24 Places To Grow Your Green Thumb In South Eastern Ontario
Spring has sprung and there’s no better way to usher in the season of mud and buds than by planning your gardens and getting your hands dirty in the soil. Here are 24 greenhouses and gardening experiences in South Eastern Ontario that have everything you need to turn those lush green dreams into a reality this year. After all – you can’t plant flowers if you haven’t botany – .
Please visit each location’s website, or connect with their staff via email and telephone, for updates on COVID-19 procedures and operations.
Kingston
1. Sun Harvest Greenhouse
Create, grow, taste and marvel at the home of Kingston’s favourite tomatoes and a much-loved local garden centre destination. Discover top quality annuals and perennials for the home gardener at Sun Harvest Greenhouse and share the love of plants!
2. Joseph Dominik Sensory Garden – Ongwanada
Sensory rich and calming at the same time, this garden is the first fully accessible one in Kingston of this size. The Joseph Dominik Sensory Garden is an award-winning therapy garden and even features a water fountain as well as places to sit and reflect while you’re surrounded by dazzling blooms and greenery. Hot tip: it’s free and open to the public!
3. Water Conservation Garden
The Utilities Kingston Water Conservation Garden showcases a unique and sustainable twist on gardening – growing while only watering in the driest of times! The award-winning garden features 30 different areas with signage teaching visitors about over 100 different types of plants growing there.
1000 Islands Gananoque
4. Nancy’s Greenhouse
While the greenhouse is closed for the time being, Nancy’s Greenhouse is offering online shopping and curbside pickup providing beautiful flowers and wholesome veggies. Just on the edge of Gananoque near the 1000 Islands Parkway, the greenhouse is ready to burst into spring with everything from alyssum to zinnias. Sprouting successful gardens is easy with Nancy’s Greenhouse.
5. Let It Grow
Grab your gloves and head to this greenhouse to find the perfect annuals, vegetable plants, herbs, hanging baskets and planters. Offering appointment booking online this year to accommodate visitors, Let It Grow surprises with how much colour and creativity is packed into one greenhouse.
Frontenac County
6. Silverbook Garden Centre
Nothing spells spring like dreams of fresh produce and blooms for days. Head over to Silverbrook Garden Centre in Sydenham for quality annual and perennial bedding plants to bring those dreams to life! Look here for beautiful hanging baskets and custom planters, too, as well as trees and shrubs. The seasonal farm fresh produce here can’t be beat as we inch closer to summer.
Brockville
7. Fulford Place Gardens
Accompanying this 20,000 square foot Edwardian mansion, the grounds at Fulford Place were originally designed by the same firm which created Central Park in New York City. In Brockville, the gardens impress with an Italianate-style, triton fountain, statues, stone walls and gates. They were fully restored as one of the Ontario Heritage Trust’s most exciting heritage garden conservancy projects. Beautiful in spring and summer!
8. Courthouse Avenue
The gardens at Courthouse Avenue are impressive from the tiniest flower to the tallest statue. Steeped in history, the sweeping green, the wide boulevard, the fountain and picturesque avenue is known across the province as one of the most beautiful urban descents to the St. Lawrence River. Stroll the streets and take it all in – it’s the perfect spot for photos, too! It’s even a stop on the 1000 Islands & Rideau Garden Trail.
9. Shakespeare’s Gardens-Prescott
Shakespeare fan or not, you can’t help but be delighted with a stroll through Shakespeare’s Garden along the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Prescott. The unique gardens boast the creative accomplishment of harbouring many plants and flowers from famous Shakespearean plays. This 1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail garden is located adjacent to the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival amphitheatre, and guests can stroll along the waterfront promenade to enjoy a great view. Don’t forget to check out the arboretum on the Heritage River Trail, too!
Bay of Quinte
10. Dahlia May Flower Farm
Instant pick-me-up: blooms from Dahlia May Flower Farm. This small family farm near Trenton grows more than three acres of speciality cut flowers for online orders and for sale at the farm. Bursting with fragrant colour and creativity; talk about a bunch of happiness!
11. Quinte Botanical Gardens
Eye-catching plant combos meld effortlessly with edible gardens, bee and butterfly gardens, a beautiful gazebo, and a Colour Wheel Garden that is the largest in the world, to create an extraordinary experience at Quinte Botanical Gardens. Stroll through the garden savouring each sight and small, rest on a bench, enjoy the roses, breathe in nature and taste the herbs. Visitors can feel it’s a special place with restorative benefits!
12. Farmgate Gardens
This is more than a garden centre – it’s an incredible array of exploration for spring inspiration! You do the math: 7 acre garden centre + 8 demonstration gardens + 414 varieties of trees and shrubs + 660 varieties of annuals = endless gardening possibilities. Put those green thumbs to work!
Lennox & Addington
13. Sheila’s Greenhouses
Find spring here! Sheila’s Greenhouse is a local country farm greenhouse growing veggies, flowering annuals, planted containers, hanging baskets and perennials on Moscow. Your green thumb will love you for stopping here.
14. Burt’s Greenhouses
Plan your wish lists and dream gardens with Burt’s Greenhouses. Progressive grower of bedding plants, perennials, shrubs and vegetables – and seeds available, too! Look for two separate online stores for produce and for the garden centre.
15. Simple Country Pleasures
This veteran on the garden centre scene makes searching for your next garden addition an enriching experience. Simple Country Pleasures is a family owned nursery and garden centre that grows unusual perennials, annuals, custom and one-of-a-kind hanging baskets and herbs. Grow conversation starters.
16. Selby Garden Centre
Every May and June the Selby Garden Centre bursts with colourful annuals, but this unique garden centre also specializes in carrying an extensive selection of shade trees, fruit trees, evergreens, and hard to find perennials. Have questions? This is the place for expert advice. Selby Garden Centre also offers on-site garden consultation!
SDG Counties
18. Marlin Orchards & Garden Centre
Are you a plant parent? This garden centre is known for its plethora of plants! In fact, check out their plant finder on their website to browse through thousands of plants that they carry regularly. Always scouting for growing new and fun things to grow, Marlin Orchards & Garden Centre also has greenhouses bursting with homegrown annuals, vegetable plants, herbs and perennials. Don’t miss the colour and plant combos they’re creating this season!
19. Cornerstone Organics
Community supported agriculture is at the heart of Cornerstone Organics. As a first generation farm practicing organic methods, Cornerstone offers a weekly delivery program of organic veggies harvested the very same day. Real, nourishing food is the name of the game here – accented by the desire to build a local food system. Look here for a seedling sale and the Cornerstone Organics online farmers market, too!
20. Harvest Garden Centre
For more than three decades, the Harvest Garden Centre has been a local staple for veggies, annuals and perennials. Along with a gift shop and baked goods, the garden centre is a one-stop shop for everything a green thumb desires.
Prince Edward County
21. Carson Garden Market
Step out of the ordinary with a visit to Carson’s Garden Market and take the guesswork out of gardening. Fall in love with the experience at this upscale garden centre, which caters to those keen on improving their life through urban gardening and clean living. Landscape designer and television personality, Carson Arthur, is behind this authentically different garden market. Explore here for rare, heirloom and hard to find flowers, herbs and plants for culinary pursuits. Don’t forget to indulge in the epic local outdoor foodie experience at Flossie’s Sandwich Parlor, which deliciously showcases all that Prince Edward County has to offer the taste buds.
22. Bonibrae Daylilies and Perennials
Did someone say daylilies?! Luscious colours and breathtaking beauty combine at Bonibrae Daylilies and Perennials on this fourth generation Bloomfield property where imagination rules and hybridizing has earned accolades. If you’re a hosta lover, take note! Bonibrae also grows about 500 hostas.
23. Rambling Rose Nursery
With names like Amber Queen, Blaze Climbing and Apricot Nectar, the roses at Rambling Rose Nursery are sure to be a delicate delight. The garden centre is located in Bloomfield and specializes in growing masses of roses of top quality. Soon you’ll be rambling home armed with ready to plant roses, too!
24. Wendy’s Country Market
Local is at the core of everything they do at Wendy’s Country Market near Lyndhurst. A historic schoolhouse from the late 1800s is now lovingly resurrected as an old-fashioned country market – complete with animals to visit. This local food hub is also keen on organics, offering produce from more than 70 local farmers and artisans. Spend an afternoon in the country.
Did anyone else get major inspiration for window boxes and planters? Spring is full of promise in South Eastern Ontario! Expert advice coupled with unique plants, perennial trees and shrubs turn your garden into the talk of the town. Just don’t get too excited and wet your plants!