Oh you were in my neck of the woods...Maybe at the end of the season when you come back down here we could meet. I live in Lonsdale. You should have gone to Farmer Seed and Nursery in Faribault too!! Love that place, especially in Sept. when all of the perennials are $3.00 and normally are MUCH higher than that. Very fun!! Donahue's has a customer appreciation days and I found that the prices during that time is cheaper than when they have the "end of the season sale"
Atica

We usually do hit Farmer's Seed too but forgot until we were on the way to Owatonna. It would be fun to do a nursery tour later, wouldn't it? Maybe we can find some others to visit too... you would like Turtle Creek for sure.

Atica, when do they have customer appreciation days at Donahue's??? We don't get their ads here in Mpls and they don't put them on their web site either... so it's hit or miss for us. My DH's folks live in Albert Lea and we always go down the "back ways" instead of I-35. We stop at towns all the way down there - I like to say we stop to see every "biggest ball of twine", etc Sometimes takes all day because of the side trips... hahaha Never been to Lonsdale though, will have to check it out Linda

Just-in-case you are heading North. There is a nursery In Pierze Mn that I like. Rolling Hills Greenhouse & Nursery, 321 Main Street. If you like Antiques check out the antique store on Main street as well. It is a fun litle town and doesn't take long to see the whole thing. We have a cabin near there so go there often in the summer.

Pauline

Linda, I recommended Turtle Creek last year, and I'm glad to hear you liked it. A couple of my other favorites, are Soubas in Owatonna (mostly annuals and open just in the spring - great place - located on a farm about a mile or two west of Owatonna on hiway 14 - they have 5 greenhouses and raise their own plants) and Garten Marketplatz between Rochester and Byron. Garten Marketplatz doesn't have a website but you can find directions here: http://local.rochestermn.com/Garten+Marketplatz+Perennial+Farms.393206.84693512.home.html - they have been a favorite for years. Besides the nursery stock, they have a garden where you can see many perennials in a garden setting. They have an old old house made over into a gift shop, and they also have an area that people can reserve for weddings and other events. I just love this place!

Saw this while having my coffee this AM and decided to make a quick road trip before working on my seedlings. Turtle Creek is very nice and has the best selection of hostas I've seen since Shady Oaks got out of retail....and its just about as quick to get to as Rochester from my location. thanks for the tip.
Will

No one's mentioned Baldwin Lake Perennials! It's up here in Lino Lakes, not a 15 minute walk from my house. (Oh so tempting) They open May 8th I think, and they have great quality plants! Plus awesome prices and lots of help. There's a website, http://www.baldwinlakeperennials.com/index.htm, and if you do go be sure to visit during their open house.

Thanks for all these new road trip places to visit! The other direction we go often if up to St Clous area. We go up I-94 then cut over to Hyw 10 at Rogers. That way we can stop at 101 Market in Otsego which has grown so much over the years. You can see it off Hwy 101 between Rogers and Elk River on the south side of the road.

101 Market 763.441.4487
8980 Quantrelle Ave E

Then up Hwy 10 where we stop at every little nursery going up to St Cloud area. You could also hit Busse's on one of their open house weekends. I don't remember how to get there just that it is out in the country. Maybe someone else remembers. There I meet up with my sister and niece to hit our favorites in the St Cloud area:

Fairview Gardens 320.980.3648
1080-35th St NE Sauk Rapids

Raetz Scenic Nursery 320.252.8316
4355 Mayflower Rd NW Sauk Rapids

Rosewood (both in St Cloud & Sartell)
527 Pine Cone Rd Sartell 320.251.2761
1112 Washington Memorial Dr St Cloud 320.253.7264
www.rosewoodfloral.com

Thomson Greenhouse & Garden Center 320.363.7375
29756 156th Ave St Joseph
www.tgreenhouses.com

Hope this gives everyone some more of their own future road trip ideas. And I love the new places others have shared!

I haven't got the post card yet...but it is usually a week or two before the end of the season 50% off sale. I will post when I get the card.