We hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer vacation or at least a respite from anxiety or stress in your world. We are plugging along through summer, dreaming of fall already. Blink and it will be here!

Blink again. Blink. Blink. Blink. Yes, you are seeing this picture correctly. And yes, again, another one flies the coop. Sigh.

Julia had been with us over three years and what began as a part-time role turned into so much more at FGS. Julia went through all the change and growth, taking each day in stride.

Julia was our Garden Center Manager and has departed to pursue her passion within the agriculture and farming industry. This is exciting for us to see our co-workers fly off into this great, big, world taking their honed skills with them. She will be missed, but living only a few minutes from the Garden Center just means she will pop in and never be a stranger! We consider this a win :)

I have to make this a two part story because I have written goodbye letters for three weeks now and well, departures are just as depressing as new beginnings are exciting. So how about this little cutie? Meet Harper. No, he isn't a new addition (even though I would add one tomorrow to replace Truman, who has the energy and yappy mouth of a two year old drinking Red Bull.)

Last month, I mixed up two client names when I was stopping by to say hi to the landscaping crews. I went to the wrong house and showed up with Scott's name tag on. Looking back, this client probably saw a stammering, nervous wreck wearing what was clearly the wrong name tag, asking for feedback on a project we hadn't started yet, all because I grabbed the wrong file. This resulted in them calling the office to check if I was a real person who works at FGS and had indeed stopped by. Insert my eye roll here because I'm an idiot. I was a whole month early.

We are now on the job so I stopped by again this week at the right install time AND with the right name tag. So when Mrs. L stepped outside on her porch, she invited me in and we had a lovely visit discussing Harper, her tri-color Cavapoo, and I received all the puppy kisses I could get. Seriously, he was the sweetest dog ever and Edison and Truman would have LOVED him :) He is also a special little pup because he has a perfect white belt around his neck which makes him even more unique! These are the things that bring joy: furry, four-legged anything with sweet eyes and free kisses.

While we humans don't offer free kisses, we do offer free smiles and freely educate and help you raise the best plants in your life. And sometimes you can catch Edison and Truman trotting around the Garden Center looking for someone to kiss!! Be on alert at all times :)

We adore Christmas at FGS- so we thought we would celebrate a bit early by throwing a Christmas in July sale!

Role: Cashier

Started at FGS: April 2021

Favorite Plant: Hostas and Diffenbachia

Favorite Snack: Sushi

Currently Watching: Stranger Things

Favorite Local Restaurant: Harvest 18

This year, I'm looking forward to: Selling Christmas trees and really the whole Christmas season at FGS!

Thoughts, Theories, & Trivia: Don't second-guess yourself!

Pro tip: The foliage is very attractive to white-tailed deer, so if you're not too keen on having them help you do your laundry or dishes while you "Whistle While You Work", make sure to use some deer spray to deter them from snacking.

Thursday, July 21, 6PM-7PM TONIGHT!

Have you wanted to grow your houseplants up moss poles but don't know where to start? Come learn all about the benefits of growing plants with moss poles and how to create your own in this "Build your Own Boss Moss Pole" workshop. You will learn what materials work best, how to use moss poles, and how to create one with your own hands!

Instructor: Joey PIerce, Houseplants Lead

Whether you've grown a crop of tomatoes and peppers or planned a trip to the farmer's market, LET'S MAKE SALSA! We'll be sharing some salsa recipes and knife skills to take advantage of all the freshness that summer brings. Enjoy some salsa and chips and Debbi's amazing jokes!

Fee is $15/person; includes a serving of salsa to enjoy during the class and a serving to take home! All necessary materials and supplies are also included.

These positions are full-time, year-round, with benefits including health, vision, and dental insurance; paid holidays; and paid time off.

CLICK HERE to see the full job descriptions and apply!

Succulents are one of the most popular choices for new houseplant enthusiasts. They are often a go-to gift for holidays and you can usually expect to see one on a coworker's desk. Maybe you've seen them spilling out of various creative containers while browing Pinterest and wonder how they'll stay alive in a pumpkin, tiny planter, or repurposed object.

However, not everyone realizes what kind of care succulents need to thrive. So whether you've been gifted a succulent, want to start your succulent collection, or aren't sure why your current plant babies aren't thriving, we've got you covered!

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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're up to, what's in stock, or all the fun we're having!