This year’s tour day is jam-packed with garden retailing at its best! We’ve created a full-day tour of five of the Raleigh area's best retail garden centers, including lunch at a local restaurant and reception at a destination tour stop. Be ready to connect with fellow retailers, our service pros, and our sponsors and discover new possibilities for profit. Bus captains will provide behind-the-scenes statistics to prepare you for each stop, plus a little North Carolina Trivia along the way.
So hop on board and be ready to enjoy a beautiful fall day of discovery in Raleigh and return to the hotel in time to relax and continue conversations with your Group peers.
Buses depart curbside from the parking area of the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley at 8:30 am sharp and will return to the hotel by 7:00 pm.
Homewood Nursery and Garden Center 10809 Honeycutt Rd Raleigh, NC 27614
Homewood Nursery & Garden Center has been rooted in Raleigh for fifty-eight years and is recognized as a leader in the horticulture industry. Their unique combination of over 4 acres of greenhouses, garden center, and outdoor nursery department, and the high quality of service and plants are what keep Homewood on top. As one industry expert put it, Homewood "is a classic family retailer/grower/garden center." The greenhouses and nursery area are regularly toured by university horticulture classes and have been a learning ground for many students.
Bill Stoffregen, founder of Homewood, first built a 19' x 100' greenhouse in his backyard at the family's home located on Six Forks Road in 1967. To support his venture, Bill sent out postcards to his neighbors and friends from church letting them know he would probably be growing more than he could use and would love to sell the rest.
Not long after, while doing his full-time job as the Wake County forest ranger, Bill found a beautiful piece of land on Honeycutt Road, which he purchased for $1500(!) an acre. At the time, he had no idea that in 10 short years he would pull up roots and relocate his family and business to what most people at the time considered to be a remote part of northern Wake County. He believed the future of Homewood would be in wholesale, growing, and selling to other garden centers and florists in the burgeoning Triangle area. Even though he was rapidly expanding the greenhouses and growing facility, Bill said, at the time, "Retail never crossed my mind." But retail was on the mind of many people as they relocated to north Raleigh, and word of the nursery spread as they found themselves drawn to the pastoral setting of Homewood. As Raleigh mushroomed, Homewood grew beyond being just greenhouses, adding a nursery area under the pine trees, a unique atrium for the garden center, and a gift and floral shop.
Landvision Designs was also invited to join Homewood, adding a full-service landscape company to our site. Always, as we built and added to Homewood, Bill reminded us that this was also his home and that we "better keep it pretty" since it is still his backyard. That feeling of home and appreciation of beauty is what we all experience here today.
Tucked away on 22 scenic acres in South Durham, For Garden’s Sake is more than just a garden center—it’s a destination. What began in 1999 as a humble plant nursery has blossomed into a full-service garden center and landscape design and maintenance company with ponds, wandering ducks, clucking chickens, curious goats, and even a miniature donkey adding to the charm. Open year-round, we offer a wide variety of plants, gardening essentials, engaging classes, music nights, and a relaxing spot to enjoy a beer, a glass of wine, or a refreshing Italian ice.
In 2010, Scott joined the business under its original owner, and a few years later, his wife, Marsha joined the adventure. Together, they purchased For Garden’s Sake in 2016, and with the help of an incredible team, we've grown from 10 employees to over 70. Their services have expanded to include a robust landscape design and build division with three in-house designers, as well as a full lawn maintenance division that cares for our installations across the Triangle.
Most recently, they restored a historic 1900s chapel on our property that will soon host small weddings, corporate meetings, and intimate events. FGS is thrilled to be part of this year’s Garden Center Group Tour and can’t wait to share the heart and soul behind their business with fellow garden center enthusiasts. Whether you come for the plants, the people, or the peaceful setting, we hope your visit leaves you as inspired and energized as we are every day.
Take a tour of For Garden's Sake... Click on the video below.
Logan's Garden Shop 1208 Farmers Market Dr Raleigh, NC 27603
In 1965, Robert (Bob) Logan, Sr. was full of determination to start his own business. His idea was to put vending machines that dispensed worms around a local lake to make fishing a convenient pastime. Listening to his wife’s advice, a railroad salvage business was begun instead. A few years later, Bob began selling bedding plants and other garden-related products, and Logan’s began to blossom. It would soon be a well-known and well-loved local garden center and plant nursery.
In 1983, Robert Logan, Jr. assumed leadership of Logan’s. With his love of retail business, Robert continued to grow the family trade. Seeing the need to expand a few years later, Robert and his wife, Julie, purchased the Bagwell Seaboard Railroad Station in downtown Raleigh, where Logan’s garden center relocated in 1991. This new location provided space to add a gift department and a wide variety of household and gardening items. The depot diner was renovated and became Seaboard Café, a popular lunch spot where one can relax and enjoy the ambiance of good food and outdoor dining. Logan’s has been recognized by the City of Raleigh, the State of North Carolina, and various historic associations for the adaptive re-use of the Historic Seaboard Railroad Station.
Joshua Logan is now “on board” as the third generation of Logan’s, working alongside his parents to continue to grow and transition the company into a cutting-edge retail experience. Their shared commitment to their community and drive to provide a genuine and one-of-a-kind shopping experience is a staple of the Logan’s family tradition.
Logan’s has been serving the community beyond the brick and mortar with important programs such as Plant a Row for the Hungry. Partnering with the Interfaith Food Shuttle, Plant a Row for the Hungry facilitates getting fresh produce donations from community and personal gardens to local families in need.
Logan’s has been the recipient of various awards of excellence, including Independent’s “Best in the Triangle,” Metro Magazine’s “Metro Bravo’s Best Of” for the Best Garden Store, and Garden Center Magazine’s “Top 100 Garden Centers of America” and “Innovator Award: Sustainability.”
Speaking of sustainability, it's hard to believe that the iconic blue and white canopy that runs along the train tracks was once used to cover travelers from the elements, yet today supports the biggest sustainability initiative Logan's has taken in its more than 50 years of operation. 396 315-watt solar panels sit atop that beloved canopy, and produce enough electricity to power the whole building. These panels offset 118 tons of carbon, the equivalent of planting 111 acres of U.S. forest.
We are thrilled to announce we broke ground in mid-October to begin significant improvements to the existing garden center facilities. A complete greenhouse renovation overhaul, improvements to the outdoor nursery area, and updates to the main building will take place. We cannot wait to welcome you to our new location!
Fairview Garden Center 8224 Holly Springs Rd Raleigh, NC 27606
Ms. Jo Ann Dewar Founder of Fairview Garden Center
Today three generations are involved in the family business. Jo Ann, daughter Susan Rollins and grandson Brad Rollins
Founded and led by Jo Ann Dewar, the garden center has been a cherished part of the community since 1974. Now, at 93 years young, Jo Ann is still in the greenhouse every day, nurturing plants and sharing her wisdom with customers. Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious, inspiring everyone who meets her. Her presence is a source of strength and continuity for the family business, and she remains the heart and soul of Fairview.
Jo Ann and her late husband, Tom Dewar, purchased the 18-acre property in 1960, drawn to its potential and natural beauty. It was the strawberries that provided their first taste of success, as Jo Ann pioneered the “pick-your-own” model that would soon become a popular spring activity for the surrounding community.
In 1973, Tom built Jo Ann her first greenhouse. It was a modest structure compared to the sprawling gardens of today, but it marked a pivotal moment for Fairview Garden Center. Jo Ann’s green thumb worked wonders as she cultivated geraniums, tomatoes, peppers, poinsettias, and other plants from cuttings she collected from neighbors. With a keen eye for opportunity, Jo Ann struck a deal with local grocery stores like Winn-Dixie and Kerr Drug, selling her plants and produce on consignment. As demand grew, so did Fairview’s reputation as a wholesale supplier. The business grew in this fashion until the mid ‘80s.
By 1998, the family decided to pivot their focus entirely toward retail, save for their wholesale poinsettia sales for fundraisers. This shift necessitated a significant renovation to improve the shopping experience for their growing customer base. Through perseverance and patience, Fairview Garden Center unveiled its new layout in 2004, complete with spacious concrete pathways that replaced the once muddy gravel trails.
Today, Fairview Garden Center stands as a sanctuary for plant lovers and a cherished part of the community. Jo Ann’s enduring passion is evident in every corner of the garden center, from the carefully curated plants to the warm and welcoming atmosphere. Her story is one of resilience, dedication, and a deep love for the land.
With over 62,000 square feet of greenhouse space, Fairview grows all of its annuals and many of its perennials. Now in its third generation, Fairview Garden Center is one of the largest retail garden centers in the Raleigh area.
Take a tour of Fairview Garden Center... click on the video below.
DeWayne's Garden Center 1575 Outlet Center Dr Selma, NC 27576
This story begins in 1991. At the age of 20, DeWayne Lee, son of tobacco and produce farmers from Newton Grove, NC, lost his share of produce at the family farm due to an extremely wet growing season. DeWayne borrowed $500 from his mother, Edna Lee, to set up a pumpkin and produce stand on the front lawn of the local outlet center just off of I-95 in Smithfield, NC. The pumpkin stand started as DeWayne's Pumpkin Patch, but it quickly became known as "DeWayne's Country Garden." DeWayne provided shoppers with fresh produce during the Spring and Summer, pumpkins and mums in the Fall, and live Christmas trees and candies during the holiday season. During the Spring after opening DeWayne's, he met Tina Young, and she began working with DeWayne while still attending high school. The two were married in 1997 and became co-owners of DeWayne's Country Garden.
Due to the growth of the outlet center, DeWayne's Country Garden was forced to move from the front lawn to an adjacent property in 1995. After only four years at the new location, they were once again forced to move due to more expansion of the outlet center. This time, they took the biggest risk yet, purchasing six acres one mile down the road from the original produce stand location.
Unsure of what the final move would bring for their business, the young couple set up shop once more. The new location allowed The Lee's to spread out their inventory of plants, concrete fountains, and statuary, as well as garden accessories. The couple decided to exclude produce from their inventory with the move to the final location.
A gift shop, Christmas Shop, and Greenhouse were some of the dreams DeWayne envisioned for the new location. However, it took another three years to design the building for their new dreams. Construction began on the two-story yellow, white, and green building in 2001. Once their dream of their new building became reality, DeWayne moved the original building that was home for "DeWayne's Country Garden" to the concrete area to serve as office space.
Exactly ten years to the day of the original produce stand opening, the couple envisioned the dream of a new gift shop. The new structure became home to "DeWayne's Home and Garden Showplace," featuring plants for each season, concrete statuary, and fountains. The gift shop is home to unique gift ideas, home decor, and fashion accessories. A seasonal Christmas Shop (now moved to Christmas Land) opened on the second floor of the 9,500 sq ft building during Fall of the following year! DeWayne's sister, Debra, became essential in creating beautiful and unique merchandise displays throughout the gift and Christmas shop!
The business continued to succeed in providing shoppers with a unique shopping experience. The destination offered customers trending home accents, gifts, women's fashions, jewelry, footwear, garden decor and plants. In 2016, The Atrium and Christmas Land additions were added to the existing gift shop and greenhouse structure. A complete facelift started in 2017 on the gift shop and original greenhouse structure, allowing extra space more checkouts, parking, and room to feature new brands in the New Boutique and Men's Shoppe spaces. In Fall of 2019, the Sweet Shop gave customers an extra sweet shopping experience, offering 24 flavors of Hershey Ice Cream, 20 flavors of gourmet fudge, and fresh-squeezed orangeade.
