I am not, in general, the gardening type, particularly not the 'landscaping' gardening type. I…read moreenjoy beautiful landscaping, however I don't generally have the knack or the drive to create it myself. After we built a small addition for the Patriarch to move in with us, we discovered that the changes have created a drainage problem in our back yard. We have no idea why, though I'm sure a hydrologist could tell you, we just know that having standing water next to your foundation for days after a rain storm is not a good idea. So, we have undertaken the task of having our yard re-graded with drains installed and water directed to a rain garden in a corner of the yard. The excavators that installed the drainage don't do plants beyond grass, so off to the internet I go for a plant list, and then off to a local, very nice, nursery who only kept the plants I needed in stock during their 'season' when many people by them. Crap. Fortunately, they were kind enough to direct me to nearby Montgomery Nurseries, and after a quick phone call where I confirmed that yes, they did have some of these plants, I drove over. I am so glad I did. Montgomery Nurseries is a place I've driven by 1000 times, looked at all the pretty plants, but never stopped in. They have a large variety of plants from bedding plants to trees and shrubs, and clearly cater to both the individual and business/landscaping market. Their staff were SUPER helpful, both finding the plants on my list and suggesting alternatives when ones weren't available. They helped me pick them, answered questions and loaded them all into the back of my truck for me. They also let me know when some other plants on my list, as well as others I think I'd like in other parts of my yard. They were friendly, professional, knowledgable and approachable. In short, they're pretty cool people. Prices were reasonable, the service was great, the plants are all doing well in their new home. I'll definitely be back.

VERY DISAPPOINTED! I purchased a boxwood plant from this nursery, and I couldn't be more…read moredisappointed. When I bought it, it looked great but as soon and I took it home, it started drying up and eventually died. When I reached out to them for a refund for the defective product, I was met with unhelpful responses and a lack of empathy. They refused to acknowledge the poor quality of the plant and offered me a gift card for 50% of the item. It feels like they don't stand behind their products at all. Save your money and look elsewhere for healthier plants and better customer service. This experience has left me frustrated and regretting my purchase.

Is it a coincidence that the entryway to Laurel Hill Gardens is reminiscent of the gates to heaven?…read more I might have thought so at first, but that would have been before my encounter with Saint Susan, owner/proprietor (okay... I added the "Saint" part"... but that doesn't make her undeserving of the title). We stumbled across LHG while wandering through Chestnut Hill, and I have never seen an establishment in Philly dedicated to the city gardener/landscaper that is more thoroughly stocked, more beautifully laid out, or better staffed. When one of those eager staffers asked me how she could help me and I replied with a long and esoteric set of concerns I had about potted vines, she immediately directed me to bring my questions to said Saint Susan. Mere minutes later I knew 10 times more about the subject than the collective wisdom I'd previously gathered from the mooks at Home Depot, Loew's, etc. over the years. If you are serious about getting that city courtyard of yours "greened" in a tasteful, beautiful, and sensible manner, there is now no place for me in Philadelphia other than Laurel Hill Gardens. It is an incredible gem of a place. Prices are high, yes, but sometimes you truly do get what you pay for.

Walking through the gate takes you into a little cottage garden. The garden has a green house, a…read morefountain and lots of plants. It is decorated for each season/holiday with cute little vignettes. You can wander the paths to see it all. At the back is a little cottage gift shop with small plants, gardening supplies, vintage finds and little gifts. More plants are around the side of the cottage. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. The plant prices are comparable to other nurseries, a little more than the big box stores. You get better quality and personalized service. The garden is much bigger than it seems. It is worth a stop even if you're not buying plants!

I've been coming to Colonial Gardens for a few years now with the kids for their Halloween…read morefestivities. Colonial Gardens is a great spot for young children to enjoy mazes and the daytime tractor ride during Halloween season. It has become an annual tradition that we all look forward to. This year we did the Christmas light show and it was excellent. It was the perfect size for kids and a lot to see. I wish we did it last year instead of Longwood Gardens. Colonial Gardens light show is very kid friendly but also beautiful for adults and not too much walking. (Last year at Longwood it was just too much walking for a 3 year old.) My daughter loved meeting Elsa and Anna at Colonial. There was also a nice train set up inside and hot cocoa and candy canes outside at the light show. I can see the holiday light show becoming an annual tradition for our family. We also got a beautiful full Christmas tree at a reasonable price. Easy online reservations and reasonable prices for the festivities. Out of all the local light shows and holiday festivities, I think this is one of the best values.

Cute little garden shop and florist. They have a really cute area for kids leading up to Halloween.read more

I went to Terrain on Wednesday July 15th around 5pm to purchase a plant for my new apartment. I…read morefound two that I loved and one needed a little tlc. The cashier was absolutely amazing she helped ring me up and educate me on the plant I got! She wrapped both plants perfectly! She was so kind and deserves a raise! I didn't get her name but I am serious she was incredible!! I will be telling all my friends and family about Terrain! Thank you!

I love Terrain, they have two locations that I have visited: this one on Lancaster Ave, and the…read moreother in Glen Mills. They both have the garden setting and a garden shop, but the Glen Mills shop is significantly larger with a much more diverse selection of goods, which includes home goods, garden items, and bath items. The restaurant section is plant filled twinkling lights that provide a wonderful ambiance at night! This is a great place for a first date! The menu is locally sourced and good: this is not the place to go for superior fare, but nice american fare with a fair selection. Service has always been great, and they are BYOB.

Was driving down Germantown and saw this little store. Finally decided to stop in and found some…read morereally beautiful flowers inside. Fall is my favorite time of year to decorate my house with flowers. Their assortment of mums and hanging baskets was exactly what I was looking for! The staff was extremely pleasant and very kind. I had a great experience and would HIGHLY recommend anyone stop by. It will really brighten your day!

Went to purchase flowers for my moms birthday. The boy at the front looked at me like I'm crazy,…read moresaying "we don't sell flowers here." I'm not sure why "flower" is in the name then. I asked if there any places nearby that might have some, to which he says "not in this area." A quick mapping showed me one three minutes away where they were very kind and helpful. Kid was pretty rude off the bat as well. I'd recommend anyone actually needing flowers (lol) to go to Rothe Florists down the street. They were extremely kind, crazy cheap, and the bouquet was beautiful. I would add a photo but do not want people to assume it was from this store.

James at Houseplant Hospital transformed my pot of dead twigs into a lovely mixed planting that…read moresurvives and thrives. The cost was very reasonable.

Waterloo Gardens was always closest to us, so when needed, that was where we went. But it's been…read moreyears since they existed, and what was left of the company was acquired by Main Line Gardens. MLG is very similar to what we experienced at Waterloo. While the layout at MLG is not as aesthetic (not decorative or designed to showcase items and make little mini garden ideas with the inventory) like Waterloo was, it was still all very good quality, with a great variety of healthy plants. It is straightforward, which is appreciated. And all plants are priced, whereas places like Terrain, don't always present prices, which is annoying and time-consuming. Like Waterloo and Terrain, the prices were hit or miss. My perennials were $12/gallon with 20% off. Yes, please! Other perennials, like a 3gal peony, for $79.99? I wondered if it was a rare one I didn't know about, but that was very high for me. Just know your prices (or ask around) and you'll be fine. I was helped by AJ, who was very knowledgeable about anything I had to ask. He helped me with ideas for our common local soil problem (clay), and directed me to a product to help (Bumper Crop). I mentioned the homemade remedy I'd been told to try by another nursery and he agreed it was similar, but still recommended their product. I get it that they are pushed to sell, but I appreciate when a nursery can offer cheaper solutions, because we have a lot of ground to cover. This is "Main Line" gardens, so while certainly not all, there are a lot of bougie people around here, who don't care to get hands dirty, and would rather take the easy way with the high-priced product. I get it. I had called much earlier in the season for what I needed, and was happy to find their prices beat the other places called. But by the time I finally made it down there, they had run out of a lot of their perennials I wanted. So I played phone tag with Jamie to find out when more would be in and headed back. I mention this because Jamie was sincerely concerned about matching me with the right plants, and that is always appreciated. You do have to seek people out when they are busy, but I was offered help when I was there on a week day with little going on. I was approached pretty quickly, in fact. The staff seems to genuinely want to help, and they are all very polite; they just need to be working while they're out there, so they're not always looking for you. I was approached a lot faster than any visit to Terrain or Wedegwood gardens.

Some of the worst customer service I've experienced, EVER! Rude and clueless - what a combination!…read moreHow does this place stay open and what is the magic sauce for those who actually receive good customer service?

A seasonal pop up garden center with a decent selection of flowers and plants. They're a small…read morefamily owned local business open for Easter, Mothers Day and Halloween according to the owner. Staff was helpful as I shopped for a last minute gift, prices were competitive and the quality seemed good compared to some big box stores.

Lovely little spot with a nice selection of plants and garden decor. Staff were friendly and…read morehelpful, though some items were a bit pricey. Overall, a pleasant place to browse and pick up something unique for the garden.