"Mothers and Gardens"
May 9, 2012
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Dear Gardening Bug,
 My mother, who will turn 92 this year, is one of our favorite fans. She comes in every day and walks five laps around our annual and perennial area, and every day she finds something new to rave about! Granted, she may be a little biased: she was my dad's partner more than 50 years ago when he brought Rockledge Gardens to life. She constantly tells us how proud my father would be of Rockledge Gardens today.
But I think it's a pretty sure bet that most mothers appreciate and enjoy the beauty of flowers! And it seems appropriate that Mother's Day falls in May ... the month when the most flowers are in bloom.
When I did my walk-around this morning to take our weekly photos (see this week's "garden treasures" here), I put on my "what-would-mothers-love-for-Mother's-Day" hat and came up with quite a list. Here are just a few ideas:
Container Gardens: A great burst of color in a pot. Or, if you'd prefer a culinary garden, we have some beautiful (and tasty) herb mixtures. You can even make your own, at our Container Garden workshop on Saturday ... see below!
Hanging Baskets: Bright sunny baskets of purslane or vinca are just a few of the colorful choices.
Orchids: Elegant and beautiful... and a lot easier to grow than many people think.
Gardenias: The fragrance cannot be beat. Gardenias are a potent memory-trigger for many people.
Rose bush: Instead of cut flowers, how about giving a rose bush that will provide a continuous bouquet? (Plus, our roses are all 25% off right now.)
Chimes: Peaceful sounds in the garden ... new ones have just arrived.
Bird baths: Great for garden décor and for attracting our beautiful feathered friends.
Basket of fresh produce from The Farm: Yes! Tomatoes and peppers ARE beautiful (and delicious)!
 
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 Summer Color!
Some of the old-time favorites, such as coleus, caladiums, vinca, and purslane, are becoming even more exciting with great new hybrids. Merrideth and I are attending the Floriculture Field Days at EPCOT this week, and we'll be eager to share our finds with you. Breeders from throughout the horticulture industry will be there to show off their finest!
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Container Gardening Workshop this Saturday
Just in time for Mother's Day! Plan and plant your own living flower arrangement or herb garden. 10 am this Saturday; $25 includes plants and materials for your own take-home garden. Space is limited, so call 636-7662 to reserve your spot!
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This Week at The Farm
The word for the week: TOMATOES! It is so exciting to discover more and more color when we walk around The Farm each morning. Our peppers are continuing to produce well, too.
We now have a selection of produce from The Farm available for purchase in the check-out building during the week. The produce stand will still be open from 4 to 6 pm on Fridays and from 9 till noon on Saturdays.
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