Your Driftless Day Trip Destination

Set in the heart of the Driftless Area, this beautiful nursery is about so much more than plants.  Tucked along a Class A trout stream amid the deep valleys in southern Vernon County, this small, family-owned business prides itself in sharing the beauty of this property with the whole community. Watch the eagle nest from a spotting scope on the deck. Feed the koi fish in the pond. Take a walk along the creek, or bring a pole and try your hand at trout fishing. Find handmade items in the gift shop. 

Get expert plant advice from landscaping professionals and seasoned gardeners. Sit on the porch and sip a glass of wine, or bring your own picnic lunch. Participate in an event hosted by the Tubbin family. Find mature, hardy trees for your landscape design projects. Take a stroll through the arbor and give your senses a treat with all of the colors and aromas that wrap around you. Enhance your yard with our huge selection of unique perennials, and don't forget the hanging flower baskets!  Our motto is "Come for the Plants. Stay for the Experience."  It couldn't be more true.

In 2014, the idyllic Reads Creek property was purchased with big dreams, an open mind and above all a deep-rooted desire to share this stunning place with others in the community. The progression of farmstead, to Arboretum, to retail nursery has been a fitting narrative for a place anchored in natural beauty and steeped in a tradition of botanical bounty.  

Owners David and Jen Tubbin are humbled to write that next chapter in the story that is Reads Creek. When Dave first stood in the nursery driveway, his eyes lit up and he said, "I see children playing in the creek, families having picnics in the field, people walking on trails, little kids feeding the koi fish in the pond, and the whole community enjoying this land." While the business itself is all about plants, they have never wavered from that initial dream of making it all about the people.   

They seek to honor the community-minded spirit exemplified by Royce Jones when he planted the Arboretum and opened his doors to us all so many years ago. Each year, they have continued to offer more opportunities for events and time with family at the nursery. Whether on the beach, by the pond, or on the porch of the gift shop, Dave and Jen want this to be a magical place where the routine of the everyday life fades away and people can just breathe and laugh.  

Second Nature at Reads Creek has become a destination nursery in just a few short years. People have been driving from hours away to visit again and again, sharing that they have blown away by the unique collection of high-quality plants, the outstanding customer service, the incredible landscape design installations, and the many opportunities to enjoy this beautiful space. It is a place that epitomizes the very essence of the Driftless area. A place to wander and wonder. A gardener’s vacation. A place, most importantly, for you.  

"All of us will strive to shatter your expectations, and seed by seed, pot by pot, and garden by garden we will continue to develop into the vision you’ve inspired us to reach for.  We are humbled by your interest in watching us grow. We welcome you to Second Nature at Reads Creek!"  -David and Jennifer Tubbin, Owners