Sad - but not surprising! - that they couldn't find a buyer for the business. I wonder if they will have any better luck selling it as a private residence...

That will be a painful loss: I have many unusual plants from Lost Horizons, and it was always a pleasure to walk around there and look what unexpected treasures I could find. The owner brought together an incredible collection of plants, and I regret that no one came forward to continue the nursery. A loss for him and for us. I hope he can at least sell the house and the beautiful gardens.

Yep, very sad to hear this. Seems whenever I discover something, it's on its way out. It's too bad no one was able to step forward and continue the legacy. I know there were a few "interested" from folks in the gardening community...but no truly serious takers.

UPDATE (April 29 2020):

Just received this notification in my inbox this evening :

We apologize for the delay in posting what is happening at the nursery. New owners were supposed to take over on May 1st but ten days before closing they backed out. We are now scrambling to update the website and establish a method for people to order plants.......

What a coincidence as I was in the area earlier the same day and stopped by the entrance. Looking over the gate, the nursery part looked abandoned (although the very nearby home was clearly occupied) and so I assumed the property was sold but there would no longer be the nursery...poor Larry the owner; almost for sure an economic consequence of COVID.

(I clicked on the link for this note but it was no longer active but I see a 2020 Catalogue is shown. Given the last minute nature of this event I might think it is identical to the 2019?)

http://losthorizons.ca/nursery/catalogues-orders/

I'm pretty sure the catalogue is identical to last year's only because I've been through the thing so many times! Compiling my list now!

Too bad they got messed around with in the sale process. I will try to support them as much as I can at this time.

Thanks for the update. It's not surprising that the deal fell through, given the current conditions. Sad for the owners though. I'm guessing there will be a lot of garden centers/nurseries close if this situation continues through the summer. I think, ultimately, a mail order business model makes the most sense for a place like Lost Horizons, given its relatively remote location.

I'm pretty sure the catalogue is identical to last year's

I would have thought this for sure except in glancing I notice a plant that I am convinced wasn't in last years catalogue ie Thalictrum delavyi Splendide Alba' (page 121 or 174).

If the deal fell through only a couple of weeks ago, I would think it would be very problematic for the original owner to now bring in perennials from suppliers.

And if the sale was not to someone interested in keeping the nursery going then I wonder what stock is still there.

Yes, Rouge, on closer inspection I 'think' I see a couple of new varieties, specifically epimediums, But then again, there are so many of those, I can't be sure. If I remember correctly you've been hunting for that thalictrum high and low. You must be doing a happy dance today!

You must be doing a happy dance today!

Normally yes except that I had already sourced TSWhite from an across the country nursery and he is planning to mail them early next week. (I dont want to back out on the "deal".)

UPDATE: Unexpectedly I see that LH will be open for the 2021 season. (The owner had seemed quite firm that 2020 would be the last)

I saw the announcement on Facebook. But I think that is in line with what he posted on the website in the fall of last year: "We still hope the nursery will sell (glass quarter full) but if not we will be opening in the spring to sell off our large amount of remaining stock." So the opening was in the plans, and either it still sells, or this is the last season. I do so hope the owner still finds a buyer! For him and for us.

But I think that is in line with what he posted on the website in the fall of last year

Ah. Maybe I didnt notice that later announcement as during the spring and summer I am pretty sure Larry was 'saying' that 2020 was to be their last year.

(It must be really tough for him having to open year after year when at the same time doing all he can to sell the place. And IMO and understandably so, the nursery didn't look its best last season).

UPDATE(June 2021):

Just announced on their FB page that the property has been sold and the nursery is closing.

That is truly sad news, though I am glad for the owner that at least the place sold and he can move on. Maybe I will go once more and get a few plants I will probably not be able to buy after this.

Sad but not unexpected. It would be hard for the (undoubtedly low paid) staff there as there are probably not many job opportunities in such a relatively remote location!

It’s definitely a loss, but we had ample warning this day was coming. I’d sure he’s happy it sold, but I think Larry’s big disappointment is that it won’t be carried on as a nursery. Unfortunately, a lot of the “interested” parties just did not have the leverage to make that happen.

And yet I bet the nursery, like other nurseries, has done a booming business during these two seasons of COVID.

@rouge - I wonder! Whenever finally I got a chance to go out there since covid with the back and forth (open/not open/curbside happening/not happening) it was never overly busy. I think it was off the radar for many folks. Whereas the chain nurseries here (Terra, Holland Park) were doing bonanza business. Of course, Lost Horizons is a place where you go if you are specifically looking for perennial plants; not the million other plant-related stuff you can get at other nurseries (annuals, baskets, soil, gazebos, pillows, fertilizer, insecticides, seeds...)