Chalet Landscape-Nursery-Garden Center could be dubbed a "best-dressed garden center" with innovative displays. 3132 Lake Ave., Wilmette (847/256-0561; chaletnursery.com)
City Escape specializes in unusual plants and outdoor-living items such as furniture and garden accessories. 3022 W. Lake St., Chicago (773/638-2000; cityescape.biz)
Gethsemane Garden Center is a green oasis on two city blocks packed with plants. 5739 N. Clark St., Chicago (773/878-5915; gethsemanegardens.com)
Rich's Foxwillow Pines Nursery is the place to go for dwarf plants or unusual conifers. 11618 McConnell Rd., Woodstock (815/338-7442; richsfoxwillowpines.com)
The Fields on Caton Farm, Inc. is a 150-acre nursery with a 5-acre display garden, specializing in shade trees, shrubs and more than 100 varieties of premium daylilies. 1850 Caton Farm Rd., Crest Hill (815/744-7841; fieldsnursery.com)
The Growing Place's Aurora location has a country feel, with a farmhouse and red outbuildings. Both centers have knowledgeable staff and large selections. 25W471 Plank Rd., Naperville (630/355-4000) and 2000 Montgomery Rd., Aurora (630/820-8088; thegrowingplace.com)
The Natural Garden specializes in native plants plus other ornamental perennials at a 4-acre garden center and display gardens. 38W443 State-64, St. Charles (630/584-0150; thenaturalgardeninc.com)
Pictured: A flat of hot-pink verbena is a garden center find.
