Joyce!
That's just the kind of place I love to find! A cool nursery with a botanical garden attached? How much ARE tickets to Florida?! And yes, I'll drive 2 hours to visit a "not like a big box store" nursery. I am a plant addict that is only partially in recovery because our yard is small and mostly concrete.
You are so lucky to live where everything grows so lush AND you have that 'rain' stuff I keep hearing about!