Need Roses? McTighe's Garden Center = a winner!!

For some reason, McTighe's Garden Center on Route 8 (Butler Street) in the Glenshaw/Shaler area was one of my last places to visit in 2012, BUT it was certainly one of the best in many ways.

In short, they have a HUGE selection, are packed-full with stock, decent pricing, and a sizeable staff. And if you need Rose shrubs, look NO further - McTighe's carries the largest selection I have ever seen, a.k.a. the most brands and colors - I counted at least 50 different. To boot, no single rose price seemed to exceed $25, which is phenomenal.

When you arrive, parking is angled off-street along the front of the property. You DO have room to back out of your space without potruding into Route 8. Whether you're starting from the north end (Roses) or the south (shrubs/perennials) you'll be aghast at how long it takes to make your way from one end to the other. You can't spend less than 20 minutes here unless you've already been before and know what you're looking for.

Now, onto the nitty-gritty. Their selection is highly intuitive, as their perennial selection in particular is honed in specifically on cant-go-wrong / no fuss specimens. In other words, perennials you buy here SHOULD perform year after year as long as you provide the most basic of garden maintenance. The pot size that impressed me the most were one-gallons, which are only running in the $7 range. There are a few places that sell cheaper, but can you get 2-foot tall astilbes at this size/price anywhere else? Probably not.

McTighe's annual and vegetable selection is also top-notch. Their hanging baskets and containers are competitively priced, and you can spend from $15 all the way up to $100 on single containers if you want to get real fancy.

The only personal disappointment for me was the lack of hydrangeas. Being a collector and all, I'm always looking for new specimens to add. But aside from some Dooley's and basic Proven Winners paniculatas, they did not have anything else to tickle my fancy. But once again, McTighe's leans toward the least finicky of plants (which hydrangeas aren't), so at least they are true to form.