My Austin blogger friends might be just a bit surprised to see the title of this one. Barton Springs Nursery is still in Austin and I haven't moved but when local gardening friends asked me to join them on a plant shopping trip to Austin I quickly agreed and, based on recommendations from several Austin bloggers, added Barton Springs Nursery to the list. The short drive of just over an hour allows me to consider it "far north San Antonio but really southwest Austin" for blogging purposes.
They pack a lot into this small location since they have a separate large wholesale and growing operation. The nursery propagates most of their plants which helps keep prices low.
We all loved their set up. Ooooh! There are the famous carts with the cute names. They do their part to help "Keep Austin Weird" as the local bumper stickers say.
Meet "Dolly Carton" and friends
I went with "Total Eclipse of the Cart"
Rows of sunny perennials.
My favorite part was the abundance of native and drought tolerant plants in 4" pots making it easy to fill up an assorted flat or two of plants to test in my garden.
Plant displays are marked with informative signage. The 4" pots are not individually labeled (understandable with their low pricing) but marking pencils are available for plant geeks to keep track.
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A pretty spot with plants displayed under a coral vine-covered arbor.
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Large oak trees and ponds surrounded by ceramic pots are among the landscape plants on display.
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Spiky plants displayed in sand
Their wireless check-out system was so efficient it allowed each of us to continue shopping right up to the last possible minute. Prices so reasonable that when I heard my total I had to check to see if they included everything. We appreciated a helping hand from this awesome associate who cheerfully and efficiently solved the car-loading puzzle.
No wonder this nursery is so highly recommended by those who know it best. We all enjoyed our visit to Barton Springs Nursery so much we immediately began plotting a return trip since it is close enough by Texas standards.
I'm so glad you enjoyed your visit to BSN, one of my very favorite nurseries! Thanks too for your excellent series of posts for Support Your Independent Nursery Month.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation and I definitely engaged in name-dropping when they asked us how we heard about BSN!
DeleteIt's always a pleasant day when spent at BSN. Glad you enjoyed it as much as the locals!
ReplyDeleteWe will be back, that's the best recommendation isn't it?
DeleteA nursery with yuccas is always worth highlighting :) Dolly Carton - classic!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun reminder! I was so dazed by finding this awesome nursery that I missed some of the things you captured in your photos. (Like those names on the carts. So Austin!) A return trip is definetly happening!
ReplyDeleteLove your visit! BSN was one of my first nursery haunts. And yes, when ARE was in north SA, I realized how close we actually are.
ReplyDeleteWow - I am very impressed! To have such selection - and at great prices - sounds like a gardener's dream. I laughed at the cart names. Total Eclipse of the Cart - who thinks of these things?!! :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could tag along on your next trip!
ReplyDeleteSo I'm curious about this wireless check out thing???
One of the associates enters your purchases on a handheld device outside while you head inside to pay. Instead of being handed a paper ticket your total is in the system when you get there. Easy because you don't have to haul your plants around so much.
DeleteCan I join? That place looks wonderful! :)
ReplyDeleteYou seemed to have a happy hunting with "Total Eclipse of the Cart":) I was very intrigued by Spiky plants displayed in sand. They can't be seen like that in a garden shop around here.Looking forward to seeing the plants you got here in your garden!
ReplyDeleteBSN is one of my favorite Austin nurseries. Those 4 inch pots are a huge savings, which I take advantage of often. They almost always have a "specials" table on the way into the store where I find lots of good deals too. That's so neat that you made the trek to Austin!
ReplyDeleteLove the wireless check out system and everything else about this cool nursery. The cart names are lots of fun! Cartagena? Don't go breaking my cart? Carting the Red Sea? I must visit this nursery someday!
ReplyDeleteGlad you visited that truly great nursery in NE San Antonio (!!) - no flash, just loaded with all kinds of tough plants. (exception is the skinned-up yuccas = not) A fellow plant nerd in DFW told me about their 4" pots of so many tough plants, not just as herbs or perennials. My first time in '11, I was hooked - I could see living in ATX just to have that as a plant resource...but alas, no dice.
ReplyDeleteAt least a white Lexus SUV is far more reliable and shows less dirt than a black Hummer:-)
That's quite the endorsement for a plant aficianado
DeleteThe car in photo belongs to a friend. The Lexus has recently gone on to the land of used cars.
Wow, those pots and plants are fantastic! Love the carts with the fun names. I didn't know San Antonio is so close to Austin--so if I'm down there in the next few years, I'll make sure to visit both cities!
ReplyDeleteI hit Great Outdoors( I liked) in March and now I`m planning a trip to Barton Springs. Thanks for the pottery pics, I`m looking for a big blue glazed one! None to be had up here.
ReplyDeleteAnd here I thought "Keep Portland Weird" was original. I guess there's plenty of weirdness to go around.
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