How-to + Reviews

Independent Garden Centres in Toronto

15 Comments
Cornus kousa ‘Summer Fun’ from Reeves last year

 

We’ve had a lot of hits to our blog recently looking for the now sadly closed Reeves Nursery, which we wrote about when it opened on the Danforth in our east-end neighborhood last spring.

Makes me think that we are sorely in need of another independent garden centre in the east end of Toronto, Danforth latitude. While the big box places have good prices, you can’t beat the quality of well-cared-for stock, and the knowledge base you get from shopping at an independent garden centre.

While Reeves is no longer with us, in the east end, try the delightful East of Eliza on Gerrard Street at Woodbine, Green Mountain on Coxwell at upper Gerrard and East End Garden Centre on Queen Street East near Greenwood. There is also Bill’s Garden Centre at Pape and Mortimer.

If you are in the west end, Fiesta Gardens is worth the trip as well, with unusual perennials, trees and shrubs. Or Plant World on Eglinton near Royal York Road.

I’m sure there are some I’ve missed. If you have some good garden spots near you, let us know in the comments.

Sarah

Sarah Battersby is a designer, writer and teacher who regularly hacks away at forest of lilacs and sumachs in the country. She wishes she’d never planted that goutweed.

15 comments

  3. Helen, That is a gorgeous leaf! With plant offerings like that~No wonder everyone is sad to see it close. What I want in Nashville is an independent center that isn't afraid to offer more then the same old same old 6 shrubs…gail

  5. Yep, I live in the Danforth & Coxwell area and make the trip to Bill's. Not a huge place but great quality plants, super staff, and interesting accessories & decor for the garden. If you are a member of the East York Garden Club (perhaps others are eligible?) you get 10% off any time. Plus, they have this great cat in residence that you find sleeping in the most random spots around the store….

  6. My favourite independent nursery is John's Garden. It's a little out of the way at 4300 Concession 7 in Uxbridge but absolutely worth the drive.

  8. I just found out that Reeves has closed on Danforth any one know why?

  10. I worked there for the last 4 years and I'm still scratching my head wondering what happened

  11. There is a new Garden Centre that opened just off Danforth on Dawes Rd. It is part of the Lumber store, but the Garden Centre is just at the end of the street. I found it a few weeks ago, and it is quiet, but offers alot of unique plants, I bought a variety of perennials, and the staff told me they will be open right into the fall. I think the exact name of the store is Danforth Lumber Garden Centre. The staff were really friendly and I would recommend looking into it!

  12. Hi, I think it was Reeves nursery with a great choice of maple trees. Can someone please suggest another nursery? I am looking for Korean Maple – acer pseudosieboldianum ssp. takesimense. Thank you!

    1. Plant World has a great selection of maples, although I don't know about the one you seek. You'll find a link to them in our post.

      If you're up for a drive, you can also try Vineland Nurseries in Beamsville. They specialize in small trees. Here's a link to their website: http://www.vinelandnurseries.com/home.html

      It's always a good idea to call the nursery before you go, to see if they have stock.

  13. Kleinburg Nursery, a boutique garden centre head-quartered in Vaughan, has now opened another location in Toronto at 903 Pape Ave (Pape and Danforth), this location was formerly the beloved Bills Garden Centre that closed its. Kleinburg Nursery is dedicated to making this new location a wonderful place to shop; to provide information regarding plants and gardening; to being a positive presence in this community; and to delivering the quality, services, and value our customers have come to expect.

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