4.7(375)
Outdoor nursery growing a large selection of plants & trees, with delivery & installation services.
IndependentZone 8b
Garden centers in Carrollton, Texas
Carrollton leans chain-heavy, six of its ten garden centers are chains against four independents, the usual pattern in built-out Dallas suburbs. Moon Valley Nurseries tops the ratings at 4.7 across 375 reviews, matched at 4.7 by the regional Calloway's Nursery, with independent Hebron Gardens close behind at 4.6. Between them the city covers everything from big specimen trees to weekend bedding-plant runs.
The dirt underneath is standard-issue North Texas: Blackland Prairie clay, alkaline and dense, generous with nutrients and stingy with drainage. Winters typically bottom out between 15 and 20 degrees, frost wraps up by early-to-mid March, and the first freeze waits until late November, leaving a long season bracketed by a summer that tests everything planted in it. Gardeners who succeed here amend the soil first and choose their plants second.
- 10
- garden centers
- 4
- independent
- 4.3 ★
- average rating
- Zone 8b
- USDA zone
All 10 garden centers in Carrollton
Sorted by rating and review volume · 9 open on Sundays
4.7(213)
Supplier of indoor & outdoor plants, plus bird feed, fertilizers, pots & weed control products.
Regional chainZone 8b
4.6(116)
Garden center specializing in plants and home goods, as well as a variety of sculptures.
IndependentZone 8b
4.3(1,711)
Chain home improvement retailer for tools, appliances & other products (some offer truck rentals).
National chainZone 8b
4.2(5)
Garden center in Carrollton, Texas, 2011 Keller Springs Rd.
National chainZone 8b
4.2(6)
Garden center in Carrollton, Texas, 1213 E Trinity Mls Rd.
National chainZone 8b
4.1(9)
Garden center in Carrollton, Texas, 1253 E Trinity Mls Rd.
National chainZone 8b
3.7(6)
Silk plant shop in Carrollton, Texas, 2201 Midway Rd Ste 108L.
IndependentZone 8b
4.0(82)
Wholesale plant nursery in Carrollton, Texas, 2220 Sandy Lake Rd.
IndependentZone 8b
4.0(1,840)
Home improvement chain for appliances & gardening supplies, plus tools & hardware.
National chainZone 8b
Planting in Carrollton: zone 8b quick guide
Central Texas offers a very long growing season, but summer heat, not winter cold, is the main limit. Plant early so crops mature before July, then replant for a strong fall garden. Typical growing season: ~260 days, from the last frost in early to mid March to the first freeze around late November.
Alkaline-clay veterans should anchor the yard: live oak, cedar elm, chinkapin oak, and crape myrtle for structure; dwarf yaupon, abelia, and Texas sage for shrubs that never need pampering. Perennial color comes easiest from salvias, lantana, coneflower, and fall aster, all of which handle the swing from wet clay springs to baked summers. Vegetables want raised beds here more than most places, the clay drains too slowly for root crops otherwise, and many locals skip spring plantings entirely in favor of a fall garden. Bermuda and zoysia carry sunny lawns while St. Augustine holds on under trees. Avoid acid-lovers like azaleas unless you commit to containers.
July
Plant now
Fall tomato transplants, Pumpkins for Halloween
Garden tasks
Survive: water deeply, mulch, harvest
August
Plant now
Fall tomatoes & peppers (early), Beans (mid), Squash
Garden tasks
Fall garden is Central Texas's best season, plant it
September
Plant now
Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower transplants, Lettuce, Spinach (late)
Garden tasks
Plant wildflower seed for spring
Local gardening tips for Carrollton
- Amend with expanded shale once and compost annually, the shale is a permanent structural fix for clay, the compost is a recurring meal.
- Water foundations and trees during extended summer drought; clay shrinks as it dries, shifting slabs and stressing shallow roots alike.
- Buy trees in fall and get three seasons of root growth before summer; spring-planted trees spend their first year just surviving.
- Check the root ball on bargain shrubs before purchase, circling, pot-bound roots in clay soil almost never establish properly.
- Confirm your city's current sprinkler schedule each summer; most North Texas suburbs limit watering days in peak season, and enforcement is real.
Carrollton garden center FAQs
›When is it worth paying nursery prices instead of big-box prices?
For trees, roses, and perennials, the nursery premium buys regionally grown stock, correct variety labeling, and staff who can diagnose problems from a photo. Chains excel at commodity goods, mulch, soil bags, seasonal color flats, where a plant either performs for six weeks or gets replaced cheap. Spend where failure costs years: trees and foundation shrubs from specialists, disposable color from wherever it is cheapest.
›What is the fastest way to make clay beds plantable?
Raised beds filled with a purchased landscape mix, planting can start immediately. If you would rather improve the native clay, spread three inches of compost plus expanded shale and work them in eight inches deep while the soil is moist but not soggy. Either way, mulch afterward; bare clay crusts over and sheds the water you apply.
›Why did my St. Augustine die in patches over the summer?
Usually one of three culprits: chinch bugs in the hottest, driest spots near pavement; grub damage that lets sod lift like carpet; or drought stress where sprinkler coverage falls short. Check for chinch bugs by parting grass at the green-to-brown boundary. Fall and spring fungal patches are different, those show circular rings. A local nursery can identify which if you bring a sample.
›How do I protect plants during a hard freeze?
Water everything deeply the day before, moist soil holds heat better than dry. Cover tender plants with frost cloth or fabric to the ground, never plastic touching leaves, and weight the edges to trap ground warmth. Potted plants move into the garage. Established natives and adapted shrubs need nothing. Uncover once temperatures climb above freezing so plants do not cook.
›How many garden centers are there in Carrollton, TX?
Our directory currently lists 10 garden centers and plant nurseries in Carrollton, Texas, 4 independent and 6 chain locations.
›What is the best-rated garden center in Carrollton?
Moon Valley Nurseries is currently the top-rated garden center in Carrollton, with a 4.7-star average across 375 Google reviews.
›What USDA hardiness zone is Carrollton, TX?
Carrollton is in USDA hardiness zone 8b (average annual minimum temperature 15 to 20°F). The last spring frost typically falls in early to mid March, and the first fall frost arrives around late November.
›When should I start planting in Carrollton?
In zone 8b, set out warm-season vegetables and annuals after the last frost in early to mid March. Cool-season crops go in earlier, and fall planting (September to November) is excellent in Carrollton for trees, shrubs, and perennials.
Garden centers near Carrollton
- Coppell (5 mi)
- Lewisville (7 mi)
- Plano (10 mi)
- Richardson (10 mi)
- Flower Mound (10 mi)
- Frisco (11 mi)
- Dallas (12 mi)
- Irving (12 mi)