A Note from Scott and Marsha
February 27, 2020
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Hi Friends! Marsha here--you know I love sharing my stories with you, but I wanted to give a few staff members a chance to share their stories, too. You heard from Jack, our Landscape Operations Manager, a couple weeks ago. This week, our story is from Ann, our Garden Center Manager. I just love the heart behind her story and her clear love for all things green--pretty sure you will too:
I (Ann) remember the first time I learned that gardening isn’t just about plants; it’s about heart connections.
Many years ago, I got an urgent call from my friend Val. She told me that an old abandoned farmhouse nearby was being torn down the next day. She needed my help to dig up the daylilies next to the house -- if we didn’t, they would be destroyed in the demolition. I knew little about gardening at the time, but how could I say no?
We arrived on the scene with shovels and boxes and bags. The daylilies were orange, not the exotic colors like we see today, just very ordinary ones like the ones growing wild you may see growing along the side of the road. But that didn't matter to us. In fact, their plainness seemed to make them even more precious, and they needed our help to save their lives. That day, something changed in me. I always appreciated beautiful gardens, but now I felt something new, a sense of responsibility, and emotional bond with these daylilies. We dug out every last one, and took them to Val's house for planting.
Since there wasn’t enough room in Val’s garden, I was urged to take some home to start my own garden. Being a total novice, Val promised she would give me pointers and said the flowers would be easy to care for. Those plain daylilies became my first beloved garden that I cared for and nurtured.
Almost every day at the garden center, we meet customers who have similar heart connections with their plants. This time of year, the focus is mostly indoor plants. We speak with customers who love their collection of young houseplants and sometimes refer to them as their children. Sometimes they return to show us photos, like proud parents, of how their houseplants have grown. We love to see those! Then there’s the customer who inherited a 50 year old Christmas Cactus from her grandma, needing to know how to keep it alive so the memory of her grandma stays with her.
As we all know, things can go wrong with houseplants. Our customers may bring in their ailing plants with worried looks -- like the parents of a sick child -- and ask for advice. There is rarely talk of replacing plants; they feel responsible for their lives and will do whatever it takes. Sometimes it is an easy remedy. Other times it might take several staff putting our heads together or more research to find the answer. These are wonderful moments of sharing our connection with customers, and the mutual love of living plants. We love that you trust us to help you. I look forward to more of these memories with you this spring!
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NEW OUTDOOR POTTERY
Yes, we did feature Outdoor Pottery last week, but we are featuring it again because it is now all unpacked and absolutely gorgeous. If you want the best selection of colors and sizes, come out this weekend and take a look! We are pretty sure these lovely pots will sell quickly. We also have bird baths, lanterns and herb planters that will be the perfect accent to your garden, porch or patio. Not to mention fabulous strawberry pots as well!
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WITCH HAZEL SHRUB
You may recognize the name of this shrub because you have seen it on the shelf in your favorite drug store. Witch Hazel has been used for centuries for its medicinal purposes, but it's also widely loved by gardeners for its unique yellow flowers in the late fall and winter that have a delightful fragrance. Witch Hazel can grow as tall as 30 feet, but you can easily keep it trimmed and pruned to a more manageable size. Plant in part shade or full sun in moist soil.
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QUINCE SCARLET STORM
Quince Scarlet Storm is a deciduous shrub prized for its prolific early blooming, bold red flowers. The blooms grow right along the stem, making them quite the specimen plant in late winter or early spring. The flowers may remind you of camellias. This shrub grows 3 to 4 feet tall and wide and prefers well-draining soil. The flowers give way to glossy dark green leaves that you can enjoy through the summer and fall.
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Join us as Rachel Latson with
La Botella
teaches you how to make your own homemade 12 oz. soy candle. It will be the first day of Spring and what better way to bring the outdoors in than with candles scented like the very trees, plants and shrubs we will have available at the garden center! Scents like lilac, cherry blossom, magnolia, and more will be an option. Labels will be included as well. Enjoy light snacks, a complimentary glass of wine, hard cider or non-alcoholic beverage, and additional wine or cider will be available to purchase. Limited space available, so don’t wait to
register
! Cost is $35 per participant. This is the perfect opportunity for a Girls' or Guys' Night Out!!
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GRADUATION PARTY? BABY SHOWER?
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What
small event
do you have coming up that you need a space for? Whether it is a graduation party, baby shower, or off-site meeting, our
Robin's Nest
is likely a perfect fit for your needs. Find out more information including rates
here
. You can also
email us directly
.
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On our
Instagram
story last week, we asked what questions you had about houseplants. One follower asked for suggestions for
plants that do well in low light
. We are sure some of you have the same question, so we answered it in
this post
!
If you missed it last week and you are thinking about planting a
flowering tree,
we suggest a Cherry Tree! You can find out more information about why and which ones we recommend in
this post
.
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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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