Dear "Bloom" friends -

People always ask me if winter is a slow time of year for us.  Looking at the store without any “green”, one might assume that to be true.  But, actually, we are very busy preparing for the upcoming season. 

Mary Ellen and I just returned from a trip to the Merchandise Mart in Atlanta.  After checking out hundreds (literally) of vendors, we snagged some really great new things for your garden: Bistro sets, firepots, USA made hummingbird feeders, and gardening hats, just to name a few. 

We decided to do our own Combo Hanging Basket program this year. We'll have over 450 unique baskets filled with complimentary colors/foliage that you won’t find anywhere else.  We’ll be growing the highly publicized and beautiful arrangement “Glory Days” from Proven Winners.  Check out their website to view this combination and others that we’ll have too:  Above and Beyond, Taste of the Tropic, and Tickle your Palette just to name a few. 

In the “green” department, Julia has ordered two new introductions of coneflowers.  “Tomato Soup” is a warm, tomato-red color up to 5” wide and will be covered with flowers till frost.   “Pink Poodle” has bright pink fluffy flower heads 4” wide and looks like a zinnia.  “Yellow Brick Road” shrub rose is joining our lineup this season.  Growing only 2-3 ft tall, this rose would make a great small hedge or groundcover and is highly disease resistant. Another new rose for us is the “Flower Carpet Amber.” This rose has made headlines because it is the same color as Pantone's color of the year “Mimosa” for 2009. Pantones has endorsed this “warm yellow with a hint of orange” color as the most “influential fashion and style color of the year.” It just also happens to be the color of our accent wall here in the garden shop. 

Crapemyrtles are one of the easiest shrubs to grow in our area.  “Rhapsody in Pink” sports soft pink flowers with dark wine color new growth.  It’s drought tolerant and disease resistant making it one of our favorite shrubs. You’ll see it blooming in our front beds July-October.

As you can see, we’re making sure that you won’t be disappointed with our selection of  plants or garden shop items.  But, for now, while we are all suffering from “winter lockdown,” try to keep up your spirits by checking out three of my favorite popular magazines: Fine Gardening, Garden Gate, and Backyard Living.  All are chocked full of information, timely tips and inspiration to make your garden a personal paradise.  They may also slightly satisfy your hunger to garden as we countdown the days till spring!

Happy Planning!