To Grandma's Gardens We Go

On the recommendation of Marcella from Colorscapes in Defiance, Mom, Kara and I began our two-day adventure to the Cincinnati area by visiting Grandma's Gardens near Centerville, Ohio. Marcella was right - it's a must-see garden center. It opened for business in July of 1979 so they're celebrating their 30th anniversary this year.





When we arrived at the front gate, we were met with what is probably the most visually appealing garden center I've ever visited. Situated on 14 acres, it includes the original 1880s Victorian farmhouse that has been restored and now serves as a gift shop.






Beautifully landscaped, it was a pleasure just to stroll about the "backyard" as we looked at a large selection of pottery and other items for sale.


The back porch of the house was full of garden whimsy and decorator items for the home.


Inside the house, we found plenty more to tempt us. More garden art, figurines, pottery, jewelry, Vera Bradley products, signage, garden toiletries, and many boutique items filled each of the rooms.


Adjacent to the house was the perennial pavilion, where rows of native plants, familiar favorites, and new introductions were plentiful and displayed in a very organized manor. Being alphabetized by name made searching very easy and with such an extensive inventory, it was a real time-saver. These were also separated by sun/shade, which was helpful as well.


We worked our way through the outdoor sections, which included roses, shrubs, grasses, and trees. Pathways are mostly paved and carts are available for collecting your purchases. Employees were readily available for help, friendly, and knowledgeable about their products.


I was thrilled to find a small section with native plants, including woodland wildflowers. For a couple of years now, I've been hoping to find Hepatica for our Wildflower Way garden and here I found Hepatica acutiloba, a.k.a. Sharp-leaved Hepatica.

For the first time ever, I found a 'Jelena' witch hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena') that was very nice. It was a larger-sized shrub, but of course, a special planting such as this comes at a price and it just isn't in the budget right now.



Toward the back of the property is a small pond, where ducks were swimming. Beautiful pines were reflected in the water, providing a photo opportunity. A set of small railroad tracks surrounds the pond and at various times the miniature train runs, giving rides to children.


There are Tennessee fainting goats and pygmy goats living nearby and once again my desire to have a pygmy goat of my own came to mind. I can't seem to talk Romie into this, even though I reminded him that he had a goat when he was growing up, as did my dad. I'm not giving up on this just yet, though!


Several greenhouses contained annuals, herbs, tropicals, seeds, garden tools, and many, many hardscape items (fabulous fountains!) as well as just about any product needed to enhance growth and inhibit pests and diseases in your garden.

I especially liked the outdoor wall art featuring photos of garden related scenes and the beautiful pottery.




And what garden would be complete without a resident cat? Jasper was holding court and graciously allowed me to take a couple of photos of him, despite his being in recovery from recent surgery.



Grandma's Garden isn't just another nursery. It's a destination that should be on every gardener's itinerary when traveling in the Dayton/Cincinnati area.

8107 State Route 48
Waynesville, OH 45068
Directions

(937) 885-2740

Spring Hours:
Mon. thru Fri. 9 to 8
Saturday 9 to 6
Sunday 10 to 5

Additional photos taken during our visit can be found here.

My purchases:

• Garden Peony (Paeonia lactiflora 'Cincinnati')
• Perennial Flax (Linum perenne)
  
• Sharp-leaved Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)
  
• Showy Sedum (Sedum 'Garnet Brocade')
  
• Lavender Cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus var. nana)
  
• Heirloom Tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum 'Brandywine')
  
• Heirloom Tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum 'Cherokee Purple')
  
• Jewels of Opar (Talinum paniculatum 'Limon')
  
• Mossy Saxifrage (Saxifraga x arendsii 'Triumph')
• Eucalyptus

Can you believe what restraint I showed?