Join your state's nurseryman's association - pretty much every state has one. This is an excellent resource for networking and mentoring and you will easily find the contacts you need.

Depending on the type of nursery you intend to operate, I would not necessarily limit my contacts to only local sources. The larger wholesalers - Monrovia, Baileys, Iseli, Terra Nova, Walters, etc, etc. will sell anywhere as long as minimum orders are made and any kind of delivery issues are met (smaller plants can certainly go through the mail or UPS).

Wholesalers generally have no problems finding customers......unless they are start-up operations. I'm not sure I'd recommend that route for anyone new to the industry in my area - retailing is far easier to get started - but not sure about that side of the business in your neck of the woods.

Here is a link that might be useful: MI Nursery and Landscape Association

try www.plantsearch.com

Go to the trade shows. There will be lots of vendors selling almost anything you can use. The Great Lakes Trade Show unfortunately was back in January. You might see if any of the neighboring states are putting anything on like this.

Here is a link that might be useful: Great Lakes Trade Show