A brief break in correspondences from garden centres is a sign of a busy timetables of plant production, growing, receiving live plant materials (shrubs, trees and even tropical plants) along with the usual gardening materials favorable to plant growth including combinations of garden accents and décor. This creates a well- planned garden centre; a place where knowledge and experience will assist you in your choices for the season.
Over the next few weeks garden centres welcome the familiar faces; customers who have been growing and gardening anywhere from a few years to decades- excited to seek their plant selections they have eagerly planned during our winter months. Keen to share their plans and often reflecting on last year’s highs and lows these experienced gardeners, like farmers in the coffee shop, have numerous gardening stories to tell. Some of successes, some of trials and some of adventures into new realms.
Lately though, a younger demographic is venturing to the garden centres. Young families with toddlers in tow in hopes of joining the ranks of those experienced gardeners. Seeking trendy ideas for their home’s interior like tillandsias and succulents. They readily look for architectural planting designs for these plants thirsty for low maintenance characteristics and uniqueness.
Quick to follow ideas and postings from friends and Pinterest these new aspirants to gardening also have a keen sense of "need to know". They want to plant. They want to grow their own herb and vegetables. They are eager to know, and are bringing children back to the garden centre.
History goes in circles…. Once was… now is.
Do you remember your grandparents gardening? They grew up with gardens…. Gardens mainly for producing food; and the flowers they grew served the purpose of pollinating and deterring insects from their crops. They grew the food they put on the table.
So, the statement heard lately - "I don’t know how to garden" is an opening for garden centres to educate while welcoming the new gardener. As they venture into the world of gardening they will soon experience the benefits that come along with it. The exercise, relaxation and the pride of growing their own food for their family… awesome tasting crops that they know are fresh.
How can garden centres help you? We can help you plan your garden by asking you the right questions to get you started. Questions like; what do you want to grow – annuals/ perennials/ herbs or vegetables? Do you have room in your yard for a garden? Considering, the movement towards more condo and apartment dwellers, we can help you get your container gardening set up. We will help you understand what’s important, such as what time your containers would be in the sun and help you plan the right plants for the area you’re working with.
Herbs, vegetables and flowers can be grown in the garden as well as in containers. Often containers are planted with some or all of these; sometimes seen in combinations of sizes. Nothing beats the taste of fresh herbs in culinary creations. Equal in importance is choosing and placing containers within your landscape (yard) design. Containers and planters are great to accessorize, complement and bring out character when they are grouped or used as stand - alone containers.
If choosing to grow in containers, know that larger selections will hold moisture longer than smaller ones. Natural terra cotta unglazed clay pottery dries faster than glazed ones or plastics. And black pottery absorb heat faster than all other colors. Selecting just "the right" container will have you opting on shapes as well. Tall, tapered, round or square, rimmed, multi-tiered, or window box shaped. It sounds daunting – it is not. Staff at your garden centre will guide you on your decisions. New styles, construction and designs on pots will have you looking at collections from poly –resin, plastics, and ceramics to fiber concrete. Each with ranges in the color spectrum.
St. Mary’s Nursery creates ready - made containers already filled with everything from flowers to herb combinations.
St. Mary’s Nursery is a location with a wide selection of containers that are sure to make a statement in your yard. Whether accenting the entrance to your home; enticing frequency of use when used for culinary purposes, or by making a particular location of your yard "pop" with colorful selections of beautiful foliage and flowers. Let St. Mary’s Nursery assist you with your container choices before guiding you to the best selections of plants for your gardening success this spring.
Happy Gardening.
