Bravo for you! Welcome to the club of people that are not content to plant the same ol' stuff over and over! You have to work a little harder for what you want, but I think it's worth it.

In my case, I want primarily native plants and it can be harder to find natives ... especially the less frequently propagated ones ... in mainstream nurseries. More often they have some, especially in the spring when the big shipments come in.

My advice to you is to get to know the smaller nurseries. Those folks are capable of and willing to order what you want. You want a white loropetalum? Ask for one. Especially in the spring and fall when they are placing lots of orders with wholesale nurseries, they will probably get you what you want. If you can, deal with several of them to get the best service.

Research what you want and then ask for it. Whereabouts are you? Perhaps people could recommend some good nurseries near you.

esh -- In Central GA. We do have some local nurseries (Wheeler's--a great source for Japanese maples, Agape Village, John Deere--which isn't really local, just regional, and Johnson's), but most of those places still carry the same stuff everybody else carries. There's also a Society Gardener. They carry a few sedums and other succulents that other places don't have. I try to shop the local nurseries whenever possible, but again...they do seem to carry just the same stuff everybody else does. I have tried for the past couple of years to get them to order some specific things, but without any luck. They always just say, "We get whatever is on the truck...we really don't have a lot of say-so about it." Which seems weird to me, but then the other thing they will say is, "We have to order such large quantities of things, because we don't want to get stuck with a lot of plants nobody wants." Which I understand. One of the local nurseries recently mentioned that they quit carrying more of the drought-tolerant, ornamental grasses, because no one wanted them. (Bet THAT'S gonna change, huh?) I found this out, because I have been trying (somewhat in vain) to get Mexican Feather Grass.

There's a place called GA Trees and Crape Myrtles, but I would be hesitant to buy from them again, as I had a bad experience with them awhile back. Also, whenever I go out there, a lot of their trees/shrubs are not labeled and they don't seem to be very confident as to what the particular tree/shrub is.

We do not have a Pike here (although, I hear it is changing hands/closing/something).

You bring up a good point about native plants. There are some great native, deciduous azaleas...with yellow/orange flowers (ie: NOT PINK!) :-) but trying to find them is tough.

I have thought about ordering some things myself from catalogs, but that is sort of nervewracking. Money's tight and it's tough to hand over a couple hundred dollars to a mailorder company, without having first seen the trees/shrubs. I guess I will just have to get used to it though and try it.

Ah, but pink native azaleas can be the most fragrant! For native azaleas, look into Lazy K Nursery in Pine Mountain, GA (near La Grange and Callaway Gardens). They are the source for many nurseries but do sell retail also.

Sounds like your local nurseries are indeed not very accommodating. If you decide to order via mail, do check Garden Watch Dog .com for ratings and opinions.

You might even consider doing "day trips" to nurseries in other areas. I hear good things about Nearly Native Nursery in Fayetteville, GA.

Don't worry about not having a Pike's ... their selection is not that out of the ordinary (although I'm sure some locations varied).

Do a search on this forum for "nurseries" and see what old threads turn up on recommendations. Here is one on McCorkle's in Dearing, GA (not central GA, but perhaps worth a trip).

Here is a link that might be useful: McCorkle's

esh...Thanks for the list of nurseries a little farther out! I have actually been wondering where I could find some outside the area. My husband and I often do little day-trips, especially running up to Atlanta (BTW, if you know of any good nurseries up there, we would be interested in checking them out too) and we will absolutely check out Nearly Native (I can tempt him with a trip to the Guitar Center in Fayetteville, where he is like a kid in a candy store...kind of like me at a nursery! LOL!). Will try to make trips to the other two as well.

Guess I need to start keeping a list of these places in my garden notebook.

I found some beautiful yellow azalea at a nursery close to Callaway Gardens (in Georgia).

esh..have you ever gone up to Reflection Riding ? If you haven't, Google it. They have big plant sales twice a year and from you its a easy ride up 75.

No, I have not been there. I did look at their website ... they don't have 2008 events posted yet but I can see they had plant sales in April and September last year.

I'll check back with them.

There really are still some nice small nurseries---do a road trip to the Athens area sometime. Piccadilly Farm in Bishop is WONderful, open for season beginning March 7. (They don't have a website but you can Google them & get some info) They have unusual shrubs and trees there (no holly or euonymous!), lots of conifers, shade perennials esp Hellebores.
And there is Goodness Grows in Lexington (I think that's where it is). Near Athens.
I wish Gardensmith was still open! I have 2 white Loropetalums that I got there yrs ago; they are gorgeous in spring. Guess I need to propagate them, eh?!

Happy to see this thread!

Is anyone familiar with or bought anything from Thyme after Thyme nursery in Winterville? Looking at their online catalog, they offer alot of natives.

Thanks,
Jackie

Jackie..I go up there a couple times a year. The lady who owns it is real nice. They have a good selection of everything really. If you are going to Goodness Grows from there the road you take is 78 and along the way theres another nursery thats pretty good. Its Wolfskin Nursey about 15 mins up 78, across the road from Eastside ornamentals. ( which is wholesale)They have alot of standard perennials and lots or annuals for a good price.

I LOVE Thyme after Thyme. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Nice selection of shade and sun plants, as well as herbs. They do have some fun natives to choose from, as well.

I'm going to have to try to find Goodness Grows again one of these days. I got lost looking for it the last time.

mk87 Good Luck with your search. There are lots of shrubs to choose from in the ATL area. I live in Lawrenceville, and we have Randy's Perennials. It's a little helter skelter, but good variety. I hate to plug a big box store, because I've been using the local nurseries more often, but I did find some of the dwarf white Loros (Snow Muffin, I believe ) at my local HD.

Thanks for all the good ideas of other places to visit! I am guessing that the white lorapetalums just haven't made it down south this far yet. I had heard that they'd developed a couple of new ones at UGA and sounds like, from what you are saying, they are being sold in the northern counties. I will definitely check out some of these places! You would think there would be more locals in my area, but...oh well. Road trip! :)

I have a while lorapetalum that a trader gave me many years ago. It has never bloomed!

GGG

Thanks Bobby and Pam for the info about Thyme after Thyme - I look forward to going there soon!

McCorkle Nurseries has 'Snow Muffin'®, dwarf, 1.5'H x 4'W, fragrant white flowers, green foliage.
'Carolina Moonlight', medium size, 6'H x 6'W, white flowers, green foliage.
'Leather & Lace', large size, 10'H x 8'W, white flowers, purple foliage. Can be trained into tree form.

They also have several cultivars of the ubiquitous pink flowered ones, with purple foliage.

They sell to HD, Lowes, Independent nurseries & landscapers state wide, but not to Pikes! But maybe that will change with new ownership (and personnel)!

The link below lists their clients in GA. If your local affiliate doesn't have the one's you want, ask them to order them for you. If they are reluctant, thank them, leave, and wisely spend your money elsewhere! That's what I would do.
Rb

Here is a link that might be useful: Nursery Search

OOPS! If your browser generates an error message on the link, click on the "Nursery Finder" link at top of page and then enter your ZIP or get state wide list by selecting Georgia in the scroll box.
Rb