Woodbury Magazine readers love Whispering Gardens—they voted this Cottage Grove nursery into first place for the second year in a row. Assistant grower Christine DuRoss says customers especially love Whispering Gardens for its tranquil space that almost makes you feel like you’re hidden away in a cozy secret garden while you browse. (Plus, there’s a 1.5-acre garden space that can be rented for special events. How cool is that?) The nursery also uses as few chemicals as possible on their plants.
Ready for some new blooms? DuRoss mentions tried-and-true hydrangeas as a perennial favorite (no pun intended). But a real pièce de résistance this year will most certainly be the annual Calibrachoa Aloha Nani Tropicana. DuRoss suggests pairing this vividly colored pink and orange plant with one of their vintage planters for a bold contrast.
If you already have all of the plants your garden can hold, DuRoss suggest investing in some new quality mulch to clean and brighten up the flowerbeds. Another simple way to add interest is by adding some wooden and metal pieces of garden art that look right at home outdoors.
One of Whispering Gardens’ many jobs throughout the season is to help gardeners perfect their outdoor spaces. DuRoss says the most important thing to focus on is the sun exposure, since this can completely alter what kinds of plants will thrive in the garden.
“We enjoy sharing what we know with our shoppers, and often it feels more like having visitors to our home, not just our store,” says, DuRoss, whose parents, Larry and Sandy Lankow, own the gardens. “It is truly a labor of love for us. We all do something a little different around here, which is what makes it work. But I can say for all of us, meeting new people has been such a great part of being here.”
