Garden Experts

Choosing the right plants, materials, and design for your property starts with the people advising you — not just the inventory on the shelf. At Sargent’s, that advice comes from a team with real horticultural credentials, years of hands-on experience, and a working knowledge of what actually thrives in our regional soil and climate. This page covers who our team is, what qualifies them, and the full range of expertise you can draw on before you even start a project.

Certified Expertise You Can Actually Verify

Anyone can call themselves a “plant expert.” Our team backs that claim up with credentials. A significant number of our staff hold Minnesota Nursery Landscape Association (MNLA) Certified Professional status — a designation the MNLA established in 1978 that requires passing a formal written examination and maintaining the certification through continuing education every year. In practice, that means the person helping you choose perennials, diagnose a struggling shrub, or plan a bed layout has demonstrated, tested knowledge of the horticultural industry — not just a passing familiarity with what’s currently on the shelf.

Beyond MNLA certification, our staff bring formal horticultural degrees from accredited universities and years of hands-on experience in the green industry. Many have worked seasonal cycles here long enough to know, from direct experience, how a given plant variety performs through an actual regional winter — not just what a plant tag promises.

Education.

Experience.

Excellence.

Credentials you can
verify. Advice you
can trust.

Why Local, Tested Plant Knowledge Matters

Big-box retailers stock what a national distribution plan sends them, often with generic care tags that assume a much milder climate than ours. Our recommendations work differently. When we suggest a perennial, a shrub, or a planting window, it’s informed by what our team has actually watched grow — and fail — in regional soil and weather over multiple seasons. That includes:

Frost-date-aware planting timelines

so you’re not putting tender annuals out too early or missing a fall planting window for trees and shrubs

Soil-specific amendment advice

since clay-heavy and compacted soils common in this region behave very differently from the loose, amended soil most national plant-care instructions assum

Winter-hardiness guidance

for perennials, shrubs, and trees, based on which varieties have reliably survived here rather than which are simply rated for a broad hardiness zone

Pest and disease patterns specific to the region

so you’re getting ahead of problems that are actually common here rather than working from a generic troubleshooting list

A Full Garden Center Experience, Not Just a Retail Counter

Our garden centers are stocked and staffed to support every stage of a home garden, not just the initial purchase:

Annuals and perennials

elected for regional performance across the full growing season

Trees and shrubs

vetted for hardiness, paired with planting and establishment guidance

Houseplants

with staff who can help match a plant to your home’s actual light conditions rather than a best-case scenario

Vegetable and edible gardening supplies

for customers growing their own food

Seasonal color and decor

refreshed through spring, summer, and fall

Garden tools, amendments, and care products

recommended based on what your specific project actually needs, not upsold as a bundle

From Plant Selection to Full Landscape Design

Your garden center visit is often just the starting point. Once you know what you want to grow, our landscape design professionals can turn that into a complete design — layout, hardscape, and planting plan working together to add lasting value and curb appeal to your property. From there, our broader service lineup extends well past the retail floor:

Landscape design and installation for new beds, plantings, and hardscape features
Garden maintenance services for ongoing seasonal upkeep once a landscape is established
Tree care services, including on-site tree and shrub health assessments
Interior plantscape services for homes and businesses that want professionally maintained indoor greenery
Bulk materials — mulch, soil, and rock delivered through our SCOOPS program, sized for everything from a single flower bed to a full property refresh

SCOOPS 

Bulk Materials Delivered

From a single bed to a full property refresh.

Ongoing Support After You Leave the Garden Center

The relationship doesn’t end at checkout. Our Garden Rewards Club gives returning customers ongoing value on future purchases, and our seasonal events and workshops are built around hands-on learning — covering topics like plant care, seasonal design, and gardening techniques led by the same knowledgeable staff you’d meet in-store. If a plant purchased from us doesn’t perform as expected, our warranty program gives you a clear path to resolution rather than a shrug at the return counter.

Where We Work

Both of our Rochester garden centers serve customers not just from Rochester itself, but from Byron, Stewartville, Kasson, Dodge Center, Pine Island, Oronoco, Eyota, Chatfield, St. Charles, Plainview, Zumbrota, Hayfield, Mantorville, Dover, and surrounding Southeast Minnesota communities. If your town isn’t listed here, reach out — there’s a strong chance we already serve your area.

Why Southeast Minnesota Homeowners Choose Sargent's Gardens?

MNLA-certified staff with verifiable, continuing-education-backed credentials — not just seasonal retail training
Region-tested plant knowledge, built on what actually survives our winters and soil, not generic national plant-care advice
A full-service pipeline, from garden center purchase through landscape design, installation, and ongoing maintenance

Pet-Safe and Beginner-Friendly Houseplants

Pets and past plant casualties don’t have to keep you out of the game. We keep a rotating selection of pet-safe houseplants, like spider plants, calatheas, and select palms, that are non-toxic for curious cats and dogs.
We also stock a dedicated lineup of low-maintenance, beginner-friendly plants for anyone who’s killed a few too many houseplants and wants a fresh start with something more forgiving.

Rare and Specialty Houseplant Collection

Beyond the everyday staples, we keep a rotating stock of rare and specialty houseplants for collectors, including uncommon variegations and unusual aroids you won’t find at a typical garden center. Availability shifts as new shipments come in, so the best way to see what’s currently on the shelf is to stop by our greenhouse or reach out to our team directly.

Pots, Soil, and Everything Else You Need

A new plant rarely comes home alone. Alongside our plant collection, we carry pottery and planters, potting soil blended for indoor use, and fertilizers suited to different plant types, so you can leave with everything a new plant needs in one visit. Our team can also advise on repotting timing if a plant has outgrown its container.

Our Newly Expanded 2nd Street Greenhouse

Sargent’s on 2nd recently underwent a major renovation, and our houseplant greenhouse now has triple the square footage it used to. That means more room to browse, more variety on the shelves, and more plants we simply couldn’t stock before.

Café Aquí — Coffee and Plants Under One Roof

Caffeine and chlorophyll belong together. Café Aquí sits right inside Sargent’s on 2nd, so you can grab a drink, take your time browsing, and turn a quick plant run into an actual outing.

Proudly Serving Rochester, MN and Surrounding Southeast Minnesota Communities

Sargent’s provides full landscape design and installation services within roughly 50 miles of Rochester, including:

Have a project outside this service area? Reach out — we’re happy to discuss it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you carry houseplants suitable for low-light apartments?

Yes. ZZ plants, snake plants, and cast-iron plants are well suited to apartments and offices with limited natural light.

Is Sargent's Gardens the largest houseplant retailer in Southeast Minnesota?

We’ve built one of the largest collections in the region, spanning everyday varieties, humidity-loving tropicals, pet-safe options, and rotating rare plants.

Do you carry plants that are safe for pets?

Yes. Spider plants, calatheas, and select palm varieties are safe for homes with cats or dogs.

Do you offer houseplant care advice, not just sales?

Yes. Our team helps match plants to your home’s conditions, and we host classes on repotting, propagation, and pest troubleshooting throughout the year.

How does winter affect houseplant care?

Dry, forced-air heat and shorter daylight hours can stress plants that aren’t suited to lower light or drier air. We can recommend varieties and adjustments that hold up through the cold months.

Do you sell pots, soil, and other plant supplies?

Yes. Pottery, indoor potting soil, and fertilizers are all available alongside our plant collection.

Where is the Sargent's Gardens houseplant greenhouse located?

At Sargent’s on 2nd Street in Rochester, MN.

Can I find rare or uncommon houseplants at Sargent's?

Our rare plant stock rotates as new shipments arrive. Visit in person or contact our team directly to check current availability.

Start Your Rochester-Area Landscaping Project Today

Whether you’re planning a new outdoor living space or upgrading an existing landscape in Rochester, Byron, Stewartville, Kasson, or anywhere across Southeast Minnesota, our design team is ready to help.

Your Garden Experts

We are certain you will find our Garden Center team to be friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, and courteous.

Our team rises every day with one goal in mind: To make sure you have the best experience, with the best products and services possible. Trust your Sargent’s team.

At Sargent’s, we believe that people make the difference and we have great people. Our certified garden center team of dedicated professionals are no different. With years of experience, our team’s ability to help you is unparalleled in this market. We strive to employ the best staff in the area. Our employees have numerous years of experience in the horticultural industry and educational degrees from accredited universities.

Our team is eager to assist you with your landscaping and gardening needs. Many of our staff members are Minnesota Nursery Landscape Association Certified Professionals. MNLA established this certification program in 1978. Certification is earned by taking an examination and kept current with continuing education annually. It has been an effective tool in the green business for promoting educated staff, commitment to the industry, and a resource to customers for knowledgable information.

Beautiful, personalized spaces start with strong design. At Sargent’s, our landscape design professionals provide the design training and experience you need to create a unique style that will add value and beauty to your home.