McNaughton’s Garden Center
Outdoor super store
The story dates back to 1929, when an immigrant Irishman named William McNaughton Sr. founded a 13-acre nursery in then-rural Cherry Hill.
Almost 80 years later, the seed he planted continues to grow. Throughout South Jersey, the McNaughton name has become synonymous with gardening. Besides the original nursery, McNaughton’s has a vast 10-acre store in Somers Point, with 55,000 square feet of floor space, and an extensive walk-in greenhouse.
There’s no place quite like McNaughton’s for the seasoned or budding gardener. With a vast selection of plants and pots, shrubs and trees, herbs and flowers, as well as outdoor furniture and garden accessories of every description, McNaughton’s is the region’s “outdoor super store,” named a top 100 independent garden center in the country by “Nursery Retailer” magazine.
Credit must go first to the staff. They’re about as passionate and committed a team as you’re likely to encounter in the tri-county area. Case in point: When a customer recently bought a hydrangea plant, she was set upon in the aisles by manager Chris Miller, who said, “Stop! It’s been the coldest March and April in 113 years. Please wait until Mother’s Day to plant hydrangeas.”
Another customer, about to buy two potted spearmint plants for her garden, was approached by a saleswoman who said, “It’ll spread so fast, you really only need one.”
Manager Ron Caramma is equally dedicated. “By the time you get to the front door,” he declares, “three people will walk up and ask to help you. We kill ya with kindness.”
Sign up to become a McNaughton’s Preferred Customer, and you’ll even get a gift card on your birthday, as well as year-round rebates and discounts, and invitations to special parties and open houses. (Your personal information is never shared.)
McNaughton’s also includes 15,000 square feet of garden furniture alone, from leading manufacturers including Prestige, Whitecraft, Summer Winds and Suncoast.
Be sure to visit the climate-controlled greenhouse, with its rows of waving palms, orchids, brilliant hibiscus and lilies, an ever-changing menu of trees and flowering plants, as well as vivid ground covers.
Want a little spice (and some herbs) in your life? In the greenhouse, you’ll find five different varieties of basil alone (Thai, lemon, purple, sweet and Genovese) and several varieties of mint (including heady pineapple).
Backyard ponds are also a McNaughton’s specialty, says Caramma. “We are not only the largest but the most knowledgeable when it comes to ponds. People come from as far as New York and Virginia,” he says, to consult with McNaughton’s personnel about pond building and maintenance.
Manager Kathy Caramma points out the enormous selection of pots, the largest around. They include hand-painted pots by Ocean City artist Beverly Denney, and the colorful Fiesta line of pots, in rich greens, oranges, yellows and reds.
For those who love outdoor beauty, a visit to McNaughton’s is a pleasure. What remains after the visit is the courtesy and helpfulness of those who work there.
As Caramma notes, “We believe in saying, ‘Hello, how are you, thanks for your business.’”
McNaughton’s Garden Center
331 New Road
Somers Point, NJ 08244
609-601-9166
www.McNaughtonsGardens.com