PDN, which was mentioned in another post, is having an open house this weekend and next. Besides that, you can call and schedule tours at other times. PDN is a mail-order perennial garden center with display gardens. There is a great article on the owner in Gardens & Guns magazine.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tony Avent article in Gardens & Guns mag

Camellia Forest (camforest.com) and Niche Gardens (nichegardens.com), both in Chapel Hill are a couple of my favorites. Camellia Forest has an incredible selection of gorgeous camellias. They also have a nice assortment of other shrub type plants (I bought my orange osmanthus from them). They're mostly mail order, but they are open to the public on Saturdays. The best time to go is in the Spring or Fall when all the camellias are blooming.

Niche Gardens specializes in native plants, and they have a lot of unusual, hard to find stuff. PDN is wonderful too.

Given that Niche Gardens is out in the country, you can also buy plants of theirs from Fifth Season in downtown Carrboro.

Dickinson Garden Center located on Franklin Street across from the Sienna Hotel is also very good. Their stock is well-marked for deer-resistance and the plants/shrubs/trees that I've gotten have always been healthy.

A little place called The Unique Plant (at the owner's house) just north of Chapel Hill is also great. That one is open only on weekends, I think.

Cameron

Here is a link that might be useful: The Unique Plants

Kings is a good nursery in Charlotte, its actually in Matthews or Indian Trail, I'm not sure which. Sometimes you can find interesting things at the Farmer's Markets too.