Ohio Nursery Tour

A  WVNLA Fall Tour of northern Ohio nurseries, including Klyn Nurseries, North Coast Perennials, Lake County Nursery Holden Arboretum, and a private specimen garden was held September 22-23. Dinner September 22 was provided at Ferrante Winery & Ristorante.  

We started our tour at Holden Arboretum, where guides led us through the grounds. The arboretum’s mission to preserve species native to Ohio is accomplished in beautiful fashion with grounds both landscaped and natural. We climbed the 12-story Emergent Tower for a spectacular view of the grounds from above the towering treetops.

At North Coast Perennials, a wholesale grower of finished perennials for the retail, wholesale and landscape trade, we saw more than 600 varieties of perennials, groundcovers and tropicals. North Coast’s primary markets are Ohio, western Pennsylvania, western New York, Indiana, Michigan and West Virginia, which they serve on a weekly basis.

Then we headed to Lake County Nursery, a wholesale nursery with production on 350 acres. They provide a wide selection of trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses and evergreens. They offer the most popular, tried-and true plant varieties and Lake County Nursery selections, along with other branded varieties of plants and materials.

After a brief rest, we met for dinner at 6 p.m. at nearby Ferrante Winery.  Located on Lake Erie, in the Grand River Valley, Ferrante Winery & Ristorante is one of Ohio’s premiere vinifera estate-grown wineries. Established in 1937, the winery produces 22 varietals.

Friday morning, we met at Klyn Nurseries for a wagon tour of some of Klyn’s 500 acres of crops in the field and 40 acres of container plants. Klyn’s inventory includes more than 1,600 varieties of plants. Of those, 80-90% are propagated internally.

   Propagation at Klyn is done by soft and hardwood cuttings, seed, divisions and grafting. The balance is produced from purchased liners or directly as finished plants for resale. Klyn Nurseries Inc is a wholesale nursery serving landscape contractors, re-wholesalers, retail garden centers and municipalities.

After touring the nursery, we enjoyed a box lunch in Klyn’s bamboo garden.

After lunch, we visited the Gale garden, which was well-worth the 25-minute drive.

This impressive 17-acre garden has been created with Mimi Gale’s vision and passion for plants, and continues to evolve.

It is truly a garden for all seasons starting with bulbs and spring flowers followed by the use of perennials for summer against a background of specimen conifers and deciduous plants.  In autumn, the changing foliage is displayed against a background of evergreens. Winter transitions to a focus of structure and forms.

The garden includes conifers, Japanese maples, European beech, rhododendron and hosta artfully placed and massed among a diverse assortment of trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials and ferns. The property also incorporates a stream, two ponds, a koi pool, stone work, iron work ornamental birdhouses and sculpture. In 2012, an additional 19 acres were planted with hundreds of specimen plants.

After the private garden tour, attendees were free to make their way back home, or to visit any of the nearby garden centers, including:

Bremec’s Garden Center in Chesterland (3 locations)

Petitti’s Garden Center in Mentor and Bainbridge (9 locations)

Lowe’s Greenhouse, Florist and Gift Shop in Chagrin Falls