Some common questions
Do you have any plans to open the website for pre-ordering? We have decided not to open the site to pre-orders/reserving so we can concentrate on digging more than ever from our stock on-site to keep pricing lowest in the area while still keeping our shelves fresh, plentiful, and healthy as always.
As an alternative feel free to reach out once we open and close to the timing of when you are planning a trip to see if your wishlist is available, due to a lack of holding space, we can only hold for a few days. We will do our best to keep the website up to date after closing each Sunday. Keep in mind that in some cases if we have stock on site we can add it to our dig list for the following week.
Do you do end-of-season sales? We believe in the best pricing from the start although we do from time to time have specials on our social media channels as well as 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 stock beds on-site out back, and bring in new plants from our trusted Ontario growers for the shelves. Keep in mind our shelves change weekly and we always say to ‘come early and often’. Weather permitting we will dig plants from our stock beds up until mid-June *if we have them here in stock beds.
When do you update your site for the season?
For 2025 the site should be updated by the middle of March. This is about 90% of the plants we expect to be offering for the current season. Use our site as a guide to check out our offerings, hours, make a wishlist if you’d like, and drop in to shop when we are open. Please note we post on our social media channels more often when we have something to share.
If I pop in for something and you are out?
We do have a book on the go for requested plants and if you are able to return on a future date we will add your selection to our dig list and email you when potted/ready for pickup. Sometimes as soon as in a couple of days. We aim to please and customer service is always top of our list. Due to the location of some of our stock beds and timing, we never would have all plants listed on the website available at all times. We are zone 5b so if you are traveling from a ‘warmer – higher’ zone you would be ahead of us. For example; most of our Hosta are growing in stock beds in shade or part shade that are for sale so they come up at different times in the spring – based on weather etc.
The best timing for the best selection:
Hellebore is the first 2-3 weeks we are open as they are popular and sell out quickly.
Hosta Mid-May until early-June Specialty rare plants – we receive orders in weekly until early June. Please note some of these are not on the website due to quantities.
Coneflowers are usually available the third weekend in May and later. This is the best time for transplanting when the ground has warmed up.
Reminder – We are no longer doing pre-orders in the spring or shipping at all to serve you better when you visit. We will continue to maintain the website to the best of our abilities.
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 a 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. We always try our best to keep on top of varieties sold out. Would have to spend hours each day after closing… If traveling again – just send us your list and ask if they are available by the Wednesday before planning on dropping by.
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 and sometimes a couple of seasons to get the same size plant we sell in 1-2 gallon pots.
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. Sorry, we do not dig from our display gardens as they are our personal plants.
WATCH OUR SITE and social media channels FOR UPDATES before opening we will update our site to use as a guide before 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 possibly be responsible for their care after they leave.
If you have any concerns please contact us before a plant’s health becomes an issue. Often it is placement or soil issues. Example;
*My Hosta is burning – changing colour (not blue anymore) = too much sun
*My coneflower isn’t growing well = usually not enough sun or too much water
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!
TIPS FOR SUCCESS – see planting information and guidance below
Most plants will settle in and become “ easy-care” once established.
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 and you have already planted them prior in the season.
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.