Whether you’ve got space for a garden large enough to feed the neighborhood, a yard like a park, or a balcony and a tomato plant in a pot, come spring, we all get green thumb fever.  I fall into the latter category, but that doesn’t stop me from oogling stolen seed catalogs and stalking garden centers.  While a trip to Steins can scratch the itch in a pinch, there’s something about a trip to an independent garden center that is good for the soul.  They are few and far between these days, but there a few in our area that you should check out.  (And if you see me drooling over the boxwoods, mind your business.  It will so fit in a pot.)

Batzler’s Garden Center
18305 W Lisbon Rd. Brookfield
(Located in the Clark Richard Hair Salon)

Batzler’s is an absolute local gem.  Located in the Clark Richard Hair Salon, it is an explosion of color you won’t want to miss.  Batzler’s specializes in a variety of high-quality annuals, hanging baskets, pre-potted planters and more.  Gardner’s and DYI-ers will love being able to choose and plant your own annuals.  For people like me with limited space (or limited ambition), Batzler’s is a great place to find the perfect baskets and plantings to dress up any outside area.  They’ll only be open at Clark Richard for a short time, so don’t dilly dally.  But you can find them at the Brookfield Farmers Market on Saturdays. Find them on Facebook as Batzlers Garden Center or online at https://batzlersgardencenter.com/

Piala’s
S39W27833 Genesse Rd, Waukesha

The Piala family opened the nursery in 1978 with a desire to enhance the environment and share their love for the outdoors.  Son Quinn now runs the center with his wife Amanda, both landscape architects.  Their website is impressive- it allows you to search plants by entering key words and phrases, and other characteristics.  Search everything from perennials and vines to fruit trees, trees and shrubs.  Once you select your category, you can search within the category or enter the name of a specific plant.  Create a wish list to bring to the garden center where the plant experts will help refine your list, setting you up for plant success.  Each listing includes detailed information about the plant, its landscape attributes, plant size and spread, amount of sunlight needed, planting tips and the hardiness zone.  (We are zone 5b.). Piala also carries a complete line of professional grade tools, fertilizers, pest control products, much, topsoil, decorative stone and more.  Design and build services are available as well as seasonal maintenance.  Did I mention herbs and veggies?  Their Facebook page featured a picture of basil plants so lush and beautiful, I could almost taste it.  Definitely worth the trip.   Find them on Facebook and Instagram, online at https://pialasnursery.com or at their Waukesha location.

Johnson’s Nursery
W180N6275 Marcy Rd. Menomonee Falls

These people are not playing around.  A third generation, family owned business, Johnson’s goal is to provide hardy nursery stock to clients in SE Wisconsin.  Wholesale, retail, landscape services, WI native plants- you name it, they have it.  They do not sell plants online, stating “To truly find the plants that fit your landscape and lifestyle, visit our nursery to see feel and love them.”  See, I’ll bet they don’t think people who talk to their plants are weird….

Johnson’s has a knowledge base to search anything and everything plant related.  How to plant and prune, best groundcovers for pollinators (love the bees…), native Wisconsin plants and so much more.  They also have a We Plan-You Plant service.  Johnson’s designers will create a design for you (free!) when you purchase plants from them.   But next to reading the bios of all their talented planty people, the Family Tree Discount was my favorite.  Johnson’s offers 25% off the retail price of any one plant- perennial, shrub or tree to commemorate the birth of a baby- child and plant (or tree) will grow together.

Here’s something else to consider- Becoming a Master Gardner. 

Learn about plants and how to take care of them, and participate in an approved UW-Extension approved learning opportunity.  Then apply what you’ve learned to help local organizations.

Find out more about the program at https://mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu/get-started/.

Graduates of the program who live in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties can then apply to join the SouthEast Wisconsin Master Gardeners.  A local non-profit organization dedicated to teaching, learning, leading and serving people who are passionate about gardening.

Find them online at www.sewmg.org

We hope this has inspired you to spend some time outdoors and do a little planting, no matter how large or small your project is.  Happy gardening!

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