Tag Archives: gardens Erie PA

Johnston’s Garden Center

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We were in need of some starts to add to our non-existent garden this year, so we headed to Johnston’s to check out what they had to offer! We knew it was a gamble considering we are now in late May, BUT we wanted to check out their current selection! We have been there many times before and love walking the property!

Location:

Johnston’s Garden Center is located at 10000 Wales Road, Erie, PA, 16510. They are open in MAY from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. In JUNE through SEPTEMBER, Monday through Friday hours stay the same, but Saturday changes to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and they are closed on Sundays. They are closed July 4 and Labor Day.

Property Description:

This is a garden center, so you can expect a LOT of walking space outdoors. They also have a little shop where you can go inside and make your purchases. You will find many different types of flowers, trees, fruit and vegetable starts, shrubs, and so many other beautiful plants and other landscaping needs. You will be walking through grass, stone, dirt, and gravel as you browse.

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Also, please understand that during different times of the year you will find different types of plants and more or less of a selection of what you’re looking for. This goes for all garden centers. For instance, I was looking for my absolute favorite tomato, and at this point in the year (late May), they were sold out of starts! And for those of you wondering what tomato that is, it is the green zebra tomato! They are so delicious and make an excellent addition to chili to give it a bit of a citrus zest! They are a family favorite of ours!

What to Do:

This is a garden center, so understand that you’re going to be looking at a lot of greenery and beautiful flowers! Expect to do a lot of walking through greenhouses and pole buildings, and up and down pathways to find what you’re looking for. Now, we’re not saying this is a bad thing! We enjoyed walking around and looking through the beautiful plants all around us!

Although it was not on this particular trip, I can say that we have purchased some beautiful fruit trees from this location! We have 2 amazing winecrisp apple trees and 2 cherry trees, one of which is already rapidly producing this year! Although we didn’t get any apples last year, we are looking forward to tasting them this year!

There are way too many varieties and plants to list, so if you’re looking for something specific, please check out their website here at https://www.johnstonplants.com and browse their selection before you go! You can also find planting guides and resources on their website.

One important thing to note it that they will deliver anything you purchase straight to your home! Delivery days and times vary, and there will be a fee, but we love that you can pick out a ton of greenery and not have to worry about getting it to your house yourself! You can also purchase gift cards for that special gardener in your life!

Who Can Go:

Anyone is welcome at this beautiful garden center, from young to old. We did bring our stroller in, as one of our littles wasn’t in the mood to cooperate. The stroller did not make it through some of the narrower pathways, so be aware of that if you do need to bring a stroller or a wheelchair with you.

We think that this can be a fun place for kids to come, especially to see how food is produced as they look at all of the different varieties of plants. Our littles also love looking at the beautiful colors of all the flowers. It is definitely important to stress a “look don’t touch” approach before you go, but as long as your kids can remember that you can spend a lot of time here checking out everything they have to offer!

Final Thoughts:

This is a great garden center with a huge selection of plants to meet anyone’s needs! We really love to come to Johnston’s Garden Center, even if it’s just to browse!

Mason Farms Country Market: Summer 2021

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Mason Farms Country Market: Summer 2021

We couldn’t let the summer season in Erie, PA end without a trip to Mason Farms on Peninsula Drive before they turn over to Fall. The beauty of the flowers, the smells of the fruits and vegetables, and the merchandise in the greenhouse all provide a great transition from summer to fall.

Outside View

Mason Farms is not only a country market with two locations; one on Peninsula Drive and another on Old French Road, but also has a farmstand on their farm for pick your own, and many satellite locations. We’ve been to “Pick Your Own” several times, and we’ll provide the links here if you’d like to check those out so you can go as well!

Mason Farms Pickle Picking

Mason Farms Strawberry Picking

Mason Farms Raspberry Picking

Location:

As a market, they have two different locations, but the location we visited is at 839 Peninsula Drive, Erie, PA 16505. Currently, they are open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Inside the Market

Property Description:

Mason Farms Country Market is a very cozy, farmhouse style shop with a greenhouse and several outdoor areas. Their tagline is “Bringing Country to the City” and they truly succeed at this in their market space, especially considering that it is located on Peninsula Drive, which gets a ton of through traffic.

Outside of the Entrance

There is ample parking in the parking lot to the left of the building (if you’re looking at it from the street), and very wide sidewalk like concrete spaces to push a cart, stroller, or wheelchair through the outside walkways. Indoors, it is easy to get around while pushing a stroller as well.

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What to Do:

Inside the market, you will find a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. The produce here is plentiful and plenty yummy! Mason Farms has over 350 acres of farmland in Lake City where they grow over 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables that they sell in this store. They also have candy, treats, goat’s milk fudge (we recommend chocolate peanut butter), baking supplies, jams, jellies, maple syrup, cider, and so much more!

Inside the Market

The outdoor area is beautiful, and overwhelms you with flowers of every color, available in hanging baskets and pots. It’s a great place to walk around as you shop. The outdoor area transforms with the seasons, and soon it will be filled with pumpkins and gourds of all sizes and everything fall. We will definitely do an update post so you can check it out and decide if you want to go for yourself!

Greenhouse

Inside the greenhouse you’ll find a plethora of merchandise. You can find ornaments for your garden, fertilizers, different types of pots, Halloween decor, Christmas decor, and much, much more. Honestly, there’s so much to check out when you’re in here and not only did we enjoy looking around, but the kids did as well.

Inside the Greenhouse

Who Can Go:

This country market is easily accessible by anyone. If you are looking for flowers or fresh and local produce in Erie, PA, this is a great place for you to check out.

Outside Flower Display

Final Thoughts:

Mason Farms is the perfect place to go if you want seasonal fun in Erie, PA. Providing a great atmosphere all year round, they never disappoint. If you’re looking for things to do in Erie, PA, Mason Farms is a stop we would definitely suggest!

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Outside Flower Display

[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Mason Farms Country Market in any way. This is true of all of our posts. We simply enjoy wandering around the Erie area as we know finding what to do in Erie, PA can be hard.]

Goodell Gardens and Homestead

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We wanted to enjoy some of the sunshine that has been present in Erie, PA the last few weeks, so rather than checking out more trails like we did at the Girard Waterworks Park, we headed to a wide open space. We decided to wander around the Goodell Gardens & Homestead in Edinboro, PA. We not only got sun and a nice breeze, but the sights, paths, flowers, and trees provided for an excellent afternoon walk.

Location

The botanical gardens are located at 221 Waterford Street, also Route 6N in Edinboro, PA 16412. The exact location has a nice long driveway. At the front of the driveway is a park area for guests of a specific event, but if you continue to follow the driveway you will get to a parking lot.

This is a wide-open space for you to catch the breeze, so in times of social distancing or just being able to wander and look at the flowers or trees, you don’t have to worry about having anyone else right “on top of you.”

Property Description:

The property itself is known as Edinboro’s public garden. The entire property is approximately 78 acres on the Goodell family farm, but the walking area is on a much smaller footprint. While there isn’t a specific route or path to take, you will find many locations to view, many paths to walk, and many benches to just sit and relax. Other items include birdhouses, large trees for shade, bees flying amidst the many flowers, and even a giant windchime which actually works and plays in the wind.

This location is also an arboretum, which means many of the trees have labels.

In addition, there are multiple buildings. And, while a few of them appear to be closed due to the current Covid-19 issue, there does appear to space which can hold events, as well as ongoing plans to continue building and renovating the barns.

Things to do:

This specific visit was true to the wandering spirit. It was literally just a time period to walk around and look at all of the different trees, flowers, bushes, and more. The wildlife was also fairly decent in that we saw multiple species of birds. In addition, we saw bees, butterflies, and dragonflies throughout the gardens. This is definitely something teeming with activity.

The admission does appear to be a flat amount of $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens, $2 for children, and free to members of the nonprofit as well as Edinboro University students, and children under the age of five. However, there are also group tours available if you make a reservation in advance.

Finally, while the current time period is a difficult one to navigate, it does appear that there are many opportunities available for events to occur, including harvest festival, Mother’s Day brunch, the Edinboro Art & Music Festival, and more.

In addition, the site is able to be rented to private events, weddings, parties, receptions, and reunions. This rental can include the grounds, event barn, cabin, and up to 300 chairs and tables. (However, if you are interested act fast as they are already booked through June of 2021 as of the writing/recording of this!)

This is also an excellent location to take photographs at, whether you are looking for family portraits, engagement or announcement photos, senior pictures, or more.

Who Can Go:

Depending on what you want to do, this is a completely suitable event for the whole family. Anyone who wants to walk through nature, do some bird or insect watching, check out the trees and flowers, or just sit on a bench for a while in peace; this is the place.

Final Thoughts:

Finding a historic site such as the Goodell Gardens is a pleasant surprise. And to have it in your own backyard is a benefit as well.  Whether you are looking for a quick getaway into nature, or specifically trying to walk around in peace, this is an excellent location to do so. 

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