February 15, 2023
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12 Exciting New Plants in 2023

New plants for 2023 are here. Find these 12 exciting new plants, including Phlox ‘Luminary Backlight’, Bunchberry, and American Filbert.
December 14, 2022
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Top Selling Plants [2022 Update]

The top-selling plants of 2022 include a list of those most used plants by our customers including municipalities, land managers, and private homeowners. This is a fun insight into the most planted trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, and fruit trees in 2022.An amazing realization is that people are choosing Wisconsin native […]
November 30, 2021
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Wisconsin Native Plant Guide

While browsing the Wisconsin Native Plant Guide, double click on the page to zoom in/out. ** Download button in upper left corner ** *Hardcopies are available for purchase at our nursery.no-repeat;center top;;auto Shop Johnson\’s Nursery For Wisconsin Native Plants We\’re a third-generation family-owned business who passionately pursues the goal of […]
November 30, 2021
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Plant Reference Guide

While browsing the Plant Reference Guide, double click on the page to zoom in/out.** Download button in upper left corner **Plant Reference Guideno-repeat;center top;;auto *Hardcopies are available for purchase in-store.Plant Reference Guideno-repeat;center top;;auto Plant Reference Guide The Plant Reference Guide is the hardcopy catalog of commonly grown and stocked plants […]
November 30, 2021
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Understanding Nursery Stock Sizes

Understanding Nursery Stock Sizes Understanding Nursery Stock Sizes Most commonly, growers use caliper, container size, and height (inches or feet) for units of measurement for nursery stock. Why do we need multiple units? Because all plants are uniquely different and grow differently. In any of those 3 size units, it’s […]
November 30, 2021
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Bird Garden in Wisconsin

How to Build a Bird Garden in Wisconsin Build a Bird Garden in Wisconsinno-repeat;center top;;auto0px Watching backyard birds is relaxing, entertaining, and educational. Seeing a bright red cardinal in the middle of winter is uplifting. A visit from a ruby-throated hummingbird outside the breakfast nook can be a great way […]
December 30, 2017
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Introductions & Originations

Introductions & Originations   Johnson\’s Nursery Originals; J.N. Plant Selections Introductions Johnson’s Nursery is proud to have numerous nationally recognized plants that originated in our fields. You may be familiar with trees and shrubs touting the cultivar names of ‘J.N. Select’, ‘J.N. Upright’, or ‘J.N. Select A’. These are plants […]
December 29, 2017
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Grow Agreements

Grow Agreements Grow Agreements Simplify Logistics Why A Grow Agreement? If you’ve ever been excited about a big project only to discover your initial vision and goals were diluted because your preferred plant material was not available in the quantities or sizes you wanted. If you’ve ever had to answer […]
December 29, 2017
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Plant Size & Investments

Plant Size & Investments There is an old grower\’s adage about plant size — \”If it\’s not growing, it\’s dead\”. Aware of this truism, Johnson\’s Nursery provides a range of mature heights and spreads for shrubs, trees, and evergreens. A plant’s mature size and how well it performs commonly depends […]
November 13, 2017
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Wisconsin Natives

Wisconsin Natives At Johnson’s Nursery, we love our native plants. They fill unique roles in our landscapes, are adapted to our soils and climate, and have co-evolved with our other Wisconsin native species to create the mosaic of diversity that is Wisconsin. In addition to their special use by wildlife, […]
November 13, 2017
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Urban Approved

Urban Approved The goal of the Urban Approved standard is to be the starting point when selecting plants for difficult sites in built-up areas. Decisions regarding the Urban Approved title are made conservatively, and we will not grant the title to a plant that has not been adequately tested. What […]
October 16, 2017
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Seasonal Needle Drop

Seasonal Needle Drop The cooler temperatures of autumn are approaching and while humans are putting on extra layers of clothes, evergreens are shedding their old needles. This annual occurrence is called “Seasonal Needle Drop” and is completely normal. Think of it like people shedding their hairs. So don’t panic when […]
October 11, 2017
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Native Junipers You Should Know

Native Junipers You Should Know Juniperus virginiana and Juniperus communis – we have a boatload of these plants and they are really nice! I remember growing Juniperus virginiana and Juniperus communis years ago and they didn’t look as good as they do today. The bottom needles would turn brown and […]
October 10, 2017

Urban Trees: Narrow Space Savers

Urban Trees: Narrow Space Savers | Small – UNDER 15’ TALL Urban Trees: Narrow Space Savers A common theme we see in landscapes today are small spaces in need of vertical accents and urban trees. Whether you have a limiting lot size or an existing bed with a hole you […]
April 9, 2017
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Deer Protection, Buck Rub & Resistant Plants

Deer Resistant Plants, Buck Rub & Protection Deer resistant plants is a very common topic in Wisconsin, especially in fall. It\’s often an initial question on new landscape projects of all sizes. Deer resistant, repellent, deterrent, and deer proof can all be used synonymously with the topic. Ultimately, fencing is […]
March 22, 2017
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Green Screens: Living Privacy Fence with Evergreens

Green Screens: Living Privacy Fence with Evergreens The first signs of spring bring me to our tree farm in Jackson. Our fields are full of trees for potential green screens to hide your neighbors, a shed, or whatever obstacle you want to block.Ben Franklin wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors”. […]
December 2, 2016
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Winterizing Evergreens

Winterizing Evergreens Just because winter is here, doesn’t mean ignoring the garden. The freezing process draws moisture out of a plant. The “polar vortices” of Wisconsin’s winters can be hard on certain evergreens, especially if they don’t get enough water in fall. When hit with repeated cycles of very cold […]
August 24, 2015
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Trautman Plants

Trautman Plants The Legacy of Herbert F. Trautman at Johnson’s Nursery Herbert F. Trautman, has long been an important part of Johnson’s Nursery. Herbert influenced both Clark Johnson, the founder of Johnson’s Nursery, and his son Wayne Johnson, who built the nursery into a thriving business from 1970 through the […]
May 12, 2014
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CSI: Milwaukee – Browning Evergreens

CSI: Milwaukee – Browning Evergreens What happened to the evergreens? The last three weeks I have been on assignment. I am leading an important investigation for Johnson’s Nursery on browning evergreens. Why are they brown??? Who or what caused this death of foliage? How could this happen? What was involved? […]
December 11, 2012
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Understanding Cold Hardiness

Understanding Cold Hardiness The hardiness of Wisconsinites is seldom matched. We can take whatever nature throws at us and revel in it. We bask in our cold, snowy winters. Heck, some of us even take off our shirts in freezing temperatures at Packer games in Lambeau Field in January. We […]