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garden_wench

How about these 2 nurseries? allentown area

garden_wench
17 years ago

Recently heard about Foilage Farm and Nancy's, both are supposed to huge. Any thoughts on either one or both, what do they stock, prices, helpfulness of workers? Are either open on Sunday? Thanks.

Comments (29)

  • PRO
    Kestrel Shutters & Doors
    17 years ago

    Nancy's is huge and carries all sorts of plants including a large selection of trees. I have not been there in a few years so I am not sure of the pricing. I know from time to time they place full page sales ads in the newspapers. They are right on 100 just south of Macungie/Emmaus.

    I've not heard of Foliage Farm so I can't help you there.

    Jim

  • chescobob
    17 years ago

    I have been to Nancy's too. However, it was 2 years ago. They usually have 2 or 3 sizes of some plants. It is worth a reasonable trip.

    Pleanty of parking space too.

  • karen_b
    17 years ago

    My IL's & DM live in Emmaus, and there aren't many decent nurseries that I've found and the Home Depot isn't any better. I do their landscaping and don't always bring my own plants or supplies. Nancy's in my opinion is over priced on everything, you have to get there early in the season for the best selection. When they have a sale on mulch I do stock up, but the sale prices are on large quantities (at least it was last year). They do have a large selection of hard goods (pots, statuary, the like) but over priced. But then again I don't buy much at the regular price. I have bought plants on sale at the end of the season but many of the plants were pot bound, most survived but had to baby them so I don't buy plants there anymore.

    I would be interested to know more about Foliage Farm, never heard of it.

    Karen

  • whatmary
    17 years ago

    foliage farm is great for shrubs and tress and ornamental grasses (best grasses around, bar none). I find their perennial section to be very hit and miss. they're also a *skoosh* expensive.

    I *love* eagle point -- it's just south of the new 222 overpass on route 100. as you're going south, it's on the left - easy to miss, but very much worth your time. the best cared for plants in the valley, I think, and a selection that's everchanging. no shrubs or grasses. flowers, veggies, herbs.

  • garden_wench
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for all your advice, it's nice to hear about all of these places.

  • Heather Scholl_Henninger
    17 years ago

    Foliage farm is good for shrubs and trees....for perennials, there is a really nice amish stand right down the road from Foliage. Newswanger I believe it is called....If you go to where you would make the right to go to foliage farm....instead go left, Come to stop sign, Go straight across, it is right ahead on right. There are a few other amish road side stands but this one is kinda off the beaten path. They have alot of annuals but also lots of perennials at good prices. I have gotten black eyed susans,coneflowers, butterfly bushes, clematis,mint tea, tomato plants, you name it.....
    I am there almost every week since the warm weather started. I also heard the father of the amish family was killed in an accident last year...so I like to support them w/ my business to keep them going w/ their huge family of kids:)
    Heather

  • troub004
    17 years ago

    I gotta chime in on this one
    Nancy's--way overpriced. Good parking. They close on weekdays at like 5:00 p.m. so hard to get there for working people unless it is a Saturday. Not very helpful staff. There lot is on a hill, so trapsing around that place lugging a cart around is killer.
    Foliage Farm--overpriced for perennials, but nice selection.
    What about some other places in that vicinity.
    Herbeins on Chestnut Street in Emmaus--perennials are a bit high too, but they are very helpful.
    Garden Bargain in Alburtis--they are selling small perennials for $2.50 each or $2.00 if you buy 12 or more. They include ornamental grasses in this deal.
    If you want to take alittle bit of a ride, there is an Amish Farm in Fleetwood called "Valley View", really cheap perennials. They have some starter perennials in 4 packs for like $2.00. They also have great deals on larger perennials & annuals. They have a small selection of trees and bushes, but very good prices.

  • Pipersville_Carol
    17 years ago

    Speaking of Emmaus, I wasn't very impressed by Dan Schantz Greenhouse on Lehigh Street. Overpriced, blah standard selection of plants.

    The Plant Corral at the Quakertown Farmer market (a.k.a. "QMart")is small but with good prices. It's about 20 minutes from Emmaus, down 309. They have great sales. Only open on Fri/Sat/Sun, I believe.

  • rsmallen
    17 years ago

    I have been very lucky at Hickory Grove Greenhouses in Catasaqua PA (Jan, the owner carries about 800 or 850 varieties I think her husband was telling me yesterday. Excellent perennials and annuals, roses, shrubs etc. I also buy grave blankets and wreaths/garland for the house there every year the day after Thanksgiving. I give them 5 stars!

    I have had some luck with Kuss Brothers this year as well.

    And if you like natives, head for Edge of the Woods in Claussville. A bit out of the way but a nice selection. www.edgeofthewoods.biz

    There is also Point Phillip Perennials just above Bath which has a nice selection....they have a website as well.

    Robin

  • JoanofPa
    17 years ago

    I've been to both and consider Foliage Farms very expensive. Perhaps I was at Nancy's at the right time (do they have a website) because I got some great buys on azalea, hosta and shrubbery.
    Valley View didn't seem to care for their plants well but now they have competition (Esbenshades) very, very close and are really on their toes. There are so many Amish gardens between Kutztown thru Fleetwood, many are "Martins".
    I love going to Glicks for vegetables, annuals and perennials (no shrubbery). They are in the Oley Valley. Prices are too cheap! They have two sales, one is going on right now and later perennials will go as low as $1.00 till all sold.

    I think it is a case of we gardeners just seeing all the garden venders we can see!

  • peters54
    17 years ago

    I have been to Nancy's on several occasions but not recently. I didn't think the prices were bad but almost anything I bought died. On the other hand I wouldn't plant a bush or tree without first consulting with Karen, one of the owners at Foliage Farms. She has never steered my wrong. I agree they can be a little expensive but the information is valiable and on the rare occasion that something dies they do have a 50% refund policy (check this out before buying to be sure).

  • alexander3_gw
    17 years ago

    Nancy's "regular" prices are high, but typically has decreasing prices as the season goes on. Last summer I bought a Silk tree that was "normally" $50, but had been reduced to $25. A few weeks later, their Sunday paper ad listed it for $9. If you wait until the end of the season, you can get some plants (albeit ratty)for really cheap prices. It's worth a trip then if you have more time and space than money :)

    Alex

  • flashphoto
    17 years ago

    Where is Foliage Farm? thanks Vince

  • mcbeans
    16 years ago

    Per Web:
    Foliage Farm

    57 Christman Rd

    Kutztown PA 19530-9796

    610-683-6585

    Here is a link that might be useful: Find nurseries

  • rhodyman
    16 years ago

    Foliage Farm is toward Allentown from Kutztown. It is on the north side of 222. It is near the Rodale demonstration gardens.

    Glick's Greenhouse is the best place for annuals at reasonable prices. To get there take PA 73 east from Oley east to the traffic light at Pleasantville. Turn south on covered bridge road. After you go through the covered bridge and pass the 2 churches, watch for the Glicks signs on the left.

    Meadow View in Bowers is good for annuals and shrubs. They are a short distance from the Bowers Hotel, across the railroad tracks. Bowers is between Topton and Fleetwood.

    The best places with super plants at rock bottom prices in the area are south of Reading on PA 625 down near Shady Maple Market/Restaurant.

    Black Creek Greenhouse for annuals and water plants is open from 8 am to 8 pm Monday thru Friday. Closes at 5 pm on Saturday. 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. [(717) 445-5046, 211 E Black Creek Rd., East Earl PA 17519]

    Conestoga Nursery for trees and shrubs is closed Tuesday & Sunday. Open from April to November. It is located on PA 625 1.5 miles north of PA 23 (near Shady Maple) [(717) 445-4076, 310 Reading Rd,
    East Earl PA 17519]

    Also, in Lancaster County area are:

    Groff's Plant Farm. From Lancaster follow 222S through Quarryville. Approximately 1.5 miles south of Quarryville you will pass Solanco High School on the right. About 1/4 mile after the high school, Blackburn Road will branch off to the left. Follow Blackburn 3 miles until it ends. Turn left onto Puseyville Road, cross over the Octarara Creek, and immediately turn right onto Street Road. Follow Street around the bend, and we are halfway up the hill on the right. [(717) 529-2249 or(717) 529-3001, tcgcpg@epix.net, 6128 Street Road, Kirkwood PA 17536]

    Hershey's Azalea Farm. Open 8 am to 7 pm Monday to Friday. Closes at 5 pm on Saturday. Open from March to October. Located north of US 30 on County Line Rd. From PA 10 go west on US 30 to County Line Rd. and then north on County Line Rd. to curve in Rd. Nursery is on the right. [(717) 442-4523, h_red2@msn.com, 775 County Line Road, Gap PA 17527]

    Ken's Gardens. 1/4 mile west of Intercourse [(717) 768-3922, Route 772, Ronks PA 17572, http://www.kensgardens.com/]

  • cloudy_christine
    16 years ago

    Is that Nancy Ondra? She used to have a very small operation years ago, selling unusual plants, but she stopped. If she has a new and larger business now, I'll be interested; her plants were always beautifully grown.

  • jeannek_NEPA
    16 years ago

    And right across the road from Glick's is a daylily farm! Manatawny Creek Farm. I was there last year. Prices very reasonable.

    Jeanne

    Here is a link that might be useful: Manatawny Creek Farm

  • lpinkmountain
    16 years ago

    Someone told me Nancy's had changed hands? I haven't been in two years. I got some reasonably priced trees there at the end of the season. All are doing well but I knew what I was getting into with them. The trees I bought were white spruce, Austrian pine and hemlock.

  • rhodyman
    16 years ago

    We went to Glick's today. They have their perennials arranged alphabetically and have about everything. Their poly houses were full of annuals. The daylily farm, Manatawny Creek Farm, was open also. Manatawny has directions on their website, so if you are not familiar with the area, check their directions.

  • cloudy_christine
    16 years ago

    We went to Nancy's the other day, and it's abandoned. I wish they'd taken the plant-source listings off the web.

  • dhmeiser
    16 years ago

    Another place in Quakertown is Brecks, just south of Quakertown on Rt 309. fairly good prices and lots of annuals shrubs.

  • dhmeiser
    16 years ago

    Oops forgot to add that if you want to drive a little further on a Saturday or on a Tuesday there is Rices Market. Its an open air market and there are several plant sellers there. Sometimes you can get a good bargain for out of season items and good prices on flats of annuals, mostly the more common stuff. Hint! If you wait until the end of the day and they start packing up the unsold stuff you can get real good bargains by haggling :) (At least last year)

  • lpinkmountain
    16 years ago

    I just came back from the Lehigh Valley Home and Garden Center, 4220 Crackersport Rd., in Allentown. It is near my house so I am somewhat of a regular although it has never impressed me much. Today it was really hoppin' and they had a whole bunch of really neat stuff. Perhaps the other times I went weren't at peak season. Anyway, I found the darling plant I've been looking for, a dwarf japanese white pine, Pinus parviflora, and it was reasonably priced. They had some gorgeous japanese maples, nice selection of perrenials, conifers, etc. Overall a very nice selection, so if you hit them at the right time I would recommend that place.

    There are several nice nurseries in the Lehigh Valley, but not that near Allentown. My favorite is Glenmar Nursery, between Bath and Wind Gap. They are not cheap but the quality is outstanding. I also like Albanse Nursery, just outside of Wind Gap, great selection of fruit trees among other things. Another awesome place is Edge of the Woods Nursery outside of Fogelsville. The best place for natives and good planting and gardening advice. They also do landscaping. They have a great Web site. There's another place just off of Rt. 22 and 512 N, just outside of Bethlehem across from Wegmans. I go there all the time but I can't remember the name!
    Point Phillips Perrenials is way north of Bath but is worth the trip, they have one of the most comprehensive perennial collections I have ever seen, plus the display garden is awesome!

  • marial1214
    16 years ago

    Nancy's was sold last year or so. The new name is Somerset Nursery. They have a page in the Morning Call Newspaper every week.

    I actually bought alot of mums there when it was called Nancy's. They all grew back every year and so so big! This year I got a pieris japonica bush there and it was about $15 and Hickory Grove wanted $30 something for theirs and it was smaller. So I feel I got the right deal.

    I buy alot of perennials and vegetables from Hickory Grove. Jim and Jan Eline do a fantastic operation there in Catasauqua, located just 5 minutes from Allentown aiport. He's got good quality products and in my opinion they're priced appropriately except for the cheap japonica I found at another place.

    His (Jim at Hickory Grove) hanging baskets are the biggest most spectacular I've ever seen in my entire life.

  • cloudy_christine
    16 years ago

    So what was the abandoned place with the sign that said "Nancy's"?

  • marial1214
    16 years ago

    I was just there a couple weeks ago and it was fully operational. I bought a stone bench and a bird bath. Their one-page ads in the newspapers every week continue so perhaps we are not talking about the same nursery...

  • cloudy_christine
    16 years ago

    Clearly I went to the wrong place! I looked on the web for directions, and they sent me to a Nancy's in Pennsburg, which was the ghost nursery.

  • marial1214
    16 years ago

    I dont know where Pennsburg is but Somerset Nursery (the old Nancy's) is located just past the intersection of route 100 and route 29. Those 2 roads become route 29. Coming from Macungie it would be on your left just 2 or 3 miles past that intersection. You cant miss it, it's a huge property full of everything you could imagine except lat time I was there they didnt have alot of perennials, just one greenhouse full. It's fun to walk through even if you dont buy anything.

  • gbig2
    16 years ago

    I haven't seen anyone mention Countryside farm and green house in Kutztown. Link below.
    I've been getting all of my veggies, annuals, perennials from them. Great prices, they had veggies in singles for 49 cents. I hate having to buy 4 or 6 of each veggie, etc. Amazing variety of tomatoes, peppers, etc. And the website has a "greensheet", a list of everything they carry. They also have flowering kale in the fall which I'm going to try for the first time.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Countryside greenhouse

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