Commonly called a Christmas cactus, you may be surprised to find out what makes these epiphytes very different from true cacti…
Birds of a Feather Flock Together
“If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.”
Birds in Store at Garden Supply Co.
It’s no wonder folks of all ages continue to incorporate birds into their lives. Bird-watching, ornithology (the scientific study of birds) and conservancy are popular pastimes and a way of life for lots of people around North Carolina. Together with your November outdoor maintenance and transitional holiday decor, think, “What about the birds?”
Garden Supply Co. has unique, hand-crafted bird houses and bird feeders in several designs and for all types of native North Carolina birds. Finches, woodpeckers, wrens, chickadees and nuthatches are just a few of the most beloved birds, aside from the always-attractive cardinal, who need homes this winter. Our gardeners are here to speak with you about the types of birds you intend to invite to your yard. If you enjoy bird-watching, welcome your favorite birds home and install a bird house today!
Feeding your feathered friends will keep them coming back. Appeal to particular birds in our Cary area and shop our selection of specialty seed for finches, cardinals, woodpeckers and more. Keep the squirrels away with the ‘Hot Meats,’ by Coles. This blend is designed to get you more birds and less squirrels. Red bellied and red headed woodpeckers, both of whom have red heads, by the way, will thank you for refilling your suet. Garden Supply Co. has a variety of fruity, nutty suet combinations. Dried mealworms are the perfect high-protein fuel your backyard birds need to hunker down all winter. Find the best price around on All Natural Black Oil Sunflower bird seed, a preferred seed for all birds!
Are you missing the hummingbirds already? Hang one in your tree, display one on your mantle or tuck one in your garland. Create a festive, feathery theme this holiday season and watch the birds from inside the comfort of your home. Advance your table setting with a handsome cardinal serving platter or assemble your centerpiece from our assortment of playful picks and sprays. Owls, cardinals and other enchanted, feathery creatures are hung with care all around our boutique. Ask our design specialists for the most up-to-date inventory, as some of these items are one-of-a-kind! Fly in today and see what’s in store!
Health Benefits of Honey
Honey
Honey
Honey is a unique substance: it’s a blend of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, trace enzymes, and sugar. It’s quite different from any other sweetener on the market. Just one pound of honey takes 60,000 bees visiting 2 million flowers across 55,000 miles, which is incredible. Honey flavor and color can vary depending on what kind of flower was visited to make it. Honey is a power-packed food with an assortment of health benefits. According to the National Institutes of Health, honey is “hygroscopic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory.” It does not go bad and has been used as a medicinal remedy for thousands of years. Eating local honey may relieve seasonal allergies. Experts say that exposure to small amounts of the allergens found in flower pollen may reduce symptoms. Honey is also said to be a natural cough soother. With its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, honey can be used as a natural treatment for wounds and minor burns.
Here is an amazing Honey Dressing recipe from My Recipes:
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijion mustard
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Mix together and enjoy!
We have our own honey and Bell's honey in stock, come in and try some!
Seaside Chic is Here to Stay
This is not the first year that the "Nautical" theme has been popular, and it will not be the last. What makes this trend unique this year is the colors. Pantone Color Institute, a leading forecaster in the design industry, has debuted its Spring 2015 colors. Two of these colors are abundant in this seaside inspired theme. Lucite Green and Aquamarine add a perfect pop of color among traditional nautical neutrals like grey and beige. These colors have a calming effect so they are perfect for a relaxation space. Pairing these trendy colors with neutrals creates balance. We chose to use light, sandy beige and soft greys. These colors remind us of seashells and sand, two things you can't go without in a seaside theme.
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Texture is an important element of this theme. Balance out the rough textures of rope with the smooth textures of sea glass. Use artificial (or real) botanical pieces to bring in leafy texture. In our theme, we used rope on our candle holders and jars, but it can be used in other ways too. Weave rope into a wreath to tie it into the theme, or pin it to the edges of a table or frame. Glass, both clear and colored, brings soft shine into the theme and can be reminiscent of portholes on a ship. Wreaths and other botanical pieces add a living element to this theme. After all, the ocean is full of life.
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Rattan, burlap, and cork are other fun textures that you can bring into your theme because they are rough, but light enough that you will not feel weighed down. Balance and proportion are a fun way to add interest to your nautical theme. Use one or two large focal pieces to draw in the eye of your audience, then use smaller pieces of varying size to move their eyes along your space. Using odd numbers is always pleasing to the eye so add things is sets of three or five. We use this rule when adding artificial botanical stems.
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Look around your home and see what things you already have that fit this theme, then work from there. You may be surprised what can fit into this theme. And as always, we hope you think of us next time you need that special decor or plant item for your home.
Don't forget to follow us on Facebook where we will be posting about new merchandise, sales, and classes all season long.
Dress up your Houseplants!
Adding decorations and character to your houseplants pots can be fun and rewarding. We have a number of items that can be used to give your pots a unique look, check out some of the options we have: Moss: using moss in potted plants can give them a natural look. You can use moss across the top of plants to add a bit more interest than just the soil or mulch can provide. Using moss to decorate houseplants doesn’t have to mean simply laying it on the soil; there are also moss shapes available to draw attention.
Assorted moss products
Moss
Moss forms
Decorations: we have a variety of fun items to be used in pots, such as these colorful glass mushrooms. This type of item can add color and a feel of whimsy to any plant. We have other items as well, such as signs and other types of decorative objects.
Colorful mushrooms for pots
Crosses
Birds nests
Pots: don’t pass up the chance to make a statement with your houseplant’s pot. The container offers an opportunity to really dress up your plant. Make sure to choose a pot that you get as much enjoyment out of as the plant itself!
Pots with cutouts
Animal pots
Blue pots
Ecoforms colorful pots
Glazed pots
With all these options and more, come see us and unleash your creativity to give your houseplants a distinctive and extraordinary look!
Fire Pit Fun
Firepit
Fire pits are all the rage these days, and for good reason. Nothing is as cozy and cheerful as sitting around a crackling fire. It can be simple and inexpensive to have your own fire pit, especially with the variety of portable ones on the market today. Even installing your own can be a fairly easy DIY project, with a range of plans being easily accessible online. Position some comfortable seating around the fire and have additional light sources around the fire pit area to create a more welcoming atmosphere. A fire pit is a wonderful way to enrich the mood of a party—they are dramatic and enhance the ambiance with a cheerful warmth that people will gravitate to. The nice thing is that they expand the use of your outdoor areas because you can use them at any time of the year. Especially when it’s chilly, they provide a way to continue enjoying the outdoors. In the warmer months, you can add sage to the fire to keep mosquitos and bugs away so you can sit outside in peace.
Fun with a fire pit
You can use a fire pit to add some versatility and fun to the menu when entertaining. Roasting marshmallows to eat by themselves or for s’mores is enjoyable and delicious. Or, you can get more creative and involved with dishes to make on an open flame. There are several popular recipes for cooking bananas in the fire by slicing down the middle (leave the skin on) and filling it with peanut butter, marshmallows, or chocolate chips, then letting it heat on the fire. Here is a list of 34 interesting dishes to make with a fire: http://www.buzzfeed.com/twopoodles/recipes-for-camping-food. (You may need a metal grate that fits over the top of your fire pit for some of those.)
Nothing beats a sitting around the fire with a glass of wine and good friends or family, so stop by to check out our fire pit selection. We have a cool new portable fire pit that is a show stopper!
Burlap Goes Ballroom: A Christmas Trend
One of the most popular Christmas trends this season is Burlap. We are loving this trend because it adds a rustic touch without looking messy. Burlap can be interpreted in many different ways. In our tree we chose to add burlap ornaments, props, and picks. This theme goes great with soft browns, ruby reds, and piney accents.
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We brought in different brown tones to the tree to complement the burlap pieces. From there we added ruby red accents for a pop of color. To keep the tree from looking too rustic, we added some soft gold,silver, and cream ornaments and props.
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Bows are a great way to tie in the colors of your theme. They make great filler and add shape to the tree. We chose a glittered burlap, a brown plaid, and a bright red ribbon to compliment the pines, floral, and ornaments in the tree.
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Props are large pieces that we wire or zip-tie into the tree. You would be surprised what items you already have lying around your home, that would look great in your tree. For this burlap tree we added birdcages to keep with the natural look of the theme. Props should be built in around picks and sprays. We also place bows near our props, especially when we use neutral colored props.
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This beautiful tree is only one of the masterpieces at the store this year. We welcome you to come by and see all of the wonderful themes. We would also love to help you create your own custom look. We can help you make bows, pick out ornaments, and much more.
Chalkboard Love
One of the latest home decor trends is the chalkboard. They are no longer just for schoolrooms, but they do evoke the nostalgia that many people associate with their days in class. Since they are associated with nostalgia, chalkboards add a vintage or retro touch to a space.
Chalkboards can be both functional and decorative so many people have adopted them. Their functional aspects are practically endless since you can so easily change the message. At the same time, chalkboards can be decorative because they come in so many different shapes, sizes, and designs.
Chalkboards are great for kitchens because you can write down groceries and to-do lists. They also look great in entry ways because you can write welcoming messages to your guests on them. Here are a couple of examples available here at Garden Supply Co.
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Some chalkboards are even magnetic, making them great for refrigerators. This can add interest to an otherwise uninspiring surface.
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With the rise in popularity of chalkboards, people have begun to take the idea to a more permanent level. Many people love the look of chalkboards, but want more elaborate designs than are possible with regular chalk. Chalk tends to smudge easily so “chalk-inspired” wall-art is a great alternative. You can still get the look of a chalkboard while achieving a more intricate design that is permanent. Here are some “chalk-inspired” options from Primitives by Kathy. These sweet and silly sayings add a decorative touch that one cannot achieve with a regular chalkboard.
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Chalkboards are a trend that is still on the rise. They will continue to permeate the market because they allow for creativity and add a personal touch to any space. Keep chalkboards in mind next time you are looking for home decor. There are a variety of possibilities available and the stock is always changing.
Foam Floral Arrangements
Oversized Floral Arrangement4- Garden Supply Co
Add instant impact and drama to any room in your house with over-sized foam floral arrangements, a hot new trend in interior design this season.Choose from stunning finished arrangements, or pick and choose individual pieces to create your own one-of-a-kind masterpiece.