Buy Local!
Healthier garden, healthier economy… it’s a win.
Your soil is prepped, the weather is perfect, and you’ve planned an ideal assortment of veggies and flowers for this year’s raised bed garden. As you consider where you’ll buy seeds and starter plants, we’d like to urge you to skip the big box retailers and seek out local nurseries and garden stores.
This post from a nursery in the D.C. area gives a great list of reasons why locally-grown plants will be healthier, the most important being that they have not been mass-produced and shipped. Who wouldn’t be a little stressed and exhausted after a long trip in a container truck? Instead, opt for a plant that is rested and ready to grow. And our environment will benefit from one less item being shipped over long distances using fossil fuel.
Local plant vendors are small business owners who need our support now more than ever. They are less likely to be spraying scary, pollinator-killing chemicals on their seedlings, will be a great source of advice for how best to care for the plants, and are generally just really nice people!
So please read on to learn more about the local plant scene in the Piedmont Triad! This is by no means an exhaustive list, and we didn’t even get around to talking about things like spring plant sale fundraisers put on by various Extensions and gardening groups. No matter, this should be enough to inspire you to stop in to whatever local plant nurseries you may pass by, or hear about from friends. They could become your new favorite go-to vendor!
List of Piedmont Triad-area local plant sources in this post:
Rail Fence Farm
Myers Greenhouse
WS Fairgrounds Farmers Market
Cobblestone Farmers Market
The Corner Farmers Market
Philosopher’s Physic Garden
Elderberry Creek Nursery
Hillcrest Farm
Frank’s Perennial Border
AB Seed
Piedmont Triad Farmers Market
Guilford Garden Center
Our Favorites
Farmers Markets
Veggies, eggs, honey, pastries… and also locally grown plants! Here are a few of the larger local markets, where we’ve found great starts and perennials.