The cash wrap at Baker’s Acres Greenhouse includes grab-and-go items like stickers featuring Thelma, one of the on-site cats.

September/October 2025
From the Road: As seen in Columbus By Teresa McPherson

The Cultivate’25 Garden Retail Tour explored four standout garden centers in and around Columbus, Ohio.

Attendees of the Garden Retail Tour at Cultivate’25 spent a full day exploring exceptional garden centers in Central Ohio. Read on to see what caught my eye at each of the four stops.

Baker’s Acres Greenhouse, Alexandria, Ohio

Nancy and Chris Baker founded Baker’s Acres Greenhouse in 1982. The business has grown from a backyard greenhouse into a thriving family-owned garden center run by their son and daughter-in-law. Baker’s Acres business offers annuals, perennials, tropicals and houseplants, and has a breeding operation for coleus and anthuriums in-house.

A vintage refrigerator holds pottery and a surprise — a tiny fairy garden tucked inside the freezer.

Creative and clever signage is plentiful throughout the property.

Groovy Plants Ranch, Marengo, Ohio

Groovy Plants Ranch is located just north of Columbus, Ohio. Owners Liz and Jared Hughes strive to provide customers with unique and intriguing botanical oddities from around the world, thousands of which are grown on-site.

The retailer is known for its unusual plant offerings.

Several registers make checking out a breeze.

A vintage car welcomes Cultivate’25 attendees to Groovy Plants Ranch.

A hanging basket buyback program allows customers to bring in spent plants for a discount on fresh ones.

Oakland Nurseries’ Dublin Garden Center, Dublin, Ohio

Dublin Garden Center at Oakland Nursery offers traditional garden retail merchandise, as well as rare and unique houseplants, giftware, gourmet food and apparel.

Located adjacently are Oakland Home Store Buildings 1 and 2, which offers outdoor living merchandise, plus home accents and décor, vintage furniture, lamps, accessories and more.

Pet parents can find everything they need in the pets section.

A selection of artificial flowers ties in with Oakland Nurseries’ home store strategy.

Lush greenery sets off garden décor merchandise and statuary.

Wilson’s Garden Center, Newark, Ohio

Helen and Carl Wilson began the small family-owned farm market in 1958, growing and selling vegetables such as tomatoes, melons and sweet corn to the public and local businesses. Over the past 60 years, it has transformed into a garden center that provides flowers, plants, birdseed, giftware, statuary, pottery and more.