You Ott to Know About Ott’s Exotic Plants!

2017 Update:

I popped by Ott's recently and had a lovely chat with Carol Ott and her daughter, who let me know they're actively looking for someone to help repair the steep slate roof (currently swathed in plastic) atop the garden center. Let's hope they find someone to restore this landmark, as it is truly a treasure! 

Still plenty of plants to choose from, oversized ferns to be mind-boggled by, and the fun indoor waterfall!
I love visiting this place any time of year!

2009 Original Post:

The first time I drove down route 29 in Schwenksville PA and saw a giant glass building with a domed top stretching 50 feet into the air, I had to pull over. As I parked my car and saw hundreds of colorful mums crowding a giant hill, and a big stone cottage with a slate roof, I knew that Ott's Exotic Plants was destined to be on the Retro Roadmap.

Open every day but Christmas this garden wonderland is owned and operated by the Godfrey Ott family. The greenhouse with its Disney-like stone building with slate roof was built in 1964 when it opened as a retail business and the same time that "Ott Mountain" made its debut.

Story goes that there was a huge pile of dirt left from excavating for the greenhouses and parking lot, growing weeds and in general not very attractive. Godfrey instructed his sons to plant mums on the dirt to spruce it up and soon it became a local attraction. A tunnel was excavated through the pile and staircases were added so folks could get a view from the top. To this day families from all around like to come and have their photos taken against a backdrop of the colorful flowers.

The other eye-catching invention of patriarch Godfrey Ott is the giant conservatory he designed and had built in 1970. I expected to see Colonel Mustard with a lead pipe as we walked into the humid air ;-)

The conservatory houses  a waterfall with a walkway above it, a fish pond, full grown palm trees and the most humumgous hanging ferns I've ever seen - I had Retro RoadHusband Cliff stand beneath one to give an idea of the scale of them (or do his Sideshow Bob impersonation!)

It truly is a tropical oasis, and gives those of us in the north a destination to visit during the cold hard winter months. Yeah, that would be me!

Ott's is not just an attraction, but a place to get all of your gardening needs with acres of other greenhouses with annuals, perennials, herbs, bonsai, succulents and more. The Ott family is friendly and eager to help you find just what you're looking for.

So if you need mums for the fall, poinsettias for Christmas, Valentines flowers, Easter lilies or items for your garden, you "ott" to go to Ott's!