This is it, the one I make a special trip to at least once a season, The Growing Place, in Naperville. There is a second location in Aurora, but it is even farther from home, so I haven't been there yet. The Naperville location is the original one, and on a sunny morning late in May it took me about 40 minutes to reach plus a couple of tolls.
It was definitely worth it.Why do I think The Growing Place is the best garden center around?
It could be because of the incredible selection of plants, many of which can only be found at mailorder nurseries. This year's catalogue is over 170 8"x 10" pages long of listings, and many of the offerings at the nursery aren't even listed in the catalogue. I saw that Whale's Tongue Agave that is Pam at Digging's signature plant for sale here. (Of course it was much smaller.) Those gorgeous annuals that Jodi at Bloomingwriter is always posting about, but I couldn't find? Also at The Growing Place. This is where I got my Calycathus floridus 'Athens.' The catalogue lists 27 different Heucheras. They have Eryngium 'Jade Frost.' (I'm still kicking myself for not buying it. I had it in my hand!) Not only does The Growing Place have a large selection, but the plants themselves are properly displayed and well cared for. Nothing that I bought was rootbound or stressed.But are those are the only reasons? No, The Growing Place is worth visiting for the display gardens alone. What's your dream color scheme? It's probably there.
Ruby and gold with a shot of blue. Purple and green? 
I've got to get some of these Alliums. How about peach and blue?
In the background is a brown theme. There are all different types of gardens on display: a water garden with a Japanese bridge,
a formal Rose garden,
a shade garden
sunny gardens,
a shabby chic/recycled items garden,
and a rock garden.
There's just so much here to inspire.
And then there are all the containers and ornaments for sale. (Click on any photo to enlarge.)
I'd really like this dog.
I saw rustic high-backed chairs for plants with a tiny birdhouse on each.
There was also a narrower, taller bottle tree.
The Growing Place is also a fairy lover's delight.
For those not as talented as Frances, there are lots of pieces of fairy furniture for sale for creating a fairy garden.
Need a place for your fairies to live? There's a wide selection, from the secure
to the quaint
to the grand.
One can't forget about plants for the fairy garden
or tools and garden ornaments.
You can even get minignomes to do the work for the fairies. I think another trip is in order, this time with my daughter to pick out things for a fairy garden of our own.
26 comments:
Oh my goodness, this place looks like a little slice of heaven. I will definately have to make a stop there next time I'm in Chicago (I live 2 hours north over the WI border). Thanks for sharing your trip!
What a great place! I'm not into fairies, but this post could cause me to rethink that.
MMD, what a wonderful place! While I was in Mississippi, hubby was in Chicago (Elmhurst). He would NOT have been inspired by what you've described, and would probably be relieved that I was not anywhere nearby. ;-)
There are such ideas just to be garnered from your post! Thanks!
MMD - this place looks great. I'm definately going to check it out. Naperville is pretty far from me, too, but it must be worth it.
What a fantastic looking nursery. Big display gardens make all the difference, don't they? We all want to be inspired. I don't suppose this place is close enough to be on the Fall Fling '09 tour?
I've never seen fairy housing for sale before, not in any of the nurseries in Austin anyway. Is that a regional thing?
What a gorgeous place! I love garden centers and this one looks so special. As another said, it helps to see how plants look in real gardens. The fairy gardens and accessories are too cute. And did you see ALL those wonderful pots and containers? I can see a day trip with Rose in my future.
Hi MMD, thanks for the link and showing us such a great nursery. I'm with Pam, will a trip there be on the fling itinerary? Hope, hope, hope. The fairy houses are wonderful. We have a nursery in Knoxville that carries the little arbors and gates, but the price tag sent a shock through fairyland. I do love the display gardens, but number one draw for me? Those glazed containers!
Frances
That does look like a fabulous place to visit. I just love running around garden centers looking for inspiration. Even though I can't afford the things that I see, I enjoy "window shopping".
Yeah, a bit heavy on the fairy-inspired merchandise, but looks like a great place. I could spend hours looking in a good nursery. Good place to let the mind wander.
What fun!
This gorgeous nursery does look like it's worth the trip, MMD. I may have been there with a garden club in the early nineties but don't remember anything like this!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Hey, MMD,
No doubt this place is great ( I've been there ) but it can't compare to my garden center, the great Gethsemane Garden center on the northside of Chicago. Have you been there yet ? If not, please do stop by and compare it with yours.
Hi, Jaimie - thanks for visiting! The Growing Place is worth a bit of a detour. It's pretty close to I-88.
Robin - I haven't been into fairies either, but a container with tiny plants & a little Luytens bench could be quite charming.
Shady - Elmhurst would be way to close for your husband's wallet. Just think of all the things you could fit in the car.
Gina - most of the drive would be on the expressway (bring your I-pass). It's pretty much just straight west of you. I wish it were closer to home, but sometimes a little road trip is in order.
Pam - I haven't seen fairy furnishings like this anywhere else. Whether this could be part of the Fling is going to take some working out as it is pretty far from downtown & the botanic garden & there's no good way to get there from the botanic garden. It's not too far from the Morton Arboretum, though. They do accomodate tour groups & have had groups come from Iowa & Ohio.
Beckie - you 2 need a road trip. You could make several stops on the way & hit those nurseries on the way like Contrary Mary's (which is too far out for me).
Frances - the fairy stuff is a bit pricey here too. Maybe it's from the same place. I like the glazed containers, but I think I like the glazed balls even more.
Cinj - "window shopping" is a great thing to do at places like these where you can see what mature plants look like & what they look good growing with.
Jim - the fairy excess was my doing, as I'm thinking about putting together a container version, so I had fairy on the brain. I could have instead taken lots of photos of the rustic pieces, or all the different trellises.
Joco - this is my idea of a good time. Pool? Beach? Not a chance.
Annie - I started going there only a few years ago, so I don't know what it looked like in the early 90s.
Carolyn Gail - I'm sure Gethsemane is wonderful. I've read good things about it. But it's got 2 things against it. 1. it's a nightmare to get to from the Fox Valley. When I'm in Chicago, I'm always with someone (usually family) who has no interest in making a detour & following me around a garden center for 2 hours. 2. it's got the 10% sales tax. (Thanks to Todd Stroger.) It's cheaper in Du Page County.
No wonder you like this place! I think I would have a hard time going just once a season. I'm really impressed by all the display gardens; we have nothing like this downstate.
Naperville is maybe 2 1/2 hours north of us; hmmm, I think I see a daytrip coming up soon.
Great local post. I wish I could come there and shop with you.~~Dee
Such a great nursery and I love the display gardens! No wonder you love to visit it as there is so much to see and enjoy. The Fairy stuff made me giggle as we don't have that kind of stuff in my country.
Rose - Beckie's already planning the trip. It's hard for me to get over there because now the kids are off school & they won't want to go (especially the boy). When they have day camp, I have to be back to pick them up & I hate to go too far away in case of injuries.
Dee - I wish you could come shopping with me too! It's so much more fun with someone. Last year I went to The Growing Place with my MIL. We had a great time.
Yolanda Elizabet - no fairies in the Netherlands? Or do they not need furniture?
Wow, MMD ... It looks like I could be tempted to drop some serious cash at that nursery, so I'm glad you did the tour for me. :-) That must have been a great day browsing and taking pics.
The fact that they had an agave there intrigued me ... we're considering getting some of those maybe next year.
IVG - I'm assuming you'll be keeping the Agaves as houseplants. :^)
What a whacky little place, and by that I mean cool. Alliums. Must get more alliums, yes.
I love the fairy places. I'd love to do something like this with my daughter.
Benjamin Vogt - I think I'm headed for a serious Allium kick.
Hi, Wicked Gardener - creating a fairy garden is a fun way to get little girls into garden. (Or big girls for that matter.)
What a great place, I'm sure I would get into so much trouble there. I love it when garden centers make an effort to create displays and give you ideas rather than just plop everything out there on the sale table.
My old neighbor told me that this is the place tp go and now I can see why . Naperville is too close for me not to have gone already. Thanks for the post!
Phillip - display gardens are the icing on the cake of a good nursery.
Rosemarie - I can't believe you haven't been there yet. Here's an idea: go to both the Naperville & the Aurora location & do a post about it & compare them. Or just go to either & get something good.
OH MY GOD!! I would be there every weekend. I am sooo jealous!
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