The old Ormsby family garden centre was sold and purchased by a new young couple who have made great progress in renovating the operation. They've not only fixed up the almost dilapidated buildings, but they've brought in a good range and quality of plants. Mrs. F.G., who is a very picky shopper at plant nurseries, is very impressed, so you know it must be good.
We stopped in the other day and unusually, I got out to have a look around. Driving by I always think the weakest point of their renovations is the new sign, the black on brown lettering just doesn't show up except in bright sunlight. By the way, there's no such bird as a 'Grey Heron', at least around here.
But the display out front is refreshing and full of interesting plants. Note the new window trim, around all the windows and doors.
Inside there's a large room with trellises, garden furniture and these cacti. We went through a cactus time with our kids one year, so I always notice these.
Out back there's a good display of both deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs.
And there's another much tidier up greenhouse of more tender plants, and a few more garden ornaments.
I like both of these, but they'd be a bit over-powering for our tiny garden. In a short year the new Grey Heron Garden Centre has taken its place as one of the two top plant nurseries that we visit. If you're into gardening, I recommend it.
It's a lovely place, and if I get into that area, I'll definitely check it out. Thank you. :-)
ReplyDeleteI am glad you found my blog because I could not find yours----and here you are. I don't know where my mind was or for that matter where it is.
ReplyDeleteOur local garden store has changed hand recently and has a new name too. Same owner as long as I remember. The place was slowly going down hill when the new people took over. A change for the greater I say. I love going to nurseries just to poke around. Always find something I NEED!
MB
Looks like a great place to shop or just spend some time looking around!
ReplyDeleteWe have a bird called a Grey Heron in the UK. Nice to have a good supplier of garden plants locally. We have several that seem as though they'd rather sell you clothes, or shoes, or books, or tropical fish, or coffee - in fact anything other than plants and seeds!
ReplyDeleteNice place, the covered area of plants, I feel, makes shopping more pleasant. I agree, the sign is drab.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a place I'd visit over and over again and always find something new.
ReplyDeleteThe front looks quite lovely. It would draw me in there!
ReplyDeleteThat’s very nice.
ReplyDeleteWe have grey herons here in London (U.K.). I have seen them flying past the bus at the traffic lights…. very very slowly. So slowly one wonders how they ever take to the skies. They look much too heavy. But I believe they are not endangered which has got to be a good thing.
Grey Heron is the European counterpart to Great Blue Heron.
ReplyDeleteI would love to visit it and probably spend some money there too. They did a good job of creating a great place to shop.
ReplyDeleteVery nice garden center! I'm sure Mrs. F.G. will be back in the spring.
ReplyDeleteI do like the look of the place.
ReplyDeleteIt looks good. It is nice that someone is continuing it as a garden centre. The Plant World place here that was on Eglinton Ave W was sold for condos leaving a big hole in the plant community.
ReplyDeleteIt looks pretty spiffy. I like the sign, but I take your point.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Mrs. F.G. will be in her glory there!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'd love the sunflower for up here! :)
Hello Mrs. FG! Goodness was it ever a delight to stumble upon this blog post. My husband and I are the ones who purchased the garden centre, and it's lovely to see that the hard work is being noticed. Of course, the to-do list is never-ending. :)
ReplyDeleteI thought I would explain the name Grey Heron (it is a bird, but certainly not a native one). The text below is from an Instagram post that explained the name last spring.
The name Grey Heron Garden Centre means a lot to us, and it comes from a blend of old and new. When Chris was in his 20s, he worked for his aunts and their Muskoka landscaping company, Blue Heron. This job was something he was so passionate about, and he learned so much from his amazing aunt Bette, a horticulturalist. This job, this company, these aunts: this is how Chris's love for gardening began.
.
Fast forward to now: We have lived in Grey County for 6 years (and Chris is an Owen Sound native), and we are so happy that Chris's aunts moved to the area not too long ago as well! With the incredible Grey County as our forever-home, and Blue Heron as the spark that started it all, our future as Grey Heron Garden Centre felt perfect.
-
I hope that helps explain the name choice. Also, I agree - the sign needs a bit of help with the black on brown .... we are working to figure out a solution!
Anyway, thank you again for such lovely words. I hope to meet you in person one day.