Humber Nurseries

Huge nursery with extensive selection. Not cheap but not overpriced compared to the area, and intentionally visiting in fall to pick up some perennials to plant before dormancy, I got some good sake prices. What is nice about this place for plant shoppers who are familiar with plant is that all items are well marked and sorted by their genus names for perennials and common names for shrubs and trees. I will definitely be back in spring. They also label native plants as such. The perennials were labelled as hardy vs. very hardy — I suspect those marked hardy would be fine for folks living within a few miles of the lake but risky for those in the northern suburbs and exurbs (which are still zone 5). They have some gorgeous and very pricey specialty trees (weeping and unusual specimens of evergreens, in particular) along with more common trees and shrubs. Big selection of pots too.

This place is great! Prices are average but the warranty makes up for it so does the quality of the plants. Staff is friendly! Btw best japanese maple tree selection ever!

One of my go-​to nurseries.
Prices are in line with other nurseries however this place carries some plants not to be found elsewhere. Their indoor pond supply section is admirable although I did find their garden lighting to be a tad expensive.
Staff are friendly and I’ve used their garden consultant when planning my back yard (you pay a nominal fee to meet with a garden design consultant who will steer you in the right direction as far as hardscapes and plants… then you get a gift card to spend in-store…highly recommend utilizing this).
Only one small complaint and that is with the layout of their cashier stands. Their location really impedes the flow of customers and several times, while standing In line to pay, other customers are trying to get by/​around you to continue their shopping. There MUST be a better way…
Biggest selection of ornamental grasses, Japanese maples that I’ve seen.

Wow, what a slimey business — what a waste of my time! I called ahead and was told they would deliver for $ 55 — which is pretty average. So I went in and picked out a couple items, and then they told me that $ 55 is for dumping it on the lawn. I explained that I would be home to receive delivery but needed them to move it another 20 feet inside the front door of my bungalow because a bad back prevents me from moving it myself (the reason I’m getting delivery in the first place) and one of the items would suffer being outdoors even briefly. I was then told that the additional 20 feet would cost me an additional $ 55. It was pretty clear that I was dealing with an owner and he was making up the extra 55 on the spot — I guess he could sense that I was in a bit of a bind.

Extremely disappointed with customer service at Humber Nurseries. This business is not at all concerned about customers, but with making a dollar. The staff is young people who has not respect for customers… this may be from the head, as we have had to deal with this company on incorrect product. Buyer Beware.

It’s SOOO GORGEOUS in there.
What was supposed to be a «grab some mini-​roses & dash» trip for my very basic balcony, turned into a 3-​day repeated visit. There is SO MUCH on these acres of land they have to organize plants by their originating habitats & purposes, THEN sub-​categorize them by scientific names. This nursery is a complete eye-​opener; I never knew there are so many different kinds of plants native to Ontario that are available for the backyard.
All levels of staff are very responsive and helpful with selections, and a lot of plants comes with 2-​year guarantees so it saves a lot of worry. The prices are fabulous (especially on fruits and veggie sprouts), and thanks to them, my lame cement balcony turned into one of those Home Depot poster sancturary.
If you’re a nature lover, this place is a perfect mini-​day-​trip with souvenirs abound.

One my most favorite past times when I’m not here Unilocaling, drinking, eating, crawling around noshing on cupcakes and slurping up Mojitos is gardening. I live just outside of the city and I’ve got ground around my house. Over the past ten years or so I’ve really learned the joy of making absolutely exquisitely beautiful things grow up out of the ground. In spring/​summer & fall our backyard becomes an extra room at our home where we take harbour to rest, relax, entertain lots of friends, host family bbqs, enjoy our fire pit and look at the gorgeous blooms as the seasons change.
It all has to start somewhere. When I first took to gardening I discovered the Humber Nurseries (just south of Hwy. 7 & 50). It is the largest single nursery in the province. It has 24 acres of prime ground that is absolutely packed with whatever you’d want for your garden. Most of the staff are very well versed in gardening skills and can answer pretty much anything you’d want to know about gardening. The layout of the property is monster. It is housed in sections: Annuals; Perennials; Shrubs; Roses; Evergreens; Fruit Trees; Vegetables; Flowering Shrubs; Tropicals; Herbs; Climbing Vines; Bulk Soils; Large Trees etc. You practically need a GPS to find your way around this place. They provide you with a very handy store map when you enter the front of the store.
The prices are on par with most garden centres but the quality of the plants are outstanding. They are well nourished and well watered (much like us Unilocalers!) and it shows. Some plants/​shrubs/​trees come with guarantees which is a good thing because problems such as root rot etc. can often turn up after a plant is in the ground and you don’t discover this until the following season. I like to scour the nursery at the end of the summer season picking up half priced perennials and planting them so they are in the ground for the following spring. Nothing wrong with a gardener loving a bargain.
If you belong to any local horticultural societies they will often honour your membership card with a 10% discount. I know they recognize my Hort. membership and I try and take advantage of those bargains. What’s cool about this place is they have a potting/​play/​sand area for kids to hang out in, they offer special carts for the kids so they can move around the store with their parents without being underfoot or get whiny as they tire walking about such a large property.
Finally the nursery houses a butterfly conservatory which is super cool. Be sure to wear something bright coloured because butterflies are attracted to colours such as orange or red and will lit right on you. They have some really beautiful butterflies that come in all sorts of brilliant colours and incredible sizes. It is set in a bit of a lush, humid setting so be prepared to feel the humidity. The whole butterfly thing is quite magical. It can be scary for some younger children because there are sorts of things fluttering around in the air so keep this is in mind.
If you are just starting out, even if it is just plants and baskets, Humber Nurseries is a great spot to start out in. They offer beginner’s classes in the ABC’s of growing. The nursery is adjacent to a conservation area so you can make a bit of a day of it, check out the nursery and then go for a great walk along the trails of the lower Humber River. Welcome to my ‘hood. :)
Just for posterity, I’ve posted up a few pics of my blooms. A girl loves her flowers. There is an old saying in the gardening community, if you love the garden then you have to love the gardener! :)