Dear Friends,

       It is hard to believe the kids will be out of school soon and summer is fast approaching. These subjects come to mind as Memorial Day draws near. With that said, I want to take a moment to honor our service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and say thank you to all Veterans and current enlisted for their service above and beyond duty. May God bless America!

       To enhance anyone's weekend celebrations, I would love to invite you to the 175th Washington Anniversary parade THIS SATURDAY beginning at 11:00 am. The parade route goes through Downtown Washington to south on Elm Street, west on 5th Street, and north on High Street. Watch for our float and be sure to give us a "shout out" - Hey!!

      We will be open all weekend... Saturday: 8:00 - 5:00, Sunday: 9:00 - 5:00 and Memorial Day Monday: 10:00 - 3:00. There is still plenty of time to plant and we have lots of colorful plants available. Enjoy nature all around you, and spend time outside.

Sandi

Memorial Day Weekend 

Friday through Monday, May 23, 24, 25 & 26

       (Open all weekend, Friday 8:00 to 7:00, Saturday 8:00 to 5:00, Sunday 9:00 to 5:00 and Memorial Day 10:00 to 3:00) Fresh and silk flower arrangements are available for memorials. Come pick up items for your weekend gardening projects.  

Wine Making 101:  

Secondary Fermentation Process

Saturday, May 24

Washington's 175th Anniversary Parade

  Vino Van Gogh Painting Event

Saturday, May 31 

       (12:00 - 2:00 pm) Paint, Drink and be Merry. A fun event bringing the experience of art and wine together! Vino Van Gogh provides all art supplies. The art instructor leads the class through a 2-3 hour session following a featured painting. Turn a blank canvas into your own work-of-art. Cost: $38.00. Light refreshments will be available. Bring your own wine. Seating may be limited. Sign up at http://www.vinogogh.com/ or call 866-390-9917. Click here for a printable flyer.  Click here for a printable flyer.   

By Sandi McDonald

       As we move into the spring, the longer days trigger more and more singing behavior from the birds. Resident birds start singing in Feb and March. In April and May, returning breeders add to the chorus. Some birds that only migrate through mid-Missouri may sing as they travel too. While adding to the atmosphere of the backyard, the singing behavior also helps birdwatchers locate birds that may otherwise go unnoticed.

       Males do the most singing, with the primary function being to establish and defend their feeding and nesting territories. The singing behavior also helps them to attract a mate for nesting, so singing is most intense during the spring.  

       Do your crape myrtles look like these??? Yes, we can thank Mother Nature for this. We have been a zone 5 hardiness zone for a while and recently been put into a zone 6 category. But this winter, we had a zone 4 winter! What that means is that Crape Myrtle suffered a lot. We hope they have not died completely. As you can see in these pictures, they died down to the ground. We took a chain saw and removed all of the dead wood, but there is new growth coming up from the rootstock. We will need to practice patience to get them the size they were before, but only time will tell.

       Some of the butterfly bushes, hibiscus, knockout roses, abelia, hydrangeas, etc..... have also died back to the ground. Use the same care and patience as mentioned above for the crape myrtle.

       Have patience and enjoy their summer beauty.

 
 

       There is great vegetable planting information available on the University of Missouri Extension Center Website. You can find planting information on vegetables from asparagus to wax beans and many great tips and informational articles on growing vegetables. Keep in mind that this has been an exceptional year for the cold winter and late spring warm up. Planting dates may need to be later - you still have time to plant most crops.

Click here for the Vegetables page on the MU Extension website.

Click here for the Vegetable Planting Guide on the MU Extension website.

Turtle Alert - MDC News Release

By Jim Low

       JEFFERSON CITY-Have you ever seen a turtle trying to cross a busy highway and wondered how many die under the wheels of automobiles each year? Jeff Briggler has, and as Missouri's state herpetologist, the answer worries him.

       Briggler and other workers at the Missouri Department of Conservation have made informal observations over the years, counting the number of dead turtles - especially box turtles - on stretches of highway.

       "We discovered that mortality rates are very high on high-traffic roads," says Briggler, "whereas mortalities are much lower on less-traveled roads."

       In just one day, Briggler counted 116 three-toed box turtles crossing Highway 63 between Jefferson City and Cabool. Of those, 104 had been hit by vehicles.

Click here for more.

    

       This month the Pot Shop did a special demonstration on Raku (a 12th Century Japanese artistic technique)! Come in to see us at the Pot Shop and ask what it is, and how it's done! Here's an example, from last week's demo! Isn't this beautiful?!

Open Thursday's and Friday's from 10:00 AM- 2:00 PM!  

       

       We're so grateful for our loyal, and consistent vendors! Thank you all! We'd also like to extend an invitation out to any NEW Vendors who may want to come out, as well! There is no set up fee! We offer a fun, relaxing, environment with the most beautiful ambiance in the area! No better place to stop or setup on Thursdays or Fridays!

       Never let inclement weather scare you off! We're happy to have you set up under our West porch covered area!

       See this video for a "how to" tutorial on how to get rid of tent caterpillars without harming your trees! Most of us have this ingredient readily available right in our kitchens!  

How To Get Rid Of Tent Caterpillars

       Due to a high volume of calls and questions regarding our mulch, and mulch delivery, we've created the following so that you can quickly take a look, and see our prices! Thank you!

2014 Pond-O-Rama June 21 & 22, 9-5

       This year the 2014 St Louis Water Gardening Society (SLWGS) Pond-O-Rama Pond and Garden tour will be spectacular! Selected water features throughout the St Louis Metropolitan and Metro East areas will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on one of the two days of this self-directed tour, either Saturday, June 21st or Sunday, June 22nd. Our SLWGS member hosts are delighted to share their lovely water features, gardens and fish, and to spend the day talking about them. This year is exciting because, in addition to some returning favorites from past years, there are many new host sites on the tour. Newly constructed ponds can offer a recent-experience perspective to those thinking about building a water feature. The tour also includes several commercial sites, available for viewing at any time.

       Tickets are $15.00 each and for sale in the Garden Center at Hillermann Nursery and Florist.

Click here for more information on Pond-O-Rama.

 

 

REAL PEOPLE. STIHL PEOPLE.

Give Dad a Gift That Will Last for Generations

       You don't have to be a 3rd generation farmer to know that STIHL equipment is built to last. This Father's Day, when you give Dad the gift of STIHL, you're giving him quality that will endure for years to come.

       Check out our 2014 Father's Day Gift Guide. Not sure what gift to get? We have something for every budget and landscape. This June 15th, give Dad a Real Gift... a STIHL Gift.

Click here for more.

Featured Adoptable Pet 

       Hi, my name is Nala. I am a very attractive 10 month old sweet girl. I am quite colorful; mostly white with orange tabby spots throughout. I am good with other cats and I am crazy about being held. I am a big fan of both giving and receiving attention. If you come to see me, I am sure that you will find that I am irresistible! Purrs and rubs, Nala