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Dear
With any luck when you read this you will be warmer than me when I wrote this. What happened? I had 3 layers on for the first 2 days of June. I should be water skiing by now. BUURRR.
So with the weather the way it has been so up and down, I was wondering how far along you were in your planting click here and let me know. The forecast looks better for this weekend. We'll keep our fingers crossed. Maybe I just might get to ski too!
Take care and have a great day.. and weekend!
Rob Gemmell
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| ALLTHE DIRT |
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HOORAY FOR HOSTAS
This is the one of our favourite perennials at Gemmell's!
Need a plant that grows in full or part shade, is drought tolerant, stays tidy and gorgeous all summer long? Then you need a Hosta. With so many varieties to choose from (over 45 here at Gemmell's) it's hard to choose just one! Hostas have such great function in any garden design; they are a perfect plant for edging along walkways, planting under tree canopies, adding accent foliage to brighter coloured flowers. Unequalled for their beautiful foliage from blue-grey to deep green, to bright chartreuse, they are the showboats in the garden from early spring to late fall when many turn a gorgeous yellow.
Here are a few of our favourites;
Hosta of the Year 'Earth Angel'  Large heart shaped blue-green pointed leaves with creamy white margins and pale lavender flowers. 30 -35" tall
 Hosta 'Striptease'
Hosta 'Abiqua Drinking Gourd'
Unique deeply cupped foliage makes this hosta a standout in the shade garden. White tubular flowers rise above intense blue-green corrugated foliage in midsummer.
Grows 16" tall.
 Hosta 'Fire & Ice'Crisply variegated leaves with deep green margin brighten the shaded garden. Attractive planted between rocks or at garden's edge. Lovely accent to white flowered plants or ferns. Grows 20" tall
 Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'2008 Hosta of the Year. Sweet tiny deep blue leaves in the shape of mouse ears. Good ground cover or edging plant. Grows 5-10" tall.
 Hosta 'Guacamole'Large shiny rounded apple green leaves are margined by a wide deeper green edge. Colours will intensify with more light. Good sun tolerance. Grows 24" tall.
Well, I could obviously go on and on about more of the great varieties you can find here this season but you'll just have to come out and wander through the perennials and see them for yourself! |
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DEER LOVE HOSTA |
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Another true but sad fact about Hostas is that the deer love them! Many of our Gemmell's Gardeners who live in the country have told stories of waking up in the morning, coffee in hand and looking out across their yards to see empty garden beds where luscious Hostas once flourished. But alas, we have an answer. Pete Rickards Wild Meat fed Coyote Urine. Laugh if you must but this stuff really works! A few drops on a small sponge placed into a water bottle (lid on) with a hole cut in the side and set out on the perimeter of your yard will help keep Bambi at bay.
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SLUGS LOVE HOSTA |
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Are you starting to see a trend here? Slugs love the cool and shady spots where Hostas thrive. There are eco solutions for controlling slugs now that slug pellets have been axed in the recent pesticide ban (they contained Carbaryl which is linked to killing honeybees). One of the best is diatomaceous earth which basically contains mineral deposits of diatoms which are miniscule but razor sharp for slugs when ingested or crawled across. Another old trick is to place a dish of beer under the Hosta. Call it a Slug Bar if you wish but slugs climb in and never climb out! |
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RECYCLE YOUR POTS |
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Return all Horticultural  plastic pots to us
during business hours to be either re-used (if they came from us) or returned to the manufacturer to be made into new pots, if they didn't. Pots & flats Made in Canada or the USA, with recycling number symbols 2, 5 or 6 will be recycled. Styrofoam is not recyclable and cannot be accepted. |
| Membership Rewards |
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We have instituted our free Members Reward Card program during our open house May 2nd. From now on Members will save 2% on their purchases through until the end of July.  The savings can then be spent on purchases between August and the end of November of the same year. You will also get advance notice of sales as well as special coupons and free stuff. Your email address is required to participate in this program. |
