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Plant Nurseries & Garden Centers in Minnesota

Explore 189 local plant nurseries across 52 cities.

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Top Rated Farms in MN

Fair's Nursery
💬 92 reviews4.5
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Fair's Nursery

Full-service nursery and garden center. Top products: Trees, Shrubs, Annuals, Bulk mulches and soils. Fair's Nursery, established in 1955 and located in Maple Grove, Minnesota, operates as a comprehensive garden center and tree farm. The business serves both residential homeowners and professional landscapers by providing a diverse inventory of trees, shrubs, and seasonal annuals. Their horticultural operations are supported by a retail garden center and greenhouse, which offers a wide array of plant materials alongside landscape supplies including rock mulches, wood chips, compost, and black dirt. Beyond retail sales, Fair's Nursery provides specialized services such as professional tree planting and delivery, as well as an all-season lawn care program. The company emphasizes long-standing local roots, having served the Osseo and Maple Grove communities for nearly seven decades, and maintains a commitment to plant quality backed by a formal guarantee policy. They also feature a gift shop and provide educational resources, including planting instructions and gardening tips, to assist customers in successful plant maintenance.

📍9498, Fair Way North, Maple Grove, Minnesota, 55369, US
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Applewood Nursery & Landscape Supply
💬 89 reviews3.9
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Applewood Nursery & Landscape Supply

Full-service retail garden center. Top products: annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, mulch, natural stone. Applewood Nursery & Landscape Supply is a comprehensive retail garden center and landscape supplier located in Forest Lake, Minnesota. The business caters to both residential homeowners and professional landscapers, providing a wide array of horticultural products including annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs designed to support regional garden design. Beyond live plant material, the nursery operates as a landscape supply hub, offering hardscape materials such as natural stone, decorative boulders, and mulches. Their facility also includes a retail space dedicated to patio lifestyle products, including American-made grills and fire pit inserts. Applewood emphasizes customer support through educational guidance for lawn and garden maintenance, as well as logistical support for local projects, providing delivery services for both plant stock and heavy landscape materials to streamline project execution for their diverse customer base.

📍8785 Green Lake Trail, Forest Lake, MN 55025, USA
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Byrns Greenhouse
💬 89 reviews4.9
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Byrns Greenhouse

Retail and Wholesale Greenhouse. Top products: garden plants, container plants, sod. Byrns Greenhouse is a multi-generational horticultural operation based in Zim, Minnesota, with over 48,000 square feet of greenhouse space under poly. Established in 1969 following a shift from vegetable farming, the family-owned business specializes in the production and retail of high-quality garden and container plants. The greenhouse serves both retail and wholesale markets, continuing a legacy of local agricultural service that dates back to the family's original root vegetable operations. The business emphasizes quality, traditional growing methods, and family involvement, with multiple generations actively participating in planting and production. They are recognized as a regional horticultural destination, providing diverse plant selections to local gardeners and landscaping clients while maintaining a focus on soil health and sustainable growth practices.

📍1966, Highway 7, McDavitt Township, Minnesota, 55738, US
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Minnesota Gardens
💬 89 reviews4.9
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Minnesota Gardens

Retail Garden Center Nursery. Top products: Annuals, Perennials, Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs. Minnesota Gardens is a premier retail garden center located in Chaska, Minnesota, dedicated to providing a wide selection of horticultural products for local gardeners and homeowners. The nursery specializes in a diverse range of plant categories, including seasonal annuals, hardy perennials, and a variety of edible crops such as fruits, vegetables, and culinary herbs. Operating out of the Chaska Commons at 200 Pioneer Trail, the business focuses on facilitating successful gardening experiences for its customers through both product retail and expert advice. They maintain an accessible, service-oriented model, offering direct communication channels for gardening inquiries to assist clients in plant selection and care. As a seasonal operation, Minnesota Gardens serves as a vital community resource for spring planting and home landscaping projects, emphasizing regional plant suitability and horticultural health.

📍Pioneer Trail, Chaska, Minnesota, 55318, US
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Abrahamson Nurseries
💬 84 reviews4.7
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Abrahamson Nurseries

Full-service garden center nursery. Top products: trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, tropical houseplants. Abrahamson Nurseries is a comprehensive, full-service landscape design, greenhouse, and retail garden center operation. With multiple locations, they serve both residential homeowners and professional landscape clients by providing a vast inventory of horticultural products, including trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and tropical houseplants. Beyond retail plant sales, the business functions as a professional landscaping firm, offering specialized services that include custom landscape design, site installation, and tree planting. Their operations are supported by a knowledgeable staff and professional designers who assist customers with plant selection, soil preparation, and disease management. The company maintains a strong reputation for plant health and support, evidenced by their plant guarantee program. They integrate retail and service components, providing not only living plant materials but also hardscape goods, gardening tools, and garden decor to support complete outdoor living projects.

📍20021 St Croix Trail N, Scandia, MN 55073, USA
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Agrarian Seed and Garden
💬 84 reviews5
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Agrarian Seed and Garden

Native plant and seed nursery. Top products: native perennials, garden seeds, garlic, gardening tools. Agrarian Seed and Garden is a specialized neighborhood garden center located in Minneapolis, MN, focused on native plant horticulture and seed cultivation. The business functions as a retail plant nursery and seed supplier, offering a curated selection of native perennials, garden seeds, garlic, and essential gardening tools. A core component of their operation includes a partnership with the Experimental Farm Network (EFN), serving as a physical retail outlet for the EFN seed catalogue. The nursery is operated by a team with a strong emphasis on ecological restoration and seed saving, evidenced by their active collaborations with local growers like Jim Tjepkema to preserve and promote local seed varieties. Their target customers include home gardeners and local plant enthusiasts seeking native biodiversity. Operating on a seasonal schedule, they provide both in-store shopping at their Hiawatha Avenue location and online order fulfillment for seeds, positioning themselves as a resource for sustainable gardening practices and native plant cultivation in the urban landscape.

📍5152, Hiawatha Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55111, US
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Garten Marketplatz Perennial Farms
💬 84 reviews5
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Garten Marketplatz Perennial Farms

Retail Perennial and Garden Center. Top products: perennials, shade plants, raspberries, strawberries, garden decor. Garten Marketplatz Perennial Farms is a long-standing garden center and horticultural destination located in Byron, Minnesota. With over 28 years of operation, the business focuses on providing a diverse selection of high-quality plant material to local homeowners and gardening enthusiasts. Their primary nursery offerings center on a wide array of perennials, including a specialized collection of unique shade-loving varieties, as well as edible plants such as raspberries and strawberries. Beyond their horticultural retail operations, which are supported by a knowledgeable staff that provides expert planting and site-specific guidance, the business maintains a scenic property that includes a curated 'Gift House' offering seasonal decor. While the business has diversified its operations to function as a premier venue for weddings and community events within their converted carriage house, the core of the business remains rooted in its identity as a garden center and plant supply retailer, dedicated to helping customers cultivate successful home landscapes.

📍5225 County Rd 15 SW, Byron, MN 55920, USA
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Turtle Creek Nursery & Landscaping
💬 80 reviews4.8
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Turtle Creek Nursery & Landscaping

Retail Garden Center Nursery. Top products: Ornamental trees, Shrubs, Perennials, Seasonal plants. Turtle Creek Nursery and Landscaping, located in Owatonna, Minnesota, operates as a traditional retail garden center and plant nursery. The business serves local homeowners and property owners by providing a selection of horticultural products, including ornamental trees, shrubs, and perennials suitable for the regional climate. In addition to their nursery retail operations, the company provides professional landscaping services, offering design and installation support to integrate their plant inventory into residential and commercial outdoor spaces. The nursery focuses on supporting the local gardening community through the sale of live plant material and related landscaping expertise. Their facility on East Rose Street functions as a central hub for plant sourcing and horticultural consultation, maintaining standard seasonal operating hours to accommodate seasonal planting cycles.

📍2449, East Rose Street, Owatonna, Minnesota, 55060, US
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Arbor Hill Tree Farm
💬 78 reviews3.6
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Arbor Hill Tree Farm

Evergreen and shade tree nursery. Top products: Evergreen trees, Shade trees, Fraser Fir Christmas trees, Rock and water features. Arbor Hill Tree Farm is a family-owned nursery and tree production facility operating on 37 acres in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area. The farm specializes in the cultivation and sale of large, tall evergreen and shade trees, catering to a diverse clientele including residential homeowners, commercial businesses, and professional landscape contractors. Their operational model prioritizes high-quality nursery stock, offering trees in various formats such as potted, burlapped, and field-spaded. Beyond plant production, the farm provides comprehensive end-to-end services, including professional delivery, site-specific tree installation, and specialized tree removal services utilizing tree spade equipment. During the winter season, the operation expands to include the sale of precut Fraser Fir Christmas trees. Additionally, they provide horticultural and garden-related hardscape products, such as decorative rock and water feature installations, to complement their core nursery offerings.

📍Ravine Parkway, Cottage Grove, Minnesota, 55129, US
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Orchids Limited - Open Fridays and 1st & 3rd Saturdays
💬 78 reviews4.8
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Orchids Limited - Open Fridays and 1st & 3rd Saturdays

Orchid Specialty Plant Nursery. Top products: Orchids, Orchid potting media, Fertilizer, 3D printed pots. Orchids Limited is a specialized horticultural nursery dedicated to the cultivation and retail of a diverse range of orchid species and hybrids. The business focuses on providing both healthy, in-spike plants and the necessary professional-grade supplies for successful orchid cultivation. Their product catalog features a wide selection of orchid varieties, including Phalaenopsis and various intergeneric hybrids. Beyond live plants, the company operates as a comprehensive resource for orchid enthusiasts, offering specialized potting media such as premium New Zealand sphagnum moss and custom-blended orchid bark, as well as proprietary fertilizers like their Green Jungle formula. The nursery also distinguishes itself through the sale of niche, 3D-printed pots inspired by traditional Japanese horticultural aesthetics. Catering to hobbyists and collectors, the business emphasizes educational support through detailed care guides, ensuring customers have the technical knowledge required for plant maintenance.

📍14237, 46th Place North, Plymouth, Minnesota, 55446, US
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Souba Greenhouse
💬 77 reviews4.9
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Souba Greenhouse

Retail and wholesale greenhouse nursery. Top products: annual flowers, vegetable plants, mums, pumpkins, Christmas trees, poinsettias. Souba Greenhouse is a multi-generational, family-owned horticultural operation based in Owatonna and Albert Lea, Minnesota. With a history dating back to 1892, the business has evolved from a traditional truck farm into a modern production greenhouse facility covering over an acre. They specialize in growing a diverse range of annual flowers and vegetable starts specifically adapted to the local climate. By prioritizing quality over quantity, the nursery produces smaller quantities of a wide variety of plants to offer customers unique choices. Beyond their plant sales, Souba Greenhouse provides comprehensive horticultural services, including custom container planting, seasonal decor, and educational workshops. The business serves both retail and wholesale markets, maintaining a strong focus on community engagement through fundraising programs and public events. The operation remains firmly rooted in their long-standing agricultural heritage while modernizing production to ensure plant resilience and customer satisfaction.

📍4003 Crane Creek Rd, Owatonna, MN 55060, USA
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Riverside Farms
💬 76 reviews4.6
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Riverside Farms

Garden center and greenhouse. Top products: potted plants, greenhouse flowers, produce, nursery stock. Riverside Farms is a family-owned and operated horticultural destination located in Elk River, Minnesota, established in 1980. The business functions as a multifaceted garden center, greenhouse, and produce market. They cater to local homeowners and gardening enthusiasts by providing a wide variety of greenhouse plants, nursery stock, and seasonal botanical offerings. In addition to their primary horticultural operations, they manage an integrated produce farm, supplying fresh crops to the local community. The facility maintains consistent retail hours six days a week, positioning itself as a community staple for both decorative plant needs and agricultural produce. Their mission centers on providing hands-on service through a diversified selection of plant life, bridging the gap between traditional gardening supplies and farm-to-table food offerings.

📍15215, Adams Street Northwest, Elk River, Minnesota, 55330, US
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Costa Produce Farm & Greenhouse
💬 75 reviews4.6
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Costa Produce Farm & Greenhouse

Annuals and Edible Plant Nursery. Top products: Annual bedding plants, Hanging baskets, Patio planters, Vegetable starts, Herbs. Costa Produce Farm and Greenhouse is a horticultural operation located in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, specializing in the production of high-quality annuals, ornamental plants, and edible crops. The greenhouse division focuses on a diverse range of container gardening products, including professional-grade hanging baskets, decorative patio planters, herbs, and vegetable starts suitable for home gardens. In addition to their nursery operations, the farm maintains a roadside stand that offers locally grown, GMO-free produce during the summer months. By cultivating their own stock, they serve a local customer base of home gardeners and plant enthusiasts, providing both finished plant material and seasonal vegetables. Their operational model bridges the gap between a traditional nursery and a diversified farm, emphasizing local production and high-quality seasonal output. The business maintains a strong focus on community engagement through their participation in regional farmers' markets and direct-to-consumer retail sales at their farm location.

📍9411 Dellwood Rd, St Paul, MN 55115, USA
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Jan's Christmas Trees
💬 71 reviews4.9
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Jan's Christmas Trees

Christmas tree and landscape nursery. Top products: Cut-your-own Christmas trees, Balled and burlapped spruce and pine, Potted maple trees, Potted apple and crabapple trees. Jan's Christmas Trees is a multi-generational horticultural operation located in Clear Lake, Minnesota, specializing in both seasonal Christmas tree production and landscape-ready tree sales. The business operates as a seasonal destination for families, offering a 'cut-your-own' Christmas tree experience on their tree farm, complemented by holiday amenities such as a gift shop and bonfire events. Beyond their seasonal Christmas offerings, Jan’s maintains a robust nursery division that provides landscape-grade trees to local homeowners. Their nursery inventory includes a variety of ball-and-burlap conifers, such as Colorado Blue Spruce, White Spruce, White Pine, and Black Hills Spruce, as well as container-grown deciduous trees like Autumn Blaze Maples and several fruit-bearing varieties, including four types of apple trees and crabapples. The farm functions as both a recreational agritourism site during the winter months and a horticultural supplier for residential landscaping needs throughout the growing season.

📍4191, 125th Avenue, Palmer Township, Minnesota, 55319, US
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Gregor Farm & Greenhouse Inc
💬 68 reviews4.8
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Gregor Farm & Greenhouse Inc

Retail Greenhouse and Nursery. Top products: annuals, bedding plants, hanging baskets, perennials, trees and shrubs. Gregor Farm & Greenhouse Inc is a family-owned and operated horticultural business based in Wayzata, Minnesota, with 50 years of experience in the industry. As a dedicated retail greenhouse and nursery, the business specializes in the production and sale of a comprehensive range of plant materials, including premium annuals, bedding plants, vegetables, herbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs. They offer value-added services such as custom container potting for customers. The business operates as a seasonal retail destination, serving local homeowners and gardening enthusiasts with high-quality, greenhouse-grown plant stock. Their operations are rooted in a hands-on, family-centered approach, maintaining a strong focus on cultivating diverse plant varieties and providing expert gardening guidance to their community. They maintain an active physical greenhouse and retail storefront, emphasizing quality, long-standing horticultural expertise, and community engagement.

📍2592 Holy Name Dr
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Minnesota Valley Garden Center
💬 67 reviews4.2
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Minnesota Valley Garden Center

Full Service Garden Center. Top products: trees, ornamental plants, garden statuary. Minnesota Valley Garden Center, located in Shakopee, Minnesota, has been a family-owned and operated horticultural establishment since 1962. Serving the Twin Cities area for over five decades, the center functions as both a retail nursery and a professional service provider. Their core business operations include the retail sale of a wide range of nursery stock, including high-quality trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants tailored to the local climate. Beyond plant sales, they offer specialized landscape services, including tree spading, to assist both residential homeowners and commercial clients with property development and site enhancement. The garden center also stocks decorative landscape elements, such as garden statuary, to complement their horticultural offerings. With a focus on expertise and longevity in the market, they prioritize educating customers on plant care and landscape maintenance. Their business model integrates traditional nursery retail with professional-grade landscape installation and mature tree handling services.

📍3232 W 150th St, Shakopee, MN 55379, USA
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Tay's Secret Garden
💬 67 reviews5
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Tay's Secret Garden

📍1054 Arundel St, St Paul, MN 55117, USA
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Blacks Greenhouse
💬 65 reviews4.7
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Blacks Greenhouse

Retail Annuals and Perennials Nursery. Top products: annuals, perennials. Blacks Greenhouse is a family-owned and operated garden center serving the St. Croix Valley for over 40 years. Now in its second generation of ownership, the business focuses on providing a diverse selection of annuals and perennials to local homeowners and gardening enthusiasts. The greenhouse maintains a customer-centric approach, emphasizing staff expertise to assist clients in designing garden arrangements. Beyond their horticultural offerings, the business is known for its community-oriented atmosphere, welcoming visitors to their facility where staff with a dedicated passion for plants provide personalized guidance. The operation combines traditional retail nursery practices with a friendly, family-run environment, ensuring a wide variety of seasonal plant stock is available to keep customer landscapes updated and vibrant throughout the growing season.

📍15743 Hudson Rd N, Stillwater, MN 55082, USA
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Nagel Sod and Nursery
💬 65 reviews4.8
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Nagel Sod and Nursery

Tree and landscape supply nursery. Top products: bareroot fruit trees, shade trees, crabapple trees, grass seed, landscape supplies. Nagel Sod and Nursery is a horticultural supplier located in Southern Minnesota, conveniently positioned near Interstate 35 north of Owatonna. The business functions as a combined nursery and outdoor decor center. Their horticultural offerings include a variety of trees, specifically bareroot fruit trees, shade trees, and ornamental crabapple trees. In addition to plant stock, they provide essential landscape supplies including grass seed and weed-control garden mats. Beyond their plant and planting-related inventory, the company maintains an extensive inventory of hardscape and ornamental items, including concrete garden statues, memorial stones, benches, wrought iron pieces, and decorative planters. Serving both retail customers and potentially local landscapers, the business integrates aesthetic garden ornamentation with fundamental nursery stock and soil-care products like fertilizers to support residential landscape development and maintenance.

📍6200 Frontage Rd W, Medford, MN 55049, USA
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Jandrich Floral
💬 62 reviews4.7
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Jandrich Floral

📍976 7th St W, St Paul, MN 55102, USA
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Fairview Gardens
💬 61 reviews4.3
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Fairview Gardens

Retail Garden Center Nursery. Top products: Annuals and Perennials, Shrubs, Vegetable starts, Houseplants, Gardening supplies. Fairview Gardens is a family-owned, women-owned retail garden center based in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, with approximately 20 years of experience serving the local community. The nursery specializes in a wide array of horticultural products, including annuals, perennials, shrubs, herbs, vegetables, and houseplants. Beyond plant material, they provide essential gardening supplies such as soil, mulch, decorative landscaping items, and pots. A distinguishing feature of their operation is an open potting station that allows customers to transplant flowers directly on-site. The business caters to home gardeners and plant enthusiasts by offering educational support through seasonal gardening classes and a pre-order system for annuals to ensure availability. By maintaining a focus on expert guidance and accessible, locally-oriented service, Fairview Gardens functions as a central hub for regional horticulture, supporting both aesthetic and edible garden projects throughout the growing season.

📍1080 35th St NE, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379, USA
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Revak Nursery
💬 60 reviews3.5
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Revak Nursery

Christmas Tree Farm. Top products: Fraser Fir, White Pine, Balsam Fir, Canaan Fir, Colorado Blue Spruce. Revak Nursery is a family-owned tree farm located in Lakeville, Minnesota, specializing in the cultivation and retail sale of various coniferous trees. Their primary operation centers on the seasonal 'cut-your-own' Christmas tree experience, offering a variety of species including Fraser Fir, White Pine, Balsam Fir, Canaan Fir, and Colorado Blue Spruce. In addition to their choose-and-cut fields, the nursery provides pre-cut trees to accommodate different customer preferences. The farm operates on a seasonal schedule, typically opening in late November and closing in December, catering primarily to local families and individuals seeking a festive holiday tradition. Beyond their core horticultural offerings, the business enhances the customer experience with family-oriented events, such as visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and provides basic concessions. The farm maintains strict operational policies to ensure visitor safety and land preservation, prohibiting activities like unauthorized photography and the use of private chainsaws on the premises.

📍24066 Pillsbury Ave, Lakeville, MN 55044, USA
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Midland Nursery Inc
💬 58 reviews4.4
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Midland Nursery Inc

Full-service retail garden center. Top products: Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Bulk landscape materials. Midland Nursery Inc is a retail garden center and nursery located in Buffalo, Minnesota, serving both homeowners and professional landscapers. The business operates a physical facility featuring greenhouses and outdoor nursery yards, specializing in a diverse inventory of plant life including annuals, perennials, ornamental shrubs, and trees. Beyond plant sales, the nursery functions as a comprehensive horticultural supplier, offering essential gardening items such as fertilizers and soils, including products from brands like Fox Farm. They provide additional support to the community through the sale of landscape supplies and bulk materials, which are available for customer pickup or delivery service during their standard weekday and Saturday operating hours. Established as a public-facing resource, the nursery combines traditional plant cultivation and retail nursery operations to support residential garden projects and professional landscape design and installation.

📍3536 Hwy 55
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South Cedar Garden Center
💬 57 reviews4.7
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South Cedar Garden Center

Wholesale and retail plant nursery. Top products: perennial flowers, annual flowers, nursery stock. South Cedar Greenhouses functions as a large-scale horticultural supplier, operating both wholesale and retail channels. The business maintains a comprehensive inventory of annual and perennial flowers, with a strategy of consistently expanding its product catalog with hundreds of new plant varieties annually. Their operations are designed to support a diverse client base, including professional landscapers, independent garden centers, and individual gardeners. Beyond basic plant supply, the business provides technical expertise, assisting landscape contractors with plant selection, species alternatives, and project-specific horticultural advice to meet landscaping objectives. With a focus on competitive pricing and high-volume availability, South Cedar Greenhouses serves as a primary hub for horticultural materials in the region, bridging the gap between professional landscape installation needs and retail consumer gardening requirements.

📍23111, Cedar Avenue, Farmington, Minnesota, 55024, US
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The Nursery & Garden Center Market in Minnesota

Minnesota hosts 189 verified nurseries and garden centers, serving a population with a deeply ingrained culture of seasonal gardening. The market is defined by a short but intense growing season. Consumers prioritize hardiness above all else. Consequently, nurseries in the state focus on perennials and cold-hardy shrubs. The business landscape ranges from large-scale regional operators like Gertens to specialized boutique centers like Mother Earth Gardens and Tangletown Gardens. These businesses adapt by offering both greenhouse-started annuals to maximize the growing window and cold-climate trees and shrubs that withstand extreme temperature swings.

Top Cities for Nurseries & Garden Centers

The distribution of nurseries and garden centers across Minnesota is not random. The state has 20 active cities with significant nursery infrastructure. Rochester leads the state with 13 nurseries, likely due to its population density and a stable economic environment that supports premium landscaping and residential garden investment. Duluth follows closely with 12 nurseries, an impressive concentration given its challenging northern climate and rugged topography. Other notable hubs include Maple Grove (10), Minneapolis (9), and St. Cloud (9). The high concentration in these specific areas correlates with urban expansion and the need for residential landscape maintenance. These hubs act as vital nodes for plant sourcing, where proximity to consumers allows nurseries like Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery or Sargent's on 2nd to provide professional guidance alongside plant sales.

Minnesota Climate & Plant Selection

Minnesota’s climate presents a unique challenge for horticulturists. The state spans USDA hardiness zones 3 through 5. Winters can see temperatures plummet well below zero, while summers bring high humidity and sporadic, often intense rainfall. This environment dictates the stock. Nurseries emphasize native species, such as prairie grasses and native wildflowers, which are naturally adapted to the specific soil types of the region, ranging from heavy clay in the Red River Valley to the sandy loams of the central plains. Field-grown stock is prioritized for trees to ensure root systems are accustomed to local soil chemistry. Conversely, annuals are largely greenhouse-grown to ensure they are ready for transplanting immediately after the risk of late spring frost passes in mid-to-late May. Dought-tolerant plants have seen a surge in popularity, driven by shifts in local rainfall patterns and a desire for lower-maintenance landscaping. Businesses like The Mustard Seed Landscaping & Garden Center, Fluegel's Lawn Garden & Pet Supply, and Country Sun Farm & Greenhouses excel by tailoring their inventory to these specific ecological demands.

Sourcing Plants Locally in MN

For homeowners and professional landscapers looking to maximize success in the Minnesota climate, sourcing from local nurseries is non-negotiable. Follow these guidelines to find the best materials:

  • Prioritize native plant specialists: Nurseries like Mother Earth Gardens often carry native cultivars that have evolved to survive the local freeze-thaw cycles.
  • Assess the greenhouse capabilities: For annuals, seek out centers like Malmborg's Garden Center or Wagners Garden Center Minneapolis, which manage their own production to ensure plant health before the consumer even touches the pot.
  • Verify nursery stock origin: Ask if trees and shrubs are field-grown locally. Local stock is already acclimated to the specific day lengths and soil conditions of Minnesota.
  • Check for professional consultation services: Top-tier hubs like Gertens and Anoka Ramsey Farm & Garden provide more than just inventory; they offer expertise on landscape design that considers water runoff, winter salt tolerance, and light exposure.
  • Look for specialized knowledge: Some nurseries are better for hardscaping and bulk landscape supplies, such as Gertens Landscape Supplies, while others focus on unique pet-friendly, organic gardening supplies like Fluegel's Lawn Garden & Pet Supply.
By choosing plants grown within the state, gardeners bypass the stress of long-distance transit and receive specimens already hardened off for the Minnesota climate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When is the best time to plant in Minnesota?

A: The ideal planting time for most perennials and shrubs is mid-May through early June, once the soil has warmed and the danger of frost has passed. Fall planting is also effective for trees and shrubs, provided they have at least six weeks to establish roots before the ground freezes solid in late autumn.

Q: Why are native plants recommended for Minnesota gardens?

A: Native plants, such as purple coneflower and little bluestem, are genetically adapted to Minnesota’s specific climate, soil, and rainfall. They require significantly less supplemental watering, fertilizer, and chemical intervention than non-native species. By planting natives, gardeners support local pollinator populations that are essential to the state's ecosystem health and long-term garden stability.

Q: How do Minnesota nurseries handle the short growing season?

A: Nurseries utilize extensive greenhouse facilities to start annuals and vegetables months before the frost-free date. This allows them to offer healthy, established plants the moment the ground is ready for planting. They also stock specific cold-hardy varieties that are engineered or selected for their ability to thrive in USDA zones 3 to 5.

Q: Should I choose field-grown or container-grown plants?

A: In Minnesota, field-grown trees are often preferred because their roots have established within local soil chemistry and are generally more robust. However, container-grown plants are more convenient for late-season planting and are often easier to manage for smaller residential projects. Always inspect container stock for root circling, which can be an issue in fast-growing nursery environments.

Q: What is the biggest challenge for gardeners in Minnesota?

A: The primary challenge is the volatile transition between winter and summer. Extreme cold during winter months and high humidity in mid-summer put significant stress on plants. Gardeners must focus on soil drainage to prevent root rot during wet springs and apply winter mulch to insulate roots against the deep, sub-zero freeze that characterizes the Minnesota winter.