We are a “Plants, Seeds, Soils, Pots, and Garden sort of Shop” full of healthy indoor and tropical houseplants, bulbs, wildflower seeds, vegetable seeds, indoor gardening gear, pottery, potting soils, organic fertilizers, pruning tools, and nutrients, as well as seeds and seed-sprouting supplies. We also have every gardener’s favorite present: gift certificates (on-line) from your experienced local garden center.
Late winter (March-April) is a GREAT time to plant wildflower seeds, un-planted fall bulbs, over-wintered and dormant perennials, shrubs, and trees, and even cold-hardy color to give them a strong early head-start on our short growing season.
While you can plant anytime, please wait until the soil is no longer muddy. Working in mud collapses soil structure, ruining aeration and drainage that roots and soil biology depend on. Be aware that because our nights remain extremely cold through May, deacclimated plants from warmer climates can easily be damaged or killed.
Historically, March is a winter month, and April is half winter and half spring. The past 10 years have been neither historically average nor “normal”. Historically, March is a winter month with a few spring-like days and April is a winter month with many spring-like days.
March begins with average nighttime low temp’s ~18ºF (record low -10º) and average highs ~44ºF. April begins with average low temps ~21ºF (record low of 0º) and average high ~50ºF.
Truckee’s elevation on the Sierra’s east side with Great Basin aridity yields significantly higher diurnal temperature variations than most western communities. Our “average” temperatures are based on wild extremes.
We’re Here to Help. Even when the shop is “closed”, we are often around, tending to the plants, cats, and office work. If you need a specific product, a project bid, or a consultation, please email us. We check messages nightly and will get back to you within a couple of days. You can also leave a voicemail at 530-587-0771.
Best wishes for a better 2026! Here’s to Science, to Research, to Data, to Facts, to Education, to Kindness, to Sanity, to Truth, to Grace, and to Hope. Be Grateful. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Be nice. Try.
Check our Instagram or Facebook or the references page on this website for updates, informational sheets, class hand-outs and calendar updates.
For 51 years, Villager Nursery Garden Center has been serving Truckee, Tahoe and regional high Sierra Mountain plant lovers, landscapers and gardeners. Villager Florist started in the original Gateway Center (next to the Gateway Motel) in 1951 (75 yrs.). In 1975 (51 yrs ago) Jeanette Harper purchased the Villager Florist and added outdoor plants to the mix (becoming Villager Nursery). We relinquished the florist in 1996 to focus exclusively on the extreme winter-hardy, native plants, garden center summer color and vegetables, and landscape supply. In 1999 we moved to nursery to the home of the Varney Dairy – come – McIver Dairy – come – Villager Nursery. We are at the west end of historic Brickelltown (severed by I-80). The House was built in 1867 (159 yrs.) and the Shop (a blacksmith shop) was built in the 1920’s. Our home has changed hands only twice since 1867 and we are proud to continue its legacy.
We are the same Villager Nursery, but we needed an online refresh. We hope to continue to use this as a place to inform you on Sierra Nevada mountain gardening, landscaping and lawn care best practices. We will be increasing the information available about our Native Plant species, as well as providing better access to Informational Handouts. Thank you for stopping by, and please Contact Us with any questions! Our hours increase proportional to increasing temperatures, exposed earth (melting snow), customer inspiration, common sense, and the swelling of the buds on our trees. …weather permitting… IF the gate is open, stop on in. We’ll bring in fresh hardy plant material as it is appropriate (and available). Houseplant Shop / Topper / Mulch / Wildflower Seed / Organic Fertilizers / Dormant Plant Material / Cold-Hardy Perennials and Color / Pruning Tools / Class Handouts / Advice We change our hours here, on the phone answering system, and on Google, Yelp, Bing, Tripadvisor, Apple, Instagram, and Facebook sites. Expect longer hours and more days through April (and beyond, of course).Welcome to the New Villager Nursery Website!
(530) 587-0771
Open Today: Weather Permitting
A regularly updated seasonal collection of thoughts and notes regarding the nursery, planting, the world and more.
Acer campestre (hedge maple) and Acer miyabei (Miyabe maple) are highlighted here because they are two of our best screening trees. They are both cold-hardy, relatively fast growing, shade tolerant, winter sun tolerant, snow-load tolerant, easy to grow, well-shaped, hed…
Subalpine fir is rare but we, occasionally, are fortunate to find growers who have it. Unlike red and white fir however, subalpine fir transplants well, establishes easily, and looks amazing and natural in mountain landscapes.
Sagehen Creek Calflora.org “What Grows Here?” – We have many of these
(or if we don’t have the exact species we have a close Genera native relation).
In the 2002 July-October V30 3/4 Issue of FREMONTIA – a journal of the California Native Plant Society, there was a terrific article by Robbin W. Thorp, Peter C. Schroeder, and Carol S. Ferguson: Bumble Bees: Boisterous Pollinators of California Native Flowers. It was...
Prepare your garden so well this fall that it will reemerge healthy and vigorous next spring. Cut back perennials, tie trees and shrubs, prepare your lawn and “Fertilize with Biosol in Fall.” While it is still the best time to plant trees, shrubs, perennials and...
