Everything is Coming up Roses

Hello everyone!  All of us at Garden Supply would like to wish you and your families a wonderful Memorial Day holiday.  How fortunate we are to live in this great country.  And a huge thank you to all of those in the armed forces who serve and protect us.  For you, we are truly grateful.

I hope you have a few moments to spare this long weekend to stop by Garden Supply and enjoy a stroll through the gardens.  We have so many gorgeous plants to see, including an amazing variety of a summer blooming favorite, the rose.  With our creepers and climbers and standards and topiary forms, we surely have the perfect rose for every gardener.

This year, we are especially excited to bring you the all-new climbing Knock Out rose.  With the increased disease-resistance and profusion of blooms on these fabulous cultivars, paired with the ability to creep and climb, this new variety is sure to be a huge hit.  They are available in limited quantities in both Brite Eyes (medium pink) and Winner's Circle (fire-engine red).

Brite Eyes climbing KnockOut rose

The world’s most resistant to black spot climbing rose.  On the Brite Eyes rose, buds are a lovely shade of salmon pink that unfurl to reveal a creamy yellow center. Beautiful blooms from the new colored and nicely-shaped buds to the fully opened single roses. On the Winner's Circle rose, the fire engine red color is non fading. In the fall the foliage turns deep burgundy red and the plants is covered with bright orange hips.

For an excellent creeping rose, be sure to check out these Drift Ground Cover roses.

Brighten borders and banks with ground cover roses.  Valued for their continuous bloom cycle and creeping habit, these are perfect for small gardens, containers, and hanging baskets.

Another climbing variety is this Golden Showers rose.

This popular yellow climber has bright flowers with honey-like fragrance.  It blooms spring through fall on very robust plants.

Make a statement with your container planting with topiary-form Knock Out roses from Monrovia.

rosa x 'Radrazz' topiary Knock Out rose

These maintenance-free roses continually produce self-cleaning flowers with unsurpassed resistance to black spot leaf disease.  Available in red 'Radrazz' and pink 'Radcon'.

Be sure to check out our large selection of hybrid tea roses, as well.

Thank you all for stopping by and sharing part of your day with us.  Hope to see you all soon down at Garden Supply!

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!

Herb Fest

Hello everyone and happy Friday! It's time to kick off another wonderful weekend. We hope you can join us tomorrow, the 15th, in downtown Cary for the 1st Annual Friends of Page Walker Herbfest.  Festivities begin at 9 am and include cooking demonstrations, crafts, live music, and activities for the kiddos. We'll be there selling a huge selection of herbs at a great deal. Stop by and say hello!

We would also like to give a big thanks to everyone who stopped by our Wine & Design Trunk Show last evening!  A big thanks as well to NYFO Boutique, Lynne Ogburn Designs, Surcee, and Moon and Lola for sharing your gorgeous and unique fashions and jewelry designs.  We couldn't have done it without you all.

NYFO Boutique

NYFO Boutique

Surcee

Moon and Lola

Surcee

Our own Master Gardener Allison modeling fashions from NYFO

And lastly, our heartfelt thanks for all of you who registered last night for our "Gardeners for the Cure" team as part of the Susan G. Komen 2010 NC Triangle Race for the Cure.   Our gratitude to Surcee and NYFO for donating fabulous prizes yesterday for a special raffle drawing for our team registrants.  And take a look at our cute team logo. Perfect for us gardeners!

Even if you cannot be present at the race on June 12th, you can still join the team and receive all the bennies Deborah is offering, including a special team Tee shirt, an after-party, and a 12% discount card for all your Garden Supply purchases for the rest of the year. Here is the link again for our team. Together, we can help find a cure for breast cancer.

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope to see many of you at the Page Walker tomorrow for the Herbfest!

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.

Health & Wellness

Hello everyone!  Happy Friday to you all!  Isn't it wonderful that another weekend has rolled around once more?  And what a special weekend this will be with Mother's Day celebrations on Sunday.  A huge thank-you to everyone who stopped by our Stress-Free Shopping event yesterday evening.  And for those of you who couldn't make it, we're still looking forward to helping you select that perfect Mother's Day gift for your One-of-a-Kind Mom! Here are a few gift ideas from the Greenhouse that Mom is sure to love.  These are some of my personal favorites!

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.  We are pleased to bring you a collection of Tyler candles, washes, and lotions that everyone on your gift list is going to love.

These adorable "hammock" chairs will pamper Mom in luxury while delighting her with the bold and bright textile patterns.  Perfect for both indoor and outdoor use.

Today, we at Garden Supply have the honor to participate in the Lifesync Health & Wellness Fair for the Town of Cary Employees. We are excited to share some of the health benefits associated with our favorite past-time, gardening.

We all know that gardening can be a pleasurable and rewarding activity.  There’s just something about spending time outdoors and getting in touch with nature that makes us feel good, while improving our surroundings and helping the environment at the same time. Gardening gives us a feeling of accomplishment , provides nourishment for our families, purifies the air of pollutants, and renews our natural areas, all while filling our lives with beauty.  So we know that gardening is good, but could it be possible that it is also good for our health, too?

Studies have shown that gardening provides a wonderful low-impact workout.  Weeding or cultivating can burn around 200 calories per hour.  More strenuous activity like leaf raking or rock moving can burn up to 600 calories per hour.

Gardening also provides the regular physical exercise listed in the prevention of heart disease, obesity, adult-onset diabetes and high blood pressure.

Gardening will help in the strength training important in the prevention of osteoporosis. Two 1-gallon watering cans equal 8-pound dumbbells.  Wheelbarrows provide a workout for your biceps.  Gardening also aids in increasing flexibility and building endurance.

Further studies have revealed that just viewing a garden has healthy psychological benefits.  Even the time spent planning a garden is a great brain workout and helps to reduce the amount of stress in our  daily lives.

Town of Cary employees, stop by and visit us today at the Senior Center.  We have lots of goodies to see and information to share, along with coupons and a fabulous raffle prize. I'll be there all day and am looking forward to meeting you!

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

As Mother's Day Approaches

Hello everyone!  Mother's Day is on May 9th this year.  If you're looking for that perfect gift for Mom, we are here to help.  We're staying open late today, until 8 pm to offer you a Stress-Free Shopping Evening.  Our personal shoppers will be on hand to help you select a gift Mom will love from our huge selection of gorgeous flowering plants to unique and special decor pieces.  And don't forget we also have gift certificates available and free gift wrapping as well. And as Mother's Day approaches, I would like to share with you a personal message from Garden Supply owner, Deborah Ramsey, that is near and dear to our hearts. Having lost her mother to breast cancer a few years ago, Deborah is dedicated to helping raise funds to find a cure for this devastating disease. To that end, she has spearheaded a special "Gardeners for the Cure" team to participate in this year's NC Triangle Race for the Cure.  I hope you will all join along with us, as together, we can truly make a difference.

And now a message from Deborah:

Many of you remember and participated in "Gardens for the Cure", a peek into some of our customers great gardens and an annual fundraiser for Komen for the Cure. This was a grass roots event Keith dreamed up to honor my Mom, co-workers, and customers who were battling breast cancer, to raise money, and more importantly awareness, about this disease. This event usually occurred around Mother's Day and as that weekend approaches, I'm reminded of her and everything the Garden Tour represented to us.

I lost a most valuable person, my Mom, to breast cancer a few years ago and while I didn't lose sight of the fight to continue working with our local affiliate of Komen for the Cure, I could no longer muster up the energy to host another Garden Tour. Quite honestly, it was too painful because she was so closely tied to the spirit driving this event.

For some, when you lose the person you are fighting for, it knocks the "fight" out of you. For others, it spurs them on. I have been treading water for awhile now but again, as Mother's Day approaches, I am reminded...because I still have a sister, a Dad who misses his wife, a brother longing for his Mom, a mother-in-law, a sister-in-law, a daughter, niece, friend, co-workers, and customers who are not yet immune to this disease.

My Mom would tell me when she would come in to wake up her morose teenager, "Debbie, you have a choice about your day, it can be a happy one or a sad one, but it's your choice." Needless to say, those words still ring in my ears each morning as I get up. I can choose to fight or flee, and I am choosing the fight in earnest once again.

I had the opportunity last week at a luncheon to raise money for our local NC Triangle Komen for the Cure affiliate, to hear Nancy Brinker speak again. A woman who 30 years ago made a promise to her dying sister to do everything she could to fight this disease, raise awareness among women, and end breast cancer. Talk about a grassroots movement... her, a few friends in her Dallas living room, and now one of the top-rated charitable organizations in the country. Komen for the Cure has funded over a billion and a half dollars to cutting-edge research.

She hasn't quit, I thought and neither should I. By now many of you may be thinking I am going to do the "Gardens for the Cure" again...not yet...baby steps. I want to be part of a well-oiled machine - The Race for the Cure - the largest foot race in NC and the single largest fundraising event Komen puts on each year. I want all of you to join our team "Gardener's for the Cure" because gardener's are passionate people.

I promise you a great team t-shirt, a fun after-the-race party and as an extra incentive, a 12% discount card you can use on the rest of your purchases this calendar year. It's my way of saying "thanks" for helping me get back into the fight to end breast cancer. Follow the link to our team page  http://nctriangle.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/DUR_NCTriangleAffiliate?team_id=133021&pg=team&fr_id=1702 if you can't be there on race day, you can "Sleep in for the Cure" and still get all the bennies.

My Mom who lived in Florida at the time, came to our race here once and I had the privilege to walk with her. Since I carry her each day in my heart, she has been in races since, and we still "walk together".

I hope you will join "us" this year and walk to honor your mom, grandmother, aunt, wife, sister, daughter, friend and co-worker.

I can't think of a better Mother's Day gift!

-Deborah

Thank you everyone!  Hope to see you soon at the garden center, and join me back here soon for more snippets from the garden.

Stress-Free Shopping Evening

Mother's Day is May 9th this year, only 5 short days from now.  If you're looking for that perfect gift for Mom, we are here to help.  We're going to extend our hours this Thursday, May 6th to offer you a stress-free shopping event.  Our personal shoppers will be on hand until 8 pm to help you find that perfect gift item.  With our huge selection of unique and beautiful decor pieces and flowering plants, you are sure to find just the perfect gift for Mom.  And don't forget that we offer gift certificates, too. Special free gift wrapping will be available. Here is a stunning flowering classic that is sure to capture Mom's heart.

From Monrovia gardens, this glorious Itoh Peony is reminiscent of grandma's cutting bed but without the fussiness sometimes associated with the plant.  Itoh Peonies are a cross of an herbaceous peony with a tree peony.  The cross combines the best traits of both parents: great vigor, large distinctive flowers, strong stems and long-lasting blooms. The sturdy flower stems of the Itoh Peony require no staking.  This variety, the 'Sequestered Sunshine' Itoh boasts large, bright canary-yellow blossoms with showy stamens.

Also available is this 'Cora Louise' Itoh which offers large, semi-double blossoms that are white with striking dark lavender central flares.  The flowers have a soft, pleasing scent.

Our third beautiful Itoh Peony is the 'Kopper Kettle' variety with copper-orange flowers that have a darker center and occasional yellow streaks.

I'm sure Mom would be pleased with one of these beauties!  And we have many more lovely options including a bounty of blooming annuals and perennials, fabulous container plantings all ready to go, beauty products from Tyler Company, and fabulous boutique items from the Greenhouse.  Stop by and let us help you make this Mother's Day one to remember!

Arbor Day Activities

Hello everyone!  In honor of Arbor Day tomorrow, I would like to share a few activities that you can do at home with your kids that will encourage a love of trees and nature that will last a lifetime.  Not only will they be developing strong, earth-friendly habits young, but you will have a ton of fun together as well. This rustic twig frame is a simple and quick project that even very young children can do.  All you need is a few twigs, some string or twine, glue (hot glue works well), and a photo for framing.

Collect 2 bunches of twigs.  One bunch (about 6 to 8 twigs) should be approximately 2 inches longer than your photograph. The other bunch of twigs should be about 2 inches wider than your photo.

Arrange the twigs so that they surround the photo and extend outward about an inch in each direction.  Tie the twigs at each corner using the string or twine, making an X pattern.

glue the photo onto the back of your twig frame.  Hot glue works the best, but be careful of young children and hot glue.

Glue a small loop of string to the top batch of twigs for hanging the photo.

This string of leaves are a great way to decorate a room.  You can string these across a window or along a mantel or around a chandelier for a great holiday decoration.  Here's what you'll need to get started.

1. Construction paper (any natural colors)
2. Crayons or markers
3. Scissors
4. Glue, tape or staples
5. A long piece of yarn or string

Draw a leaf on construction paper.  Make sure to draw a stick stem on the top.  Your leaf will hang from this stem, which will be folded over.  You can freehand your leaves, trace a real leaf from outside, or download a leaf template.

Cut out the leaf and fold the stem in half.  You can draw on leaf veins if you wish.

Attach the leaf to the long string using tape, glue, or staples.  Draw more leaves and repeat the process.

I hope these give you some great ideas for adding a few Arbor Day celebrations to your house.  And remember, the best Arbor Day project of all is to plant a new tree in your garden.  We have so many beautiful options to choose from, and as always, our experts are on hand to assist you with selecting the perfect tree for your yard.

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

Arbor Day 2010

Hi everyone!  With Arbor Day just two short days away, now is the perfect time to consider planting a new tree in your home landscape.  We have a wide range of beautiful trees to chose from down at Garden Supply.  By planting a tree, you will not only be enhancing your own yard, but you will also be helping the environment.  Did you know that trees remove pollutants and dust from the air?  Trees also provide natural insulation- enough to cut your heating and cooling bills by up to 30%.  Come talk to our experts about choosing the perfect tree for your garden, and celebrate Arbor Day with us! Here's a little fun history on Arbor Day.  The first Arbor Day took place on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska.  It was the idea of Julius Morton, a Nebraska journalist and politician.  Throughout his long career, Morton worked to improve agricultural techniques and served as President Cleveland's Secretary of Agriculture.  But his most important legacy is Arbor Day.

Morton felt that Nebraska's landscape and economy would benefit from the wide-scale planting of trees.  He set an example himself by planting orchards, shade trees and wind breaks on his own farm, and he urged his neighbors to do the same.  As a member of Nebraska's state board of agriculture, he proposed that a special day be set aside dedicated to tree planting and increasing awareness of the importance of trees. For Nebraska's first Arbor day, more than one million trees were planted.  A second Arbor Day took place in 1884 and the young state made it an annual legal holiday in 1885.

In the years following that first Arbor Day, Morton's idea spread beyond Nebraska with Kansas, Tennessee, Minnesota and Ohio all proclaiming their own Arbor Days. Today, all 50 states celebrate Arbor Day. Arbor Day is also now recognized in other countries, with variations being celebrated in Australia, Japan, Israel, Korea, Yugoslavia, Iceland, and India.  Sometimes one good idea can make a real difference.  For more information about this holiday, please visit the Arbor Day Foundation.

Over the next few days, I'll share a few simple Arbor Day crafts and activities you can do with your kids at home that will foster a love of trees that will last a lifetime.

This fun pine-cone bird feeder is a snap to make and would be perfect to hang in your newly- planted commemorative Arbor Day tree. Here's what you'll need to get started.

• A large, open pine cone
• Vegetable shortening, lard, or suet
• Oats or corn meal
• Bird seed
• String

Simply tie a few feet of string to the pine cone and then cover the cone with the food mixture below. Roll the pine cone in birdseed and then hang it from a tree branch outside.

Food Mixture:

Mix 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, lard or suet with 21/2 cups cornmeal or uncooked oats until well blended. Optional: add chopped dried fruit, chopped nuts, seeds like sunflower or millet, and/or suet which are high energy bird foods.

Thanks for stopping by everyone!  I'll see you back here tomorrow for more great Arbor Day ideas.

Wine & Design

Hello everyone!  Happy Monday!  I hope your weeks are off to a wonderful start.  I have a few bits of news to share with you today about some of our upcoming events this week down at Garden Supply. I hope you all can join us this Thursday evening for a few fun hours of Wine & Design.  Stop in between 6:00pm and 8:00pm and have one of our designers assist you with ideas on plantings for your spring containers. Bring yourself, a group of friends, or put together a little work outing. Wine and light snacks will be served. This event is free but sign-up is requested at (919)460-7747 or info@gardensupplyco.com.

And Dad's - Don't forget Mother's Day this year is May 9th. Bring your kids in on Sunday May 2nd between 1 pm - 4 pm and let them plant a summer blooming annual in a pot that they can decorate special, just for Mom.

We have so many stunning blooming plants available right now that would make wonderful gifts for that special mother or grandmother in your life.  We also have tons of fabulous and gorgeous gift ideas in the Greenhouse.

We also offer gift certificates in any dollar amount, and we have free gift wrapping services, as well!

Hope you can join us this week down at the garden center.  And I'll see you back here soon for more snippets from the garden.

Master Gardener

Hello everyone!  What a beautiful weekend it has been.  I hope you all had a chance to swing by Garden Supply to take advantage of our fabulous perennial sale.  We have so many new arrivals right now, our tables are literally bursting, and plants are spilling over onto the ground.  But even if you missed the sale this weekend, we still have a ton of fabulous perennials for you to choose from that would look perfect in your container garden and flower beds. And speaking of perennials, I would like to introduce you all to one of our expert horticulturalists here at the garden center.  Allison has a background in horticulture, and after moving from California five years ago, she has dedicated herself to learning about North Carolina's native plants, shrubs and trees.

Always passionate to learn more, mixing with a desire to give back to the community, Allison enrolled in the Master Gardener program last fall. The Master Gardener program, conducted throughout the United States and Canada, is a two-part educational effort, in which avid gardeners are provided many hours of intense home horticulture training, and in return they "pay back" local university extension agents through volunteerism.  Master Gardeners assist with garden lectures, exhibits, demonstrations, school and community gardening, phone diagnostic service, research, and many other projects.  If you are interested in learning more about the Master Gardening program, go here.

Allison is just one of our talented group of resident horticulturists here at the garden center.  She specializes in trees, shrubs, turf, and perennials and also is involved in our in-house design team.  And not only is she knowledgeable, she is also downright friendly and cute as a button.  Next time you're down at Garden Supply, stop by and say Hi.

As always, if you've got gardening questions, we've got your answers!

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

Perennial Sale

So, what do you do when you have more perennials than can fit on your tables?  When you receive so many plants in one week that they are spilling over onto the ground? You have a SALE, that's what you do!  All this weekend, purchase 10 perennials and receive 10% off, 20 perennials and receive 20% off, 30 or more perennials and receive 30% off. Now that's a sale! We have so many gorgeous perennials currently in stock. It is a pure joy to walk the grounds.  I am truly amazed at the huge selection of plants available, from drought tolerant species to shade lovers to ground covers to succulents to tall spires of blossoms, and everything in between.

Besides having a stunning array of plants to choose from, Garden Supply also offers a huge variety among species.  Take the lovely shade tolerant perennial commonly known as Coral Bells, for example.  I counted approximately 15 varieties of Heuchera alone, in a wide range of color options, foliage size and venation, and preferred growing conditions. Take a look at what I mean.

We have Heuchera 'Velvet Night', 'Miracle', 'Marmalade', 'Midnight Rose', 'Palace Purple', 'Montrose Ruby', 'Obsidian', 'Snow Angel', 'Plum Pudding', 'Berry Smoothie', 'Blackout PPAF', and 'Silver Scrolls'.  I brought home this variety called 'Tapestry' and planted it in a pot under my deck in an area that receives a lot of shade.

'Tapestry' has stunning multicolored and veined foliage with free flowering stems of warm pink flowers.  The dark-centered leaves are colored blue green in spring and summer, changing to green in the fall and winter.

And of course we have many, many more plants to choose from.  How about some Artemisia, Asclepias, Platycodon, Gypsophila, Penstemon, Agapanthus, Lavandula, Nepeta, Leucanthemum, or Silene?

Silene, commonly referred to as Catchfly, has narrow, strap-like leaves with dark green centers and wide creamy gold margins.  Their single pink flowers are attractive to butterflies.

Or maybe you would prefer some Lobelia, Coreopsis, Dianthus, Euphorbia, Lysimachia, Echinacea, Baptista, Scabiosa, Linum, Verbascum, or Centaurea?

Centaurea has deep purplish-blue flowers with thistle-like centers over foliage that is lightly covered in silver hairs.  It will self-seed and attracts butterflies.  Centaurea is deer resistant.

Yet still we have Phlox, Salvia, Veronica, Armeria, Tickseed, Papaver, Cerastium, Achillea, Sedum, Monarda, Helianthemum, Gazania, Eryngium, Gallardia, Foxgloves, and Columbines.  Just to name a few!

I'm out of breath!  How about you?

Make sure to stop by the garden center this weekend and take advantage of this wonderful sale.  You'll have your gardens looking amazing with brand new plants fresh off the truck while enjoying some serious savings at the same time!

We'll see you soon!

Summer Annuals

Hello everyone and happy Saturday!  It's another beautiful day here in the heart of Carolina, perfect for a bit of spring planting.  And as usual at this time of year, do we ever have some gorgeous plants for you.  Another shipment of summer tropicals is due to arrive at the garden center today.  The perennial area is bursting with plants, the azaleas are in full bloom, the shade area is full, and the shrubs and trees are looking better than ever.  In short, wherever your eye might happen to stray down at Garden Supply, you are sure to be struck by the beauty of the sight. If you are looking for a burst of color for your container garden or front yard, you need to come check out our annual section.  We have, literally, table after table of summer bloomers right now.    Here is just a small sampling of what we have in stock.

We currently have 6 varieties of marigolds, available in individual packs, or mix & match flats. Isn't it wonderful to have options?

Marigold choices include Durango Tangerine, Janie Bright Yellow, Durango Yellow, Taishan Yellow, Bonanza Bee, and Janie Tangerine.

And if that seems like a lot of Marigold varieties, wait until you see our Petunia selection.  We have every color of Petunia under the sun, including mixed packs, the ever popular Wave Petunias, and even hanging baskets.

Some of our Petunia choices include Dreams Mix, Dreams Red, Prism Sunshine, Dreams Sky Blue, Dreams Neon Rose, Dreams Pink, Dreams White, Dreams Burgundy Picolee, Wave Rosy Dawn, Wave Purple, Wave Red, Wave Burgundy Star, Wave White, and Wave Blue.

Wouldn't these hanging Petunia baskets look fabulous on your porch?

Or how about some pots filled with Calibrachoas?

Calibrachoa are available in multiple colors and provide an abundance of brightly colored blooms all season long.  They are easy to grow and very rewarding, perfect for all kinds of containers including window boxes, hanging baskets, and combination planters.

Another profuse bloomer is this Giant White (suteracordata) Bacopa.

Hundreds of beautiful flowers cover these trailing plants all summer, even when other varieties of Bacopa stop blooming.  They offer large unique white flowers which contrast nicely with their dark green foliage.  Another perfect choice for your container planters.

And for a bit of a vertical attraction, why not give the Black-eyed Susan Vine a try?

This 'Susie Clear Orange' vine looks fabulous trained to fences, posts, lattice work and trellises.

This truly is just a small sampling of the array of annuals we currently have down at the garden center.  Whether you're looking for a profusion of bright blooms or interesting foliar color and texture, we've got you covered.  And as always, our helpful staff of experts are on hand to answer all your gardening question.  We would love to help!

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

And the Winner is….

Congratulations to Barb Drummond, the winner of our first Facebook page contest!  Barb has won 2 free tickets to this weekend's Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour. Barb, call the garden center at 460-7747 or stop by to pick up your tickets, and mostly.......enjoy every minute of your tour!

A huge thanks to everyone else who played along with us.  Keep your eyes peeled on our Facebook page for upcoming contests and giveaways.

Have a great day everyone!

Summer Tropicals

Hi everyone!  Hope you all are enjoying your weekends and this fabulous weather we are having.  What a beautiful day it is!  Perfect for a little gardening.  And since I know you are all in the mood to plant, I am super excited to share with you some of our new arrivals down at the garden center. A touch of the tropics hit Garden Supply this week with a big shipment of beautiful perennials and tropicals from Monrovia.  For 84 years, Monrovia has pioneered many new technologies and plant introductions including hundreds of patented plants, making them a leader in developing fabulous plants that will thrive in your garden.

Now keep in mind that since central North Carolina is in Zone 7, our winters are a bit too cool for these tropics-loving plants, but don't let that deter you.  These gorgeous plants will thrive in our hot summer, providing you with lots of drought-tolerant showy blossoms all season long.  Treat them as you would any summer annual.  They do great in your container gardens, many can be grown in topiary form or trained to a trellis, and most offer interesting foliar texture as well as stunning flowers.

These topiary-form tree hibiscus do wonderfully in a pot on your deck or porch.  Just make sure they get lots of sun.

These are the 'Orange King" and "Purple Queen" Bougainvillea.  The 'Orange King' has a strong vining habit providing quick cover and beautiful, showy masses of bronze-orange flowers.  They do great in patio containers and hanging baskets.

The 'Purple Queen' has rich, deep purple blooms which are displayed against handsome green foliage.  It has a compact, upright and spreading form.  Wonderful for planter boxes, fences or arbors.

We also have the Barbara Karst Bougainvillea in both topiary tree form and spreading form.

The spreading form offers a vigorous, showy vine with bright magenta-red blooms.  Gives a fine cover to patios or arbors, and is also a good ground cover for banks.

This next beauty is the 'Sun Parasol' Crimson Mandevilla. It is excellent for patio containers, offering a bushy vine with large trumpet-shaped flowers.

If you are looking for a touch of textural interest, check out this fun and whimsical 'Pony Tail Fern', Asparagus densiflorus 'myers'.

This plants boasts long plume-like stems that hold soft, needle-like leaves.  Its fluffy appearance adds unusual textural contrast to container gardens.

And finally today, I would like to share with you another plant with fabulous foliar structure, the Black Jack Fig.

This attractive garden tree has sweet, elongated fruit in summer.  Its semi-dwarf form makes it a good choice where space is limited.

I hope you all have enjoyed this small taste of the tropics here in the heart of North Carolina.  Puts me in the mind of cool sea breezes, palm trees, and sandy beaches.  Time to bust out the Hawaiian print shirts and head on down to the garden center, as these plants won't be around for long. I couldn't help but notice they were getting snatched up yesterday about as quickly as they could be unloaded. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  We have many more new plants to share with you all, so I'll see you back here soon for more snippets from the garden.

Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour

Good morning everyone!  It looks like the start to another beautiful day here in the heart of North Carolina.  Perfect for a day of gardening or perhaps a stroll through the nursery here at Garden Supply.  Or, why not a little of both?  With all the wonderful new plants we have arriving daily, how can you help but want to get your garden on?  I know I can't resist. If a stroll through the garden is right up your alley, then the Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour, being held April17-18, is just the ticket.  Presented by the Chapel Hill Garden Club, the tour includes 8 gardens in the Eastwood Lake area, as well as the NC Botanical Garden.

Since their first tour in 1996, over $100,000 in proceeds have been donated to the NC Botanical Garden.  Their continued efforts help the Garden furnish their new Education Center, plant new landscapes, and provide additional programs for garden lovers of all ages.  Tour proceeds also help fund the educational and community outreach projects of the club, including teaching elementary students with their Seeds Program, maintaining a planter on Franklin Street, and purchasing garden tools for new owners of Habitat for Humanity houses. 

Now in their 79th year, the Chapel Hill Garden Club continues to be an integral part of the social fabric of our community.  They have an open membership policy and welcome anyone interested in gardening or learning about gardening.  For membership information and details about the garden tour, please visit their website.

We, at Garden Supply, are pleased to support the efforts of the Chapel Hill Garden Club and are thrilled to offer 2 free tickets to the upcoming garden tour.  Simply upload your favorite Garden Supply photo to our Facebook page before April 15th to be entered in our random drawing.  Winner will be announced at 12:00 pm.

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

Greenhouse Goodies

Hello everyone!  All of us at Garden Supply hope you had a wonderful Easter holiday with your families this past weekend.  We are so excited down at the garden center as we gear up for our busiest time of year.  Truck loads of new plants are arriving daily and the nursery is full to bursting with beautiful blossoms.  Stop by for a visit and see for yourself! Annual bedding plants are now in stock.  We have tons of plants to choose from.  And although it's turned hot these last few days, keep in mind that the last scheduled frost of the year is April 15th, still a week away.  Look for these friendly reminder posts while selecting your plants.  Our experts are on hand with advice and suggestions to get you through these last few cool nights.

For a larger flowering form in a shrub/tree variety, why not check out the elegant Tulip Magnolia.  Blooming now, this little charmer is sure to make it's mark in your garden landscape.

This stunning hybrid has deep burgundy tulip-shaped flowers that appear in early spring before its 4- to 6-inch-long leaves unfurl. It makes an excellent small specimen tree, growing to 20 feet tall. It can be topped to form a hedge, and works well in large containers.

And for news from the Greenhouse, here's another peek at our collection of Penny McAllister spring folk art figurines.

Penny McAllister’s whimsical and sweet collections bring new charm to folk art.  The sewing bug bit Penny at the tender age of 5.  Nearly 50 years later, the former elementary school librarian has woven her passion for folk art into a dream occupation, making paper mache creations full of wit and whimsy.

“The chip on my nose, the worn paint on my clothes…they’re all supposed to be there! I was designed this way, lovingly aged” by Penny McAllister

Here are a few other goodies that caught my eye this week in the Greenhouse.

What wonderful home decor items and gifts are to be found here.  And don't forget, We offer free gift wrapping and we have gift certificates available in any dollar amount.

Thanks for spending a little time with us today.  Hope to see you back here soon for more snippets from the garden.

Happy Easter

Hello everyone!  Happy Easter weekend to you all!  Garden Supply will be closed tomorrow in honor of the Easter holiday.  However, today is a wonderful day to stop by the garden center.  We still have lots of "pink flamingo sale items" to be found featuring special discounts and promotions  throughout the nursery.  Here's just one peek at Allison's sale cart featuring plants selling for a mere 99 cents.  You can't beat a deal like that.

And starting today, all remaining Easter decor is now 60% off! 

If you are looking for beautiful, unique home decor items, you need to come check us out. 

And if you are looking for gorgeous spring flowers for your table centerpiece, we've got you covered.

And Facebook fans.....don't forget to upload your favorite Garden Supply photos to our page to be entered in a drawing to win two free tickets to the Chapel Hill Garden Tour this April 17-18th.  Winner will be chosen April 15th.

From all of us at Garden Supply, we wish you a very wonderful Easter.  We'll see you back here on Monday for more snippets from the garden.

Fresh Herbs

Good afternoon everyone!  For those of you interested in herb gardening, we have received several wonderful shipments of plants this last week.  Just about any herb you may be familiar with, and perhaps a few varieties you  haven't heard of, have made their way to Garden Supply. 

And although our last frost of the season is scheduled for April 15th, you can get started on your gardens now with just a bit of tender care.  Come talk to our friendly experts.  They are always on hand to answer all your questions.

You are going to love our herb variety.  We've got 4 types of thyme: Silveredged, Archer's Gold, Golden Lemon, and English. 4 types of sage: Common, Tricolor, Berggarten, and Pineapple.  Hidecote and Goodwin Creek lavender.  Parsley, catnip, mint, orange mint, spearmint, chives, and cilantro.

And don't forget the rosemary, or the Italian and Greek oregano. So many choices to be found here!

Another newcomer to the garden center this past week which I find absolutely charming are these fun strawberry baskets.

These adorable baskets can sit on your patio or deck table as is.  The plants will bloom and berry right in the basket, giving you an instant, edible centerpiece.  When the plant is done for the season, you can transplant them to your yard where they will happily return next year.

Those are just a few of the arrivals this past week.  As always at this time of year, new plants are showing up daily.  Hope you'll stop by the garden center and check us out.

And for news from the Greenhouse, we still have a few Easter decor items in stock, although hurry in....these little beauties are hopping out of here.

Be sure to stop by our Facebook page.  Upload your favorite Garden Supply photos and enter a random drawing to win two free tickets to the upcoming Chapel Hill Garden Tour on April 17-18th.  Show us your favorite plants you've planted from our garden center, your kids potting up their new tomato plants, or a shopping trip using our totes.  We'd love to see!  All photos uploaded between now and April 15th are eligible for the prize drawing.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  We'll see you back here soon!