Mother's day is this Sunday, May 8th and we have plants to make

Mom's spirit bloom... 

Colorful, overflowing container gardens starting at $24.99 and

great gift ideas she will love

for every budget! 

Stop by the nursery this week and

let us help you select a special gift 

for the special ladies in your life!

*We will be open on Mother's Day from 1 to 5!

Room to Grow

Get Your Kids Into the Garden!
 

Summer break is creeping up and what better way to keep those little hands busy than to get your kids or grandkids outdoors and gardening!  Spark their imaginations and help them create lasting memories by setting aside a space that can be their very own- whether it's a small flowerbed or a container on the patio.  Here's some ideas and resources to get y'all started:

(Pictured here- an illustration by Robert Louis Stevenson from his book of poems, A Child's Garden of Verses, originally published in 1885, London, England.)

Child's-Eye-View     Consider building a small raised bed or let your child select a container they love to make it easy for them to reach and allow them a close-up view of their garden. 

Hand Over the Reins     For a child, the smallest amount of independence is a big deal- let them select the plants and pick their favorite colors for the garden. 

Stimulate the Senses     Encourage your child to enjoy the color, fragrance and textures of the garden.  Help them find unusual blooms, vivid colors, fragrant blooms or foliage and add a few edibles- a pot of tomatoes or peppers or a herb tucked in here and there. 

Welcome Wildlife     Help your child discover plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, allow them to develop an appreciation for bees, the hard work they do to pollinate plants, and other beneficial insects in the garden.  Eliminate fear with knowledge- dispel unwarranted fears of harmless insects and teach your child which ones to be wary of.

With Freedom Comes Responsibility     Encourage your child to care for the plants he or she has selected.  Give them knowledge and assistance if needed and remind them that plants are living things that need care and attention.

Check out these links for information and resources to get your kids excited about gardening. Also, don't forget that the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Aldridge Gardens offer regular programs especially for children!

kidsgardening.com

arborday.org/explore

Birmingham Botanical Gardens Children's Programs

Aldridge Gardens Event Calender 

Deciduous Shrubs

Infuse Your Garden with Perennial, Low-Maintenance Color 

Often over-looked and underused, deciduous shrubs offer multiple benefits despite their bare winter branches!  Many of our customers come to us in search of season-long color that does not have to be replaced each year, and while perennials are an obvious option, deciduous shrubs offer some of the most beautiful, care-free blooms around. 

(Above: 'Anthony Waterer' Spirea (pink) in bloom in the U.K.)

Don't knock it 'til you try it (maybe you already have and don't even realize it!)   

Some gardeners want evergreens or nothing- or so they think.  Several of the south's favorite plants bare their branches in winter- roses, hydrangeas, forsythia- just to name a few.  For year-round impact, combine evergreen and deciduous shrubs.  Consider using evergreens as the main structure and backdrop of your landscape- combine differing textures and shades of green for winter interest.  Then, tuck deciduous shrubs in front of and among the evergreens, where they will recede during winter months and wow when in bloom.

Our favorite deciduous shrubs 

Stop by the nursery to browse our selection of deciduous shrubs(several of which are in bloom now!)...

Sweetshrub, summer-blooming spireas, Virginia sweetspire, weigelia, abelia, butterfly bush, viburnum, hydrangeas, shrub roses and carpet roses and more!