Hey Carla!

My favorite nursery is Rountree Plantation Nursery which is located right off Old Pineville Rd on Scholtz Rd. If I remember correctly access to Old Pineville Rd is blocked at Tyvola Rd due to the light rail construction. But you can get there by turning on Old Pineville Rd from Woodlawn.

Rountree has been around for years and and wonderful, very healthy plants. And they're not overly expensive. Nice people too!

Carole

I'll second that--Very helpful and knowledgeable staff and good plants at Rountree. I've only been here since November, but I've bought several plants there. They had the prettiest pansies in town this winter, and I got a gorgeous camellia there and several perenials and herbs to use in containers. The man there walked me through the greenhouse and showed me which plants stay green all winter and do well in containers and told me about several plants I was unfamiliar with. If I need something special that is where I will go first. Two thumbs up. Mary

I was just at Roundtree Wednesday and they have a lot of new stuff in - many things I've been lusting for! If you go, that Old Pineville road between Tyvola and Woodlawn is partially blocked because of construction. It is easiest to hit Roundtree if you are heading south towards Tyvola.

I've recently moved to Charlotte and I've heard that Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville is also very good. Would anyone know about them and how their prices would compare with Roundtree or Kings?

I thought it was Metrolina that supplies all the grocery stores and home centers like Lowes and Home Depot.
Anyhoo, price is but one aspect when judging where to source your plants.
If Metrolina is the closest to you, then by all means shop there and save $$ on gas. Likely, the prices would be some cheaper than both Rountree and Kings. Depends on what plants you search for though.
BTW, welcome to Gardenweb, Carolina forum. We see you registered just today.
What part of the Charlotte area do you call home now?
This way we can recommend the nurseries in your area.
Welcome to Charlotte (area).

I was just at rountree the other day myself. I got some things that I'm pretty sure most garden places wouldn't have. One thing I thought was neat they have are featuring 'steppables' little plants you can tuck between stones for paths. They have them broken down by sunlight, amount of traffic they can take etc..

the plants are more pricey than say home depot--but I will say this-- they are much better cared for and healthier than the ones I saw at home depot. I bought some 'common things' at big box type stores, but reserved a portion of my allowance for 'special things' which I got at Rountree.
They do carry things that I thought I might have had to get by mail.

Also--the place is so charmingly set up for spring. They had a really nice display up of how a backyard with a fence could look with plants of different types. I'm going to drag hubby there next week to see that. So he knows what I'm talking about. :) It was a bit difficult with the construction though.
I came from the north, on Billy Graham/ Woodlawn and could turn right at Old Pinevill, but when I was done shopping I cuold not go back the way I came so I ended up going right again to ?? Is it Tryon? Just more adventure--I'm used to getting lost in charlotte--its become like a new hobby.
Maryt

I'll put in my vote for Rountree also! The plants they have are excellent quality, and the people who work there are so very helpful and friendly too. The selection is awesome! It is just a beautiful place to explore too.
We went on Saturday, and came from the south (Tyvola Rd.) All of the construction cones were moved to the side and the road seemed totally open on the weekend.
We had gone to a nursery in Fort Mill the same day... and all of the annuals seemed to be very large... almost full grown so we did not buy anything. At Rountree, the plants were a lot younger. I prefer the younger plants because they tend to last longer.
Rountree is awesome! You must at least visit.

Thanks for the welcome Dottie! I'm in South Charlotte, probably halfway between Rountree and Kings. From some of these posts I gather that Rountree is fairly expensive. Would it be more expensive than Home Depot or Lowes?

Thanks,

Richard

That would be a safe guess but I think we're talking nickels and dimes unless Lowes/Home Depot has some sort of sale.
If you're looking for the unusual and uncommon color/varieties of normal annuals/perennials I'd shop Rountree. If your garden needs can be satisfied by the bigbox home and garden centers just inspect them really well and bring along a bottle of water to give a drink to the plants.

Often, the bigbox centers under or over water their plants.
A lot of the plants are out in the full sun in the hot asphalt parking lot. While the plant looks recently watered, at home you'll find the whole center of the root mass is dry.
That's why I say, bring water when you shop there.

The other issue with the bigbox centers is the lack of qualified help when you have questions regarding siting,planting and plant care.
That's a big reason why you pay more at the better garden centers and nurseries.

visited Young's yesterday interesting, Dottie you were
right not much weird or unusual but all in all was nice
I did find several containers that I liked did not get
any plants on this visit
now to try roundtree

B;ueangel

blueangel, your next trip should be to Kings in Stallings and you might try Royal Gardens on Monroe/7th st in Elizabeth(Charlotte).
The gardening community has lost several important sources. Victims of bigbox competition and rising land values.
Youngs has a beautiful location but I'm afraid they're making the same mistake by putting so much money into hard goods that they erected a new building just for the checkout area and fertilizer/seed/bulb display.
I use Youngs all the time but I also wander to the smaller ones just to support them as well.
Addicted as I am to coleus..I'm always searching for those I don't have.

I find that Rountree's prices are similar to Lowes/Home Depot... probably a teensie bit higher... but the QUALITY is so much better. Their annual flats are very competitively priced. The plants are just healthier/happier when you get them, and Rountree's selection is outstanding.
I also love the setting at Rountree and the helpful staff. All factors combined, I prefer to shop at Rountree, and the dollar or two more that I might pay on my order is totally worth it.

Thanks everyone. Is it Rountree Plantation? I googled and got that.

Carla

That's the one,Carla.

bump

Has anyone heard of "Roots to Go"... it's off of Highway 74 near Stallings (I think) and I heard that they grow their own plants right there. if I go, I will let you all know

Carrie

For anyone who might find this thread looking for good nurseries in the Charlotte area, Young's on Hwy 521 has closed, mores the pity. I did like them, although I found them to be expensive. I like King's, but again, almost $30 for an azalea is a bit much when you are putting in several. I went the other day and bought 3 Kaleidescope Abelia and 3 Emerald Heights Isu trees (actually a shrub) and it cost me almost $200, with 2 coupons! I went there because those are somewhat unusual plants for most garden centers, but I will be checking out Grower's Outlet. I have several plants I have gotten there over the years that have done fine. I have an entire yard we are landscaping and we plan on doing it over time , but it is still going to be expensive, getting several of different varieties.

Since this thread began in 2007, Charlotte area has lost so very many of the better centers thanks to big box and places like Grower's Outlet.
It's a very tough business. Land isn't getting any cheaper, deer and rabbits are driving growers nuts and the cost of labor, water and 'cides added to the two plus years of drought, 2012 span of 100 degree days and 2013 chill and extreme rainfall killed off a lot of business.
You can get today's varieties, what's in fashion almost anywhere.
What is difficult to find are the unusuals, the out-of-fashion,
the heirlooms, the natives and the zone-pushers.

I looked up Roots to Go on Indian Trail Fairview Rd in IT then googled the address. The overhead of it taken Aug 2012 showed it demolished.
Darn, missed it entirely which only goes to show how important advertising is since it wasn't in a high traffic/commercial area but the huge front yard of a good sized house.

That one was after my time when I lived in Indian Trail Dottie. When I was there, I frequented Kings in Stallings most of the time and did occasionally stop in at that place beside Walgreens on 74. I'm betting it is gone now too. I need to find me a nice spot close to the new house. One plus, it is close to my favorite Lowes. I've gone in the one in Camden more than once and got great deals from the Garden Shop manager. She will discount the plants and send them out the door rather than let the weather take them this time of year. I just wish I had a place to put some end of the year finds right now. I don't find my unusual plants there, I have to go on line for that now. But I do like getting good deals and love the Garden Center Managers attitude.

If you are a bit north of Charlotte, check out Brawley Co. on 115 in old town Mooresville. Been around 3 generations and they grow their stock. Lovely veggie selection. Awesome seed selection. They have regular garden plants too I just never make it past the veggies!

I am glad to find Rountree well liked when I saw this old thread. I have been checking out like every greenhouse in charlotte and they have really impressed me.

Aside from Rountree, I also love Campbell's Greenhouse on South blvd. It is in South End just below East; next to the Mr K's soda shoppe & the Chipotle, so it is very very convenient if you live or work in uptown. It looks like a tiny place on the outside but there is a nice long greenhouse stuffed full of beautifully cared for orchids and houseplants and vines, and then an outdoor area behind with lots of good stuff. A much smaller operation than Rountree, I have only ever seen 4 or 5 people there, but they have chatted with me a lot and answered all my questions until I was always comfortable. Every house plant I have purchased there is still lush and healthy. So I frequent them too.

No one mentioned Pike's , out in Ballantyne. I think their staff is knowledgeable and they have a nice big selection. I think the price is comparable to Rountree.

Another place to try is Garden Gate Greenhouse- a little out of the way for me but worth it, in Indian Trail, 6832 Mill Grove Rd. The owner is an older woman, sweet and knowledgable who runs it as a farm. It's cash only. Not huge, but there are some interesting things , and very good prices. If you go when it isnt super busy (ie saturday) she's happy to point out some cool stuff and where it will do well.

Sonia

As a professional landscape designer, I highly recommend Rountree Nursery off Old Pineville Road, John Deere Landscapes in Pineville and Pikes Nursery on Johnston Rd in Ballantyne area.

Linda Greenberg, APLD

704-995-7173linda@lglandscapes.net