Heather plants are a beloved and classic landscape plant, appreciated for their delicate flowers and interesting foliage. Often seen blanketing moors and heathlands, heather brings a touch of natural beauty to any garden. With their low maintenance needs and year-round visual interest, it’s no wonder gardeners are eager to add these charming shrubs to their outdoor spaces.
If you’ve decided to add heather to your own landscape, you may be wondering where to find these delightful plants for purchase. Read on for a complete guide to buying heather plants, including the best places to shop and what to look for when selecting your new additions.
What is Heather?
Before diving into where to buy heather, let’s first understand exactly what these plants are. Heather refers to a group of low-growing shrubs in the Erica genus, which contains over 600 species. Though some species can reach up to 15 feet tall, most grow as short mounding shrubs reaching 1-2 feet in height.
Heathers are native to rocky, acidic soils in Europe, North America, and North Africa. They thrive in cool climates and are extremely cold-hardy These woody perennials can live for decades with proper care
The dainty flowers of heather plants are arguably their biggest draw. They bloom in late summer and fall in a range of colors like white, pink, red, and purple. Some varieties also display attractive foliage in shades of gray-green, sea green, or gold. The needle-like leaves add nice texture contrast in the landscape.
Where to Buy Heather
Now that you’re familiar with what exactly heather is, let’s discuss the best places to buy these charismatic plants. Here are some top options for purchasing heather
Local Nurseries
Checking independent garden centers and local nurseries is a great starting point when buying heather. Reputable nurseries often carry a nice selection of heather cultivars to choose from.
Shopping local allows you to hand-pick the exact plants you want, check for signs of health and quality, and get helpful advice from staff. Note that heather availability will depend on your climate and region.
Some top local nurseries known for their wide heather selection include:
- Oregon Coastal Flowers in Bandon, OR
- Laughing Crow Farm in Elizaville, NY
- Vermont Willow Nursery in Burlington, VT
- California Carnivores in Sebastopol, CA
Online Stores
Can’t find heather locally? Shopping online opens up many more options. Reputable online nurseries ship healthy container-grown heather plants straight to your door.
Some recommended online shops to buy heather include:
-
Mountain Crest Gardens: A favorite for rare and native plants, including 30+ heather varieties. Offers free shipping on orders over $49.
-
Joy Creek Nursery: Family-owned nursery in Oregon offering mail order heather plants, with helpful growing info on their website.
-
Glasshouse Works: Quaint specialty nursery with a wide heather selection, plus companion plants like heaths and heathers.
-
Nature Hills Nursery: Leading plant retailer with their “No Questions Asked Guarantee” and excellent customer service.
-
Jackson & Perkins: Longstanding company offering classic cottage garden plants like heather. Volume discounts available.
Big Box Stores
For convenience, you may want to check big box home improvement stores like Lowes and Home Depot. Availability is hit or miss, but when in stock these retailers offer affordable heather plants from major growers.
Selection is often limited to a few popular varieties like Mediterranean pink heather or winter heather. Visit their garden centers regularly to snag heather when available in your area.
Other Places to Find Heather
Beyond nurseries and stores, a few other options for sourcing heather plants include:
-
Farmers markets – Ask vendors if they’ll have heather for sale at any point during the season.
-
Mail order catalogs – Consider specialty resources like High Country Gardens or White Flower Farm.
-
Estate sales – Keep an eye out for heather being sold from local gardens.
-
Plant swaps – Connect with fellow gardeners to trade cuttings.
What to Look for When Buying Heather
To end up with healthy plants that will thrive, keep these tips in mind when selecting heather:
-
Choose plants with healthy foliage in the right color – avoid yellowing leaves.
-
Look for dense, mounded growth habits without excessive stretching between leaves.
-
Check for flowers and buds, but don’t reject a plant without them.
-
Search for signs of new growth like green shoots and tips.
-
Ensure the root system is well established in the container.
-
Select outdoor container-grown plants over indoor or greenhouse specimens.
-
Read plant tags to match the heather to your planting zone and growing conditions.
-
Inspect for pests like aphids – give those plants a pass.
Bring Heather Home
With this guide to where to buy heather plants, you’re ready to bring home these beauties for your own landscape. Take your time selecting the perfect varieties and caring for them properly. In return, you’ll enjoy these low-maintenance shrubs for many seasons to come. Mix heather into your flower beds, rock gardens, or containers for a burst of flowering color.
Everything You Need to Know About Heather & Calluna
FAQ
When should I buy heather plants?
Does heather come back every year?
Who sells heather?
Where is the best place to plant heather?
Where can I buy heather plants in the UK?
We have a good selection of UK heather plants that will fit seamlessly into your garden here at Gardeners Dream. Take a look at all our outdoor plant varieties, then add your favourite heathers to the cart to enjoy free UK delivery on us! Buy Heather Plants at Gardeners Dream.
Where can I buy a Heather plant?
You can buy Heather plants from a variety of Garden Centres and Nurseries. Garden Centres usually have them for sale in store when they are in flower, while Nurseries offer a wider range throughout the year. A good place to look for Heather plants is via the RHS Plant Finder.
How to grow a Heather shrub?
Heather flowering shrub is easy to grow and is perfect for edging, mass planting or a low hedge. It has a small, mounding habit and displays rose-pink to purple-pink flowers from fall into winter. The foliage turns bronze-purple in winter. Thrives in areas that receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Where should I plant a Heather?
Where to Plant Heathers are best planted in beds totally devoted to themselves, except for the addition of a few conifers or small evergreen shrubs to provide contrast in height and form. Plant heathers in open areas, along pathways or up hillsides.
What is a bud-Blooming Heather?
Highly desirable for their interesting texture and long lasting display, “bud-blooming” heathers such as this are known for flower buds that swell and color up, but unlike traditional Erica or Calluna varieties, never open to reveal the flower, instead providing a unique, showy display of upright, densely packed bloom spikes. Good to grow!