Nurseries in San Antonio?

Can anyone recommend good nurseries in San Antonio or surrounding areas? I'm looking for one that has a good selection of unusual/uncommon tropicals, subtropicals, etc.

My favorite nursery is Rainbow Gardens Garden center. There are several in San Antonio. They have a lot of native and tropical plants that are not available at many nurseries.

Try Milbergers or Schultz's In Marion.

I second htop's vote for Rainbow Gardens, and Shades of Green is a very interesting place. And I was also going to vote for Vernon's, 225 Faith Drive...I got my Japanese persimmon there. But when I looked for their website - what a shock! Apparently there was an auction in February - http://www.shattuck.com/html/vernon_s_nursery_auction_broch.html - I wonder if the place is closed? A fascinating setup. Beautiful grounds, the koi pond and the rare rabbit breeds as well as a vast selection of plants. I'll have to check on this..........

Thanks for the info everyone! I will try getting to them asap.

Sorry to hear about Vernon's btw, judging by the auction page, it would have been a great one to visit:-(

My favorite place for plants of any kind is Schumachers, north of New Braunfels. It's a propagation nursery and it's huge. Chip is the owner. He is a very quiet, humble and knowledgeable person. Their motto is "If we can't kill it, we sell it."
The Antique Rose Emporium is another very good one and it's also organic. They are not far apart, so sometimes I can do both in one day. I can easily spend 2-3 hours at each one.

I agree with silverfluter that Schumachers is a great place too.

Maldonado's on the NE side is worth a visit. I have gotten some really nice plants there, as well as some really great bargains.

I didn't care for Maldonado's very much... maybe I went at the wrong time of year. I did get a Burro's Tail there which I had been searching for for quite some time. I went the day that Orlando Martinez (who, by the way, is a subscriber here http://davesgarden.com/members/orlandoguru/ ) was visiting.

I like the Rainbow Gardens on Thousand Oaks (North side). They have several acres of plants, from cacti to tropicals, perennials, veggies, it's all there. Plus, they should be offering my brugs later this summer. :-)

Rainbow Gardens on Bandera Road has 6 acres of plants and products and is adding new features. What I like most is the variety of native plants that they have available and the people working there are so well informed and helpful. Also, they offer specials and free plants with a purcahse each week (have to have a coupon from the newspaper).

I haven't been to the other 2 to check them out yet.

Dave, I'll have to check your brugs out at the Thousand Oaks location when they are available. Congratulations! :o)

Dave, you have your own brugs now? When did that happen?

This has turned into a very interesting thread:-)

Rainbow Gardens has John Fanick phlox (which are difficult to find ... even Fanick's Nursery didn't have many last year) for 1.99 (4 inch container ... grows very fast and will make a small colony by next year) until Monday. These garden phlox resist powdery mildew and have a much sturdier stem than other garden phlox. The leaves are a much darker green and the plant is much more dense than other garden phlox. It has been named by the Texas A&M CEMAP program as a Texas SuperStar. It does not wilt in late summer heat. I only have one of these so I am going to go buy more in about 15 minutes. This photo was taken with my old, old camera so is not very good and does not do justice to the bloom. Read my comments on the plant entry below. If you have never grown garden phlox, this is the one you may want to try out.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/27264/

Here are better photos:
http://www.magnoliagardensnursery.com/product/perennial.html
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/cemap/phloxjohn/john4.html

I'm going to have to come to San Antonio to check some of these places out. I did get a chance to stop at Maldonado's for about 20 minutes (they were closing) on my way back home from the CTRU.

Thanks for the links Hazel. While I've looked over that link to Magnolia Gardens nursery before, it's been awhile. This time I noticed that I came home from the CTRU with several Texas SuperStars, "Plants For Texas Selections", some "new for 2005", and one "1995 PPA Perennial Plant of the year." DG people are the best!

maggiemoo, you are quite welcome. I have been steadily purchasing and planting a lot of the Texas SuperStars and all the ones I have are great. Rainbow Gardens has a lot of them. I purchased 3 John Fanick phlox so that the one I have is not so lonely anymore. Now, to find a spot to plant them all into the ground. I will be happy to share with you when these start to make a colony. Of course, I bought a few other things too. :o) I purchased a dwarf spicy jatropha, 1 more sea holly ('Blue sapphire') to go with the other 2 I had purchased (and still need to plant). Also, I bought 3 crocosmia 'Lucifer' (red blooms) to go with the orange blooming ones I got at the CTRU.

htop: no need for you to go to Rainbow to get my brugs, since you already have one of them. :-) When the other varieties are ready, I will of course give you one of each of them, too. :-)

Yes, I have a few hybrids but I durst not let the brug people here know!! It's just a little hobby - lots of fun. Please keep this info in the Texas forums. ;-)

dave

A new nursery, Arbolitos, is opening. I know nothing about it - just saw the newspaper ad for the grand opening this weekend - two locations. Isn't there a nursery next door to the Botanical Gardens? And there is another place on Bandera almost to 1604. Haven't been there for a while, but recall some good specials midwinter.

Thanks, Dave. I am tenderly caring for the white blooming one you gave me and will keep the big old dog away from it. Thanks for offering to give me some of your others. :o)

Yuska, I saw that add too and need to check it out. A nursery on Bandera Road which is on the right heading toward 1604 is The Garden Center (10682 Bandera Road). Is this the one you mean? If it is, I agree that it does have some great selections too especially if you are interested in gingers.

That's the one. No one has mentioned Calloway's which in my book is at an acceptable but not exceptional level. It's the chain that bought out Wolfe's - some of the locations are quite convenient.

I used to frequent Wolfe's Nurseries a lot, especially the one on Ruiz Street. After they were taken over by Calloway's, I don't frequent them as much anymore because the selections are not as wide or at least they weren't at first. What I like about Rainbow Gardens is that you receive a fake dollar for every ten you spend. These can be saved up and used in August when they are marking a lot of plants down.

Hazel, I will take you up on that offer! As soon as I can stand to travel again, I'll let you know, and we can have a "nursery date."

Dave, I meant to mention to everyone at the CTRU that when I was driving through San Antonio I was very impressed to see that they are aknowledging Dave's Garden. I couldn't believe it when I saw the sign for Forum Blvd (I or was it Pkwy?) I can see your plan now: Forum Blvd intersects with Texas Gardening Ave, Garden Talk Ln, Perrenials Pkwy, etc.; the city is encircled with Uber Gardeners Loop; streets named htop, Terry, etc. I can only imagine the nurseries then!!

I love that idea! I'll bring it up at the road planning committe next month. ;-)

Maggie, let me know when you are in my neck of the woods again ... a "nursery date" would be fun followed by a good meal. What a super idea about the street names. I am sure the city road "namers" have to spend a lot of time coming up with street names. Dave's Garden could supply them for years to come. :o)

Hazel, you got it!

Dave, we'll all be watching for the road signs to change. :-)

htop, let me know when you and maggiemoo are doing your nursery tour. That sounds like a lot of fun. Most of the people I know think I'm really very strange because I can spend hours at a nursery. Exploring a new nursery with other plant addicts would be the best therapy I can imagine.

I went to a Calloway's in SA. Wasn't all that impressed, but I don't remember which one it was. Well come to think of it, it was Jan. I guess I should give them a second chance. Those new nurseries you were talking about sound really interesting. BTW has anybody been to Milberger's nursery on I-10 north of SA?

Will let you know when we do the nursery tour. I haven't been to Milberger's nursery in years.

I'm going to have to get over this travel weariness fast, 'cause I want a day of nursery time with you guys, and soon! Mary Lee, I have a couple of friends who don't mind spending time at the nurseries, but they really don't "get it". You're right, it will be great therapy!

So, if a visitor could spend only a few hours at a nursery, which one would it be?

I would say Ranbow Gardens. There are 3 of them in San Antonio.

Yes, Rainbow Gardens would be the choice.

DH is taking me to San Antonio to plant shop. I will map out the trip to Rainbow Gardens. Is it close to the Garden Center on Bandera Road?

I like the RG location on Bandera Road just beyond the intersection of Guilbeau Road and then the Garden Center is on further on Bandera inside 1604. I'm very inept at estimating mileage, but they are not unreasonably far apart. If you are going outward on Bandera (as for example from 410) then each nursery will be on the right hand side. At the intersection of Guilbeau, stay in the second lane thru it, as there is a right turn only at the corner. RG is at 8516 Bandera and as htop mentioned earlier the Garden Center is at 10682 Bandera.

Sometime when you can spare a half day, visit the S.A. Botanical Garden. It is closer to downtown, off Broadway.

Thanks Yuska. I have mapped it out and DH is driving, so I should be able to find it.

Calalily, when are you coming to San Antonio?

Yes, we are leaving now, a bit late getting started. I'm going to the Rainbow on Bandera Rd and to the Garden Center that is on down Bandera.
Is there an exit for Bandera Rd off 410?

Calalily, I did not see your post until about 11am are so and then the electricity immediately went out for hours as the storms passed through. I couldn't use the computer. Then, I went to see my Mother. I sure wished I had known you were going to be at the nuseries which are only a hop, skip and a jump from me. I would have loved to have met you after you travelled so far. When I finally saw your post, I felt so bad for you because the weather was so awful. It hadn't rained at my house for a month or more and then, the one day you arrived, we had such huge storms. I hope you at least were able to do some plant shopping.

The weather was horrible, but when we got to the Garden Center it quit raining, and by the time I got to Rainbow it was nice out. The pathways at Rainbow were flooded. It was cold there too but warmed up after the rain stopped.
The traffic light was out at Braun Rd, that was a mess! We went in on 1604 Loop(I think that was the number), but left by way of Bandera to I-410 and stopped at the Mall so my daughter could go to Aeropostle(that stop was more expensive than the plant stop, lol)
I wasn't real impressed with the Garden Center, but LOVED Rainbow. They were so nice and helpful and had super nice plants. They have an Erythrina Bidwilli in flower but had sold out of the plants. They said I could order one next spring and they would hold it till I got there. That plant is soooooooo beautiful and I've wanted one forever.

Calalily, I really worried about you being on the road during that gulleywasher. There were bad accidents all over the place. I'm glad to know you made it through intact.

We didn't lose power in this area, (surprise! it usually happens) but I worried about all the seedlings I had set out the day before. Afterwards, I went out to check and everything was looking really perky. Plants are amazing.

It's great that you found a source for a plant you've wanted.

I saw the Erythrina Bidwilli blooming last week and was disappointed that they had sold out. I am so happy that you liked Rainbow Gardens. The people there are extra special as are their native plants.

I saw the Erythrina Bidwilli blooming last week and was disappointed that they had sold out. I am so happy that you liked Rainbow Gardens. The people there are extra special as are their native plants. I am glad you made it to and from San Antonio safely.