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12 Plant Nurseries in Durham, NC

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Top Rated Farms in DURHAM

For Garden's Sake
💬 602 reviews4.8
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For Garden's Sake

Full-Service Retail Garden Center. Top products: Ornamental plants, Trees and shrubs, Pottery and containers, Mulch, Seasonal goods. For Garden's Sake is a comprehensive, full-service horticultural enterprise based in Durham, North Carolina, serving the greater Triangle area for over 25 years. The business operates as a multi-faceted destination that integrates a retail garden center with professional landscape design, build, and maintenance services. Their garden center serves as a community hub, offering a diverse inventory of high-quality plants, trees, shrubs, and gardening supplies, complemented by unique features such as on-site farm animals, educational classes, and community events. As a landscape provider, they cater to homeowners seeking custom outdoor transformations, ranging from minor garden enhancements to large-scale master plans. Their horticultural mission focuses on environmental stewardship and community engagement, blending aesthetic landscaping expertise with a hands-on approach to gardening education. In addition to plant retail and landscape contracting, the company operates an on-site historic chapel for private events, further positioning itself as a central, nature-focused lifestyle destination for the region.

📍9157, NC Highway 751, Durham, North Carolina, 27713, US
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Gunters Greenhouse
💬 356 reviews4.8
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Gunters Greenhouse

Retail and Wholesale Greenhouse Nursery. Top products: houseplants, annuals, perennials, shrubs. Gunters Greenhouse is a family-owned plant nursery and horticultural operation located in Durham, North Carolina. Serving the Raleigh/Durham area, the business specializes in a diverse inventory that includes both common and rare houseplants, alongside a seasonal selection of outdoor annuals, perennials, and shrubs. The greenhouse functions as both a retail destination for plant enthusiasts and a resource for the local community, offering hands-on gardening workshops, professional plant advice, and educational events for varying skill levels. Their growing philosophy emphasizes locally produced inventory, ensuring that customers have access to healthy, acclimated plants. The business caters to a broad customer base, ranging from beginner gardeners seeking guidance to experienced hobbyists looking for unique botanical specimens. Operations are managed through their brick-and-mortar greenhouse location on Angier Avenue, where they facilitate in-store pickups, while also maintaining an online presence to coordinate shipments and communicate inventory updates via social media channels.

📍4614, Angier Avenue, Durham, North Carolina, 27703, US
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Durham Garden Center
💬 247 reviews4.6
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Durham Garden Center

Retail Horticultural Garden Center. Top products: houseplants, native shrubs, soil amendments, pottery, fertilizers. Durham Garden Center is a locally owned and operated retail horticultural facility located in Durham, North Carolina. The center serves as a community resource for both novice and experienced gardeners, providing a diverse inventory that ranges from common houseplants to unique, region-specific outdoor varieties. Their core product offerings include ornamental plants, shrubs, native flora, and specialized gardening supplies such as soil amendments and fertilizers. Beyond retail sales, the business emphasizes horticultural education, regularly publishing guides on topics such as pest management, pruning, and seasonal plant care to assist customers in maintaining healthy landscapes. The center also curates a selection of pottery and locally sourced art, integrating functional garden decor into their retail environment. By focusing on plants that are proven to thrive in the regional climate, they cater to local homeowners seeking to improve their indoor and outdoor green spaces.

📍4536, Hillsborough Road, Durham, North Carolina, 27705, US
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Stone Brothers & Byrd
💬 246 reviews4.8
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Stone Brothers & Byrd

Horticultural Garden Supply Retailer. Top products: garden seeds, fertilizers, weed control agents, lawn care supplies. Stone Brothers & Byrd, established in 1910 in Durham, North Carolina, serves as a long-standing horticultural resource and garden center. With over a century of history, the business has transitioned from serving small local farmers with traditional agricultural supplies to supporting modern homeowners and gardening enthusiasts with lawn and garden maintenance solutions. Their core offerings include a comprehensive selection of seeds, specialized fertilizers, and professional-grade chemical treatments for weed and pest control, such as pre-emergent and post-emergent solutions for crabgrass and other landscape challenges. The firm focuses on empowering customers through shared technical expertise, providing the necessary tools and products for residential and small-scale horticultural cultivation. By maintaining a focus on traditional farming and gardening needs, they function as a essential regional supplier for those engaged in plant growth, landscape management, and home gardening activities.

📍937, Washington Street, Durham, North Carolina, 27701, US
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Nazo Landscaping Inc
💬 233 reviews4.7
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Nazo Landscaping Inc

Full-Service Plant Nursery Retailer. Top products: Fruit Trees, Ornamental Trees, Perennials, Grasses, Ornamental Shrubs. Nazo Landscaping Inc operates a 40-acre, full-service nursery and landscaping supply facility based in North Carolina. The business maintains a diverse inventory featuring over 500 varieties of plant life, including fruit and ornamental trees, perennials, grasses, and shrubs. Serving a broad client base that includes residential homeowners, commercial entities, and professional contractors, Nazo Landscaping integrates plant sales with professional installation and design services. Their horticultural model emphasizes the use of native plants suited to the local North Carolina climate and terrain. In addition to their nursery stock, the company provides essential landscaping materials such as stone, mulch, and various aggregates. The organization positions itself as a comprehensive landscape expert, balancing retail plant distribution with project-based site engineering, drainage solutions, and sustainable landscape installation. They operate with a focus on regional ecological standards, soil health, and long-term property value optimization.

📍5211, Old Autumnwood Drive, Durham, North Carolina, 27705, US
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Witherspoon Rose Culture
💬 97 reviews4.6
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Witherspoon Rose Culture

Specialty Rose Nursery and Garden. Top products: Kordes Roses, Signature Rose Fertilizers, Gardening tools and supplies, BloomSaver products. Witherspoon Rose Culture is a long-standing horticultural enterprise based in Durham, North Carolina, with over 75 years of experience dedicated specifically to the cultivation and care of roses. Operating as both a specialty garden shop and a professional horticultural service provider, the business caters to residential rose enthusiasts and gardeners. Their core offerings include a wide selection of premium rose varieties, specifically the Kordes collection, alongside an proprietary line of signature fertilizers and specialized gardening supplies designed to promote rose health. Beyond retail, Witherspoon distinguishes itself through its expert-led rose care services, where professionals manage over 2,700 private gardens using environmentally conscious treatment protocols. The company functions as a comprehensive resource for rosarians, offering educational content, in-store gardening classes, and professional diagnostic care to ensure the vitality of ornamental rose collections.

📍4800, Garrett Road, Durham, North Carolina, 27707, US
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Kiefer Landscaping Inc
💬 90 reviews4.5
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Kiefer Landscaping Inc

Full-Service Nursery and Landscaping. Top products: Ornamental trees, Flowering shrubs, Conifers, Grasses, Water garden features. Founded in 1984 and based in Durham, North Carolina, Kiefer Landscaping Inc. operates as a comprehensive horticultural enterprise that combines a fully functional NC Certified Nursery with a high-end landscape design and installation service. Unlike firms that merely procure materials from third-party wholesalers, Kiefer grows a significant portion of their own plant inventory. Their nursery operations emphasize 'Landscape Tough' cultivars, utilizing minimal pesticide inputs to ensure that plants are acclimated to local conditions. The business functions as a destination garden center for the public, featuring water gardens, ornamental stock, and professional horticultural consultation. Their target demographic primarily consists of residential homeowners seeking custom, non-tract landscape design. By maintaining control over the growing process, they provide larger, more established plant specimens than standard retail nurseries, specializing in complex site grading, environmental drainage solutions, and the integration of unique plant palettes into custom, climate-resilient residential outdoor spaces.

📍2450, South Alston Avenue, Durham, North Carolina, 27713, US
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Deep Roots Natives
💬 71 reviews4.9
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Deep Roots Natives

Native Plant Specialty Nursery. Top products: Native plants, Pollinator-friendly species, Perennials, Shrubs. Deep Roots Natives is a specialized retail plant nursery and garden center focused on the promotion and sale of native flora. Based in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, the nursery stocks hundreds of native and pollinator-friendly plant species designed to foster healthy, sustainable, and biodiverse ecosystems. Their mission centers on environmental restoration, providing homeowners and landscapers with ecological alternatives to non-native or invasive species. The nursery emphasizes plants adapted to local climate conditions that require less irrigation, fertilization, and maintenance. In addition to plant retail, Deep Roots Natives provides expert horticultural consulting and in-house landscape design services to assist clients in troubleshooting site-specific challenges, such as soil quality and light conditions, using organic and environmentally responsible management practices. They are widely recognized by local ecological organizations, including the North Carolina Native Plant Society and the New Hope Audubon Society, for their commitment to supporting local wildlife, bees, butterflies, and birds through specialized plant selection.

📍3666, Guess Road, Durham, North Carolina, 27705, US
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Knotty by Nature Natives
💬 8 reviews5
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Knotty by Nature Natives

Native plant and arboriculture nursery. Top products: Native plants, Trees, Mulch. Knotty by Nature Natives is a specialized horticultural operation and tree service provider that focuses on the cultivation and supply of native plant species. Managed by a certified arborist with a decade of professional experience, the business bridges the gap between expert arboricultural services—such as professional pruning, tree risk assessments, and consultations—and the retail supply of native vegetation. The company differentiates itself by offering unique incentives, such as free replacement trees when performing invasive tree removals, effectively promoting local ecosystem health. Their business model serves both residential and potentially commercial clients who are looking for specialized expertise in tree health and the integration of native plants into their landscapes. By combining site-specific tree care services like mulching and hazard assessments with a curated native plant shop, Knotty by Nature Natives acts as both a horticultural advisor and a supplier for environmentally conscious property owners.

📍5917, Mount Herman Church Road, Durham, North Carolina, 27705, US
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Old North Growers LLC
💬 5 reviews4.8
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Old North Growers LLC

📍1623, New Sharon Church Road, Hillsborough, North Carolina, 27278, US
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Nursery Angeles Lopez
💬 2 reviews5
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Nursery Angeles Lopez

📍225, Chandler Road, Durham, North Carolina, 27703, US
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Knotty by Nature Trees, LLC
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Knotty by Nature Trees, LLC

Native Plant Specialty Nursery. Top products: Native plants, Trees, Mulch. Knotty by Nature Trees, LLC is a horticultural operation led by a certified arborist with a decade of professional experience. While the business provides core tree care services including removals, pruning, and risk assessments, it has expanded its operations to include a retail nursery component titled 'Knotty by Nature Natives.' This segment of the business focuses on the sale of native plants, catering to homeowners and property owners looking to cultivate ecologically beneficial landscapes. By integrating arboricultural consulting with a native plant shop, the company positions itself as an authority on tree health and sustainable planting practices. Their mission centers on the longevity and vitality of local tree populations, offering tree replacement programs following invasive species removal to promote healthy ecosystem restoration. The business serves local property owners and residents through direct sales and expert tree management, bridging the gap between professional arborist maintenance and native gardening.

📍125 Science Dr, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Local Nursery Scene in Durham

Durham serves as a critical hub for horticultural excellence in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. With 11 identified nurseries and garden centers, the area offers a diverse range of expertise. These businesses bridge the gap between simple retail transactions and professional landscape management. Whether you need a specific rose variety or bulk mulch for a 40-acre project, Durham suppliers cater to varying levels of gardening skill. The local industry emphasizes sustainability, with many operators focusing on native flora that survives the unique challenges of the NC climate.

Comparison of Top Nurseries

Nursery NameRatingSpecializationType
For Garden's Sake4.8Full-Service RetailGarden Center
Gunters Greenhouse4.8Houseplants & AnnualsGreenhouse
Stone Brothers & Byrd4.8Gardening SuppliesRetailer
Nazo Landscaping Inc4.7Native Landscape SupplyNursery
Durham Garden Center4.6Horticultural EducationGarden Center
Witherspoon Rose Culture4.6Specialty RosesNursery
Kiefer Landscaping Inc4.5Landscape DesignNursery
Deep Roots Natives4.9Native PlantsNursery
Knotty by Nature Natives5.0Native Trees & ArboricultureNursery
Nursery Angeles Lopez5.0General PlantsNursery

Deep Dive into Nurseries

For Garden's Sake: Operating for over 25 years, this location functions as a massive destination for residential landscape projects. They provide a full range of retail plants and mulch alongside on-site landscape design services.

Gunters Greenhouse: This family-owned spot on Angier Avenue specializes in both rare houseplants and seasonal outdoor annuals. They prioritize locally produced inventory to ensure plants are already acclimated to the local environment.

Durham Garden Center: This local shop emphasizes horticultural education to help novices and experts alike. They stock native shrubs and specialized fertilizers while providing regional pest management advice.

Stone Brothers & Byrd: Since 1910, this business has supported regional agriculture and residential gardening. Their inventory is heavily focused on seeds, professional-grade fertilizers, and weed control agents.

Nazo Landscaping Inc: Managing a 40-acre facility, they offer over 500 varieties of plant life. They balance retail plant distribution with large-scale drainage solutions and sustainable installation.

Witherspoon Rose Culture: With over 75 years of history, they serve as the premier destination for rose enthusiasts. They maintain thousands of private gardens in addition to their specialty nursery offerings.

Kiefer Landscaping Inc: Founded in 1984, this business grows much of their own inventory. They focus on 'Landscape Tough' cultivars designed to handle local soil and weather conditions with minimal chemical inputs.

Deep Roots Natives: A leader in ecological restoration, this nursery exclusively stocks native and pollinator-friendly species. They are highly regarded by local ecological organizations for their commitment to biodiversity.

Knotty by Nature Natives: Managed by a certified arborist, this operation bridges the gap between tree health services and native plant sales. They offer unique incentives like replacement trees for invasive removal.

Nursery Angeles Lopez: This nursery provides a foundational selection of plants for the local area. Their focus remains on providing accessible, healthy stock for residential gardeners.

Buying Guide for NC Gardeners

  • Understand Your Zone: Most of Durham falls into USDA Hardiness Zones 7b/8a. Choose plants that can withstand the intense summer heat and the periodic deep freezes of the Piedmont.
  • Prioritize Native Species: Native plants are genetically adapted to local rainfall patterns and soil types. This significantly reduces the need for supplemental irrigation and heavy fertilization once established.
  • Inspect Plant Health: Before buying, check for signs of pests on the undersides of leaves. Ensure roots are firm and not circling tightly in the pot, which indicates a root-bound plant that will struggle in the ground.
  • The Local Advantage: Buying from nurseries that grow their own stock in North Carolina ensures plants are pre-acclimated. Retailers like Kiefer Landscaping or Gunters Greenhouse offer hardier specimens than big-box stores, which often ship plants from warmer, different climates.
  • Timing is Everything: Fall is the best time for planting trees and shrubs in North Carolina. The warm soil allows for root development before the onset of winter dormancy, giving plants a head start for the following spring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is it better to buy plants from a local Durham nursery?

A: Local nurseries in Durham typically grow or source plants that are already acclimated to the Piedmont's specific climate, soil chemistry, and humidity levels. Big-box retailers often ship inventory from far away, meaning plants have to undergo shock when moved into our unique North Carolina environment. Local growers also provide better expertise on which varieties actually thrive here.

Q: What is the best time of year to plant trees and shrubs in Durham?

A: The ideal time is during the autumn months, typically October and November. The soil in North Carolina stays warm enough to encourage root growth throughout the winter, while the cooler air temperatures reduce stress on the foliage. Planting in the fall gives the root system a significant head start before the intense summer heat returns.

Q: What should I look for in native plants for my Durham garden?

A: Look for species that support local pollinators like the monarch butterfly or native bee populations. Common successful native choices in Durham include coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and various native shrubs like viburnum. These plants generally require less water and fewer fertilizers than non-native alternatives because they have evolved to coexist with local soil microorganisms and rainfall patterns.

Q: What is the difference between a garden center and a wholesale nursery?

A: A garden center is primarily a retail facility designed for homeowners to buy plants, pottery, tools, and mulch in smaller quantities. A wholesale nursery often operates on a larger scale, providing bulk stock to professional landscapers and contractors. Some locations in Durham, such as Nazo Landscaping, function as both, providing professional-grade supplies to the general public.

Q: How do I amend the heavy clay soil common in Durham?

A: Durham's native clay soil is often dense and slow to drain. The most effective way to improve it is by adding organic matter like compost or aged mulch. Do not simply dig a hole and fill it with potting soil, as this creates a bathtub effect where water gets trapped. Instead, incorporate organic matter into a broad area to encourage deep root growth.

⭐ 4.8 average rating across 12 verified nurseries in Durham

The most popular reviews:

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Sherry Wallace2 weeks ago

Very helpful man outside and very friendly woman at cashier's desk. Loved the weekend special.

Stone Brothers & Byrd
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Norra Church (Realtor Consultant)3 weeks ago

My first time there,,, but not my last! Gunters have a very nice selection of plants for our North Carolina area. They know what works where and give good advice. I bought a Hidcote Blue Lavender and a Kent Beauty Ornamental Oregano Origanum. Pleasant place to browse for that "just right!" new plant! It must be popular for there was a Social Media Influencer filming there!

Gunters Greenhouse
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Jules4 weeks ago

BEAUTIFUL nursery, helpful staff and a huge selection of any type of plant you can think of at reasonable prices.

For Garden's Sake
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Christine Adams4 weeks ago

This was the most amazing nursery we have ever been too. The staff was awesome, plant selection unbelievable!!! We also specifically needed aquatic plants and then had 10 above ground pools with aquatics it was great. The way they also designed the nursery was spectacular. This will be our go-to plant place from now on.

Kiefer Landscaping Inc
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John Heffernana month ago

Phillip and his team were top-notch in the design and installation of our front yard. Nazo Landscaping's plant quality and selection are unmatched. Phillip's knowledge of his plants is very special. I was impressed with how Phillip's love of his plants, coupled with his deep experience, came together in our front yard's design, at a really good price. He expertly took into account our home's character, the plant selection's beauty and the long-term care needs for us. Hats off to Phillip and his team!

Nazo Landscaping Inc
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Millya month ago

Awesome shop I bought multiple epic looking plugs for like 4.50 each! I loved their shade plants selection. Everything being in its own sections was very nice and made shopping easy Buy native plants!

Deep Roots Natives
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jennifer millera month ago

Good native plant selection, you can shop online and arrange to pick up the plants, mostly all very local natives that he has grown, he willingly shares his knowledge, keeps his prices low, is an advocate for helping pollinators and ecologic diversity preservation. Highly recommend!!

Knotty by Nature Natives