Flowerama

Botanical Garden Fair in Green Bay, WI

June 7, 2011 by John Hallee

Here are some of you that visited our booth at the Botanical Garden Fair this year. There were some GREAT pictures of you with our Pig statue. Subscribe to our Blog and get regular updates of what’s going on at Flowerama.

Send a link to your friends and let them see you on the Internet with our pig. You can also see your picture on our Facebook page. Become a fan of us on Facebook.

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The Botanical Garden FAir is a wonderful event for those of you that love gardening. Check them out at www.GBBG.org .

Posted in Summer | Leave a Comment »

Spring!…Mosquitoes!

June 1, 2011 by John Hallee

Spring is finally here! We can finally enjoy the sun and play in the great outdoors. But alas just as we can start to enjoy it we have to deal with those pesky mosquitoes. Will mother nature never cut us a break?! We don’t want to have to fumigate our whole yard with toxic chemicals just so we can get outside. So what else can we do you ask? Well, here are some plants and animals that insects, including mosquitoes, don’t like.

Both Catnip and Rosemary are quite effective at keeping insects away. The oil from catnip has been found to be many times more effective than even DEET. Rosemary is a very popular garden herb that also has an oil in it that repels mosquitoes. Plant a few pots of it around your deck or patio and not only will your friend think you to be very trendy for having your own herb garden, but you they’ll think you’re a survivalist for knowing it keeps mosquitoes away. Because rosemary doesn’t do well in cold weather be sure to pull it inside for the winter so you have it to put back outside the next year.

Marigolds have an odor that many insects don’t like. They are good plants for repelling mosquitoes as well as aphids and other insects that can attack vegetables. One possible down side to marigolds is that some people don’t like the smell of them. I happen to love the smell! So for me that isn’t an issue.

Birds are also a good alternative. They have a high metabolism and have to eat constantly in order to function. By making your yard a good home for them you can keep the insect population low. Birds that thrive mainly on insects are swallows, wrens, martins and warblers. The seed eating birds feed insects to their babies because they are a better source of protein. Check out this site for more information on how to attract birds.

Posted in Bedding Plants, Bugs, Spring, Summer, Tips | 1 Comment »

Planting made simple and landscaping ideas

May 25, 2011 by John Hallee

To a beginner the idea of planting plants around the yard to enhance the landscaping can be a bit overwhelming. Well don’t fret. It’s not en exact science. It’s more a matter of what you think looks good. Pick out one area of your yard and start with that. A great way to get ideas is to look at what other people have and did with their planting and pick out what is eye-catching to you and fits into your budget. Places you can do this is look at what your neighbors are doing, or check out public parks. Something that we have locally (in Green Bay, WI) that is great for getting ideas is the Green Bay Botanical Gardens. One tour of their grounds and you’ll be excited at all the ideas you will get not only with how to place plants but all the different varieties of plants that are possible. Not to mention that it is a very relaxing place to visit. Make sure to note whether the plants you like are in sun or shade as that will determine what will and will not work in your own yard. Another great place you might try to get ideas is to check with some of your local garden centers. A few of them will do a landscaping plan for a small charge or for free in exchange for buying plants from them. One that will do a landscape plan for free here locally is Scenicview Landscapes in Suamico, WI. They will just ask that you purchase their plants with them but is not required. One of their landscape staff will come right to your home.

Once you decide what plants you would like to plant , next is under taking the easy task of actually planting your plants.

Decide where you are putting your plants: Once you have somewhat of an idea of what types of plants you would like to plant and have somewhat of an idea of where you would like to place them here’s how you can finalize the process. Leave the plants in the container and place them where you think you would like to plant them. If you don’t think it looks quite right then you can move them around. Just keep moving them until you are happy with where you have them placed. Don’t move them once you decide where you are going to put them otherwise you will have to go through the whole thing again. Where the pot is sitting is where you will dig your hole for planting.
Digging the hole: To a person who hasn’t done any planting before even a simple thing like digging a hole can make them uncomfortable. How big should the hole be? How Deep? A good rule of thumb is to dig your hole right below where you placed the pot and a little deeper than the container the plant came in. That way you can make the soil below the plant a little loose so the roots will have an easier time growing into the soil below. You also want to make the hole a little wider then the pot so that there is some room for you to get your hands in there and settle the plant in the hole and make sure it’s straight.
Remove the plant from the pot: The easiest way to remove the plant is to squeeze around the pot quite a few times to loosen the plant from the sides. Then gently grab the plant from the stem close to the soil and start to turn the pot upside down. The plant, soil and roots should al slide out into your hand. If the plant doesn’t release from the pot you can try pushing on the bottom of the pot to loosen the roots and soil from the bottom. As a last resort you might have to gently cut the pot away from the plant.
Planting the plants: Start by spreading the roots out in the bottom of the hole. If the roots are too compact try to gently separate them. Try not to damage the roots but don’t worry if a few of the tiny roots get broken. Just don’t be too rough. Next make sure that the plant is straight and is placed at a depth that is approximately the same as it was in the pot or just a bit deeper. Then start filling up the spaces below and around the plant with the soil that you removed from the hole. Pat the soil down so that it is firm enough to make sure that there are no air bubbles but not too compact.

Then water the plant and give it some fertilizer. Continue to water the plant daily for a week or so until the roots have a chance to establish themselves. Repeat this process for each of the plants in your landscape project.

Then stand back and enjoy a job well done!

Flowerama Green Bay and Appleton – for all your Floral needs – Delivering Flowers to Green Bay and the surrounding area.

Posted in Bedding Plants, Gardening, Landscaping, Tips | Leave a Comment »

Fuchsia Tree – NEW! (for us)

May 10, 2011 by John Hallee

Looking for something different? Need something that takes some shade? A fuchsia tree can be a beautiful new addition to any deck, porch or landscaping design.

Fuchsias don’t like temperatures too hot so make sure they have some shade from the mid summer sun. Keep soil moist but don’t over water or the plant will start to thin due to root rot. So, make sure that the container has good drainage. Blooms take form on new growth so pinch the plant periodically throughout the summer to keep the plant blooming.

To keep your fuchsia tree over winter keep it in a place where it won’t frost just as you would with any of your annuals. Now is also the best time to prune it. Cut it back to a shape that you want to begin with next spring. Make sure that the roots aren’t too dry or too wet over the winter so be sure to check it regularly.

In spring you will need to transplant into a little larger pot, do some root pruning and add some new soil. Pinch new growth to provide the plant shape you desire.

Posted in Bedding Plants, Gardening, Spring, Tips | 2 Comments »

Hummingbird and the Fuchsia

May 5, 2011 by John Hallee

Last spring I was walking through the greenhouse inspecting the variety of hanging baskets and enjoying the vast array of colors that make you feel alive that time of year. As I walked through I had a startling distraction as something quickly flew past me a little too close for comfort. Snapping my head around I was expecting to see what I normally saw as a seemingly large fuzzy ball of black and yellow . Bumblebees were a pretty common sight sitting on a basket as I walked by on sunny days like this. I would usually come an uncomfortable eye to eye with them as I staggered around the suspended obstacle course of color that draped around the greenhouse. To my surprise what I saw instead was a hummingbird flitting from flower to flower. Pausing only briefly at about five or six fuchsia blooms before quickly exiting the greenhouse. I had never seen a hummingbird so close before. It puts you in a state of being Alice in Wonderland for a moment until you snap back to the reality of what you need to be doing. Also, it’s interesting how when something like that happens to you that you suddenly become much more aware of your surroundings.

As I continued my enjoyable task of checking out the quality, colors and combinations of hanging baskets in the other houses I found myself peaking around plants to the top of the greenhouse on the off chance of catching another novel sight only to be disappointed. Completing my inspection I made one last trip back to the fuchsia house to see if my new found entertainer had returned. Entering for my final walk thru I glanced down the first tunnel of fuchsias that hung double stacked. There, about a quarter of the way up the aisle just above eye level I could see my hovering friend. I walked slowly toward him hoping not to scare him. I got to within about four plants of him before he flitted up to the second tier of plants closer to the roof and around the back side of the basket. I slowly squeezed my head between to plants to look down the back side of the aisle. There towards the top of the greenhouse to my surprise was my friend with a companion. Two! A matching set! One hovering just above eye level about five baskets down, the second just above that. I followed them around the greenhouse for a few minutes until I spotted a third hummingbird! I was back in Wonderland. They spent all their time jumping from fuchsia to fuchsia. I took my time following them around for what seemed like all day but when all was said and done was only about 10 minutes. Those sites danced in my head for the rest of the day. I’ve seen them since then a few times but as we all know nothing stands out like your first time.

This spring I’ll make an effort to have my camera with me again. My goal is to actually get video of them this year. If I’m able to capture them on video this spring I’ll share it with you so stay tuned in.

So when you stop into Flowerama this spring for your hanging baskets and see all the fuchsias hanging out front maybe you’ll see one of our friends and be able to take a little trip with Alice to Wonderland for yourself.

Posted in Bedding Plants, Birds, Spring | Leave a Comment »

Cinco de Mayo

May 3, 2011 by John Hallee

The History of Cinco de Mayo: As the word says it’s celebrated in May 5th. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when Mexican troops defeated invading French forces. The holiday has become increasingly observed in areas of the US with high concentrations of Mexican-Americans. Celebrations focus on Mexican culture, food, and music.

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The Easter Lily

April 21, 2011 by John Hallee

The Easter Lily is a beautiful symbol of hope and new life. It originated in Japan and was brought to the US by a World War I soldier. There are many biblical and mythical references to this elegant trumpet shaped flower that has now become the traditional Easter Flower. Many churches surround their alters to symbolize the resurrection of Christ. Whether it is found in the church or in your home, the Easter lily reminds us to celebrate and rejoice.

When choosing an Easter Lily, look for one that has blooms in various stages. Look for rich green foliage and for a plant that is around two times tall the size of its pot. Keep it away from cats because they can be poisonous if digested. Remove the yellow anthers as the Easter Lily blooms open to prolong the life of the plant and prevent staining of the white flowers. Be careful though, because the yellow anthers will stain if you get it on your clothes (or table cloth!) See our plant care section for more tips on caring for your plant once you get it home.

Posted in Easter, Spring | Leave a Comment »

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