One thing is true, when it comes to the back yard retreat, there's no definitive answer for altogether best sellers for the season.
Northern Nurseries boasts a wide variety of shade trees, Thunderchild Crab and Gladiator being the most popular because of their desirable purple leaves.
The haskap was one of popular fruit bearing trees this season, featuring berries that are a cross between a saskatoon and a blueberry. Also in the running was a combination apple tree that produces five different kinds of apples on one tree.
As I visited several area greenhouses to find out what was hot this season, my personal favourites were the cherry trees that displayed dozens of ripe, delectable berries. Bundles of grapes were also nearly impossible to resist, but they weren't quite ripe enough to sample.
Hardy hydrangeas and assorted ninebarks were the most popular among potted flowers.
Tomatoes and cucumbers were sold the most as repeats because of frost or seeds not coming up.
Judy Dwinnell will be opening Northern Nurseries at a new location next spring that will feature 'Dots,' a garden teahouse named after her mother, Dorothy, who was her business partner for 22 years before she passed away. Customers will be able to come to the greenhouse during their high noon tea and enjoy scones, pie and other specialty items.
Forest Hall Greenhouse had a beautiful display of cleverly pre-arranged pots for anyone looking for easy, instant results. Their potting get-togethers were a hit this year, where you could bring your own containers and plant in the company of other gardeners.
Among their most popular potting plants were Black Velvet Petunias, geraniums and perilla plants. Water plants were also a desired addition for back yard ponds.
Venus Flytraps were a favourite among the children, making a fascinating addition to the garden. Lotus flowers went out the door before the staff even had a chance to see them bloom.
Next year Forest Hall Greenhouses celebrates their 25-year anniversary and they intend to celebrate in style, with anticipation of a gathering featuring some exciting musical talent.
The usual petunias and marigolds were a hot buy at Sunshine Acres Greenhouse.
They agreed with the trend towards pre-arranged potted plants, giving buyers instant gratification.
They've noticed buyers are also shying away from the six packs and shifting more towards bigger planters for potted plants and hanging baskets.
Sunshine Acres offers a convenience factor for customers, saving them the drive by setting up their collection of bedding plants in front of Sobeys.
Pleasant Gardens saw a demand for fast growing trees like Swedish Aspens and towering poplars. Slow growing trees, like evergreens, were still a favourite for windbreaks in yards.
Perennials such as bleeding hearts, daylilies and hostas were also a success for them this season.
The gift shop, open year round, offers a variety of unique pieces that would make in interesting addition to any back yard oasis or home.
Next year, look forward to seeing a larger variety of ornamental trees as they expand to offer dwarfs and column style for smaller yards that don't have the space for traditional trees.
When it comes to gardening, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and creativity - not a panel of experts - shapes the end result of our outdoor sanctuaries.
All together, the greenhouses and nurseries in the Battlefords area offer a limitless variety to create the breath-taking retreat that gardeners are after.
