Childrens Holiday Events at Garden Supply Co.

The holidays are here, and at Garden Supply Co. we are ready to celebrate this wonderful time of year with some special events just for children. We've set aside the month of December and filled our schedule with our very favorite kids events like Breakfast with Mrs. Claus and pony rides with Ginger and Snap. So pull out those datebooks and mark your calendars for these special dates.

Breakfast with Mrs. Claus

December 1st, 8th, and 15th at 9 am

Join us for a continental fare breakfast at 9 am, immediately followed by a special story-time with Mrs. Claus herself. Be sure to bring your cameras to capture those once-in-a-lifetime moments and any letters to Santa that your kids would like to pass along.

Breakfast with Mrs. Claus Registration

Breakfast with Mrs. Claus is a free event, however registration in-person at the store is required. This year, we are asking for book donations to the Book Fairy, an organization that donates children's books to the Pediatric Oncology Clinic at UNC Hospitals.

All new or gently used books for ages one through mid-teen are welcome. The need is great for English and Spanish-language board books, the sturdy picture books that can withstand repeated use by the very young.

Please bring in your donations by December 1st and register in-person at the store. We will not be accepting phone reservations at this time, as they need to have the books in hand for distribution by the 9th.

One book per child, per event

Pony Rides

December 8th and 15th from 11 am- 3 pm

This year, we are thrilled to welcome back our very favorite Garden Supply Co. ponies, Ginger and Snap. They will be visiting with us two afternoons in December, offering rides through the garden center.

Pony Ride Registration

Registration is free, however tickets are required for pony rides. To obtain pony ride tickets, we are asking for book donations to the Book Fairy, an organization that donates children's books to the Pediatric Oncology Clinic at UNC Hospitals.

Please see above Breakfast with Mrs. Claus registration information for full details.

Book donations and ticket registration must be made in person by December 1st, as the Book Fairy needs all donations for distribution on the 9th.

Thanks so much, and we look forward to celebrating the holidays with you and your children at Garden Supply Co!

Annual Holiday Open House

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Garden Supply Co.- Cary, NC

Mark your calendars for our favorite special event! We hope you can join us this weekend as we kick off the holiday season with our annual Holiday Open House. Our helper elves have been working hard to turn the Greenhouse into a spectacular winter wonderland, and we are so excited to share this season's offerings with you!

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The festivities begin Friday with our much anticipated tree-lit evening in the garden. Stroll the Greenhouse in the twinkling lights and magic of the season while enjoying  the peak of beauty of our freshly decorated trees.

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Our Holiday Open House continues throughout the weekend as well, so come on back and visit with us more! We're looking forward to seeing you all!

Holiday Open House

Friday November 2: 6:30-8:30 Saturday November 3: 8:00 am- 6:00 pm Sunday November 4: 11:00 am- 5:00 pm

Fall in the Greenhouse

Garden Supply Co.- Cary, NC

We are so excited at Garden Supply Co. this month to kick off the holidays with oodles of new gift and home decor goodies in the Greenhouse. From now through December our doors will be bursting with unique and beautiful pieces that we cannot wait to share with you. Whether you are looking to add some seasonal touches to your home decor, or needing those special, one-of-a-kind gift items, you're going to love what we've got in store for you!

Here's a peek of some of our seasonal selections for Fall and Halloween.

This is truly just the tip of the iceberg! You need to come in and see it to believe it! And this isn't all.....

our holiday elves are already hard at work, transforming the Greenhouse into a winter wonderland. We are so excited to have Trevor Bey, from Holiday Creation, Inc., back with us this year. Just wait until you see our trees! Here's a sneak peek!

To see more of our holiday offerings, be sure to stop by the Greenhouse! And don't forget to mark your calendars for our annual Holiday Open House, Friday November 2nd. We're looking forward to celebrating the season with all of you!

Fall Faire

Fall is almost here, and at Garden Supply Co, we are ready to celebrate the arrival of our favorite season. This time of year, we have so many reasons to be thankful. The air is finally turning a bit cooler, and lots of beautiful, fresh plants are filling our shelves, just in time for peak planting time. Fall pansies and mums are starting to make their appearance, and the Greenhouse is transforming into a holiday wonderful. It's time to celebrate with a little party! So mark your calendars and join us for our special Fall Faire on September 22nd.

Fall Faire

Saturday, September 22nd

Events

“Meet the Pro’s” expert advice from Leapfrog Landcare – organic lawn and land care -all day Wyatt Quarles – specialist on grass and veggie seeds – 10-4 J&D Tree Pro’s – certified arborist – pruning advice – 9-3 Southern Gem Growers – caring for annuals - 9-3 Garden Supply Designers and Friendly Staff to help all day

Great Harvest Bread Company 9-11

Dorries Downtown 12-2

Local Sculpture Artist Rob Priester- all day

Bells Bees with an observation bee hive - 10-4

Coon Rock Farm –organic produce provider

Free For the Kids:

Magician Wayne Anderson 11-2

Face Painting – Cheeky Face Art 11-3

Free Hot Dogs and Cider

Cornhole Tournament :

If you’re not familiar with Cornhole, it’s really a pretty simple game. Cornhole, also known as bean bag toss, corn toss, baggo or bags, is a lawn game in which players take turns throwing corn hole bags at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. A corn bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one on the platform scores 1 point. Play continues until a player reaches the score of 21.

Corn Hole Age Divisions

We will have three age divisions at our tournament, so that the whole family can play along:

13 & Under 14-20 21 & Up

Teams consist of two players.

Corn Hole Registration

Adult registration is $10/team

Registration is open now, so give us a call to get signed up.

Corn Hole Prizes

The first place 21 & Up team winners will receive a $200 gift certificate to the garden center. The runners up will receive a $100 gift certificate. And there will be prizes available for the younger age divisions, too.

That's just some of the special events we have planned, so we hope to see you all at our Fall Faire on September 22nd!

Western Wake Crisis Ministry Food Drive 10-5

Free gift with a 3 can or $5 donation

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Fall Vegetables Garden to Table Workshops

This week, we are excited to offer two dates for the next in our series of Garden to Table Workshops. This time, we'll be focusing on fall vegetables. Come learn what to grow and enjoy now in your edible gardens. In this workshop, we'll tell you all you need to know in order to plant and harvest a bountiful garden this fall.

Fall Vegetables Table to Garden Workshop Dates

Wednesday September 5 from 6-8 pm

Saturday September 8 from 10am- 12pm

Registration

Registration of $20 includes 5 vegetable plants, light refreshments, and plenty of time to answer all your questions.

If you took our spring class and have an "Earth-Box", join us for FREE!

Call us at 919-460-7747 or stop by the store to get registered.

Fall Fare Corn Hole Tournament

Attention all Cornhole gamers! We are excited to announce our first ever Cornhole Tournament at Garden Supply Co! If you've ever wanted to try out the fun that is Cornhole, or are seasoned pros at the game, we hope you will join us at our Tournament on September 22nd, as part of our fabulous Fall Fare festivities. Team sign-ups start TODAY, so stop by or give us a call to get registered!

If you're not familiar with Cornhole, it's really a pretty simple game. Cornhole, also known as bean bag toss, corn toss, baggo or bags, is a lawn game in which players take turns throwing corn hole bags at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. A corn bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one on the platform scores 1 point. Play continues until a player reaches the score of 21.

Age Divisions

We will have three age divisions at our tournament, so that the whole family can play along:

13 & Under 14-20 21 & Up

Teams consist of two players.

Registration

Sign-ups begin on August 1st.

Adult registration is $10/team

Prizes

The first place 21 & Up team winners will receive a $200 gift certificate to the garden center. The runners up will receive a $100 gift certificate. And there will be prizes available for the younger age divisions, too.

Fall Fare

The Cornhole Tournament is just part of the fun activities we have planned for our Fall Fare on September 22nd. We'll have hot dogs and apple cider, face painting for the kids, and of course tons of fresh plants just in time for fall planting. Also be on the lookout for fall mums and pumpkins and gourds from the farm.

Hope to see you all there!

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

Gardeners for the Cure- Cary, NC

Every 74 seconds, a life is lost to breast cancer. And at Garden Supply Co., that's a statistic that we just can't live with. If we all join together, we can make a difference in the lives of those affected by this deadly disease. That's why we are asking for your help.  Join our Gardeners for the Cure Team and Race for the Cure with us on June 9th. As a member of this team, we are each playing a part in helping Susan G. Komen for the Cure® end breast cancer forever.

If you've already joined our team, we thank you. If not, now is a great time to sign up to make an impact in our community and help eradicate breast cancer forever. And as our heartfelt thanks to you for joining with us, everyone who registers for the team will receive our special Gardeners for the Cure Team tee-shirt, as well as a 12% discount card good on ALL your Garden Supply Co. purchases for the remainder of 2012. Not only that, you'll have the chance to win even more!

$50 Gift Card

Would you like to win a $50 Garden Supply Co. gift card? Join the team, then ask 20 of your friends, family, and co-workers for a $20 donation to your personal fundraising goal.  Just click on the link below, it's that easy.  (By the way, Belk's is giving a $25 gift card to all team members who raise at least $320 to boot.)

Of course, Deb has a bigger prize in mind for the top fundraiser of our team...last year Sandy Morgan won two round-trip tickets anywhere in the U.S..  What will it be this year?

Race for the Cure

The 2012 Komen NC Triangle Race for the Cure® will be held Saturday, June 9 at Meredith College in Raleigh, NC. All fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, even in the event of inclement weather. The Race is a 5k (3.1 miles). They also offer a 1 mile walk.

For more race information, please click here.  And for a full race day schedule click here.

Also know that you can join our team and sleep-in for the cure, too.

Together, we are fueling the best science, boldest community and biggest impact in the fight against breast cancer. And we will not stop until this disease is gone forever. That’s our promise. Won't you join us?

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is just around the corner. Time to celebrate all those special women in our lives. And if you're looking for that perfect gift for Mom or Grandma this year, we have some fabulous ideas to share with you, including some that are FREE! Plant a Tree

Japanese Maple

Instead of cut flowers this year, why not plant a tree in honor of Mom. The tree will be a living reminder of your love, and something she can watch grow as her family grows. We've done this at our house and trust me, that tree will quickly become the most precious tree in the yard.

We have lots of beautiful trees to choose from, including many that are blooming right now. Of course a Japanese Maple is always a stunning choice. But for blooms around Mother's Day, try these:

Kousa Dogwood

Snow Charm Japanese Snowbell

Southern Magnolia

Another fabulous tree choice for Mother's Day is the Redbud. True, it is done blooming by now, but every spring, Mom will be showered with a stunning display of blossoms. Plus the Redbud's heart-shaped leaves are a perfect way to showcase your love. This year, we have a unique and beautiful variety of Redbud, the Whitewater Weeping Redbud.

Whitewater Weeping Redbud

Now with any tree purchase of $248 or more, shipping is FREE*

Kids Plant Free

Bring the kids by to decorate and plant a pot of flowers for mom or grandma for FREE.

Edible Garden

Earthbox Garden Kit

Plant an easy-to-grow edible garden with an Earthbox. Purchase the Earthbox Kit, and we will plant it with the vegetable and herbs of your choice for FREE.**

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Honor your favorite female with the gift that keeps on giving. Join our "Gardeners for the Cure" team for $50 and receive a 12% discount card for all her purchases through 2012 and an exclusive T-shirt for FREE wrapped up and ready to give.

Perennial Garden

Plant Mom a garden of colorful perennials...mix and match any 10 for 10% off!

Of course we have a gazillion more ideas including gift certificates and FREE gift wrapping. Let us help you make this a day to remember.

One more bonus, include in your gift a raffle ticket for the beautiful planter pictured here of a silhouette of a woman dressed in pink mandevilla. Tickets are only $5 and all money will be donated to Komen for the Cure. We will draw the lucky winner's name on Sunday...what a great gift to your wife, mom, sister, grandmother, and friend!

*Delivery is FREE in Cary, Apex and Morrisville

**Choose up to five plants FREE

~Happy Mother's Day!

3rd Annual Herbest and Events

Cary, NC- 3rd Annual Friends of the Page-Walker Herbfest

Hope you will join us tomorrow at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center in downtown Cary for the 3rd Annual Friends of the Page-Walker Herbfest. We will be there, as always, selling a large variety of the freshest herbs specially brought in by many of our local growers.

The Herbfest is a free event, and one of our favorite local gatherings each year. There will be lots of vendors on hand, as well as music, food, and even fun activities for the kids. Rain or shine, we look forward to seeing you all there!

Garden to the Table Celebration

If you have any interest in growing your own food, cooking with fresh herbs and vegetables, or buying organic produce, meat, and eggs, then you will definitely want to come from the Herbfest to our Garden to the Table Celebration at Garden Supply Co.

Chef Lucas Owens will be sharing tasty samples and easy recipes using fresh herbs.  Peak Olive Oil Co. is sampling their array of artisan crafted olive oils and vinegars. Peak Olive Oil Co. is located in downtown Cary in the Sorrells building. They are brand-new to the neighborhood so we hope you will make them feel welcome. There are so many unique varieties of oils and vinegars that the toughest choice will be deciding which one to take home.

 Bringing the farm to us is Coon Rock Farm with sustainably produced vegetables, herbs, fruits, and pasture raised, hormone free meats and eggs. They will also be cooking so you can taste for yourself the difference locally grown and raised products make.

Coon Rock Farm is Garden Supply Co. owner, Deb's,  favorite find of the season. It is a 50 acre sustainable family-owned farm on the Eno River which grows organic food, but best yet will bring it to you every week!  For $25, your family can have all that was fresh for the week. What a great alternative for those of us who want the "farm table" at home but lack the time and space. This is one website (coonrockfarm.com) you need to visit to learn more.

We will be here all day but our guest vendors will only be able to join us from 11am-3pm. Join us and bring the garden to your table!

Annual Spring Garden Party

Cary, NC Mark your calendars for this Saturday, March 10th for our Annual Spring Garden Party, and join us as we celebrate the start of our favorite season here at the garden center, spring! Come stroll through the gardens and browse the hundreds of beautiful plants that have been pouring in as we prepare for peak-season planting. We've been busy getting ready and are so excited to show you all the glorious plants we've collected and to unveil our new entry renovation, too. It's going to be a fabulous day at Garden Supply Co.!

Spring Garden Party

Saturday, March 10th 9am-4pm

We'll have hot dogs and drinks available most of the day, as well as fresh pizza from our pizza oven in the afternoon.

If you're interested in trying your hand at Corn Hole, we'll have our board set up outside for any and all players.

We're also pleased to welcome back our friends at Great Harvest Bread Co. who will be on hand from 9am-noon selling their fresh-from-the-oven baked goods.

Hope to see you all Saturday!

New Workshops

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Our winter series of classes and workshops is continuing with two new additions to the line up. Registration is now open for both Grafting Japanese Maples 101 and Sedum-Roofed Birdhouses and Feeders. If you've been wanting to learn some new skills, then these are the workshops for you.

Grafting Japanese Maples 101

If you have ever wanted to learn the craft of grafting, we have a treat for you. Our expert, Lewis Williford, is an industry leader in the "art and science" of grafting Japanese Maples. He started his nursery in 1979 and grows 125 cultivars of this beautiful tree. His enthusiasm is infectious, and the knowledge you will gain from this workshop will set you on a course of successful grafting on your own for years to come.

The workshop is Thursday, Feb.23rd 6-8pm and the cost is only $50.00 You will take home a Weeping Japanese Maple you have grafted yourself and the knowledge to venture in your own garden to try it again!

Lewis will also showcase some amazing varieties of Japanese Maples available in limited quantities for purchase.

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Sedum-Roofed Birdhouses or Feeders

Sedum-Roofed Birdhouses and Feeders are the latest trend in garden art. They are functional as well as beautiful. Join us Thursday, Mar. 1st. 6-8pm, or Sunday, Mar. 4th 3-5pm to create your one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Once you make one you will be looking for other "roofs", like Fido's house to cover with this low-maintenance, low-water plant!

Registration is $65.00 and we provide a choice of either a locally handcrafted western cedar birdhouse or birdfeeder, soil, and sedum plants. This is a great class for kids too.

Registration for both workshops is available in-store or by giving us at call at 919-460-7747. We look forward to seeing you!

Earthbox Garden Workshops Now Open

We are excited to be able to offer new workshops this spring at Garden Supply Co. We've had great response from our series of Terrarium and Mini Garden classes, and next up is our Earthbox Garden Workshops. Registration is now open for two dates: Thursday, February 16th from 6-8 pm, and Saturday, February 18th from 9-11 am.

Earthbox Garden Workshop

So what exactly is an Earthbox, you may ask?

EarthBoxes are the easy way to grow your own fresh vegetables, herbs, and more, without a garden.  In this workshop, Stephen and Jay will guide you step-by-step as you plant a garden of lettuces, broccoli, cabbage, or herbs to enjoy all season long.  After your class all you'll have to do is add water and sunshine when you get home.

This is hands-down one of the most exciting products to come to market and we know it works!

The workshop includes a complete EarthBox kit with caster wheels, weed/mulch cover, fertilizer, Black Kow Soil, and a large variety of cool season vegetables and herbs for you to choose from.  You will also receive a FREE pizza garden for the next growing season.  In April, come by and pick up your tomato and basil plants for a summer of fresh, vine-ripe fruit with virtually little effort.

Workshop Fee

Workshop fee is $75.00. Pre-registration is required and can be done either in-store or by calling at 919-460-7747.

Upcoming Spring Workshops

P.S. Save the date for the following workshops...

February 23rd: Grafting 101 with Japanese Maples.  Meet a leading expert in our field and go home with a maple you grafted yourself!

March 1st and 4th: Sedum-Roofed Birdhouses and Feeders.  Super fun and functional art for your garden.

Details to follow...

Breakfast With Mrs. Claus

The holidays are here! Our favorite time of year at Garden Supply Co! And once again we are excited to bring you one of our most treasured annual events at the garden center, Breakfast with Mrs. Claus.

Mrs. Claus will be joining us on three dates in December, so mark your calendars now for December 3rd, December 10th, and December 17th.  Festivities start promptly at 9 am with a continental-style breakfast, followed immediately by story time and photos. Be sure to bring your cameras and all those letters for Santa, too.

Breakfast with Mrs. Claus

Saturday, December 3rd at 9 am Saturday, December 10th at 9 am Saturday, December 17th at 9 am

Breakfast with Mrs. Claus is a FREE event, however registration is required. Please call the garden center at 919-460-7747 for reservations.

Face Painting and Pony Rides

We hope you'll bring the kiddos in and join us for continuing activities throughout the afternoon. Our fabulous face painter, Shannon Carver, will be here from 11am to 3pm, along with our favorite ponies, Ginger and Snap for pony rides through the nursery. These events are FREE as well.

This year we would like to start a new tradition. We would love for each child attending breakfast, face-painting, or pony rides to bring a donation for the Western Wake Crisis Ministry.  This cohesive group of churches, businesses, and volunteers from our community serve people in need in our area with an open pantry of food and monetary donations to help bridge the gap for families requiring assistance.

Here is a list of their most-needed items:

• Canned Meals: Stews, Soups, Tuna, Ravioli, Lasagna, etc. 
• Peanut Butter, Canned Vegetables
• Grains: Cereal, Rice, Pasta and Dried Beans
• Fruits: Fruit cups, Dried Fruit, Applesauce, 100% Juice and Juice Boxes
• Rice, Pasta and Dried Beans
• Kid-Friendly Items: Granola Bars, Popcorn, Graham or Animal Crackers, Fat-free/Sugar-free Pudding Cups
• Baby Products: Diapers, Wipes, Formula, Infant Cereal
• Hygiene Items: Toothpaste, Feminine Products, Shaving Items, Hand Sanitizer, Soap, etc.
• Paper Products: Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, etc.
• (Please - No loose glass and plastic jars of baby food as they will have to be discarded due to health regulations)

For more information, please visit the Western Wake Crisis Ministry website.

With so much to be thankful for,  we hope you will join us in providing not only "JOY" for those whose needs are great,  but sharing with our children the "JOY" of giving.

And always know that we are thankful for YOU! Looking forward to seeing you all soon!

Small Business Saturday

Mark your calendars for a very special event this Saturday, November 26th.  It's the second annual Small Business Saturday, sponsored by American Express. Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. And we could not be more excited! Not only are we a small independent business our self, but Garden Supply Company is also proud to support many small businesses with the beautiful products we provide to you. From the freshest plant materials we bring in from small local growers, to the hand-crafted and one-of-a-kind gifts and home decor from craftsmen and artisans across the country that fill our Greenhouse, we strongly believe in building a strong community by keeping things Small.

Shop Small and Get $25 Back

American Express wants to help you make a difference. Get a one-time $25 statement credit when you register an eligible American Express Card and use that card for a purchase of $25 or more at a small business on November 26th. Visit the Small Business Saturday Facebook page to find out more and get your card registered to take advantage of this special offer.

Why Shop Small?

So what's the advantage to shopping Small? Besides supporting your friends and neighbors, keeping your money circulating within your own community has multiple benefits that affect us all. According to statistics on the 3/50 Project website, for every $100 spent in locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a nation chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home.

So if you head out shopping this Saturday, we hope you will think of us, along with all the other fabulous small businesses in our community. Pledge to shop Small on November 26. If millions of Americans shop Small, it will be huge.

Holiday Workshop with Trevor Bey

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Please join us for a night of holiday decorating with our special guest designer Trevor Bey of Holiday Creation, Inc. Trevor will show us how to decorate like the pros in this hands-on 2-hour workshop. We'll learn how to create perfect bows, lush swags, and seasonal wreaths, using the tips and techniques used by professional designers.

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Trevor Bey at Garden Supply Co.

Time: Tuesday, October 25, 7pm – 9pm at Garden Supply Company

Fee: $20

Supplies: Receive a 20% discount on all supplies purchased this evening to create your own class projects at tonight's workshop. Also receive $5 in Christmas Cash good towards your supply purchase.

Registration: ALL participants must pre-register by 7 pm on Monday, October 24th. Stop by the garden center or call 919-460-7747.

Class size is limited

We hope to see you there!

Passport To Plants

Interested in winning a $400 shopping spree at your favorite local garden centers? Enter our Passport to Plants event and you may just be that lucky winner!

Your Chance to Win a $400 Grand Prize

We are again teaming with our local garden centers to help keep YOU "local".  This October, we will all be giving out a "Passport to Plants".  When you visit each of the participating garden centers, get your passport "stamped".  While you are there, (and hopefully shopping), drop off a part of  your passport to be entered into a drawing for a $50 Gift Card.  After you visit just 3 out of 4 of us, you will then be entered into a master drawing for a $400 Shopping Spree.  (That's $100 to each garden center!)

It's so easy and best of all, it's FREE!  It's our way to encourage you to get out and see all we have to offer.  We are each different "personalities" as far as garden centers go, but our common thread is our local, family-owned heritage buying from local growers to bring you the best North Carolina has to offer.

There is no purchase necessary from Garden Supply Co., Logan's Trading Co., Homewood Nursery, or The Garden Hut.  All you need to do is stop by to receive your stamp and be entered in to each store's drawing for the $50 gift card.  When you have visited 3 locations, (we hope you'll visit all 4 of us of course), simply drop off your passport to be entered into the big drawing for a $100 gift card to each garden center.

Winners will be announced on November 1st!  Have Fun and Happy Fall!

Summer Progressive Sale

Today marks the first day of our Super Summer Progressive Sale at Garden Supply Co. Select plants, pots, fountains, home and gift decor are 20% off today, with discounts increasing each day until we reach 90% off on June 23rd! You won't want to miss this opportunity to grab up great merchandise at crazy discounts.

Progressive Sale

June 16th  20% off

June 17th  30%off

June 18th 40% off

June 19th  50%off

June 20th 60%off

June 21st  70%off

June 22nd  80%off

June 23rd,  Last Day, 90% OFF!

Look for designated sale areas around the garden center, as well as purple tags for items too big to relocate.

And happy shopping!

And the Winner is....

Cary, NC Once again, all of us at Garden Supply Co. would love to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for our Pink Garden Party and purchased a ticket (or two) for our Mini-Cooper raffle. Because of you, we are able to add $15,000 to our "Pink Garden in the Party" donations bringing our total to almost $25,000.  This is really exciting for a premier fundraising event.

Speaking of events, the Race for the Cure is just days away, June 11th.  There is still time to join our team "Gardeners for the Cure". Even if you didn't win the Mini-Cooper, there are still opportunities to win TWO Round-trip Airline Tickets anywhere in the U.S., or a $500 Gift Certificate to Garden Supply Co.!  If you have joined, keep on fundraising to win and if you haven't, follow this link and sign up now.

If you are going to be at the race on Saturday, we are hoping we can all meet in front of Meredith's Chapel before the Open Recreational Walk, for a team photo at 8:30am.  This will give our "Competive" racers and "Women's Only" race participants a chance to join us before we walk. Please don't let this time frame stress you out.  We want you all to enjoy the day and when we have our team party in the fall, we will take another picture!

And now, the winner of our Mini-Cooper raffle is........Nancy Werner! CONGRATULATIONS!

And thanks again to everyone for your hard work, commitment, and dedication to making this a world free of breast cancer!

Tobacco Growers Flower Contest

Cary, NC

Recently, we've had the pleasure of having a tobacco farmer visiting the garden center, sharing some of the rich history and culture of tobacco growing in our great state. As many of you know, the introduction of tobacco into North Carolina has a long history. When settlers moved from Virginia to North Carolina around 1663, tobacco farming began to boom. The new colonists saw the opportunity in the overseas demand for tobacco and started growing tobacco in North Carolina as a way to gain entry into the European tobacco market.

Every stage of production of tobacco, from tobacco growing to final product manufacture, is located in North Carolina, and this state has been one of the centers of the US tobacco industry. North Carolina ranks first in the United States in the production of tobacco, with 2006 annual farm income of $506.2 million. Tobacco is a crop that can be grown in a wide range of soil and climate conditions, and 16 states and approximately 120 countries product it across the world.

If you would like to learn more about tobacco farming, I hope you'll join us this weekend, either Saturday or Sunday, at Garden Supply Co. when our visiting farmer will be here sharing his personal experiences and expertise. And while we're at it, how about a little contest, too?

Tobacco Growers Flower Contest

Contest Overview

• Purchase a young tobacco plant from Garden Supply Co. and grow the prettiest flower.
• Email msmith_ins@buggs.net the picture of your flower by July 31st, 2011
• Top 25 prettiest flowers will be emailed to all the tobacco buying contestants. Contestants will vote and a winner will be selected by the most votes.
• Winner receives a $300 gift card to Garden Supply Co.

(Contest courtesy of M. Smith)

Hope to see you all this weekend!

PINK Garden Party Mini-Cooper Raffle

Our 1st Annual Evening in the Garden: a PINK Garden Party to benefit Susan G. Komen NC Triangle Affliliate last night was a HUGE success! Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this evening possible.  Thanks to Chef Mario for the delicious food, Paco Band for the amazing music, all the Garden Supply Co. staff and volunteers who helped make this evening a beautiful night to remember. But most of all, a giant, heartfelt thanks to all of YOU for supporting us in this wonderful cause!

If you would still like to take part in our Mini-Cooper raffle, it's not too late. There are still 65 out of the 100 Raffle Tickets for the Mini-Cooper available so we are extending it for one more week. For a $150 donation, you have a one in one hundred chance to win Deb's car (which has a bluebook value of 15K.)

we MUST sell AT LEAST 100 tickets for the raffle to take place. You can purchase your tickets at Garden Supply Co. The car is also here for folks to come take a look. Checks will be held until AT LEAST 100 tickets are sold and a raffle winner is drawn.

Hurry in as we are only offering 100 tickets!

And thanks again to everyone for a wonderful evening in the garden!