It's Holiday Time at A&A Plants in Browns Summit!

With an abundance of poinsettias in a variety of colors and fresh Christmas trees and wreaths, it looks like A&A Plants is all ready for holiday decorating and gift-giving.

The Christmas trees are cut fresh in Laurel Springs, NC, and brought directly to the store where they are immediately put in water to keep them fresh and kept under cover away from the elements.  I don't believe that anyone else does that!

A&A Plants is one of my favorite places to go.  We buy our pine bark and straw there for our chickens, as well as indoor and outdoor plants and shrubs. When I need something special to give as a gift, I go there and without fail, find just the right thing.

Owned and operated by Rick and Cissie Apple, A&A Plants has been in business since 1982.  Rick was a farmer and began the business as a hobby during winter when planting was over.  Cissie worked for a garden center in Greensboro and initially Rick purchased from there.

When they first met, it was "Love at first bloom," Cissie told me as she smiled.  I love that!

One of the most important features to note is that A&A Plants grow all of their own plants unlike other plant centers, and have their own green houses.  This is wonderful to know as they have "stock" unlike other places who order in from larger growers and may run out of something in particular that you ordered.

The Apples started small and as business picked up, they expanded many times, and now service all of North Carolina.  One of their prominent customers is the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC.  About 80% of their business is with contracted landscapers, and  they deliver all over the state.

A&A Plants offers annuals, hanging baskets, large ferns (one of Rick's specialties), perennials, shrubs, trees and some house plants.  Plants are healthy and hardy and all of mine do well.  And though I love all of their plants and have purchased many, my favorite place is their little gift shop.

(Spring & Summer)

The gift shop flows with the seasons of the year, so at holiday time, you will be sure to find some little precious treasure for a loved one, friend, or something you just "have" to have.  I met a customer in their gift shop this past summer who told me she comes all the way from Raleigh to Browns Summit just to shop the gift shop when she is looking for something unique and different. From hand-carved items, to ceramics, Elf on the Shelf country style, lovely Christmas balls and more!

The staff is incredibly helpful, friendly, and courteous from the ladies inside the store to the guys working outside assisting customers with landscaping requests, or putting straw and pine bark in the back of our vehicle for our chickens!

I highly recommend A&A Plants for all your landscaping needs, including indoor and outdoor plants and those original gifts for special people.