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.
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!
























































































































