Greenhouse & Garden Center

12550 W Norris Lane  Galena, IL  61036

815-777-4273    email  lori@murphysgardens.com

© 2010 www.murphysgardens.com  Website created and designed by Murphy’s Gardens.  All rights reserved.  

Frequently Asked Questions about Murphy’s Gardens

Do you offer a guarantee on your plants? Our plants are guaranteed to be true to name, healthy & in good       growing condition when sold.   Since weather, site conditions and plant care are out of our control once plants leave our nursery, we offer no further guarantee.  We will, however, do all we can to educate you on proper care & site selection any time you ask.

My perennial that I planted a couple weeks ago is just “sitting there” .   We have a favorite saying around here:about perennials:   The 1st year they sleep, the 2nd they creep and the 3rd they leap!  Perennials require patience, some more than other.  Do not fertilize your perennials the first year -  “Just say No to Miracle Grow”!   Rather feed your soil with some good compost, not your plant and water it adequately for the first season.    Your perennial is working on growing roots the first year, not foliage or flowers.     

What zone is Galena, IL.  We are in hardiness zone 5.  All of our perennials, unless they are marked otherwise, are zone 5 and above. Most have been tested here, or in Illinois gardens.                                                                                                    

Do you design gardens?  We have staff members that will be happy to help you with small designs here at our store as long as you intend to buy your plants here.   We ask that you come with a photo, information on site conditions (dry, wet, clay, sun, shade) and any other “wants”.  For larger projects or for installations and/or garden maintenance, we work with 3 trusted landscape designers and we will be glad to refer you!  

Can we tour the gardens and what does it cost?  Our display gardens are open for self-guided tours during our normal business hours at no cost.   Special arrangements can be made for large groups, for guided tours or for private classes.

Are the gardens & store handicapped accessible?   Our gardens and store are on almost level ground and there are no steps.   Our parking lots are gravel, so some find this difficult to walk or wheel on and there are some low thresholds into the greenhouses.  Most find it easy to get around.  

What kind of growing methods do you use?   We try to grow all of our products (both plants & produce) using organic and sustainable growing practices.  We have a rain water capture system which we use to water our greenhouses, we believe in compost and we rarely use any synthetic chemicals on  our plants or produce.  When necessary, we use organic controls.  

Do you sell gift certificates?  Yes!  You can purchase them in our store or over the phone!  We think they are the perfect gift for a gardener!

Do you sell products on-line or ship them?   We are working on a small on-line store for things like our handmade soaps, small tools, seeds & gift certificates.  While our on-line store is under construction, we can arrange to ship certain items and take a credit card over the phone.   We currently do not ship plant material.  

What are your hours?  Our current hours can be found on our Hours and Directions page or you can confirm them by calling us 815-777-4273.   Our hours vary by season and are not changed except with extreme weather conditions.  We are always closed on Monday.  

Can you special order plants or custom grow?  If what you want is not in our inventory, we will do our best to find them for you.  Some restrictions on quantity apply and a ½ down deposit is required.   Many times we can offer excellent prices on full flats of smaller pots (plugs) if we have advance notice.  

Do you rent your gardens for weddings or parties?  We feel flattered to get asked this question a lot, but at the present time, we do not rent our gardens as they are attached to our retail area and our home.  Lin Mar Gardens in Galena can host weddings www.linmargardens.com

Why don’t you have a bigger sign on Hwy 20?   The #1 asked question!  Well..the answer is not for lack of want or need, but a IDOT regulation that designates this section of Hwy 20 as scenic byway.  No new signs are allowed.  Our state issued blue tourist activity sign is our official signage.  We do however, put an open flag and some smaller signs out when we are open.