Many of us who live in the Northwest love our plants, both indoors and outside in our gardens and around our neighborhoods. The Salem area has some wonderful options for whatever kind of plants you want. If you’re not sure what to plant when, you can always check the Old Farmer’s Almanac for a window of time when it’s best to plant a particular species. Most planting starts after the frosts end, so March is a good month to start planning and checking the weather. Whether you want to up your houseplant game or start a formal garden, you can do any of it in the Salem area at these garden centers and nurseries.
Rudy’s Garden Shop
1288 State Street SE, Salem
Those who visit Rudy’s Garden Shop will find a cute, funky store that started with folks selling plants at the Salem Saturday Market. Now with a storefront that includes succulents, herbs, houseplants, annuals, and perennials, they also have a wonderful array of cute garden accessories, macrame hangers, and pots. Rudy’s is a great place to stop and browse and can also help you learn how to care for your plants.
Godfrey Nursery
8834 Shaw Square SE, Aumsville
Godfrey Nursery has been serving Aumsville and the greater Marion County area since 1981. They have over 35 greenhouses and an acre of outdoor area to provide customers with a great array of plants. For spring, Godfrey Nursery sells hanging baskets, patio planters, basket starts, sedums, bedding plants, perennials, shrubs, and geraniums. Houseplants and small trees are always available, and herbs and vegetables are only on hand during the cool season. In addition to an amazing number of plants, visitors can also buy pots, seeds, garden accessories, and soil and fertilizer.
Wavra Farms and Nursery
7882 Jordan Street SE, Salem
Wavra Farms and Nursery sells a variety of flowers, from hydrangeas to daphne to pansies. They also have vegetable starts, perennials, and an array of other popular plants for the garden. This winter, Wavra Farms has opened a popular indoor winter market with over 50 vendors. Items include baked goods, produce, beef, jams, honey, jewelry, crafts, and pottery. Wavra Farms has classes throughout the year, and recent offerings included a rose pruning seminar and a pansy flower tower.
Hamblin Nursery
4550 Kings Valley Hwy, Dallas
Hamblins Nursery specializes in hanging baskets, bedding plants, and vegetable starts. They are open daily during the growing season, which starts in April and continues into the summer months, but make sure to call before you go to make sure you aren’t trying to visit at the wrong time of year. They are famous for their hanging baskets, which range from the small to the gigantic, and are hung in their greenhouses to protect the blooms until you can take them home.
Dancing Oaks Nursery and Garden
17900 Priem Road, Monmouth
Dancing Oaks Nursery and Garden is outside of Monmouth in the foothills of the Coast Range. They do both in-person sales and mail order, and they have a huge display garden where you can see what their products look like outside with other plants around. Their dogs and cats (and sometimes goats) wander through the garden and nursery, so be sure to leave your own pets at home.
With an excellent website, you can check their catalog for current offerings, sales, and see plants divided into categories like “pollinators” and “for dry shade” or “fragrant,” all of which can help plan your plantings. Unlike most of the other nurseries that focus primarily on flowers, shrubs, and smaller plants, Dancing Oaks also carries a variety of trees.
Terra Gardens Nursery and Bark
270 Cordon Road NE, Salem
At Terra Gardens Nursery and Bark, they sell many of the same houseplants and bedding plants as other nurseries, but they specialize in bark and trees and feature many fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. If you’re looking for a fruit tree, this is your stop. They also do tree care classes, with fruit trees as a specialty. They also run bonsai classes (Japanese dwarf tree pruning) regularly and can offer help with the bonsai you might own. Finally, they have pond fish – koi and goldfish – in their pond tanks, available to buy. Even if you don’t want to start a fish-filled pond, the colorful fish add fun to a trip to Terra Gardens Nursery and Bark.
Whenever you’re ready to start your plant journey, there is a good place for you to stop in the Salem area. From tiny succulents to trees, you can find it all.
