Black Forest Garden Centre
King City, Ontario
Toronto - June 25, 2021 - Full disclosure, I had a bit of difficulty writing this one as my OCD brain couldn’t quite wrap around the categorization of this type of market. Different from what I have written about thus far, today I write to you about a nursery. After doing some intense thinking and organizing in my noggin, I decided that nurseries do indeed fall within the Harvest Honourables category. Why, you may ask? Well the owners and operators of nurseries have a lot in common with farmers: immense knowledge about what they are growing, intense passion for their gardens, a commitment to healthy growing practices, and the ability to deliver quality, freshly grown products to the communities in which they operate.
So what nursery are we highlighting today? More than just a nursery, the Black Forest Garden Centre has me unsure of where to even begin. On my Saturday in Aurora, I headed east on Aurora Road and south on Keele Street for my last stop of the day. As I drove up to the driveway of the nursery, I was shocked by the grand presence it had on an otherwise country road. There, directly off of Keele Street, stood a tall archway leading into the driveway of the nursery. As I turned in, I was surprised yet again to be confronted by a long paved road with no nursery in sight. As I drove down the road, I rolled down my window and was hit by a strong yet incredible smell of hickory. Whether it was from the trees, I couldn’t be sure. What I did know was that at that moment, I felt like I was driving into a luxury ski resort with the sound of crows cawing in the distance. I finally reached the parking lot that was surprisingly busy with the cars of locals. I exited my car, and walked through the beautiful landscaped grounds, under another archway (made of greenery this time), and finally reached the garden centre.
Black Forest Garden Centre feels less like a garden centre and more like a nursery oasis. Directly through the entrance I was greeted by gorgeous garden decor straight ahead, with a gallery of plants to my right. Music was playing as I walked through the rows of flowers, plants, and trees, looking up at the hoses hanging from the ceiling and admiring the other shoppers studying the plants they were interested in. I was absolutely grasped by the ambiance of the entire place, finding myself increasingly interested in the varieties that I passed through my exploration.
Black Forest Garden Centre offers a variety of plants, flowers, and trees, however, they are definitely known for a few staples. Their annuals are grown directly in their greenhouses, with the ability to adjust their appearance to customers desires (an incredible value-add). They pride themselves on their selection of home grown non-GMO quality herbs and vegetables (including numerous varieties of tomato and basil plants, melons, peppers, savory herbs and spices, as well as many varieties of lettuce and kale). Whatever they don't grow directly, they source from local suppliers. They are committed to the organic growth of their plants, utilizing well balanced soils.
At the time of my visit, I was not in the market for plants for decorating or growing myself. However, I will absolutely be bringing my laundry list of flowers to the nursery next year. To learn more and to plan your own visit, visit the Black Forest Garden Centre website.