Come on In & figure Out what it’s all about…

Gardening!
That’s what it’s all about.

And this Sunday at Blumen Gardens, we are continuing our monthly gardening extravaganza:
Gardening In & Out.
Each 3rd Sunday of the month from 11am – 3pm (May 20, June 17, July 15, August 19, September 16, October 21), we are hosting a day filled with the “ins and outs”of gardening.

Look what’s on the activity list every month:

  • Our experienced staff conducts hands-on workshops – each month a special class designed for you to create and take home a garden piece that reflects your individual personality.
  • Gardening specialists host classes addressing seasonal trends and garden design themes.
  • Share in our love of food as local “foodies ” bestow creative methods for cooking, eating and storing your home-grown herbs and vegetables!
  • Local artisans sell their hand-made wares in our artists market situated within our repurposed factory.
  • Belly up to the grill bar where Joel serves up satisfying fare and conversation for all to enjoy.

Come be inspired this Sunday and enjoy our gardening community at Blumen Gardens.  We love to dig in the dirt, and we think it shows.  And, we want to share our love and knowledge with you!

Look at our pictures from April’s Gardening In & Out.  See our facebook page for an album of photos from last month!

Our Artists Market during April's Gardening In & Out

Hand-made Bead & Stone Bracelets and Necklaces.

Beaded Necklaces and found artifacts.

Beaded skeleton for sale at our Artists Market during April's Gardening In & Out.

Skateboard Bracelets.

Container Garden workshop. Participants used cool-tolerant annuals and herbs to fill their pots.

Many customers bellied up to the grill bar for a tasy lunch by Joel during April's Gardening In & Out.

Published May 17, 2012.
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Categories: Blumen Events, You Might Find Interesting

I Cannot See the Compost through the Weeds

Back in March, when the weather was in the 80’,s I had the inspiration to clean and detail my garden beds.
Why not?  It was warm.  It was dry.  Plants were rapidly growing.  And it was Spring.

No, no it wasn’t.  It was March 14th: still Winter!

And in that realization, I sheepishly put away my gloves and tools because it just didn’t feel right to begin “spring clean-up” during winter.  (And who knew – maybe a last glimmer of hope for snow might possibly remain.)  Instead of waiting, I should have thrown caution to the wind, and let old superstitions be forgotten.   I wish that I had fervently plucked every last weed, ordered compost and mulch, and spread every last drop of amendment with gusto.

For now – I can barely see the compost through the weeds!
But they will not win for long.

My pile of compost has been patiently waiting under a tarp for the rains to end – this weekend might just be dry enough!  My trowel is newly sharpened – what better to get those deep, weedy roots all out!  My resolve is to enlist family and get the long-overdue job gloriously checked off my SPRING “To Do” list! (Since it is my weekend!)

Try to get items on your Spring “To Do” list checked off!  Blumen Gardens can deliver mulch or compost to your home.  Call 815-895-3737 to schedule a delivery!

Bulk Amendments:
Premium Hardwood Bark Mulch – $45/cu. yard
Mushroom Compost – $ 36/cu. yard
Topsoil – $30/cu. yard

Smaller Bagged Amendments available in Retail Garden Shop:
Mushroom Compost - $6.00
Hardwood Bark Mulch – $7.00
Perlite – $12.00
Pine Fines – $9.00
Peat Moss – $12.00

Published May 8, 2012.
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Categories: From the Garden Shop, Gardening Made Easy, You Might Find Interesting

Nemesia – Never the Nemesis!

Container Garden with NemesiaWe are truly overflowing with beautiful cool-weather annuals.  As I walked around the annual circle yesterday, I beamed in seeing the incredible color selection available!  I do have to say that all of our annuals are pretty magnificent – and we have a good selection of herbs as well.

I just wanted to point out a favorite of mine that will outlast the pansies in all their hot-weather wiltiness, bringing you a roar of color from spring all the way through fall.  I am pleased to introduce Miss Nemesia!

Yes, Nemesia has been around for a while, but  it’s color range has grown from white, blue or pink to multi-layered hues and dual-colored stunners.  Nemesia is great in container gardens as well as the perennial border!  You may plant it in full-sun to part-shade locations – very versatile!

Take a look at the colorfully blooming Nemesia in our Garden Shop:

Nemesia "Bluebird"

The old tried and true Nemesia "Bluebird".

Nemesia "Sky Blue" - Blue and Purple flowers with yellow eye.

Nemesia "Opal Innocence"

Nemesia "Opal Innocence" - rosy-pink, creamy ivory & lavender flowers. Appear irridescent!

Nemesia "Berries & Cream Sachet" - purple, blue & cream flowers.

Nemesia "Sunshine Mango"

Nemesia "Sunshine Mango" - light golden flowers with purple and gold eye.

 

Published April 26, 2012.
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Categories: Gardening Made Easy, You Might Find Interesting

HOCUS POCUS – Tips for a Simply Magical Container Garden

Dust off your wand, pull out the fairy dust and utter this spell:

“Something Tall.  Something that Falls.
Something to Fill.  Something  to Thrill.”

These words give the basic recipe to a no-fail, beautiful container garden!

Let’s take a closer look:

Something Tall – Every container garden looks best with a layering of plant shapes and textures.  Be sure to select a plant that will grow taller than the rest.  Plant it in the center of your container if the pot will be viewed from all directions.  Place the tall plant toward the back of the pot if the container will be positioned against a wall or larger object.

Something that Falls – Be sure to select a trailing annual that will cascade over the edge of the container.  This extends the visual interest of the planting beyond the top of the container.

Something to Fill – Choose annuals to plant in between the “tall” and “trailing” plants.  Your “fill” annuals should be of medium height in comparison to the tall and trailing annuals.  Select annuals that have interesting foliage and/or bright flowers of complementary colors.

Something to Thrill – A special statue, figurine, floating word or garden globe can add a little more pizzazz or unexpected spark of interest to your plantings.  Natural or painted twigs can also add additional height.

Now that you have the plants, what to do?

How to plant your container:
Fill the pot with quality potting soil (Blumen Gardens’ sells its own specially-blended recipe of potting soil) in a container with drainage, and arrange the annuals in desired configuration.  Pull off pot and loosen roots.  Plant the annuals, tucking in soil around each of the plants.  Finally, add your “thrill” piece,  wave your magic wand of water and “Hocus Pocus” – you’ve a beautiful container garden for the location of your choice!

Note:  If you are lacking the time, our staff at Blumen Gardens can always bibbity-bobbity-boo any planter into a magical show of flowers for you to take home!

Below are phtos from our Spring Container Gardening Class on April 15th during our monthly event “Gardening In & Out”.

Container Gardening Class, April 2012.

Cool-tolerant annuals in white planter.

Cool-tolerant annuals in blue planter, Container Gardening Class.

Cool-tolerant annuals in green planter. Container Gardening Class, April 2012.

Pansies and other cool-tolerant annuals in a planter.

Hope you have found some inspiration in our magical examples!

Published April 19, 2012.
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Categories: Gardening Made Easy, You Might Find Interesting

Our Favorite Blooming Bulbs This Year

Our Retail Garden Shop has been bountiful with blooms!  I snapped some photos to show you some of our favorites!  Make your list, check it twice and get YOUR favorites this September.

 

Golden Tulips and Daffodils beneath a river birch tree outside our Garden Room.

The above is a picture of the bulbs around the patio just outside The Garden Room.  Below are some close-ups and names of the blooms.

Narcissus 'Dutch Master', Tulipa 'Golden Apeldoorn', Tulipa 'Beauty of Apeldoorn'

 

Tulip 'Beauty of Apeldoorn'

Tulipa 'Beauty of Apeldoorn'

 

Narcissus 'Dutchmaster', Tulipa 'Daydream'

Narcissus 'Dutchmaster', Tulipa 'Daydream'

 

Below is a picture of a new swath of bulbs planted last year  that has brought such vibrant color
to the Garden Shop and Outhouse.

Bulbs blooming in the Retail Garden Shop.
There are many Tulips varieties in this bed including:
Tulipa Fantasy, Orange Princess, Rococo, Ballerina, Mariette, Blue Diamond and Toronto.  Below are some close-ups and names of the blooms.

Tulipa 'Rococo'

 

From left to right: Tulipa 'Fantasy' (pink fringed), Tulipa 'Marriette', Tulipa 'Orange Princess'

We had some beautiful purples blooms near
The Courtyard in our Garden Shop.  If you were lucky to see them, there was a combination of Narcissus actea, Tulipa Margarita and Tulipa ‘Purple Prince’.

Beautiful purple blooms near The Courtyard in Blumen Gardens' Garden Shop.

 

 

Tulipa 'Purple Prince'

 

 

 

Published April 10, 2012.
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Categories: Gardening Made Easy, You Might Find Interesting