CO is Colorado, Co. is county. We are talking Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We are also talking Rt. 625, not 685.

Black Creek GH also has water garden plants and fish. The water plants will mainly be available toward the end of May since they have many tropical water garden plants as well as hardy plants.

From PA 23 (near Shady Maple) go north on PA 625 another 3.7 miles and turn right on Black Creek Road and go .4 miles.

Back on PA 625 is Conestoga Nursery. It is a great source of landscape plants. It is located on PA 625 1.5 miles north of PA 23 (near Shady Maple)

if you want to get technical about it rhody, county would be abbreviated cnty. Co. would stand for company.

anyway, thanks for the information nina. i will definitely check them out. it's always good to pass on a great find. i could hear the excitement in your post!

maryanne

... but never CO. I thought this post was in the wrong group, but in all the times I have been in Colorado I have never found a Lancaster, CO. So I figured it must be Lancaster, PA.

TyPos, tPypos, shmypos!!!
I was excited after being at the greenhouse. I have spring fever in the worst way. Sorry if I gnarled anyones panties.
I also had a brain fart when thinking of the Rt. #.
Thanks for getting it right for me.
Anyway, it is a great place to check out and I'll be back again soon.
I spent the afternoon on hands and sore aching knees weeding the front flower beds. This winter did a number on some things. I lost my azalea and I have chickweek everywhere. The mice or voles also made a regular maze out of one bed. What a weird winter. But it's all good, a new spring, and new summer, and never enough time to plant and grow everything I am dreaming of...
Nina in LANCASTER, Co., PA
Did I get it right that time?

oh nina, i hear you with the aches and pains. i worked out there a few hours yesterday and most of today. i got so much accomplished, yet there is so much more to do.

i have a real problem area that in years i haven't been able to correct. unfortunately, it borders the property line and the neighbors aren't too neighborly. i think this year i'm looking at a 6'foot fence - i'd prefer a 12' wall, but that's not doable.

i think i have a rhododendren on the way out. i am giving it one last chance. i see some things waking up and others i'm waiting for. it does excite the blood, doesn't it?

maryanne

It was a weird winter. A friend was telling me yesterday about their pachysandra... it got totally burnt by the warm/cold spell in Jan/Feb. She's got big areas of dieback.

So far I haven't noticed any unusual winter damage in my garden, but it's early days yet.

Hi, Nina, I remember you from 10 years ago. I think I visited your garden and you visited mine and we exchanged some perennials. Good to see you back again.

Thanks, glad to be back. I just have to remember to pace myself on the trading. I was a real fanatic for a while.
I just spent most of a week cleaning up and planting in the garden. I'm so happy with the results though. It is worth the exhaustion. I keep running to all the local greenhouses and finding I am very early for most of the best, but I'm finding a few things I want. It's such a wonderful thing to have for a passion, gardening, that is.
Nina

I have been to both this past week. Love those two plant stops. Would also recommend Martins on 322 for collecters or someone looking for something "different". Marian can email her catalog to anyone interested.

Has anyone here been to the auctions in Leola or Weaverland? Talk about a rush! You have to buy a skid at a time (9 - 13 flats of annuals, for example)and newcomers must pay cash. There are some things I need a whole skid of and what I don't need, my friends are happy to buy off of me for the wholesale price I paid.

Nina, I went crazy with the trading for awhile there too. Between that and the winter sowing I had to take time off just to make new garden beds for all the plants!

hmmm, an auction?????? claysoil, what's the name of the place that holds them. that sounds right up my alley! and what type of plants does martin's carry?

i'm taking part in a co-op now and just loving it - there's a little bit of everything. i just have this terrible feeling everything's coming in at the same time.

maryanne

Name of the one auction is Weaverland. It is such a thrill to be there. I go with friends and we divide up the skids among us. People go there from all over the east coast to buy for their nurseries. Also, local nurseries buy from these auctions. Prices go up and down depending on who all is there to bid. Right before Mother's Day is a bad time...prices are higher.

http://agmap.psu.edu/Businesses/1098

The other is Leola, which is bigger...but I don't know how to give directions there....it is further down 23 (west) and then a right onto a road that has the same name as the church on the corner!!!

I'll email you the info sheet I just got from Martins. I am still waiting for the catalog.

v - that's kindly, i got the flyer. appreciate it!

i'm going to have to check into these auctions. you know how it is sometimes, you just can't get enough plants.

thanks again.
maryanne

This is the Mennonite Black creek correct?
They have great plants but stay away from their koi.
I was in there yesterday and their koi are sick. They are infested with parasites that has led to many with open sores/ulcers. Several were flashing. I showed the worker and she seemed to acknowledge all the sick koi, i asked her if they medicated and she said she didnt know and looked puzzled about the whole thing. It was very sad because they really had some gorgeous koi, its a shame they will die without treatment. They had one in a bag just laying out with open bloody sores still alive, I couldnt believe my eyes. I left very sad. Its so easy to fix in early stages, how can they just let it go like that.

I love Black Creek! My annual pilgrimage is one of my favorite days of the year. I've gotten beautiful plants from them, and their prices are really reasonable. That's terrible about the koi though.

The Koi don't belong to Black Creek GH. They used to have them for sale and that business has moved to it's own site. I felt really bad one visit cause the fish were swimming right up to me with their mouths open as though they were hungry. I told the girls at the registers and they explained to me the fellow who they belong to would be there soon.

Bought several fish from them last year and looked out in the pond today and they are still living. Both locations have great stuff. When you deal with live fish occasionally they get sick. I would imagine that the owner knew what to do - maybe you talked to some inexperienced help.
I also visit Conestoga Nursery - it is on the way, the best place for trees shrubs and 1gal and 2 gal perennials. You can not beat the price.
Best place for unusual perennials is Martins GH. She has plants that I have only seen in catalogs.

Glad to see that everyone is thinking about spring.

I've been out there twice this year so far. Fantastic place get plants.
They have a parrot this year though & it's already pulling its feathers out. They don't seem to like being at garden centers do they.