Cottage Grove location open

Mon-Fri 9-7
Sat & Sun 9-5

Edgerton location open

Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30
Sat 8:30-5:00
Sun 9-4

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On Monday morning, July 11^th, a member of our America’s Best Flowers family passed away.   Our hearts are deeply saddened by the death of Bev Techmeier.

Bev was a pixie of a lady.  Tiny, petite and quick on her feet was our friend.  She was an absolute little firecracker to be around.

We all had a story to tell about Bev and it was always a funny one!   It was impossible not to smile and laugh in her presence.

We will continue to smile when we think of her.  We will continue to be grateful that she was in our lives.  And we will continue to cherish the years she spent with us.

Bev’s full obituary will be in the 7-17-16 Wisconsin State Journal.

Hi! I’m – whoops! Almost gave it away!
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My new mom and dad said that it was time that I introduce myself.  You see, my previous family had to move far away and it wouldn’t have been a good place for me to live, so they searched and searched for a new loving family for me.  I was sad at first.  I was going to miss my 2 kids, but WOW my new family is pretty cool.  I have a fenced in back yard where I can run and run and run.  We play ball together and when my new mom and dad are not looking I try to hunt for little critters.  You see, my mom keeps on telling me it’s a ‘no kill zone’, not quite sure what that’s all about.  But, I’m trying really, really hard to follow the rules, but habits are hard to break…ya know what I’m saying?

Sometimes, my mom calls me ‘Lucy’ and that’s ok with me.  She says it with so much love in her voice that I feel honored when that happens.  My mom and dad told me all about Lucy, how much they loved her, how much joy she brought into their lives, and how sad they were when she passed.

Being the wise (and adorable) dog that I am, I believe that the past, present and future is connected.  Those that are gone watch out for those of us that are still here.  That is why I’m here, in my new home.

Lucy brought me here.

Hello Everyone!

In the past our dog Lucy told her story in this newsletter. We hope that you will accept this little girl and her story as you so kindly accepted our sweet Lucy’s story.

I’m sure you notice that her name was not mentioned.  That is because many of you seemed to enjoy the contests that Lucy used to instigate. So, we thought what better way to start this little girls’ story than with a ‘GUESS THE NEW GIRLS’ NAME AND AGE’ contest.

Here are your clues:

• 4 letters
• 2 syllables
• Contains the letter ‘D’

The winner will receive a $25 America’s Best Flowers gift card.  Please send your submission to Shirley at abfscimino@yahoo.com by Wednesday, July 20^th at 2:00pm.

Good luck!

Yep, the smell of wet dog is in the air!  On Saturday, July 23, from 11-3 PM America’s Best Flowers will be hosting their 6^th Annual Dog Wash Fundraiser for the Dane County Humane Society (DCHS).

Volunteers from the DCHS will bathe dogs between 11:00 and 3:00. We are suggesting a $10 or larger donation which will go directly to the DCHS.

Partnering with us again this year is Poochie Portraits by Talbot Photography.  For a $30 donation, your dog will have a professional photo session in a cool, calm and private area in our greenhouse.  And Terry Talbot sure knows how to make a dog smile!  You’ll receive an adorable 5×7 picture of your best friend that you’ll treasure for years.

Remember to mark your calendar for Saturday, July 23.  It’s clean dog day at America’s Best Flowers!

Is your tail wagging now?  Stay tuned…there’s more information coming.

Have you ever been curious about using essential oils to support your health and wellness?  Essential oils are a potent form of natural support to one’s health and wellness.

In this hands-on workshop you will explore herbal essential oils, learn about their safety, and try different methods of application. We will also be making a natural and safe bug spray using oil made from herbs to take home with you.

Pre-registration is required and payment of $10 is required (the night of class.)  To register please call Margaret at 608-235-7413.

All of our fruit trees are 30% off.  And what kinds do we have, you ask?  Well, here you go:

Apple trees – Haralred, Haralson, Winecrisp, Urban Apple – Tasty Red, Urban Apple – Tangy Green, Urban Apple – Golden Treat

Pear trees – Tawara Asian, Parker, Ure

Cherry trees – Northstar, Black Tafarian, Lapin’ Sweet Cherry

Peach trees – Red Haven & Elberta

Plum trees – Toka, Pipestone & Superior

Also, all perennials, in square pots, are on sale.  Buy 2 and get 1 free (of equal or lesser value).

The Enemy
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The Remedy
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With a shiny bronze shield, border of black and white spots and a metallic green head, the Japanese Beetle is a natural piece of art. While it’s no doubt aesthetically dazzling, its beauty loses luster with its massive destruction. In Japan, they’re just part of the ecosystem, but in American gardens, they’re one of the most broadly destructive invasive pests. Often found in large numbers, they eat just about any plant, but prefer plants of the genus Prunus such as roses, crabapples, and raspberries, as well as grapes, canna lilies, linden trees, birch trees, and others. They eat the soft tissue of leaves and avoid the leaf veins, leaving the skeleton of a leaf that once was. Given the chance, they’ll gleefully redesign your yard with this skeleton-leaf look.

Fortunately, these rogue horticulturists can be thwarted in a number of ways. The simplest way to control them is by picking them off and tossing them in a bucket of soapy water. If this isn’t feasible due to the large number, or you can’t stand touching bugs, we do have a spray from Bonide called Japanese Beetle Killer, which effectively kills adults. Just spot-spraying as you see them will do, being sure to apply periodically.  This product may be used indoors, outdoors and in greenhouses.

Absolutely rubbish gardening
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Please note, we do not carry, nor do we recommend, pheromone traps. Studies have found that the pheromone traps attract more beetles to your yard from surrounding areas, and they often settle down on their favorite plants before they even reach the trap.

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Bright and colorful Grab-N-Go container gardens and hanging baskets are in need of good homes!  Stop on out and adopt a few for your yard, patio or deck!

This year’s Art In The Garden will be held on Saturday, September 10, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Setup and CHECK-IN begins at 7:00 a.m. You must be ready to sell by 9 a.m.

To participate this year, we will require a non-refundable registration fee of $25.00 for a single booth and $35.00 for a double booth. After you arrive and have your booth space set up, we will present you with a $20.00 America’s Best Flowers gift card (regardless of the booth size.)

To register, please either send us a check or stop by our garden center in Cottage Grove. A registration form will be at our Customer Service desk.  If mailing your check for a space, please include a brief note stating that it is for the Art in the Garden event.  Please include your phone number and email address for contact purposes. Please send your check to:

America’s Best Flowers
4311 Vilas Hope Rd
Cottage Grove, WI 53527

This is an art and craft fair!  We ask that the items you are selling be handmade or at least semi-hand made.

Vendors are responsible for their own tables, chairs, draping, displays, products and booth security. Art in the Garden will take place inside our main greenhouses. In the event of rain, some of our plastic roofs may leak. YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE PLASTIC DRAPING to cover your items/booth if rain is forecast. This is a rain or shine event.

Please dress accordingly. On sunny days the greenhouses can become quite warm by mid-day. Shoes and shirts MUST be worn at all times.

We have two booth sizes. The single booth is 6 ft. long. The double booth is 12 ft. long. ALL BOOTHS ARE APPROXIMATELY 6 ft. DEEP. A very limited number of 6 ft. long steel mesh top tables are available if you need a display table. Tables are on a first come first serve basis and you are responsible for covering the steel mesh top. Your display and products MUST fit within your designated area. After unloading your vehicle, it must be moved to the designated parking area for vendors.

Please call 222-2269 or e-mail either me at abfrobbins@yahoo.com, or Betty Bless at abfbettyb@gmail.com with your booth size choice NO LATER than August 18^th, 2016. Your registration fee will be required to reserve your booth no later than August 25^th. If we have not received your fee by then your booth space will not be held.

Upon request we will provide vendors with flyers for advertising.  Please stop at our greenhouse and pick up a supply to post in appropriate places. Please be sure you receive permission before posting them.

Items deemed inappropriate by our management to sell in a family atmosphere will be and can be excluded at any time. There is NO SMOKING or firearms allowed on our property.

Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.  We look forward to working with you as we strive to share your creativity with our community.

Do you, or someone you know, enjoy helping people and making their day brighter? Then consider joining our Edgerton team as a part-time cashier! You’ll be able to help people, contribute to light floral duties, and share the joy of plants.

This is an almost year-round position that requires evening and weekend availability. If interested, please call 608-884-8120 and ask to speak to Spike.