In this newsletter

• This week's order runs through Sunday, May 5 at 7 p.m. -- plants arrive by May 10
• Order Annuals, Hanging Baskets/Patio Pots and Perennials
• What's Great Now? Finally, Perennials! Suggestions from our Plant Coaches
• Container Gardening Ideas
• Mother's Day Gift Certificates for Plants -- Make Mom Really Happy
• Save the Dates for Future Sales

Special Notice -- Pre-Planted Containers for Mother's Day...

Place your order by 8 p.m. Thursday, May 2

One of our growers has a tight turnaround for pre-planted container orders, which means they need our requests by Thursday evening.

If you're hoping to receive these sort of lovely containers for your front porch or back patio by Mother's Day, you'll want to place that order by 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 2. After that, planters like this will still be available to order -- but their arrival date will be later in May.

Longer Days + Warmer Weather = Right Time to Garden

North Shore Plant Club has a great assortment of annuals this week (including pre-potted containers) and perennials, fresh off the truck from our nurseries. The perennials are field-grown (grown outdoors, in our climate) so they are ready to be planted into your gardens right now. Read on for some insights into what our nurseries will be delivering soon, and helpful tips from an expert on what you can be doing in your garden now.

This week's sale runs through Sunday, May 5 at 7 p.m.

Perennials -- Ready to Order and Plant

Our growers are ready to ship perennials and we have a cart full to choose from for the rest of the garden season! Each sale week through the summer, we'll have many traditional favorites in a variety of sizes, as well as unique plants from special guest nurseries, so make sure to come take a peek each week! Enjoy the ease of picking the perfect ones for your garden without having to drive to multiple retail centers. We are the one-stop-shop for online plant buying!

What's Great Now?

Here's What Our Plant Coaches Are Choosing

Dianthus - Full Sun

Baptisia - Full Sun to Partial Shade

Papaver- Full Sun to Partial Shade

Aquilegia - Full Sun to Partial Shade

Geum - Full Sun to

Partial Shade

Dicentra - Partial Shade

Polemonium - Partial Shade to Shade

Veronica 'Waterperry Blue' -- Full Sun

Tiarella - Shade

Garden to Do List for May:

Some Tips from a Plant Club Horticulturist

Take advantage of the any nice day or burst of energy and get out in your garden! Our resident horticulturist and Skokie/Evanston Plant Club leader, Mary Jaminski, has some suggestions for projects you can start working on in your garden this month.

• Harvest cool season vegetable crops. 
• Plant warm season vegetable plants after May 15 and as late as June 2, depending on night temperatures. 
• Protect new warm season plants from night temperatures under 55 degrees with old bed sheets or light weight fabric -- and support the fabric with stakes so it doesn't damage plants. 
• Water the soil as needed -- and avoid getting the foliage wet. 
• Look for critter (rabbit, deer, squirrel) damage on tender shoots and use spray or granular repellent, and/or temporary or movable fencing. 
• Attract beneficial insects by planting annual flowers and herbs late in the month. 
• Inspect roses for winter damage. Once leaves are showing, cut back any dead branches (canes) and fertilize. 
• Prune spring flowering shrubs as needed after they bloom. 
• Cage or make support structures for peonies while they are easy to contain. 
• Take photos to watch your garden's progress and/or write in a garden journal.

Garden Club Presentation on Designing Containers --

Sharing Some Great Tips and Tricks

Our own Mary Jaminski shared tips on creating containers of plants and herbs at a meeting of several Garden Clubs this spring. Check out these take-aways from her presentation that you can incorporate into your garden this season.

Tips for keeping your containers looking great:

• Water: Morning is best. Could be daily (or twice a day) if hot and windy conditions like a balcony or sunny space all day.
• Fertilizer: Nutrients are needed for profuse blooming. Use a slow-release fertilizer once a month.
• Deadhead: Remove old blooms to encourage new flowers and trim leggy, non-blooming stems for new growth.

Tricks for planting in your own large 14" or more containers

• Use premade containers to create instant color.
• Use hanging baskets to quickly fill in and have longer spillers.
• Use 6" annuals to take up space.

You can find other great ideas for container designs and suggestions for plants that go well together right here.

Make it a Great Mother's Day!

Looking for the perfect gift for Mother's Day? Or a local* friend or client who is moving to a new home? Know someone (maybe even you?!) who would enjoy the gift of plants?

Buy a gift certificate from North Shore Plant Club! Easy to give and fabulous to get, a Plant Club gift certificate lets the lucky recipient choose exactly the plants they want. It's a thoughtful surprise for all the gardeners on your list.

*There are plant clubs in Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Glenview, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Skokie/Evanston, Naperville and Winnetka, and pickup spots in Highland Park and Lake Bluff, too!

Save the Dates

Our 2024 Buying Calendar

We order plants throughout the season. Review our 2024 Buying Calendar so you never miss a sale. Take note of these upcoming dates (we'll continue to offer plants into October).

May 2 - 5: Perennials and Spring Annuals / Mother's Day; receive by May 10

May 9 - 12: Perennials and More Spring Annuals; receive by May 17

May 16 - 19: Even more Perennials (and a few Annuals); receive by May 24

May 30 - June 2: Perennials and Spring Annuals / Father's Day; receive by June 7

June 13 - 16: Perennials and maybe some annuals; receive by June 20

July 4 - 7: Perennials; receive by July 11

July 18 - 21: Perennials; receive by July 25

...and many more dates until October 3

This Week:

Order plants from May 2 - 5 (at 7 p.m.) and

receive them by May 10.

Easy pickup in Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Glenview, Highland Park, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Naperville, Skokie/Evanston and Winnetka.