I go to Reems Creek Nursery all the time; here’s the lowdown on my tips and budget hacks. One of the loveliest things about Reems Creek Nursery is their Bloomin’ Bucks program, designed to meet a gardener’s end-of-summer itch for new plants.
As my own summer garden reaches its peak of sun-blessed blooming and ripening, my mind turns to fall, which means putting in new perennials and planning my cold-season crops.
If Reems Creek is not in your vicinity, there’s plenty of other great choices! Here’s my overview of Asheville nurseries & plant stores.
Put in those Perennials
Late summer or early fall is a perfect time to plant perennial newcomers in the garden to establish strong root systems before winter hits them hard.
I might also squeeze in just a few more eye-candy annuals (on sale this late in the season) if I have any holes or eyesores in my current palette or porch containers. Just keep in mind that late-season annuals are a gamble; at the first sign of frost (esp if it arrives early) those latecomers will have a quick, cold death.
Reems Creek Nursery is run by sensitive, savvy garden people, and they offer their Blooming’ Bucks sale just as gardeners all across Asheville are anticipating fall needs; adding asters, planning for pansies, eyeing or growing a new crop of seedlings for fall and overwinter veggies. Yum!
How Bloomin’ Bucks works
All year long I’ve earned points at Reems Creek Nursery with each and every purchase, and you can too, as long as you’re enrolled in the Bloomin’ Bucks program. The ratio is one Bloomin’ Buck for every $10 you spend.
During a late summer sale, usually in August, and again briefly in October, I’ll redeem my Bloomin’ Bucks points for up to 50% off any in-stock merchandise including trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, fruits, roses, pottery, houseplants & succulents, water plants, tools, benches, garden art, garden-related gifts, etc. Bloomin’ Bucks can even be applied to items that are already on sale!
If you time your garden-planning well, you can save a lot on longed-for perennials, giving them a head-start for a healthy life in your garden to boot!
Perennials from the Bloomin' Bucks sale!
Don’t Forget about Seeds
If you use those quiet winter hours to dream about garden seedlings (as I do) then having some exciting seed packets on hand to dream in color with can be useful.
I also use my accumulated Bloomin’ Bucks for seeds. A lot of seed packets of the current year will be at 50% off or more by late summer as nurseries off-load their inventory. These half-priced seeds are fine to plant the following year provided you store them in a cool, dry place like a basement or cold pantry.
It’s lovely to browse the seed packets, seduced by varietals with colorful pics, especially considering that at 50% off and with my Bloomin’ Bucks discount, I’m getting a great deal on seeds to dream about all winter long!
My seed pics from the Bloomin' Bucks sale!
Reems Creek Nursery Hacks
Reems Creek always has a small alleyway sale of 50% off throughout the year for plants that are not looking too great, or perhaps were under-watered or stressed, or are on sale due to lack of seasonality.
If you know what to look for in terms of avoiding disease, or how to resuscitate a struggling plant, this can be a really great way to sniff out deals on perennials and annuals. Here’s what the sale alleyway looks like:
the sale alleyway at Reems Creek
Evergreens and Perennials
Toward the end of the summer season, Reems Creek turns its focus to evergreens and late season perennials, as it’s great time to get those plants in the ground.
If you want to bolster your winter garden with a few splashes of green in the grey months, now’s your moment. Putting evergreens in the ground in late summer or early fall gives them a chance to build-up their root systems to withstand the rigors of winter. (and don’t forget pansies for the winter). Just remember to keep them well-watered in the late summer heat as they establish themselves in the earth.
They also tend to have great sales on late-season annuals at his time of year!
Labels for Learning
Another of my favorite things about Reems Creek Nursery is that they label all their landscaping plants with helpful signs that inform you about varietals. It’s a smart way to help gardeners get a feel for how a plant looks and behaves in the landscape before choosing to buy it.
Landscaping Signs at Reems Creek Nursery
Emphasis on Pollinators
Reems Creek Nursery also puts in some lovely, lively pollinator gardens to keep you familiar with those natives that support bee, butterfly and beneficial insect life.
Sometimes I find myself lingering dreamily at these gardens watching the busy lives of butterflies and bees, comforted by the thought that nature transcends all.
Pollinator Gardens at Reems Creek Nursery
Other Delights for Bloomin’ Bucks
You could always use your Bloomin’ Bucks for that gorgeous pot you’ve fancied but couldn’t afford, or some nature-related gifts for friends you’re trying to entice into the garden. Or even cover the basics with compost for your raised beds.
Reems Creek has a wide array of ways to save during their well-timed Bloomin’ Bucks sales, with smartly-curated plants and merchandise for the gardener in each of us.
Happy Shopping, and above all, Happy Gardening!
Pretty pots & inside the gift shop