Author: Eric Gardner

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Why Wholesale Nursery Ordering Offers an Edge

Wholesale Nursery Ordering

Get Ahead of the Spring Rush, Order from a Wholesale Nursery

Every contractor knows the feeling — spring hits, crews are booked, and the phone doesn’t stop ringing. The most successful landscapers are those who prepare early and rely on wholesale nursery ordering partners to secure materials before the rush.

The Power of Early Wholesale Nursery Ordering

By pre-booking your plant orders through a wholesale nursery, you can:

    • Wholesale Nursery OrderingGuarantee access to the best-quality stock
    • Lock in pricing before seasonal increases
    • Schedule deliveries to match your project workflow
    • Avoid shortages on high-demand species like evergreens and flowering trees

Retail vs. Wholesale Nursery Ordering Reality

Retail suppliers cater to consumers, not contractors. Their inventory fluctuates with unpredictable demand, and material quality can vary widely. Wholesale nurseries like Country Springs grow and reserve inventory specifically for professional installation, ensuring consistent sizing, hardiness, and health.

Stay on Schedule, Stay Competitive

By working with a wholesale nursery, you minimize mid-season stress and maximize profitability. Your materials arrive when you need them — ready for planting, properly acclimated, and uniform across your order.

When spring arrives, contractors who plan ahead don’t scramble — they install with confidence, knowing their trusted supplier has them covered.

 

 

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Plant Purchasing Process

Plant Purchasing Process

How to Streamline Your Plant Purchasing Process

In today’s fast-paced landscaping environment, time management directly impacts profitability. Contractors juggling multiple jobs can’t afford delays from plant shortages, mismatched sizes, or late deliveries. A clear, efficient plant purchasing process is key to completing projects smoothly.

Plant ProcurementStep 1: Start with Clear Project Planning

Create plant lists early in the bidding process. As soon as a project is awarded, share your estimated needs with your nursery partner. This proactive communication lets your supplier secure availability and reserve key material before the season ramps up.

Step 2: Consolidate Sourcing

Working with multiple suppliers often means scattered invoices, inconsistent quality, and delivery confusion. By consolidating your plant sourcing through a trusted wholesale partner, you gain plant purchasing pricing leverage, simplified logistics, and consistent material quality.

Step 3: Use Digital Tools

Tools like Country Springs’ online availability updates, digital quote requests, and inventory data make it easy to plan efficiently. That is why contractors who use these systems can confirm availability, build quotes quickly, and minimize last-minute substitutions.

Lisbon Branch - CSWNThe Wholesale Difference

Wholesale nurseries are built for contractor efficiency. From quoting and tagging to delivery and reorders, everything runs through a streamlined system. Our team at Country Springs Wholesale Nursery understands your timelines — we help you plan better, quote faster, and install on schedule.

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Boxwood Alternatives for Blight-Prone Areas

Boxwood Alternatives

Boxwood has long been a staple of formal landscape design — framing entrances, borders, and gardens across the region. But with the rise of boxwood blight, contractors are increasingly shifting to boxwood alternatives that maintain structure and evergreen form without the disease risk.

Reliable Substitutes – Boxwood Alternatives

Boxwood Alternative - Ilex crenata ‘Steeds’ (Japanese Holly)Ilex crenata ‘Steeds’ (Japanese Holly)

Compact, upright, and easy to shear, ‘Steeds’ mirrors the structure of traditional boxwood. Its deep green foliage and strong winter color make it ideal for hedges, walkways, and foundation plantings.

Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’ (Inkberry Holly)Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’ (Inkberry Holly)

A native evergreen that brings softness and adaptability to wet or shaded sites. It maintains a rounded habit and natural appeal while resisting common pests.

 

Alternative HedgeTaxus × media ‘Densiformis’ (Yew)

A classic option for shaded areas where boxwood struggles. Yews tolerate heavy pruning and create an elegant, enduring look that suits both formal and naturalistic landscapes.

Buxus AlternativeBuxus microphylla ‘Green Mountain’ (Improved Boxwood)

For contractors who still want the traditional boxwood look, ‘Green Mountain’ provides enhanced resistance to blight and cold, with a strong pyramidal shape.

Designing Without Compromise

Choosing boxwood alternatives doesn’t mean sacrificing elegance. These substitutes retain the dense texture and refined form that clients expect, while offering improved tolerance and longevity. For many projects, the switch not only reduces risk but adds variety and resilience to planting palettes.

Why Source from a Wholesale Nursery

At Country Springs, we understand that contractors need consistent sizes, matched form, and timely fulfillment for hedge and foundation orders. Our evergreen selections are grown for structure and uniformity — so whether you’re planting 10 or 1,000, you’ll receive material that installs cleanly and presents beautifully from day one.

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Top Landscape Trees for 2026 Projects

Top Landscape Trees

Top Landscape Trees

Other Top Landscape treesAs we move into 2026, landscape design continues to balance function, beauty, and long-term sustainability. Contractors are prioritizing trees that deliver visual impact, adaptability, and resilience — selections that thrive in Mid-Atlantic conditions while minimizing maintenance needs.

Emerging Trends for 2026

This year’s projects emphasize climate-adapted trees, native selections, and improved cultivars bred for uniformity and urban tolerance. Clients expect top landscape trees that perform under heat stress, poor soils, and changing weather patterns — all while enhancing property value.

Red Maple Landscape treeAcer rubrum ‘Redpointe’ (Red Maple) – Redpointe remains one of the top shade trees for commercial and residential landscapes. Its brilliant red fall color, upright branching, and tolerance to compacted soils make it ideal for streetscapes and large yards. Contractors appreciate its predictable form and strong central leader — traits that simplify installation and maintenance.

Quercus bicolor (Swamp White Oak) – A staple native oak with striking two-toned leaves and remarkable adaptability to both dry and wet conditions. It’s a long-lived species that brings ecological and aesthetic benefits, thriving in challenging urban or suburban sites.

Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam) – Often called Musclewood for its smooth, sinewy trunk, this smaller native tree is perfect for tight spaces or refined designs. Its fine texture and rich fall color make it a designer favorite for courtyards and shaded borders.

Cercis canadensis ‘The Rising Sun’ (Eastern Redbud) – Few small trees rival The Rising Sun’s color-changing foliage, transitioning from apricot-orange to chartreuse throughout the growing season. Contractors love it for its compact habit and ability to provide continuous color in mixed plantings.

Gleditsia triacanthos ‘Skyline’ (Honeylocust) – A time-tested workhorse for parking lots, streets, and large commercial spaces. Its filtered shade, drought tolerance, and rapid growth make it a reliable choice for tough environments.

Why These Top Landscape Trees Stand Out

Contractors in 2026 are focused on longevity and consistency. Clients increasingly request trees that provide early visual return with minimal replacements. Using high-quality nursery stock ensures dependable establishment and long-term satisfaction for top landscape trees.

The Wholesale Advantage

Purchasing through Country Springs Wholesale Nursery gives contractors access to:

    • Uniform caliper and height for even canopy lines
    • Contractor pricing on volume orders
    • Reliable spring and fall inventory
    • Delivery schedules designed around your job timeline

Whether you’re planting a corporate campus or a residential development, partnering with a wholesale nursery ensures your 2026 projects begin with healthy, consistent, and landscape-ready trees.

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Winter Landscapes: Make Yours Stand out

Winter Landscapes Grasses

Winter Landscapes

Winter doesn’t have to be the season when outdoor spaces are abandoned until spring. With the right mix of plants, design, and seasonal accents, your winter landscapes can remain welcoming, functional, and even festive during the coldest months.

Add Warmth with Structure and Lighting

Lighted LandscapesGarden Structures: Arbors, trellises, benches, and stone walls stand out more when leaves are gone. Highlighting them with evergreens adds balance and focus.

Outdoor Lighting: Soft, low-voltage lighting along paths or uplighting evergreens brings warmth and dimension to long winter nights.

Fire Elements: Fire pits or outdoor fireplaces create cozy gathering spots even in cold weather.

Seasonal Containers for Winter Landscapes

Don’t let planters sit empty all winter. Fill them with:

Evergreen boughs (pine, cedar, holly)

Red twig dogwood stems for color

Winterberry branches for festive berries

Pinecones for texture

A few accents can transform a front entrance or patio into a winter focal point.

Plants That Shine in Snow

Certain plants look even better dusted with frost or snow:

Winter Landscapes GrassesOrnamental Grasses – seed heads catch ice crystals beautifully.

Evergreens – hold structure under snow, creating a postcard look.

Birches and Dogwoods – bark and stems stand out dramatically against white backdrops.

Wildlife-Friendly Accents

Invite life into your winter landscapes by adding:

Winter Bird FeederBird Feeders & Houses: Support overwintering songbirds.

Berry Plants: Winterberry, holly, and crabapple provide natural food.

Water Sources: A heated birdbath prevents ice-over and attracts wildlife.

Practical Comfort Additions

Green Giant WinterWinter landscapes can be both inviting and functional with thoughtful design choices. Placing sturdy benches near evergreen hedges creates sheltered sitting areas that offer protection from cold winds while still allowing enjoyment of the season. Adding windbreak plantings such as Thuja ‘Green Giant’ or holly around patios helps block harsh winter gusts and adds year-round structure to the landscape. Incorporating hardscapes like stone paths or pavers ensures safe, clear access when grass is dormant, making outdoor spaces usable and visually appealing even in the colder months.