A Note from Scott and Marsha
April 15, 2021
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Spring has sprung in the worst way. Last week was the great "A-pollen-calypse" which meant everything was covered in yellow dust and I do mean everything. When you go home just to rinse off and you bang your shoes to shake the pollen off, you know it's bad. Thank God the rain did come and knock the pollen down multiple times. Otherwise, we would all be glowing by now!
With everything going on in the garden center from plant trucks flying in weekly and plants flying out faster than we can get them, I am shifting gears to what goes on outside our garden center division.
Our designer, Billy, met with a client who is a yoga instructor in Durham. She has a gorgeous piece of property and wanted to create an oasis for herself as well as for teaching outdoor yoga classes at home. Billy, with his head down, went to work.
What came together for her backyard is simply magical. Taking a designer's vision from paper to reality is another favorite part of what we do. How our landscape team can look at a sheet of paper, load up equipment and materials, make a complete disaster of a property in a day, and then days/weeks later turn it into a backyard oasis amazes me. The transformation is incredible.
What was probably the best part was the help the crew had. You see, Murder Mittens, pictured above, was there to stand guard and make sure everything was done accordingly. In fact, there were two other helpers: Curtis the Cat and Lieutenant the Boxer. They climbed on the CAT machine, rode around in wheelbarrows, laid on new boulders in the sun and rubbed against every human leg letting the crew know they were doing a fantastic job.
When the helpers weren't encouraging, the client was cheering them on. She sent an email of encouragement and her appreciation for what a great team we have. "You’ve picked some awesome people to be on your team. They are all hard workers, creative, professional and friendly. They are really nice about my OCD about boulder placement too. They even tolerate the cat, Murder Mittens, and his frequent demands for their attention. Ask V to see the picture I sent of him. They have great positive energy which adds to my whole vibe. They are all really nice about attributing all of the hard work to their colleagues." Yep! That's who they are! And no, you can't have them.
Some jobs go easier than others. Sometimes the stars align, we don't have rain, and we don't have unknown issues that arise. Either way, we are thankful for our team and thankful for when it goes well and a client is thrilled. It makes what we do all worth it!
If you can't provide cats and dogs for installs, that's ok. If you don't need design and installation from an amazing group, that's ok, too. If you don't need beautiful houseplants or beautiful blooming annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees, that's not ok. You may not know it but you need living, green things in your life. We can explain in person so get here now!
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AZALEAS
Azaleas are in show-off mode right now. Look left or right and you are likely to see an Azalea in bloom. Did you know that many azaleas are native to our area? We have native varieties in stock including Mandarin Lights, Elizabeth Lane, Flame Azalea, Pinxterbloom and Rosy Lights. We also have Encore Azaleas, which we particularly like because they bloom in both spring AND fall! Who doesn't love THAT?
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VEGGIES!
Many people started growing their food for the first time in 2020! Were you one of them or have you grown veggies for years? Whether you are a newbie or well-seasoned, we have veggie starters for you to choose from including many varieties of tomatoes and peppers. We also have squash, melons, cucumbers, herbs, and more. Get your garden growing!!
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FRINGE TREES
Fringe trees are a native species often overlooked, but they shouldn't be. The delicate, fragrant white blooms are stunning in spring. Depending on how you prune it, a Fringe Tree can grow up to 25' tall or you can keep it as a large shrub. We love that they tolerate our clay soil here in NC. You can use them in mass plantings or even as a single specimen tree.
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Potting Shed & Food Truck Schedule |
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The Potting Shed
Friday 12-4:30p
Saturday 12-4:30p
Sunday 12-4:30p
If we have inclement weather, we will close The Potting Shed, so make sure to follow our social media (Instagram or Facebook) for updates!
Food Trucks
Saturday, April 17 - 9am-12pm
Fresh Açaí bowls, whole fruit smoothies, spritzers, breakfast grills, and grilled paninis complement their original specialty coffee and waffle offering.
Sunday, April 18 - 11am-3pm
Drunken Noodles will be here offering their authentic Thai recipes!
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Meet Mariah Jefferson!
Role: Pottery Sales Department Lead
Started at FGS: September 2020
Ice Cream: Butter Pecan
Movie: Shawshank Redemption
Houseplant: Alocasia
Last Book Read: Humans of New York: Stories, Brandon Stanton
Mariah joined our team in September of last year. She started as a Plant Coach, but we quickly realized she had a knack for pottery and displays. She is now the Sales Department Lead for Pottery and ROCKING it! If you bought some gorgeous pottery this year, you can thank Mariah! We are very thankful she is a part of the team!
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Spring Container Class
Bring joy and color to your outdoor space by creating a one-of-a-kind container that will last all summer! FGS Plant Coach, Debbi Barrett, will cover the thrill, fill, spill technique and discuss other design tips to create a gorgeous container! You will also learn tips for how to best care for your container to keep it thriving through the hot summer months!
Fee includes instruction and everything you need to design your own 12 in. pot–annuals, soil, and the pot!
Class fee: $45
PAYMENT AT TIME OF REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED to hold your spot.
Registration without payment will be disregarded.
Click on the class dates and times above to register.
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Propagation Station 101
Is your plant dying and you want to save it? Do you want to multiply your plants without spending money on new ones? Do you love watching plants thrive under your care? Then learning how to propagate your plants is just what you need! This class will cover the basics of propagating different types of plants from existing plant material that you already own! We will cover several methods of propagating in different mediums using different parts of the plant. Cuttings will be provided to show examples of different methods. Come learn the basics of multiplying your plants at the PROPAGATION STATION.
Presenter: Joey Pierce, FGS Plant Coach
Fee is $15.00 (includes class and three clippings)
PAYMENT AT TIME OF REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED to hold your spot.
Registration without payment will be disregarded.
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Growing Tropicals on Your Balcony or Patio
Learn more about the world of tropical plants that you can add to your outdoor living areas! Give your balcony or patio the tranquil feeling of the tropics by growing these fun additions to your space. We will discuss tropical uses, care, and wintering over these easy but exciting plant for your home. Class is outdoors, but space is limited, so sign up soon!
Presenter: Debbi Barrett, FGS Plant Coach
Fee is $10.00 (includes class, gift, and coupon)
PAYMENT AT TIME OF REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED to hold your spot.
Registration without payment will be disregarded.
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Plant Tip of the Week:
To Deadhead or NOT To Deadhead
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Many flowering plants will benefit from deadheading. If you aren't sure which plants or best practices for deadheading, you will want to read this post. Deadheading will help many of your flowering plants thrive!
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Will You Leave us a Review? |
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If you love us as much as we love you, could you take the time to leave us a review? We would really appreciate it. If you can't leave us a great review, please let us know why. We love your feedback! We have included links above to make it as easy for you as possible. THANK YOU!
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We post daily to Instagram @fgsdurham (Garden Center) and @fgslandscapes (Landscape and Lawn Maintenance) and Facebook to keep you up to speed with the latest information about what we are up to, what's in stock, or all the fun we're having!
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For Garden's Sake | 919.484.9759| www.fgsdurham.com |
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