As spring days grow warmer and flowers burst into bloom, botanical gardens and arboretums inspire us with grand ideas for our own yards and garden beds. A half day walk through a garden followed by a visit to a great garden center is a dreamy day trip for anyone who aspires to be a great gardener.
Nurseries grow plants. Garden centers sell them. While NE Ohio is filled with wholesale nurseries, we do not have a lot of great retail garden centers and even fewer garden center/gift shops. When I do find one in my travels, I try to keep track of it. This list is my effort to remind me of all the great garden centers I have found. Also added to this list are those I haven’t visited but which I soon hope to check out. Some of these may require an overnight or weekend stay. If you have a favorite Ohio garden or garden center that is not listed, or further info about one that is, please let me know about it in the comments.
You won’t find listings for seasonal garden shops located inside of discount department or big box stores on this list. Someone who aspires to be known as a “gardener” realizes the benefit of shopping at a professional garden center which offers unique plants, grown for our cold weather and sold by experts who can answer questions.
Some of these listings contain descriptions from a website or the reviews of other shoppers. These comments are in italics. Comments that are my own are in red italics. Botanical gardens, arboretums and parks are listed with a green background.
I will continue to add more places as I find them.
Cleveland
Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106. The glass house is a wonderful place to spend a cold winter day. During warmer weather, a walk through the outdoor gardens should not be missed.
Cavotta Garden Center, 19603 Nottingham Rd, Cleveland, OH 44110
Highland Garden Center, 5860 Wilson Mills Rd, Cleveland, OH 44143
Gardenview Horticultural Park, 16711 Pearl Rd, Strongsville, OH 44136. “Colorful English style cottage gardens covering 16-acres established in the 1960’s.”
East of Cleveland
The Holden Arboretum, 9550 Sperry Rd, Kirtland, OH 44094. Don’t miss the Emergent Tower and Canopy Walk. There are many trails that visit a variety of habitats. Take a picnic lunch and enjoy the day!
Deck By Design, L.L.C, 363 E 324th St, Willowick, OH 44095
Madison/Perry
Arcadia GlassHouse LLC, 354 N Lake St, Madison, OH 44057. Greenhouse builders.
Sabos Garden Center, 7800 N Ridge Rd, Madison, OH 44057. Good selection of veggie and annual flowers, perennials. A few fruits, shrubs, trees. Small selection of statuary.
Mike’s Plant Farm, 4850 N Ridge Rd, Perry, OH 44081. “From April thru October we are here daily. Usually by 9:00 a.m. If it rains we pack it in and go home because there’s really nothing for us to do in the rain. Please understand, this is a part-time, retirement business for Pam and I. We do the best we can, but when it’s slow we can’t sit around hoping somebody shows up. April and May were are here 7 days a week, usually til 5:00 p.m. While I always prefer full service garden centers to season garden shops in big box stores, I am also willing to support “backyard” growers. Here you’ll find a random variety of shrubs and perennials. They are often small plants but with a small price to match.
Middle Ridge Nursery, 6559 Middle Ridge Rd, Madison, OH 44057. We have the LARGEST selection of fairy and miniature gardening items.
Bluestone Perennials, 7211 Middle Ridge Rd, Madison, OH 44057. This is a mail order company and not a retail store. However, once a year, at the end of the season (usually early June) they open up their greenhouses for a couple of days and you can purchase what remains of their season stock at a big discount!
Sabos Garden Center, 7800 N Ridge Rd, Madison, OH 44057. Good selection of veggie and annual flowers, herbs, perennials. A few fruits, shrubs, trees. Small selection of statuary.
Painesville/Mentor/Wiloughby Area
Maple Ridge Garden Center, 7220 Painesville Ravenna Rd, Painesville, OH 44077. Not sure the owner is a professionally trained grower but it doesn’t matter. Lots to choose from here. Specimens are not always perfect, but they come with less than perfect specimen price tags too so if you’re looking for a deal this is the place to go.
W.M.G. Wood & More, 51 Johnnycake Ridge Rd, Painesville, OH 44077. Sheds and garages.
Decks & Effects, 1382 Riverside Dr, Painesville, OH 44077
Bremec Garden Center of Concord, 7954 Painesville Ravenna Rd, Painesville, OH 44077.
Madison Avenue Greenhouses, 905 Madison Ave, Painesville, OH 44077.
Wyatt’s Greenhouse, 6440 Reynolds Rd, Mentor, OH 44060.
Rock’s Farm and Garden, 10935 Chillicothe Rd, Kirtland, OH 44094.
Petitti Garden Center, 8000 Plaza Blvd, Mentor, OH 44060. The garden center features 90,000 square feet of retail including a 60,000-square-foot outdoor nursery and an amazing Birding department. This location carries the full line of Petitti-grown plants plus outdoor living and home décor.
The Holden Arboretum, 9550 Sperry Rd, Kirtland, OH 44094. Holden Arboretum features a display garden, a crabapple collection, a hedge garden, a butterfly garden, a rhododendron garden, and conifer and magnolia collections. A canopy walk and tower should not be missed.
Willoughby
Gale’s Garden Center Willoughby Hills, 2730 Som Center Rd, Willoughby Hills, OH 44094. Good selection of plants well cared for in every stage of their growth. Lots of garden decor for sale too.
Chardon
Wildwood Gardens, 14105 Grand Army of the Republic Hwy, Chardon, OH 44024. Bonsai supplies. Founded in 1946. “I found this wonderful hidden gem years ago and then couldn’t find it again. Glad to have finally stumbled on this listing!”
Bryant’s Forever Green, 14105 Grand Army of the Republic Hwy, Chardon, OH 44024. Knowledgeable and helpful with a good selection of plants for the yard and garden. Nice to be able to shop local and get what I need.
Country Meadows Garden Center, 11148 Chardon Rd, Chardon, OH 44024
Four Green Fields, 13111 Ravenna Rd, Chardon, OH 44024.
Abates, 7080 Mulberry Rd, Chesterland, OH 44026
Ashtabula County/NE Corner
Kelly’s Gardens & Landscape Services, 4220 N Ridge Rd W, Ashtabula, OH 44004
Something Something Plants, 997 N Market St, Jefferson, OH 44047
Northwest Pennsylvania
Goodell Gardens & Homestead, 221 Waterford Street Route 6N, Edinboro, PA 16412. This charming little garden that was once a family home is worth a visit, especially when the Rhododendrons and azaleas are in bloom. Spent a pleasant hour here.
*Stans Garden Center, East location, 5001 Buffalo Rd. Erie, PA 16510. It’s a bit of a drive but always worth it to shop at my all-time favorite garden center. They grow so many varieties of trees, shrubs, and other plants both common and unusual that will survive our cold weather. They have lots of indoor plants and tropicals too, plus supplies and decor items and a big variety of concrete statues. Prices are reasonable — less than any other full-service garden center I have found. Service is spectacular. Start loading a tree onto a cart and someone will immediately show up and take it off your hands, wrap the pot to keep your car clean and have it waiting at the front of the store where they will load it into your car. There is a Stan’s West that is closer to Ohio, but it is worth the extra 13 miles to visit this much larger east location. I always plan to spend a couple of hours browsing and making my selections. There is so much to choose from that it’s hard to decide! Adding a morning hike at Presque Isle and lunch at Smuggler’s Wharf makes a nice day trip.
Stan’s Garden Center West, 5341 W Lake Rd, Erie, PA 16505.
Johnston’s Evergreen Nursery and Garden Center, 10000 Wales Road, Erie PA 16510(814) 739-2820. Grower of cold hardy specimens.
Roger’s Backyard Nursery, 10393 Crane St, Cranesville, PA 16410. While I always prefer full-service garden centers to season garden shops in big box stores, I am also willing to support “backyard” growers that often offer smaller plants but with a smaller price to match. I haven’t been to this one, but it seems to be a popular stop.
Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier, 1501 W 6th St, Erie, PA 16505.
Scotland’s Yard, 12555 Fry Rd, Edinboro, PA 16412 Found this place after a visit to Goodell Gardens & Homestead. Lots of variety. Some unusual plants you won’t find other places. Opens each spring on Earth Day.
Western Pennsylvania (Pymatuning Area)
Holland’s Water Gardens, 8504 W Lake Rd, Lake City, PA 16423. Always so helpful when I have questions about my pond, fish or plants. They explain things thoroughly and have everything you need for a large or small projects.
The Vintage Garden Floral Design & Gifts, 58 N Main St, Union City, PA 16438
Elk Creek Lawn and Garden, 4984 North Creek Rd Girard, PA 16417. Statues. Stan’s products.
Youngstown/Warren Area
Fellows Riverside Gardens, Price Rd, Youngstown, OH 44509. “Combined this garden with a visit to Lanterman’s Mill.“
The Market Place at Creekside Gardens, 3680 N River Rd NE, Warren, OH 44484. “So full of magnificent plants, antiques and ideas.”
Elliott’s Garden Center, 1283 W Western Reserve Rd, Youngstown, OH 44514. Ever since 1989, Elliott’s Garden Center has been the top destination for homeowners and professional landscapers to get mulch, topsoil, compost, decorative stones, landscape trees, shrubs, and more for the Mahoning Valley. They have an expert staff on call to give you everything you need and create the garden of your dreams.
West of Cleveland
Schoepfle Gardens, 11106 Market St, Birmingham, OH 44816. A truly beautiful—77 acres of botanical gardens and natural woodland bordered on one side by the Vermilion River. The garden features collections of rhododendrons, roses, cannas, hosta, shade plants, and a variety of shrubs, topiaries and trees. Enjoy the natural beauty of the garden by participating in a guided tour or wandering at you own pace.
Bazah Home Arts – 154 Front St, Berea, OH 44017. Statues, Art and Gifts – Lawn & Garden Ornaments,
Pandy’s Garden Center, 41600 Griswold Rd, Elyria, OH 44035. Plants, lots of decor, soil, pots, baskets…everything you need for your yard and your indoor plants! The prices are so reasonable.
Dean’s Greenhouse, 3984 Porter Rd, Westlake, OH 44145. Great reviews praise their customer service and quality starts.
83 Gardens, 5917 Avon Belden Rd., North Ridgeville, OH 44039 They have incorporated antique store with the nursery and garden center, very nice, lots of great antique, vintage, and cool items, +++ great plants, flats of flowers and vegetables.
Garden Village Nursery, 33911 Center Ridge Rd, North Ridgeville, OH 44039. Garden Supplies, Houseplants, Concrete Statues, Birdfeeders, etc. Daily 9-5.
Hook’s Greenhouse, Farm and Junk Shop, 50740 OH-18, Wellington, OH 44090. “Hook’s offers a large selection of treasures of all kinds. From antiques and collectibles to the hottest trends in home decor and garden accents. Hooks is a Proven Winners Certified Garden Center which means we have the training and expertise to give you the best tips, along with the best plants to ensure the best results.”
Highland Garden Center, 5860 Wilson Mills Rd, Cleveland, OH 44143. “We pride ourselves in having the best selections of, high quality and well-maintained plants in town. Highland carries your basic plant needs, but also has many very unusual, hard to find plants. We have one of the biggest inventories of statues, ceramic pottery, resin pottery, fountains, wind chimes and garden decorations in the area. “
Miller Nature Preserve, 2739 Center Rd, Avon, OH 44011. Conservatory preserving plants from around the world, plus scenic gardens, set in a wooded area.
Pinehaven Greenhouse Inc., 39424 Detroit Rd, Avon, OH 44011. Reviews claim it is a good place to purchase native plants and trees.
Oberlin Arboretum, 293 Morgan St, Oberlin, OH 44074. Very scenic and great for photos also. No bathroom facilities available on location but available close by.
North Coast
James H. McBride Arboretum, Huron, OH 44839. “Beautiful trail through the woods, the mile loop around the pond… It’s all great.“
Don Mould’s Plantation Garden Center, 8676 Leavitt Rd, Amherst, OH 44001. Daily 9-5 Closed Sunday, Mouldsplantation.com
Northwest Ohio
Hoen’s Garden Center & Landscaping, 1710 Perrysburg Holland Rd, Holland, OH 43528. Spacious, family-owned nursery since 1983 with produce, plants & trees, plus home decor & workshops.
Bushongs Garden Center Nursery, 21301 OH-347, Raymond, OH 43067
Schedel Gardens, 19255 W Portage River South Rd, Elmore, OH 43416. Historic 17-acre gardens filled with many species of unusual plant life & an art gallery.
Toledo Botanical Garden, 5403 Elmer Dr, Toledo, OH 43615. Features 60+ sprawling acres filled with gardens, plants & sculptures.
Stranahan Arboretum, 4131 Tantara Rd, Toledo, OH 43623. “Beautiful trail through the woods, the mile loop around the pond… It’s all great.“
Lakeview Rose Garden, 1615 W Erie Ave, Lorain, OH 44052. “Lakeview Park offers 20 acres along the north side of West Erie Avenue in Lorain….known for its Historical Rose Garden, spectacular sunsets and views of the Lorain Lighthouse….”
Akron Area
Suncrest Gardens, 5157 Akron Cleveland Rd, Peninsula, OH 44264. Stalwart landscaping specialist with plants & a garden center stocking flowers, gifts & decor. Sunday: 10am to 5pm, Monday – Friday: 9am to 6pm, Saturday: 9am to 5pm. “Not only do they always have the cutest pots and home decor but they have TONS of plants! I have found plants I have been searching for that I couldn’t find for months here.”
Petitti Garden Centers, 311 West Ave, Tallmadge, OH 44278
Constantine Nursery & Garden Center, 2518 Brecksville Rd, Richfield, OH 44286. They have the best perennials in Ohio and over 80 percent of their products are grown by local retailers.
Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve, 11929 Beech St NE, Alliance, OH 44601. “Beautiful grounds, nature education, nice trails & lots of places for kids to play,”
Breezewood Gardens & Gifts, 17600 Chillicothe Rd, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023.
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N Portage Path, Akron, OH 44303. Historic house, museum w70 acres of landscaped grounds & conservatory hosting an array of seasonal events
Kingwood Center Gardens, 50 Trimble Rd, Mansfield, OH 44906. Former estate grounds spanning 47 acres featuring a variety of formal gardens, with tours available.
Central Ohio
Wilson’s Garden Center, 10923 Lambs Ln, Newark, OH 43055. “A small family-owned farm market that has grown into a full greenhouse and garden center that provides all of Central Ohio with thousands of different kinds of flowers and plants”.
Schnormeier Gardens, 8701 Laymon Rd., Gambier, OH 43022. Schnormeier Gardens began building the gardens in 1996. Over the years they have grown to include fifty acres of manicured lawns, ten lakes, a variety of discrete garden areas and several waterfalls. Schnormeier gardens have a distinct Asian flavor and feature a variety of plantings rich in color and texture. Rare conifers are plentiful here. Large boulders and stone walls add dimension and contrast to the landscape. Designed with a bold vision and attention to detail, the gardens offer delightful viewing in any season.
Baker’s Village Garden Center & Gift Shoppe 9267 Dublin Rd, Powell, OH 43065; Requires an overnight stay for those of us in the NE corner but this is a fabulous shop at Christmas and the rest of the year it is a garden center!
Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens,1777 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43203. 88 acres of indoor/outdoor art- & nature-based exhibits, greenhouses & landscaped grounds.
Strader’s Garden Center, 5500 W Broad St, Columbus, OH 43228. “Great place to shop for all things plants and plant related, indoors and out. Large range of plant. Some really unique and rare options.“
The Columbus Park of Roses, 3901 N High St, Columbus, OH 43214. 13-acre park that is home to three different rose gardens, as well as an herb garden and a perennial garden.
Inniswood Metro Gardens, 940 S Hempstead Rd, Westerville, OH 43081. Nature preserve featuring formal gardens & lawns, a trail, with a center for workshops & a library.
The Dawes Arboretum, 7770 Jacksontown Rd, Newark, OH 43056. Miles of trails weave through the scenic grounds of this longtime arboretum with a historic home. Features various collections, including a Cypress Swamp with a boardwalk and a Japanese garden.
Clary Gardens, 588 W Chestnut St, Coshocton, OH 43812. 20-acre site is a hillside landscape making for a unique experience. Recreational trails and varying levels of terrain, showcasing the rose garden all the way through our half-mile woodland loop.
Hartmann’s Rock Garden, 1905 Russell Ave, Springfield, OH 45506. A mixture of history, religion, and Depression-era pop culture is shown in this unique novelty garden, built by Harry “Ben” Hartman between1932 through 1939. “
Dayton Nurseries, Inc., 3459 S Cleveland Massillon Rd, Norton, OH 44203. We are a full service garden center specializing in Rhododendrons and Azaleas and offering a large variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, roses and seasonal plants.
Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, 1301 E Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH 45414. Park with 10 formal gardens includes rose, federal, English and Victorian gardens, a nature trail & the Swamp Forest boardwalk.
Cox Arboretum MetroPark, North Springboro Pike, Dayton, Ohio.
Southern Ohio
Grandma’s Gardens, 8107 OH-48, Waynesville, OH 45068. Grandma’s Gardens has been in business for over 36 years, serving the community out of their 14-acre, family-friendly garden center, gift boutique, and landscape design center. They provide winding paved pathways through landscaped displays in a park-like setting with an antique farm and garden tools, a fresh plant selection and more.” Sounds intriguing!
White Oak Garden Center, 3579 Blue Rock Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45247. More than three acres of fresh roses, annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, houseplants, and more. They have trained experts ready to help form indoor and outdoor garden spaces sure to be an inviting and comforting natural presence in and around your home.
Hyde Park Floral & Garden, 3505 Michigan Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45208. Hyde Park Floral and Garden Center is a full-service family-owned and operated florist that’s been providing for the community for almost 20 years. They now offer a full range of coffee and tea drinks that you can enjoy while designing your home garden and buying flowers and plant seeds to fill it with.
Bern’s Garden Center-Landscaping, 3776 Indian Ripple Rd, Beavercreek, OH 45440. 10,000 square-feet of retail space, 12,000 square-feet of plant display, and 22,000 square-feet of outside covered shopping area. Family-owned and operated.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH. Animal park & conservatory with 3,000+ plant species, wildlife exhibits, rides & a 4D theater.
Smith Memorial Gardens, 11 Walnut Lane, Oakwood, OH 45419. Located on less than one acre, Smith Gardens boasts one of the “finest tiny public gardens in Ohio.“
Spring Gardens Plant Farm, 1988 OH-73, Waynesville, OH 45068. Hidden Gem on St Rt 73 – – Plants are excellent and pricing is reasonable.
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