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Gemmell's Garden Centre Newsletter 
 

  February 18th 2010

In This Issue
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
2010 SEEDS
BEHIND THE SCENES
Join Our Mailing List!
Greetings!
Rob head
As I meet people here and there around town a familiar question is asked, "So you must be busy planting". In fact we are and have been for a good month. It makes for a short winter for us. It is not spring, at least we are thinking spring. Many people still think that we have the winter off and can head south; not quite, but I do wish some days. No, in fact we are planting and or planning 12 months a year. We are often told by employees that you just can't appreciate the work that goes into growing plants until you've worked here. And we are lucky to have great employees that help make this happen. We're going to introduce some of them to you over the next while in our newsletters to come.
 
This is our first newsletter of the year. I hope you like the new layout. As we get the ball rolling, be sure to look for more of them. We have lots of changes and exciting things to tell you about before the real spring is upon us, so enjoy and we look forward to seeing you again soon!
Rob
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE                                                       by Kelly Heath, Retail Manager
 
Kelly head webGet inside and out of the cold this March with our annual Victorian Workshop series. A fun way to work with plants and design while getting your hands in the dirt!
Learn the fundamentals of designing and planting your own gorgeous Victorian Hanging Basket with our resident design guru Liz Gemmell. We'll then take care of your creation here at the greenhouse until May.
 
2010 VICTORIAN WORKSHOP SERIES
 
Saturday March 13          9:30am -11:30am
Saturday March 13          1:00pm -3:00pm
Sunday March 14              1:00pm -3:00pm
Saturday March 20         9:30am -11:30am
Saturday March 20         1:00pm -3:00pm
 
Workshop includes instruction, soil and 9 plants
$30/session
Hanging Baskets can be purchased for as little as $4.99
Several different styles of hanging baskets are available or feel free to bring our own!
 
Register by phone (613)283-6371
Or email www.gemmellsgardencentre.com
Prepayment required to reserve space.
2010 SEEDS
 
 Seeds Racks
Aimers Seeds 
We've started planting! Have you? The new 2010 seeds from OSC are now in, including a great selection of organic varieties.  We also carry seeding mixes, rooting hormone, fibre peat pots and planting trays.
 
BEHIND THE SCENES
 
 While many gardeners are wrapped up by the cosy fire pouring over the latest Germination Roomseed catalogues & gardening magazines, we here at the garden centre are busy, busy, busy planting up all the baby seedlings for the 2010 growing season! Seeds and cuttings are being planted by our knowledgeable greenhouse team. Wiesia and LindaWeisa and Linda have overseen the planting of 70,000 cuttings to date and over 100,000 seeds! Each plant has its own very specific requirements to light, heat & water for germination. #8 greenhouseSeeds are placed in our specially built germination room after initial planting to help get them sprouted, then they are moved to the greenhouse. This ensures strong healthy plants which are less susceptible to disease. We are also trialing some interesting new varieties in both annuals and perennials and can't wait to see what spring will bring!
 
In the retail part of Gemmell's we spent last fall and winter renovating the glass greenhouse which stands to the north of the property. This glorious structure had been a part of Gemmell's since 1972 but in 2007 it sustained major damage in a winter storm. Finally able to find a supplier for the glass we are all very excited for its grand reopening in 2010. Look for tons of new display areas and gardening products in this elegant new space.
 
Hope to see you soon!
 
I hope you are enjoying our newsletter. As always we appreciate your input into how we can continue to improve in all aspects. If and when you have some input, I would love to hear it, good and not so good.
                                                      Suggestion Box       
Sincerely,
 

Rob Gemmell
Gemmell's Garden Centre