Super Sale and Auction Alert

Hello everyone and happy Thursday!  The weekend will be here before we know it and we've got some fabulous events going on at Garden Supply to start this weekend off with style. First of all, we have a truly SUPER SALE going on that you won't want to miss. We're heading to market in July and need to make room for all the new goodies.  Tons of home and garden decor pieces are now marked 50% off in the Greenhouse.  This sale lasts through Friday morning. After that, we'll be getting ready for the auction Saturday.  So HURRY in and get your hands on these hot deals while they last!

Here's a peek at some of the items on sale.  Take a look at this gorgeous table display.  Every item on this table is reduced to 50%.  And that's not all....every item in this bookcase is also 50% off.

We've got some big ticket items like furniture and display pieces also marked 50% off.

Every item marked with a pink ribbon is half off.  Entire table displays and shelves filled with goodies are being cleared out.  This sale is truly beyond anything we've done before.

Be sure to stop by before Friday morning to snatch up a few of these amazing deals, because after that, we turn our attention to our ANNUAL AUCTION being held Saturday, June 19th, another event you will not want to miss. Join us for a full day of fun at our best sale of the year by participating in our absolute auction. Registration begins at 8:00am.  The bidding starts at 9:00 and will continue until all items are gone. Plants, trees, flowers, pots, urns, iron pieces, fountains and lots of other gift items will be auctioned off. It's easy, just register and get a number, bid and be competitive, finish up your landscaping and get it all at a great price.

Items are being pulled and set aside for this once-a-year event as I type.  You can stop by late Friday afternoon for a preview, or early Saturday from 8-9 before bidding begins. We have a real auctioneer calling for us and keeping us on track.  You will need to register for a number with which to do your bidding, with an easy check-out process at the end.  If you need help with any large items you might purchase, you can arrange for delivery and/or installation with us at Garden Supply.  Standard fees apply.

We'll also be grilling hot dogs and firing up the pizza oven again.  And we're looking forward to all the fun! Hope to see you soon at the garden center.

More Perennial Gardening

Good morning, everyone!  In honor of June being Perennial Gardening Month, I thought I would share a few tips and tricks for successful perennial gardening as well as more of my favorite perennial plants down at Garden Supply.  We have so many beautiful plants to choose from, as always, and the display of color coming from the perennial tables is truly a site to behold right now. Guaranteed we have a ton of great choices to inspire some summer gardening at your house, just in time to catch the peek of warm-weather blooming.

Mona Lisa lilium

Dramatic Oriental lilies add interest to the summer garden. Their large flowers bloom atop tall stems with a powerful fragrance that intensifies as the sun goes down. These stunning Mona Lisa lilies offer soft pink flowers with darker pink veins and a deep blush in the center, and dark, showy speckles. The shorter size and prolific blooms of this lily make it an excellent choice for containers. They perform best in full sun in rich well drained soil either in the gardens or in patio containers. They make great companions with other bulbs, perennials and are great butterfly plants.

Lilies can be successfully planted March-September in Zones 3-9.

Sights of Summer dahlia

Isn't this Sights of Summer dahlia a real eye-catcher?  This yellow and red bloomer boasts 4" blossoms that will light your garden with color. Sights of Summer grows only 20-24" tall, making it an excellent border plant.

With a blast of different colors, shapes and sizes, Dahlias bring life and beauty to your landscape in summer and into the fall months. The diversity of Dahlias allow you to use them in many different aspects of your landscape design, from low growing border plants to stately background plantings which may reach six feet in height.  Dahlias make excellent cut flowers, which typically last about a week in the house.

These tender tubers bloom best in full sun and will tolerate most soil types, but prefer a sandy, well draining soil.  If you have a heavy, clay soil try adding sand or peat moss to lighten it. Dahlias are summer blooming tubers which are generally only hardy in Zones 7-11. In the majority of the country, they must be planted each spring and then cut back and dug each fall after the first killing frost.

Blue Stocking monarda didyma

Blue Stocking monarda didyma was chosen perennial of the month in July 1998.  Hummingbirds and butterflies can't resist this plant! It is easy to grow and is mildew-resistant.  It can be somewhat invasive in the South, so don't be afraid to trim it back.  The leaves give off a pleasant aroma and can be steeped in boiling water for tea. Monarda is best used in the border in combination with other plants of similar height.

When planted in rich, moist soil monarda are easy to grow and relatively trouble free. They will spread quickly, so individual plantings are encouraged. To control the spread, trim small shoots around the edges of the plant. Deadheading is helpful on young, vigorously growing plants to prolong blooming, but may not be as effective on older plants.

And now here are a few tips for successful perennial gardening for the month of June. Herbaceous perennials are highly prized for their ornamental features and their ease of culture.That, however, does not mean that they require NO maintenance. Adherence to a summer schedule of maintenance duties will enhance the beauty of the garden and allow perennials to flourish.

June is the month to shear the tops of spring bloomers to ensure uniform and ornamental foliage for the remainder of the season. Grass shears can be used for this task.  At this time you should also cut back the foliage of spring-flowering daffodils and tulips that bloomed at least six weeks previously.

Early to mid-June is also a good time to cut back by half tall late season bloomers to control height and eliminate the need for staking. Perennials treated in this manner will mature at a shorter height and may flower slightly later than unpruned perennials. Plants that respond to this treatment include aster selections, artemisia, boltonia, Joe-pye weed, rudbeckia and Autumn Joy sedum. During June and throughout the summer season, plan to deadhead spent flowers as the need arises. This practice has the effect of improving the overall appearance of the plant, eliminating an abundance of unwanted seedlings, and promoting a continued bloom period or later re-bloom. Plants that require deadheading include coreopsis, daylilies, garden phlox, and others.

Hope these tips will get you on your way to a successful perennial garden in no time.  As always, our friendly experts are on hand 7 days a week to assist you in all your gardening needs. If you've got questions, we've got answers.

Be sure to mark your calendars for this Saturday, June 19th for our Annual Auction. Join us for a full day of fun at our best sale of the year by participating in our absolute auction. Plants, trees, flowers, pots, urns, iron pieces, fountains and lots of other gift items will be auctioned off. It's easy, just register and get a number, bid and be competitive, finish up your landscaping and get it all at a great price.

We will be grilling hot dogs and firing up the pizza oven again. Also look for some other great deals throughout the nursery and gift area.

Thanks so much for stopping by everyone! I'll see you back here soon for more snippets from the garden.

Daylillies and Deals From the Greenhouse

Hello everyone and happy Thursday to you! Hope you've all been having wonderful weeks and are gearing up with big plans for your weekend.  For many of you with children on the traditional calendar, this week marks the end of this school year and the official beginning of summer! Hope you'll take a moment to stop in Garden Supply and capture a real burst of the summer brightness and color that is blooming throughout the nursery grounds. Don't forget that the 2010 NC Triangle Race for the Cure is this Saturday, June 12th at Meredith College.  We want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who joined our Gardener's for the Cure team to help raise money for breast cancer research.  We are so excited to announce that we have met our goal of raising $10,000, and we owe it all to you!  We couldn't have done it without you!  For those of you who would like to register still, today is the last day for online registration.  Everyone who registers by midnight tonight will receive a special 12% discount card for all your Garden Supply purchases for the rest of this year, and will be entered in our drawing to win a $500 gift certificate from us.  It's our little way of saying thanks. Go here to register for our team.

After today, you can still register for the race at one of the Komen pick up sites.  You can see all the important race day information here.

And now I have a burst of summer color to share with you, fresh from the perennial tables down at Garden Supply.

Just look at this lovely selection of daylilies that are just waiting to add a touch of brightness to your summer gardens. Daylilies are rugged, adaptable, vigorous perennials that endure in a garden for many years with little or no care. Daylilies adapt to a wide range of soil and light conditions. They establish quickly, grow vigorously, and survive winters with little or no injury. Each daylily plant produces an abundance of flower buds that open over a long period of time. There are many varieties, a wide range of flower colors, and the flowers continue during the heat of the summer.

Suncrest daylily

The Suncrest daylily grows 3-4 feet tall and produces large butter-yellow blooms that are splashed and speckled with maroon.

Daylilies belong to the genus Hemerocallis and are not true lilies. This Greek word is made up of two parts: hemera meaning day and kallos meaning beauty. The name is appropriate, since each flower lasts only one day.

Rosy Returns daylily

This beautiful Rosy Returns daylily produces masses of rose colored flowers from summer to fall.

Daylilies grow best in full sun. They will tolerate light shade, but flower best with a minimum of six hours of direct sun. Light shade during the hottest part of the day keeps the flowers fresh. Daylilies should not be planted near trees and shrubs that are likely to compete for moisture and nutrients.

KoKomo Sunset daylily

KoKomo Sunset offers clusters of large 4" wide deep gold flowers with a burgundy-red eye, light ruffle, and a green throat.

Although daylilies are adaptable to most soils, they do best in a slightly acidic, moist soil that is high in organic matter and well drained. Daylilies can be planted almost any time the soil can be worked. Till the soil deeply before planting. Work in well-rooted manure or compost to increase organic matter. Apply fertilizer based on a soil test. Dig a hole large enough for the roots without bending or crowding them.

Landscaper's Best Purple (left) and Little Wine Cup (right)

Dominic daylily

Dominic has deep maroon-red, almost-black blooms with just a bit of ruffling.

Chicago Apache daylily

Daylilies typically grow one to four feet in height and produce numerous flower buds that are showy over a long period. They are useful in the perennial flower border, planted in large masses, or as a ground cover on slopes, where they form a dense mat in just a few years. And as you can see, we have a fabulous assortment of daylilies to chose from in every color range.  Other varieties we have available include Conca d'Or, Stella d'Oro, Ann Warner, My Reggae Tiger, Sunday Gloves, Hyperion, Happy Returns, and Pardon Me. Come talk to our friendly experts on making the perfect selection for your garden.

And now, as promised, a little deal for you from the Greenhouse.

fabulous Tyler candles are now on sale, buy one, get one free! The Tyler Candle Company offers you many great ideas for gift giving regardless of the occasion. The perfect gift for you or someone special, Tyler offers a wide variety of scents to suite every personality. The diverse fragrances and products offered by Tyler Candle Co. will help you to enhance your homes ambiance and aesthetic.

Thanks so much for stopping by everyone!  Hope to see you soon down at Garden Supply.

Butterfly Bush

Hello everyone, and happy Monday to you all!  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  Things are certainly heating up, and we are still in full swing down at Garden Supply.  We have a couple of events coming up that you will want to mark your calendars for. First, the 2010 NC Triangle Race for the Cure event is being held next Saturday, the 12th, at Meredith College.  Our Garden Supply team, Gardeners for the Cure, will be there, and we'd love to have you join us. Every 73 seconds we lose another Mom, daughter, wife, sister, friend, or co-worker to breast cancer. We ARE making strides, more than 200 of you are making an IMPACT right now, but we still have a way to go!  So here's the link to our team page.  http://nctriangle.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/DUR_NCTriangleAffiliate?team_id=133021&pg=team&fr_id=1702 You'll be amazed at what comes back to you. A couple of items to note...you do not actually have to run or even walk on the 12th in order to participate.  Simply check the "sleep-in" option on the registration page.  For all of you who join us in this fight, you will receive a team Tee shirt, an after- party, and a special 12% discount card for ALL your Garden Supply purchases for the rest of the year.  And best of all, your name will be entered in our drawing to receive a $500 gift certificate to Garden Supply. Hurry, online registration ends June 10th.

Also, mark your calendars for out Annual Auction on June 19th. Join us for a full day of fun at our best sale of the year by participating in our absolute auction. Plants, trees, flowers, pots, urns, iron pieces, fountains and lots of other gift items will be sold. It's easy, just register and get a number, bid and be competitive, finish up your landscaping and get it all at a great price. Please check back for more details on this event including live music and other promotions.

And now I have a few more blooming plants to share with you that will add stunning color to your garden all summer while attracting a myriad of wildlife at the same time. With a collection of butterfly bushes in your garden you will be able to behold the beauty and fragrant delight of these plants while also attracting butterflies and hummingbirds who will love to feed off the flowers. There are plenty of butterfly bush varieties from which to choose, they are not picky about where you plant them and they grow hardily no matter what area of the country you are in.  You can find blue, ruby, pink, purple and red plants of the buddleia species down at Garden Supply to make your landscape a rainbow of color.

Miss Ruby butterfly bush

Developed by Dr. Dennis Werner of the JC Raulston Arboretum in NC, Miss Ruby is noted for its compact habit and remarkable vivid, rich pink flowers. The flower color is unlike any other buddleia. This new butterfly bush has silver leaves with a well branched growth habit which results in lots of beautiful flowers.

Miss Ruby photo courtesy of colorchoiceplants.com

Black Knight butterfly bush

Every bush of a Black Knight buddleia is covered with long, star-like almost-black blossoms from summer through fall. An easy-to-grow shrub that should be an essential feature in all yards. Butterflies and hummingbirds can’t resist the honey- scented blooms. Place near a patio or pathway and you’ll also appreciate their fragrance. Removal of spent flower spikes during the growing season will encourage additional bloom, but consider leaving final blooms in place to facilitate reseeding.

Royal Red butterfly bush

One of the most commonly requested butterfly bushes is the royal red. The royal red butterfly bush, instead of red as one would expect, has brilliant violet flowers that bloom from mid-summer. Royal red butterfly bushes can reach a height of up to seven feet. The blooms of a royal red butterfly bush are very fragrant, and attractive to butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. This vigorous, dense shrub will add structure and grace to a perennial border. The gray-green foliage of the royal red butterfly bush contrasts perfectly with the bright blooms.

Other butterfly bush varieties available at Garden Supply include:

Pink Delight- fragrant pink flower spikes from summer through fall.  Grows 4-6 feet tall and wide in an upright, spreading form. The fragrance has been described as similar to honey. The flower sprays are made of many tiny densely packed flowers.

Bicolor-the first Butterfly Bush to feature multiple colors on each bloom. Pannicles grow up to 10" and feature raspberry and butterscotch yellow florets beginning in summer. It is an excellent attractant for butterflies and hummingbirds. Grows 6-8' tall. Drought and deer resistant. Great cut flower.

Harlequin- Spectacular summer color from reddish-purple flower spikes. Terrific fragrance attracts butterflies. Good background or accent plant with the added bonus of variegated leaves.

Ellen Blue- Beautiful blue flowers with an orange eye and medium to high fragrance. Gray/silver foliage, grows to 6'. A seedling of 'Lochinch', selected by Ellen Hornig and named for her.

Lochinch- extremely fragrant lilac-blue flowers with orange eyes. Its arching, mounded habit typically reaches 3 to 5 feet in one season, but can grow much taller in the deep South. The 8-  to 12-inch-long flower spikes begin in late summer and bloom until frost.

Creating a butterfly garden is a fun hobby with an amazing pay-off.  You get to enjoy the beauty of many different species of colorful butterflies that visit your garden once your butterfly bushes begin to bloom and grow.  It is a popular hobby because it is not difficult, it is great for the environment and it is something that pretty much anyone can do. Stop by the garden center and let our helpful experts get you started on your own butterfly garden today.

Wine & Design Container Gardening

Hi everyone! Tonight is Wine & Design time down at Garden Supply. Join us from 6-8 pm and let our experts help you pick out the perfect plant arrangements for your container garden.  Sip a glass of wine and enjoy a beautiful evening with us. This event is free, however RSVPs are requested at 460-7747 or email at info@gardensupplyco.com. Want a few tips on easy container gardening? Beautiful pots bursting with gorgeous plantings dress up your patio, entry, or garden, and they are a snap with these simple guidelines.

Dazzling containers reach their potential only if planted properly.  Here's the scoop on soil, pots, and the little things that help plants thrive. Plants need good potting mix to flourish.  But how can you spot a good potting soil?  Hoist the bag. If it's light and fluffy, like moist sawdust, it's probably fine.  If it's heavy and feels like wet dirt, keep looking. Also consider using a mix that already contains a slow-release fertilizer, like Miracle Grow potting soil. Always use potting mix, never garden soil.  And although it's tempting to reuse potting mix- it costs money after all- your plants will grow more robustly and have fewer diseases with fresh mix. If your soil doesn't already contain it, blend in slow-release fertilizer when you plant.

Pots must have a drainage hole for excess water to pass through.  A pan to hold the drain water prevents staining on your deck or patio. In larger pots- more than 12 inches across- you may want to add an upside-down plastic pot or packing peanuts in the pot's bottom to decrease the overall weight.  In smaller pots, fill completely with soil to allow for good root growth.

Finally, cover the surface with mulch.  Not only does it decorate the pot, it also reduces soil splashing and conserves water.  Simple bark mulch is fine, but try other materials such as rocks or moss for a more decorative look.

Now that we've got you started, you can move onto the real fun part...picking out your plants.  Stop by the garden center tonight and let our friendly experts guide you on making the perfect selections for your yard.  And come back tomorrow for more tips from me on basic design and TLC for your newly planted containers.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I'll see you all back here tomorrow for more snippets from the garden.

Win a Thousand Dollars

A heartfelt thanks to all of you who have joined and/or donated to our team, "Gardener's for the Cure". We're off to a good start, but there's more that we can do. There are over four thousand of you on our email list and we thought, "Well, we can easily see 10% signing up, times the $25.00 entry fee, equals $10,000. Easy, that's our goal!" We have a way to go!

We want to clarify some commonly asked questions we are hearing from you....you don't have to come to the Race on June 12th, you can check the box, "Sleep in for the Cure". Also, when you sign up on the website for our team, you are automatically assigned a "personal page" with a "personal goal". It's part of the "networking" to raise more money. However, you do not have to participate in that way. (Of course we would encourage you to, it's an easy way to let your family and friends know how you are making an impact!) Also, a lot of you are on teams through work or have already signed up individually, etc. but guess what ?! You can be on more than one team... some of us are on three. And lastly, YES! We are really giving you a 12% discount card to use on ALL of your purchases  the rest of the year for the mere $25.00 it takes to join our team.

So here's our challenge to you: the deadline to be able to sign up for the team is May 17th and we want to hit that goal! If we do, one of you who have either joined and/or donated to our team, will win a $1000.00 Gift Certificate from Garden Supply Co. Don't put this off another minute! Follow this link to our Team's home page and join us there or if you aren't comfortable with cyberspace, you can register with us at the store. http://nctriangle.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/DUR_NCTriangleAffiliate?team_id=133021&pg=team&fr_id=1702

One person can make an impact on many women's lives, imagine all of us together, all four thousand of you, and the IMPACT we can have on the lives of MANY women and their families. Join us!

Trunk Show Tonight

Hi everyone!  We are so looking forward to this evening and our first ever Wine & Design Trunk Show.  We will be bringing you some of the latest fashions and current trends along with tips and advice on what to keep in your closets this spring and what to let go.  Moon and Lola from downtown Apex will be sharing their unique hand-crafted jewelry, and Lynne Ogburn Designs will be here to share their one-of-a-kind "gems from the garden" jewelry as well. Come share a glass of wine with us and enjoy a different kind of evening in the garden.  Festivities are from 6-8 pm.  Please RSVP to 460-7747 or info@gardensupplyco.com. I also wanted to share with you a few updates on some of the gardening projects I've been working on at my home.  You all may remember my Topsy-Turvy tomato planting test garden from one month ago.  We receive so many inquiries about the unique Topsy-Turvy planters down at Garden Supply, that I decided to give it a try and see how well they work.  I was initially quite charmed by the whole concept, and found my planters rather easy to set-up, even working on my own.  And now one month later, I still find the Topsy-Turvy planter to be a fun little gadget.  All you need to get started is a planter, one bag of good potting soil, and your plant.

Here is what my planter looked like on day one.

And here it is 4 weeks later.  As you can see, it has grown tremendously, and is setting its first tomatoes.  Look at how healthy the foliage looks.  One benefit to this growing style is it keeps the plants up above the ground where most garden pests reside, greatly reducing the chances of having a buggy plant.

The key so far has seemed to be selecting a nice sunny spot for the planter, and making sure it receives adequate watering.  Remember, the Topsy-Turvy is a container and needs to be watered on a regular basis.  As temperatures heat up, that means checking your planter every day.  To decide if your planter could use more water, heft the bag.  If it's heavy, leave it alone another day, but if it feels light as a feather, it's time for more water.

We also have the Topsy-Turvy Strawberry Planter and the Hot Pepper Planter in the garden center.  I've planted strawberries and a tomato together in my second planter at home, which I will share with you soon.  but we also have test planters of the Tomato and Hot Pepper Planters down at Garden Supply.  Stop by and take a peek next time you're there.

And now, here's an updated photo of my Mother's Day Garden I've been creating against the back foundation wall of my house.  Mom and I have a few plants left to get in the ground, but you can really see how the border is coming together.

If you would like to see more information on my shady Mother's Day garden, please go here.  I've got tips on getting started and plant selection for those of you with similar planting opportunities in your yard.  And as always, the experts at Garden Supply are standing by to help you with all your landscaping needs.

Hope to see many of you tonight at our Wine & Design!  And I'll be back soon for more snippets from the garden.

Wine & Design Trunk Show

Hello everyone!  Hope your weeks are off to a wonderful start!  We have some fun activities going on this week that I am excited to tell you about.  First, I hope you all can join us this Thursday evening from 6-8 pm for our Wine & Design Trunk Show.  Deborah's friend from Richmond is bringing her clothing boutique to us! She has a way of scouting the market for the best trends and wearable designs at affordable prices. She will be giving you a forecast  of trends coming this way, advice on what to hold onto in your closet, and what to let go. Also, Lynne Ogburn Designs will be here with her "gems in the garden" a beautiful and creative jewelry line and Moon & Lola from downtown Apex will be here with their own line of handmade jewelry. So mark your calendar and invite your friends for a different night in the garden! Please RSVP for this event to 460-7747 or email at info@gardensupplyco.com. We would also like to invite you to The Page-Walker Arts & History Center on Saturday the 15th for their 1st annual Herb-Fest.

In addition to touring the Garden, festival-goers can watch herb cooking demonstrations and stroll through booths selling a wide variety of herbs, crafts and garden products. Vendors participating in Herbfest include: Bela Imports, Chatham Street Café, Dillardville Bird Houses, Garden Supply Company, Eva Green, Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve, J & M Garden Art, Bonnie King Soaps, The Little Herb House, The Meat House, The Thyme Savor, Wake County Herb Society, Natalie Winters and Whole Foods. Each will reflect the theme of this year’s Herbfest, which is gardening, herbs, native plants, perennials, nature, cooking, and the contribution these pursuits make to a healthy lifestyle. Live musical entertainment will be provided throughout the event by Chris Anderson and Gail Leonard, as well as a talented jazz trio from Enloe High School.

And don't forget that we have tons of gorgeous new plants arriving daily down at Garden Supply.  Peak planting time is now so come on in and let us help you achieve the garden of your dreams this season.  Our garden center is open 7 days a week and our experts are standing by.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I'll see you all back here soon for more snippets from the garden.

Earth Day- You Can Make a Difference

Good morning everyone!  Today is Earth Day, and it's the 40th anniversary of the holiday.  It's a great time to learn about our planet and how to take care of it.  Think you can't make a difference?  Not so.  Little things- like using a cloth shopping bag, or tossing potato skins and eggshells into a compost bin- can help the environment.  Teach your kids now, and they will develop good habits that endure throughout their lifetime.  Together we can see, just one person can make a difference. Here are a few ways you can go green this Earth Day, and every day.

REDUCE ELECTRICITY: Explain to your children that lights, televisions, computers and furnaces all use energy, and that energy is in short supply.  Turning off the lights when leaving the room or switching off the TV when you're done watching will save energy.

Also, appliances like coffee-makers, DVD and CD players, toasters, and hairdryers do use energy, even when turned off.  Unplugging your devices from the electrical outlet is the way to conserve energy when not in use.

RECYCLE: Every bottle and can that we use is waste, and will end up sitting in the town dump unless it's recycled.  The Town of Cary has a wonderful curb-side recycling program and yard waste collection making recycling a snap.  If there's no recycling collection in your area, find out where you can drop off items.

COMPOST: It's easy to collect your own food scraps and garden waste and turn it into healthy compost for your yard.  Get your kids involved in a little craft project to create a compost container, like this cute one here.

photo courtesy of Kaboose.com

This project isn't only fun- it's great for the environment and your garden too. With just a minimum of effort, you can help reduce waste and produce rich, healthy soil to spread around your yard.  Too see step-by step instructions for creating this project, as well as other fun Earth Day kids crafts and activities, check out this wonderful website.

TAKE SMALL STEPS:

• shut off the water while brushing your teeth
• use cloth or re-usable tote bags while shopping
• walk or ride your bike instead of taking the car
• take shorter showers and install water saving shower heads
• choose products with less packaging

PLANT A TREE: Trees not only will beautify your yard, they also help remove pollutants and dust from the air.  They also act as natural insulation-enough to cut your heating and cooling bills by 10 to 30 percent.  Planting a tree can commemorate a special event or anniversary and also acts as a natural jungle gym.  We have tons of trees to choose from down at the garden center.  A nice choice for this time of the year is the Fringe tree, in full bloom this week.

Fringe tree or Old Man's Beard is a beautiful, small tree when it is in full Spring bloom. It can grow nearly anywhere in the continental United States and it's white flower color kicks in just as the dogwood blooms are fading.

The upright oval to rounded form of Fringe tree adds dark green color in summer, bright white flowers in spring. The pure white, slightly fragrant flowers hang in long, spectacular panicles which appear to cover the tree with cotton for two weeks. As with other white flowered trees, they look best when viewed against a dark background.

I planted this Fringe Tree from Garden Supply in my own yard two years ago for Earth Day.  What a spectacular addition to my landscape!

If you're looking for some additional activities for this Earth Day, join us this evening at Cary's all green McDonalds on Kildaire Farm Rd. for a fun-filled schedule of events.

Thanks so much for stopping by everyone!  And don't forget that you, too, can do your part to help save the environment, today and everyday!

Earth Day

Earth Day falls in just two days from now, on April 22nd.  This year, do something good for the environment by planting a tree or shrub.  Not only will you be "greening" up your yard, but you'll help remove pollutants and dust from the air and provide natural insulation-enough to cut your heating and cooling bills by 10 to 30 percent.  And with so many plants blooming right now, you're sure to find one or two to fall in love with down at Garden Supply. Like this stunning Summer Snowflake Viburnum.

Summer Snowflake first blooms around the end of April or the first of May, about a week after dogwoods finish. The white flowers are individually about the size of a quarter, but borne in a flat head that is up to four inches across. The blooms splayed on the horizontal branches give the plants a wedding-cake kind of look when they appear.

Other than the upright growth form, the other thing that sets Summer Snowflake apart from other viburnums is that it is a repeat bloomer. Admittedly, the first bloom of the season is much more showy than the ones to follow, but about once a month, additional blooms pop out here and there on the ends of new growth.

Gardeners favor viburnums because they have multiple seasons of interest; showy flowers, bright red berries and good fall color. Summer Snowflake has two of the three - usually it sets few berries. Part of the reason for its ability to continue flowering during the growing season is because it does not have a load of berries to support.

Another personal favorite of mine is the Common Snowball Viburnum.

The Common Snowball Bush, Viburnum opulus 'roseum', produces white flowers in late spring. It is a deciduous thicket-forming Old World shrub. In the fall, the leaves turn a wonderful burgundy reddish-purple. About the same time, the bright red, attractive berries ripen, and persist on the plant throughout the winter. Birds are very fond of the berries, and can often be found snacking during the winter.

Another showy spring bloomer is this Vanhoutte Spirea.

This durable and easy to grow shrub is a sentimental favorite among many because it is remembered in our grandparents' gardens.  This is a tried-and-true shrub that can be grown with a minimum of fuss.  Space considerations should be pondered in advance- it can grow 6-8 feet tall and 12 or more feet wide.  It grows well in average, well drained soil and flourishes in full sun or partial shade.  It is a show-stopper in mid to late spring when its arching branches are covered with pure white flowers.  Can be grown as a hedge or used in shrub borders.

If you're interested in a blooming tree for this mid-April period, consider the Crabapple tree, like this Malus 'Firebird'.

Firebird Crabapple produces an abundance of white blooms in spring and is loaded with small red fruit in fall, less than 1/2" in diameter, which remain on the tree well into winter.  Firebird is a genetic dwarf grown on a grafted standard and is excellent for small locations.  The flowers are fragrant and are attractive to bees, butterflies and birds.

These are just a small sampling of the blooming plants available for a bit of Earth Day planting.  Stop by the garden center to see our full range and talk to our experts about planting guides and recommendations.

And in other Earth Day news:

Join us for Earth Day at the green McDonald’s

Thursday, April 22      5:00-7:00pm

1299 Kildaire Farm Road

Stop by and learn about all of the environmentally-friendly features that make this McDonald’s so unique.

Garden Supply will be there to answer questions about earth-friendly plants and landscaping. The first 100 kids will get to decorate a pot and plant something special to take home!

Bring your family and have a spring-time portrait taken by Erin May Photography.

Try samples and get more information from The Produce Box, a supplier of fresh, local produce delivered right to your door!

Create an Earth Day Bookmark with the Girls Scouts and benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Durham.

You won’t want to miss seeing Ronald McDonald and his Scoot Coupe!

For questions or more information please contact Julie Barberio at 919-244-9531 julie@mcdonaldsadvantage.com

Thanks for stopping by everyone!  I'll see you all back here tomorrow for more snippets from the garden.

Garden Party News

Hi everyone!  Hope you're having a wonderful week. These last days have flown by so quickly.....hard to believe we're almost at the weekend again.  I hope you all have had a chance to stop by Garden Supply for our annual Spring Garden Party this week.  We have fun activities happening daily, culminating in our big finale on Saturday. On Friday, from 11-3, we have The Meat House coming, the friendly, new butcher in town.  The Meat House offers everything you need to prepare a complete gourmet meal that your family and friends will rave about. They offer a wide selection of expertly butchered premium meats, poultry, veal, lamb, and pork, prepared proteins, fine cheeses, fresh produce, hearty breads, prepared side dishes, Boar's Head Deli products, delectable desserts and pastries, and other gourmet grocery items. They also carry over 200 varieties of wines from around the world, which are hand selected by The Meat House's Certified Wine Educator.  Be sure to check out their website for recipes and photos, and stop by the garden center for some tasty samples from their portable kitchen.

And here's our fun line-up for Saturday.

• Mamma Mia pizza will fire up our pizza oven and serve samples from 11-3
• Hot Dogs hot off the grill to benefit Mer Mer's Angels/ Angels Among Us 5K & Family Fun Walk
• Various industry vendors on hand to answer plant questions and help you with other garden solutions
• Dinner Savvy will show you how to easily prepare and serve your family fun meals
• The Grove School of Cary a fresh new pre-school, find out how your child can grow with them
• Grace Li Wang will be sharing her mixed-media artistry
• Live Music - Local Band "Westwood Back Porch String Band" will be performing from 11-1
• Live Music - Local Band "No Worries" will be performing from 1-3
• Fun games, face painting and activities for kids
• Reps from J&D Tree Pros will be on hand to answer questions about tree removal

And don't forget, now through Saturday, receive 15% off your entire tree and shrub purchase!

Hope to see you soon!