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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.
Avon Gardens, with five scenic acres of display beds, shows mature plants in every season. 6259 E. County Road 91 N., Avon (317/272-6264; avongardens.com)
Munchkin Nursery & Gardens displays and sells rare and unusual shade plants and woodland plants of many types. 323 Woodside Dr. NW, Depauw (812/633-4858; munchkinnursery.com)
Pictured: Violet-and-yellow violas perk up spring flower displays.
K&K Gardens has side-by-side, ultra-deep city lots packed to the perimeter with cutting-edge plants, garden art and display beds. It's a real surprise in this tiny town with fewer than 500 residents. 108 E. Wilbur St., Hawkeye (563/427-5373; kkgardens.com)
Prairie Pedlar includes display beds and shopping in a Sears & Roebuck barn and a country schoolhouse. 1609 270th St., Odebolt (712/668-4840; prairiepedlar.com)
Pictured: Lantana 'Landmark Pink Dawn' likes full sun and produces clusters of colorful flowers all summer to frost.
Arnold's Greenhouse sells 4,500 varieties of plants from 21 greenhouses, including one greenhouse as big as a football field and with a retractable roof. 1430 State-58 SE, LeRoy (620/964-2463; arnoldsgreenhouse.com)
Lee Creek Gardens' sales area and display beds lie tucked under 100-year-old trees behind owner Ann Scott's house. 3400 S. 24th St., Manhattan (785/537-8262).
Clearfield Farms brims with rural charm while offering unusual plants and urban accoutrements such as statuary. 2152 N. 600 Road, Baldwin City (785/883-2078; clearfieldfarms.com)
Red Cedar Country Gardens in suburban Kansas City carries unusual shrubs, perennials and annuals plus garden art and the top 100 hostas in an intimate wooded setting. 7895 W. 183rd St., Stilwell (913/897-2286; redcedargardens.com)
Pictured: Salvia offers spikes of bright color throughout the summer.
Arrowhead Alpines draws business from around the world for its rare and unusual perennials, alpines, rock garden plants, dwarf conifers and wildflowers. 1310 N. Gregory Rd., Fowlerville (517/223-3581; arrowhead-alpines.com)
Gee Farms' 10 acres of trees, shrubs and bushes and 20 greenhouses make it the largest retail nursery in Michigan. 14928 Bunkerhill Rd., Stockbridge (517/769-6772; geefarms.com)
Wavecrest Nursery specializes in hollies and conifers, plus perennials, in a stunning wooded setting. 2509 Lakeshore Dr., Fennville (269/548-4175; wavecrestnursery.com)
Pictured: Recent advances in shrub roses (also called landscape roses) have made these beautiful flowers easy for Midwesterners to grow.
Gertens' innovative displays group like-minded plants such as natives, shade lovers or cottage garden favorites, making it easy to shop. 5500 Blaine Ave., Inver Grove Heights (866/437-8367; gertens.com)
Kelley & Kelley Nursery and Landscaping carries unusual varieties you may not find elsewhere. 2325 Watertown Rd., Long Lake (952/473-7337)
Tangletown Gardens' blue-shingled former gas station shop sits amid a wide-ranging selection of plants. It's a must-stop in an urban neighborhood. 5353 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis (612/822-4769; tangletowngardens.com)
Pictured: Iris chrysographes 'Black Knight', a type of Siberian iris, dresses up a late-spring garden.
Bowood Farms in St. Louis is paradise-found both for skilled gardeners and those who aspire to be. Bowood prides itself on a staff trained to answer any question, and they offer special classes on topics such as dragonfly gardening and heirloom seeds. Plus, you can enjoy a good meal in a bucolic setting with the fresh food at Cafe Osage. 4604 Olive St., St. Louis (314/454-6868; bowoodfarms.com)
Stark Bro's Garden Center's Louisiana, Missouri, location dates to the early 1880s. Visit the family's original log cabin across the street from display gardens and the greenhouse. 11523 Highway NN, Louisiana (800/325-4180; starkbros.com)
Bluebird Nursery's retail shop in Clarkson, Nebraska, includes plants specifically for the Great Plains. The entire community is designated as an arboretum. 519 Bryan St., Clarkson (800/356-9164; bluebirdnursery.com)
Pictured: Easy-to-grow purple coneflower, a prairie native, attracts birds and butterflies.
Baker's Acres Greenhouse features display beds, unusual plants and owner Chris Baker's wacky sense of humor -- check out the bathroom at the garden center and the "mission statement" online. 3388 Castle Rd., Alexandria (800/934-6525; bakersacresgreenhouse.com)
Petitti's Garden Centers includes seven garden centers in the Cleveland area. Plants, trees, shrubs, outdoor-living products and home and gift items abound. Visit petittigardencenter.com for locations and phone numbers.
Wade & Gatton Nurseries is the place for hostas and daylilies -- and other plants. Grounds include extensive display beds to show mature plants. 1288 Gatton Rocks Rd., Bellville (419/883-3191; wadeandgattonnurseries.com)
Pictured: Double Pink Forever & Ever hydrangea has large, full clusters of double star-shape flowers.
The Flower Factory has more than 4,000 varieties of hardy perennials, one of the largest selections in the Midwest. 4062 County Road A, Stoughton (608/873-8329; theflowerfactorynursery.com)
Monches Farm's grounds ooze charm, overflowing with classical sculptures, urns and terra-cotta pots. Brick-lined paths lead to fields of potted plants. 5890 Monches Rd., Colgate (262/966-2787; monchesfarm.com).
Schonheit Gardens, just east of Madison, has lovely display gardens and a wide selection of perennials, bedding plants and unusual garden accessories. 3577 Bailey Rd., Sun Prairie (608/441-9832; schonheitgardens.com)
Yerke Frog Alley Greenhouses devotes an entire greenhouse to organic vegetables. Browse among more than 1,500 varieties of annual and perennial flowers. S79W28995 Frog Alley Rd., Mukwonago (262/363-8911; yerkegreenhouses.com)
Pictured: Wagons stand ready for loads of plants at Monches Farm.
It takes a little planning to make a good garden center road trip. Here's what to bring to enjoy it even more.
Comfy shoes Whether you choose sneakers or sandals, go for endurance, not looks. Expect mud.
Picnic lunch When you're on the hunt for plants, sometimes you don't want to stop for lunch, or there might not be a good place at the right time of day. Carry food and beverages with ice in a cooler.
Money Gardening isn't cheap but then again, neither is therapy. Bring cash, since not all places accept credit cards.
Gung-ho attitude Like antiquing, buy the plant when you see it. You'll have more regrets if you don't buy it than you will if you buy it but find it a few dollars cheaper elsewhere.
Plastic liner Line your vehicle's seats and trunk with plastic to keep soil off your upholstery.
Common sense Park your car in the shade so plants don't sunburn or wilt from heat. Bring a watering can if you're on the road for more than a day. The trunk may be hot, but it's shaded.
Hand sanitizer and toilet paper Some garden centers only provide portable toilets.
Sunscreen Wear it even on overcast days.
A plan Many garden centers are in the country. Use an online map or GPS to plot your route. Check hours carefully as they vary widely.
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