Solve our Cyclamen Puzzle

Bored at work today?  Try to solve a puzzle we made via jigdi.com with one of our many photos taken here at the greenhouse.  Check back for more challenges to come...

Succulents, Bromeliads & More

Yesterday, before the blizzard, we got a great variety of plants in that have added loads of color and textures to the greenhouse.  Our first shipment of Rieger Begonias arrived, along with more kalanchoe and hydrangea.  

We also got beautiful bromeliads Bomeliads come i na variety of colors, from bright pinks and yellows to darker reds and purplesin 4" pots and 6" pots.  These are great houseplants that add a tropical feel and bright colors to your home. 

Frosted Ferns arrived as well in 4" pots.  These beautiful ferns have a unique texture and appear to have frost on the foliage.  A great plant for winter.

Finally, we got a great variety of succulents in both 2" and 4" pots.  These plants are great year round and have been growing in popularity the past few years.  During the colder months, when the plants are more dormant, they only need to be water once every few weeks, and only once a week during the spring and summer months.  They like light, but not necessarily direct sunlight, which is great for this time of year. Also, these should be in a sandy or rocky soil.  Typical potting soil is generaly too rich for these, so look for a cactus potting soil.

Come check out the new stock and more should be arriving soon!

Frosted Fern

Winter Newsletter

Our winter newsletter is out this week. Our newsletter is a thank you for being such loyal customers, and gives you guys the inside scoop on what's happening at the greenhouse, as well as coupons that you can't get anywhere else. The coupon changes each month and is sent directly to your inbox.

The winter newsletter covers a variety of topics including Bonsai, houseplants and Valentine's Day. It also previews our events that will be taking place in the next few months, such as our Bonsai Workshop on February 18 and our English Garden Basket Workshop on March 17.

In case you haven't signed up and are interested, please visit our Contact Page, send us an e-mail with the Subject "Newsletter", and we will add you to the list.

For daily updates, don't forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter!

Houseplants: They’re Not Just for Show

Many gardeners have house plants during the winter to bring a little bit of the outdoors in, and some green into the otherwise gray and white environment.  But did you know that having houseplants in your home can actually improve your health?  Here are a few reasons you should have houseplants:

• Plants are Cold-Fighters: According to MastersinHealthCare.com, indoor plants reduce cold-related illnesses by more than 30% due to the fact that they increase humidity while decreasing levels of dust in the air.
• Plants can remove airborne contaminants while also reducing the levels of carbon dioxide: During the process of photosynthesis, plants draw in carbon dioxide from the air and then release oxygen. By drawing in the carbon dioxide in your home, plants are not only removing CO₂ which can help prevent drowsiness but also purify your air. Indoor plants help remove pollutants including VOCs that cause headaches, nausea, and more. It has also been found that certain plants, such as the Peace Lily, can help remove airborne chemicals from cigarette smoke and negate the effects they have on people.
• Plants are a Headache Medicine: By filling your home with plants, you can decrease or eliminate headaches all-together.  This comes as a result of having cleaner air flowing through your home.  Stale or stuffy air is often to blame for headaches, but the plants help reduce that.
• Houseplants make you Happy According to mastersinhealthcare.com, it has been found that houseplants can contribute to a feeling of wellbeing, and make you calmer and more optimistic. There have been studies performed that have shown recovering patients who face a garden view in their hospital rooms often recuperate more quickly than those facing a wall.
• Plants help your brain work better & aid your mental health: It was found at The Royal College of Agriculture in Circencester, England, that students demonstrated 70 percent greater attentiveness when they’re taught in rooms that contained plants. In the same study, attendance was higher for lectures given in classrooms with plants. Not only can potted flowers improve your ideas and mood, but caring for a living thing can help when you’re depressed and lonely.  Winter is a time when many struggle with depression because of the lack of sun and the cold, so now if the perfect time to incorporate plants into your home.

• Plants & Allergies: While many people fight allergens like mold and pollen, bringing a plant into your home can help prevent your kids from having allergies.  Exposing them to these allergens early on in life will help them build a tolerance and immunity to them.

• Plants are natural humidifiers: During the winter, when your furnace is pumping dry air into your home, having plants around can help add humidity to the air.  Instead of buying a humidifier machine to soften the air, just bring in a plant or two.

So now that you know the benefits, the next step is to choose which houseplants you want to incorporate into your home.  Here are ten low-maintenance plants that we recommend

1. Sansevieria/SnakePlant/Mother-in-Law's Tongue
2. Philodendron
3. Pothos
4. Dracena
5. Anthurium
6. Zebrina/Wandering Jew
7. Nepthytis/Arrowhead Plant. 
8. Neanthe Bella Palm
9. Zygocactus or Christmas Cactus
10. Kalanchoe

Winter at the Greenhouse

Many of our customers ask us, “What do you do all winter?”  Or, “Where are you heading for the winter?”  And while we wish we could put our feet up on a sandy beach in the Caribbean, we are here prepping for spring. (Truth be told, we actually do get a tan on sunny days inside the glass greenhouses.)

In fact, we began prepping for this spring before the holidays even began.  We started our geraniums in November, and in mid-December we started our pansy and viola seeds.  We also have our vinca vine and ivy cuttings growing and getting ready to be transplanted, and our Mexican heather pots and fuchsia hanging baskets planted already.

Transplanting pansy seedlings for spring flatsAs the weeks progress, we will sow seeds and transplant bedding annuals, like dianthus and petunias, vegetables, like peppers and tomatoes, and a few perennials, all in preparation for the season to come.

We are open to the public year round, so when the greys of winter get you down, stop in for a dose of spring.  Take home a kalanchoe or cyclamen for a little bit of color in your home.  Or stop in for one of our workshops that take place over the winter.  This year, keep a lookout for our English Garden Basket Workshop and a Bonsai Workshop taking place in February and March.

Plants for sale during the winter months include:

• Houseplants like Ferns, Ivy, Mother-in-Law Tongue, Diffenbachia, Jade, Philodendrons, Pothos, Palms, Peace Lillies, Spider Plant, Hoya, Cactus, Anthurium, Shefflera, Croton & Norfolk Island Pine

• Flowers like Kalanchoe, Azalea, African Violets & Cyclamen

• Beautiful English Garden Baskets

•Bonsai Trees, soil & fertilizer

•Seeds will be available in late February. Check our Facebook page for their arrival.

Our winter hours are Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  and closed Sundays. Also, to kick off the spring season, we will be having our Second Annual Flower Happy Hour on Friday, April 20 from 6:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates on what we’re planting and dates for our events and workshops.

Enjoy the winter and we hope you’ll stop in and see us!