information and guidance below
Most plants will settle in and become “ easy-care” once established.
If you have any concerns please contact us before a plant’s health becomes an issue.
We are here to help, we care about the plants and your gardens!
We love what we do and are always just an email away!
What about Hosta Virus X?
We are very aware of it and only purchase our new stock coming in from growers that guarantee to us the stock is clean. At times we have extra HVX tests on site to sell as well. Just email us. We educate on this subject all the time. For more information see this amazing resource for more Hosta Library.
How do I plant? and where in the gardens?
How to plant is easy but there are key factors to keep in mind;
We always suggest you pick up and plant when safe to plant.
– no frost at night
– the ground temperature has warmed up during the day and night
– plant in the cooler, less sunny part of the day and water in well
– spread the roots over a slight mound of soil in the center of the hole and water
– replace the soil with the crown of the plant at soil level
Plants need light and water:
– Daylilies and Coneflowers = lots of sun
– Hosta, Ferns, Coral Bells = part shade or morning sun with filtered sunlight
– dig hole 2x the width of the root and work in compost for plants like Hosta if needed
IN EXTREME HEAT:
– in the middle of a heatwave keep plants in a cool, shady spot until the temperature drops before planting.
– always water deeply at the root once a week or more if in heatwave continues
Storing plants until ready to plant?
It is best to hold off from planting right away if you are experiencing extreme heat, wind or stormy weather.
Just keep them in a cooler spot out of the sun/wind/rain until it passes
Hosta and Slugs/snails? How do you control them?
We use 1 part household ammonia (lemon-scented is fine) with 9 parts water.
- Spray the plants either early if raining or later in the day.
- 3 times; Start before the Hosta are not up through the ground yet,
then when tips or eyes appear and also when leafed out. - If you see any holes, spray again on those plants only.
- It won’t hurt other plants.
- If you are reading this and they have already been leafed out for a bit – it’s not too late! Use the same solution, once a week for three weeks.
You can even get a head start by doing this in the fall to be one step ahead of the spring. You can just use a watering can if no sprayer.
If you see any frogs or toads – do not do this area
– they will do the job for you!
Cutting back perennials?
The rule of thumb is to cut back the flowering stocks after the plant is finished blooming. Letting it go to seed takes energy from the roots. If the plant looks raggy, cut more back. If you have lots of time in the spring to garden, hold off cleaning up until then, or just cut back the spring blooming ones. I never cut back my grasses in the fall, as they have great seed heads to admire all winter long.
Dividing perennials?
After it is done blooming is a great time to divide, or keep in mind; Spring bloomers 6-8 weeks before the first frost, and Summer/Fall bloomers in spring.
Heuchera are coming up out of the soil?
The one thing to watch for is winter heaving – with the thaw-freeze back and forth they do tend to push up out of the ground more than a lot of other perennials. We try to get out early with the lawn is blooming with crocuses and inspect and push the plants back down.
* Please note Mini Hosta also do this and we suggest planting with some sand or light gravel in the mix.
