Deep Roots

By
May 2023 View more

Spruce up your yard with finds from three family-owned garden centers

The Growing Place

The Growing Place

NAPERVILLE & AURORA

The origin of these two sprawling garden centers can be traced back to Emma’s Perennials, a Naperville plant farm founded in 1936 by Emma and Fritz Glatzhofer. In 1976, their nephew Rich Massat and his wife, Carol, reimagined the business as the Growing Place, and their children Becca and Michael Massat operate it today. “In Aurora, we grow all of our vegetables and herbs and our fall mums, and 50 to 60 percent of the perennials and annuals that we sell,” Becca says. “We drive them back and forth to the Naperville location; they go on little road trips.” Fans of native plants will find a deep selection. “Our motto is planting the right plants in the right places—that’s for the gardener’s success and for the plants’ success,” Becca says. 25W471 Plank Rd., Naperville; 2000 Montgomery Rd., Aurora, thegrowingplace.com

Good to know: If you’re in the market for ceramic planters, you’ll have double the options, due to last year’s supply-chain issues. “My 2022 order didn’t show up until the end of the year, so now I have everything from my 2022 order and my 2023 order—it’s a very great selection of pottery,” Becca says.

 

Wannemaker’s Home and Garden

Wannemaker’s Home and Garden

DOWNERS GROVE

Siblings Jennifer, Joe, and Kelly Wannemaker are third-generation operators of this family business, which their grandfather opened in the 1970s as a hardware store. “As time went on, and the big boxes became more prevalent, it slowly transitioned into more of a gardening focus,” Jennifer says. They carry a full range of annuals for container gardens or beds, along with perennials, trees, shrubs, vegetables, and herbs. “We really cater to people who want to do it themselves,” she says. “And almost all our annual growers are the same growers my grandfather used from here in the Midwest.” They also have an impressive selection of roses and aisles of fountains and bird baths to browse. 1940 Ogden Ave., wannemakers.com

Good to know: The store also sells patio furniture, grills, seasonal holiday decor, and an array of gifts—plus bathroom vanities, a holdover from Wannemaker’s hardware era.

 

Barn Owl Garden Center

Barn Owl Garden Center

CAROL STREAM

From certified organic seedlings, plants, and soils in the spring to handmade holiday wreaths in the winter, this garden center has something to offer all year-round. “Starting in mid- to early July, we have a farmers’ market, and all of our produce is sourced from Plainfield, Oswego, or Michigan, and it’s delivered daily,” says manager Clark Hudmon, whose parents, James and Jacki Hudmon, opened the business 20 years ago. “People say we have some of the best sweet corn, and I think that’s because it’s picked daily.” If you need a bird feeder, seed, or just a friendly face to chat with about backyard birding, look no further. “I’m a huge bird nerd,” Hudmon says. “Throughout the year, we have locally mixed bird seed coming out of Wisconsin, delivered weekly.” 1N583 S. Gary Ave., barnowlgarden.com

Good to know: Get up close and personal with barn owls, red-tailed hawks, and other raptors during the center’s annual open house in September when staff members from Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation in Barrington visit for an educational seminar.

 

Photos courtesy of The Growing Place, MACLYN (Wannemaker’s Home and Garden), and Mélanie Segura (Barn Owl Garden Center)