Newsletter 4 – April 9, 2008     Events    Recipies

“What season is it when you are on a trampoline? Spring-time!!joke

On Your Mark – Get Set – Garden

All the planning, hard work and ‘spring’ful thinking are about to pay off.  This weekend the doors at America’s Best Flowers will open to unveil our newly designed retail look.  From the wider entryway to the new check-out area, you will see many changes, all designed to make shopping at America’s Best easier and faster for you.  We’ve modified the main greenhouse to create a better traffic flow allowing more space for both the people coming and going.  Our retail area has been clearly divided into specific areas, to make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for.  Our pottery area, along the far side of the big house, has been expanded to provide more selection.  And our parking lot has been extended to provide more spaces.  I could go on and on about all the wonderful things that are happening, but since seeing is believing, I invite you to come on out and see for yourself.  We are open from 9 to 8 Monday through Friday and 9-6 on Saturday and Sunday.  Hope to see you soon!!

What grows between your nose and chin?   Tulipsjoke

Pansies

Nothing says spring like the smiling faces of pansies.  Bred in England in the 1800’s from wild violas, pansies have long been the first spots of color in the annual garden.  If this long winter has you suffering from cabin-fever, it’s the perfect time to get outside and plant some pansies. These hardy plants thrive in the cool days and cold nights of spring, withstanding temperatures into the low 20’s.  Our pansy crop this year is outstanding.  Even though we haven’t been officially open, impatient gardeners have been coming in for pansies, so hurry out before they’re gone. 

What do you call a duck that just doesn’t fit in?  Mallardjustedjoke

Mark Your Calendars

Our annual spring Open House will be April 25 – 27.  This three-day event features FREE Black Hill Spruce trees given in honor of Earth/Arbor Day with any purchase, while supplies last. Saturday at 10 we have FREE kid’s activities, including t-shirt painting and seed ball making.  We will be cooking hotdogs and popcorn from 11-3 on both Saturday and Sunday.

The end of April is a great time to start Gardening 2008.  Bring the family and come on out for the best selection of hardy annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs.  You’ll be glad you did.

Why are dogs such bad dancers?  They have two left feet.joke

UPCOMING EVENTS

The weekend of April 19 & 20, is a special SNEAK PEEK for our Loyalty Customers.  We’ve redesigned our retail area to make your shopping experience even better.  Come on out and see our new ‘look’.

April 19, Saturday at 10 am, ‘Ask-the-Expert’ at our FREE Rose Workshop on how to plant, prune and care for your roses by Joan Schultz.

April 19, Saturday at 11 am, ‘Digging Up The Dirt’, a FREE ‘Ask-the-Expert’ workshop on how to prepare and amend your soil by Dori Nemeth.  A must for all new gardeners.

April 20, Sunday at 1 pm How to Divide Hostas, a FREE hands-on workshop.  Wear your gardening clothes and shoes.

April 25 – 27, Spring Open House.  In celebration of Earth/Arbor Day, we will be giving away FREE Black Hills Spruce seedlings with any purchase, while supplies last.  FREE hot dogs and popcorn will be served Saturday and Sunday from 11-3.

April 26, Saturday at 10 am, FREE children’s activities.  Bring a white t-shirt to paint, make seed balls and more.

May 3 & 4 from 10 to 4.  Our first Container Workshop of the year.  Buy a pot, or bring your own, select plants from our wide selection and receive FREE soil and assistance.  We’ll clean up the mess.

May 3, Saturday at 10 am, FREE ‘Ask-the-Expert’ Watering Workshop, learn how to properly water your plants from Howard Zimmerman, our representative from the Dramm Corporation.

May 4 is “SALSA SUNDAY,” celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Latin music.  Plant a ‘salsa container’ at our container workshop. Watch newsletters to enter our salsa recipe contest and win a $50 gift certificate for the best salsa recipe. We’ll have FREE salsa recipes, including the winning entry, for you to take home and FREE samples of chips and salsa from 11-2

May 6 & 8 at 6:30 pm, Make a Mother’s Day Basket.  A ‘Make and Take’ Event, call for details.

May 9 – 12 – Celebrating Mother’s Day, Mom gets a FREE geranium.

May 16 – 18, Tomato Days

May 17, Saturday at 10 am FREE ‘Ask-the-Expert’ class on vegetable gardening, led by Brian Emerson of the Agricultural Research Station.

May 17, Saturday 10 – 2, Herb Fest, with FREE samples of herb breads and dipping oil.

May 17 & 18, 10-4 Container Workshop

May 20 at 6:30 pm, FREE ‘Ask-the-Expert’ How to Care For Your Roses with Sharon Stickford.

May 22 at 6 pm, FREE ‘Ask-the-Expert’ Pond and Container Water Gardening seminar by Jan Vergeer.  Check out many new varieties.

As the year progresses we promise you many more exciting surprises, including our July 4th Celebration, when we have FREE ice cream for everyone.

Our goal is to hold events that are interesting and helpful to our customers. If you have ideas for events, please let us know.  You can email us at ed@americasbestflowers.com or call 608-222-2269.

What is small, red and whispers? A Hoarse Radishjoke

Bird Watch

I’ve been hearing for three weeks that the red-winged blackbirds are back.  Sunday I saw, with my own eyes, an entire flock sitting atop individual cattail heads along the highway.  What a sight!  I did a little on-line research and found that the males begin returning to Wisconsin in March, at the first hint of warm weather, to stake out the best nesting locations.  They return in large flocks, landing in groups in trees and wetlands.  The males defend their territory by flying to the perimeters and puffing out their red wing patch for other males to see.  Females return a few weeks later and select a mate with the best ‘real estate’ that provides a protected site for nesting and rearing of their young.  The brown speckled coloring of the females blends into their habitat as they hide between the cattail reeds.

If you would like to share your spring bird sightings, please email to ed@americasbestflowers.com

I saw two dogs walk over to a parking meter.  One says to the other, “How do you like that?  Pay toiletsjoke

What Do I Do With My Roses?

We’ve had many calls this week asking if it’s time to uncover and cut back roses.  The answer is definitely a yes-no.  By all means uncover them and pull the mulch back a bit from the base to allow the fresh air and sunshine to signal your plant that spring is here.  However, we do advise that you wait awhile before pruning.  Allow the stems to green up and the leaves to begin to grow.  Then prune away all dead stems. You can also use this opportunity to shape the bush.

For more information on rose care, plan to attend one of our FREE rose care seminars. April 19 at 10 am with Joan Schultz, and May 20 at 6:30 pm with Sharon Stickford.

What do you call a country where all the people drive pink cars?

 A pink carnation joke

BONNIE’S KITCHEN

These are darling little salads “potted” into a piece of cucumber, and decorated with pansies. Beautiful AND delicious!

America’s Best Salad Posies

DRESSING

½ c mayonnaise

½ t dried tarragon leaves

¼ c raspberry flavored syrup

2 T white wine vinegar

SALAD

1 or 2 cucumbers cut into 8 (1 ½”) sections

1 head red or green leaf lettuce (8-16 large leaves)

1 bunch endive

1 c baby salad greens

1 (3.5 oz.) pkg. fresh enoki mushrooms

8 edible pansies, if desired

In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; blend well and set aside.

Hollow out and discard center of each cucumber section, leaving about ¼” around outside. Place 1 cucumber section, cut side down, on each salad plate.

On work surface, layer 1 or 2 lettuce leaves, 1 piece endive and about 1/8 of the mushrooms. Roll and gather lettuce at bottom to enclose endive, baby greens, and mushrooms, making it look like a small potted plant. Tuck rolled lettuce into 1 cucumber section. Repeat with remaining lettuce, endive, mushrooms and cucumber sections. Garnish with pansies. Serve with dressing.  8 servings

These make a beautiful presentation for a bridal shower or ladies luncheon.

An 85 year-old widow went on a blind date with a 90-year old man.  When she returned to her daughter’s house later that night, she seemed upset.

“What happened, Mother?” the daughter asked.

“I had to slap his face three times!”

”You mean he got fresh?”

‘No,” she answered, “I thought he was dead.”joke

SEE YOU SOON!!!