Forget the chain nurseries and big box stores that carry puny, diseased plants that aren't suited for Houston's unique climate. When I stopped by another nursery yesterday to pick up some gardening gloves, I saw roses that will quickly die in Houston and ""spring"" seeds that should be planted in fall here. I've wasted so much money in those places that I'm convinced it makes more sense to buy from local small business owners who have a stake in selling healthy, locally-appropriate plants and are knowledgeable and ethical in what they do. I've done business with RCW for years and never regretted a purchase. Mary and the others are encyclopedias of knowledge and always steer me to just the right plant for light conditions, size requirements, etc. For instance, I have tried every kind of ground cover available at other nurseries in a real problem area of my yard. I've probably spent hundreds of dollars over the years planting masses of different things with no success. Then I wised up and asked Mary, who suggested pennyroyal. I've never even seen penyroyal anywhere else. And it is perfect. Even the simple 6"" petunias that I bought last fall were fuller and healthier-looking from the start than the exact same kind that I picked up somewhere else (I needed more and they were a tad less expensive than RCW's.) Well, the others are long gone but the RCW ones surived the freeze and look ready to put on a fresh flush of blooms for spring. So much more for the money! Especially for trees, shrubs and other more expensive plants, I've learned that it pays to go with RCW.
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