To Pandy’s With Sandi

As much as I’d like to deny it, I’m pretty sure being the youngest of four (and the youngest by nine years) automatically makes me a mama's boy. So, like any good mama’s boy would do, I eMailed my Mom (who loves gardening) to see if she wanted to go to a garden center she’s never been to.

I was thinking the huge Petitti's in Avon would be a good stop...but everyone goes to Petitti's. I stayed on I-90, zoomed passed Petitti's, which is pretty impressive from the highway, and went to Pandy's Premier Garden Center in Elyria.

(Their sign is classic.)

Pandy's is on Facebook, they have a great website, and on their homepage is an active Twitter feed. From those three things, my imagination began to get in the way. I assumed Pandy's would be some huge, sparkling, cathedral-like garden center...like the Petitti's we passed. It wasn't. Darn you, social media.

I think my problem is that I've just grown accustomed to more "urban," state-of-the-art garden centers, and I wrongly get caught up in newer this's and bigger that's. At a little over 30 minutes west of downtown Cleveland, Pandy's leans a little more toward rural, but it's definitely not off the grid.

Crammed up against Griswold Rd. and a railroad track, there wasn't much in the form of curb appeal. I did think about Mike Brady's architectural style when I pulled into the parking lot.

The inside, however, offered plenty to look at, all basically under one huge/high roof. Lots of yard art. Customers are greeted with tons of running fountains, immediately upon entering. The running water echoed throughtout the ginormous storeroom...very calming and very rainforest-esque.

Pandy's mulch display was neatly set up inside on the floor, near the checkout area. The bags of mulch (and stone and soil) are stood up and then the tops are opened and rolled down. It's a nice, protected spot, but tucked away. I happened to come across it when I was leaving. I can't remember seeing any signs drawing attention to it.

As for my Mom (Sandi), she signed up to win $500, fingers crossed, and also purchased wind chimes. She spoke highly of Pandy's houseplants. We were both impressed with the staff. Phew! Last week's trip to three garden centers on the eastside was a bust, in terms of customer service. I'm glad Pandy's picked up the slack.