Greenhouse Hunting

If you've visited the store and you picked up the booklet titled Lancaster County Favorites you will see that there are a list of greenhouses in there that you really must visit. Lancaster County has a rich rich supply of greenhouses with houseplants, annuals, perennials, succulents, air plants; and so far as I have experienced, the supply of knowledge about plants is amazing. When do i plant petunias, can I plant lettuce this late in the year, does it matter what kind of plastic should i use to line my plant hangers? This list was a list of Miriam's favorites and we are all interested in what she likes because we like her taste so i went on a tour for myself! I love greenhouses. Love is maybe not the right word. When i walk into a greenhouse, the smell itself makes me feel like in this place right now I could be anywhere in the world. Africa, Montana, Niagara Falls (just to name a few) .... anywhere. There has been no greenhouse that I have yet visited that i felt disappointed. I love them. So allow me to take you on a tour of our list of favorite greenhouses!

HORST GREENHOUSE: This greenhouse has good quality plants and we like them specifically for their houseplants. That is what the booklet says. I was excited to visit because I wanted to buy an asparagus fern. This greenhouse sadly, is closed and no longer in business. So I visited Sauder's Nursery located just beside where they used to be.... also beautiful. Outside plants only. Lots of trees and mulch. I didn't buy anything but would have if i was looking for a tree a shrub or some mulch.

My next visit took me to Hess Greenhouse on Hess Rd in Leola. This is a small Amish owned greenhouse with very personable staff. They are on of Miriam's favorite greenhouses (along with Fishers). They are only opened until June so make a trip soon. I bought so many plants here. They have rows and rows of beautiful hangers and i had two i needed to fill and a new one  to purchase so it was the perfect place to be. They answered my question about what kind of plastic to line my hanging baskets with and i ended up using a black garbage bag because the kind lady said you can use any plastic you have around the house. I also bought some tomato plants here.

Don't you just love how a greenhouse looks from the outside?

From Hess Rd I traveled over to Newport Rd to visit Ken's Greenhouse. The most frequented greenhouse due to it's locality, but more than that, they always have the friendliest staff paired with a beautiful variety in household plants, shrubs, and bushes. This place will drive you crazy with the amount of options they have. They always have creative examples and ideas to draw from and just loads and loads of beauty.

In this room in the back right corner they have a space where you can pot the plants you just purchased. So handy.

Took a photo of this because I had bought my mom one a while back and we didn't know what it was called or how to take care of it. Walmart. Not super helpful.

Here is where I found my asparagus fern. I bought the largest and the nicest one and also I think there are different varieties of this plant- I didn't ask.

WARNING! If you walk through this door you may leave penniless.

Someone has a great sense of humor. This is where I asked about the lettuce. I ended up buying a container of already grown lettuce and taking home two different packets of seeds which I planted for a later growing to cut from. ( I have no confidence that it will grow) Fresh lettuce!

The character of this greenhouse is so fun.

From Ken's I headed over to Rt. 340 to visit Shenk's Greenhouse and Rohrer Seeds. Shenks is the best place to buy vegetable plants and herbs at the best price (except maybe for roadside stands).

I was amazed by this wall display of hanging plants.

And then to Rohrer Seeds. I have a sad admission. I don't think I have ever been inside this place. Everyone I know buys seeds here (and for good reason- they have everything you could hope to ever plant). It's amazing! I purchased a new pair of gardening gloves for me and a teeny tiny pair for each of the kids. Dinosaur ones for Jaxon and Emma's had a ducky on. AWWWWW! Also purchased a floor puzzle that is in the shape of a John Deere tractor. We love puzzles. Rohrer's is a good place to buy your seed and bird feed. Miriam buys mealworms here to feed "her" bluebirds.

Something about this photo makes me really want to get out there and plant a garden!

I did not get to the last place on the list: Fisher's Greenhouse. Our favorite place to buy succulents and located near Sight and Sound Theaters. Probably best I didn't get to that one! Our list is ever changing.. Miriam just told me of another one in Gap that she loves for their elephant ears! I have to pay it a visit and see what I can find! Happy gardening to you!