While garden centers and
nurseries
always inspire me to plant
beautiful
flowers, trees, shrubs, and
vegetables,
there is an exceptionally
inspirational
garden center in north
Alabama.
At first glance,
The Greenery
in
Brownsboro, Alabama,
just east of Huntsville on Highway 431,
just east of Huntsville on Highway 431,
looks like an elegant
Southern home
set in Southern Living styled gardens.
In reality,
The Greenery
is an elegant gift shop and
nursery
whose grounds illustrate how
homeowners
can create that gracious
Southern style
with plants, flowers,
statues, and urns
in their own gardens.
The gift shop housed in the
brick building offers home décor.
Beautiful candles, faux
floral stems, gardening books, birdhouses,
gifts, garden furniture, lamps, art objects,
gifts, garden furniture, lamps, art objects,
Guy Wolff pottery, and much
more
fill the first floor of the
building.
I love to shop here at
Christmas
when the store is filled with
Christmas plants, seasonal decorations, and
gifts creating the magic of the season.
Step through its side French
doors
onto the covered walkway
that leads to the
greenhouse filled with
plants.
and the walkway's architecture entice me
to stop to examine them closer.
Inside the greenhouse
are scores of nursery tables
filled with bedding plants,
many begun by seed on site.
A stunning arbor created
from old windows is at the
main entrance
of the greenhouse.
Outside, the grounds are
planted
with traditional Southern
shrubs and trees,
but not always in the
expected way.
Two magnolia trees,
hallmarks of Southern gardens,
are espaliered against the
house
in an unexpected planting
for magnolias.
Oakleaf hydrangeas that grow wild
in Southeastern woods
are another staple of
Southern gardens.
Their creamy white blossoms
pair perfectly with magnolia trees.
Several are planted in The
Greenery’s landscape,
and mimic how they grow in
the wild...
beneath shady trees, with filtered sunlight.
Customers pick up plant
purchases at
the rear of the greenhouse.
No surprise at what the
latest
customer is picking up...
oakleaf hydrangeas.
Russian sage fills a raised
bed
between the gift shop and
greenhouse.
Its delicate blue blooms and
greenery
offer gardeners a plant similar to
lavender.
While drought tolerant, the
plant also
does well in north Alabama
with its abundant rainfall throughout the summer.
A soft summer shower fell just
as I was wandering through the outdoor gardens.
A soft summer shower fell just
as I was wandering through the outdoor gardens.
Do you love garden statues,
planters, arbors, and
stone walls?
The Greenery offers all of these, but
has more variety than what is available
at your ordinary garden
centers.
No, you won't find their inventory at the
local Home Depot or Lowes.
~~~~~~~~~~
Please join me at these inspiring sites...
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
You asked: "Do you love garden statues, planters, arbors, and stone walls?"
ReplyDeleteOh, Judith, do I ever! I lived in northern California for 16 years from the age of 20 through 36, which is where I fell in love with gardening and garden nurseries.
This is such a gorgeous nursery! I will definitely be back to see what else you have to share!
Have a beautiful one,
Lin
Oh, Judith, how wonderful. This is a great place and it's great to look at your pictures! Thank you for sharing this beauty!!! I'm dreaming!
ReplyDeleteAll the best and sunny days
Elisabeth
How lovely! Your photos capture it beautifully!
ReplyDeleteJudith, thanks for taking us along. This is my favorite kind of garden center. It's full of real time ideas and inspiration.
ReplyDeleteNothing like a Southern Garden shop! How I miss my Southern garden, as well this time of year when we are in triple digits of very dry heat! Things still bloom, but not the lushness of Alabama! Thank you for sharing this wonderful shop! Wish I'd made a visit when we lived in AL!
ReplyDeleteWhat a magnificent place!
ReplyDeleteI am intrigued with the Russian Sage. Is it fragrant? Is it edible?
I can't wait to see what you chose to bring home for your garden!
I hope you are having a lovely week. I know you are having quite a bit of heat!
withLove.
I love Russian sage. I think it likes hot climates because it is not robust here. In the Midwest I had huge plants. Oak leaf hydrangeas are so very wonderful. I lost one recently but the one remaining as really flourishing for the first time. What an amazing garden center. I could move in!
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! I sure could spend a while in there. So pretty!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely place. You did such a nice tour of it. Now I feel I've been there... Thank you.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful! Thanks for linking with Home Sweet Home!
ReplyDeleteSherry