Not only are the Packers, Badgers and Brewers flying high, but our very own Monona Grove High School, Silver Eagles are too!  With their 8-0 record, they will definitely be headed for the play-offs.  What an exciting time for the community.  We’ve been mentioning how fun it would be to have a Packer, Badger or Brewer scarecrow in your front yard, well, what about a Silver Eagle salute to the home team?  There’s still time!  All you Silver Eagle backers must have sweatshirts, T-shirts or hoodies that you could stuff with hay or straw!  Come on out with a group of friends and get busy stuffing one for the home team!  Don’t forget your camera!

We do have some Packer green, Badger red and Brewer blue apparel waiting for you to stuff.  Not a sports fan?  We have plenty of other ensembles to choose from, too.  Even camouflage, but, heck, what fun would that be, you wouldn’t be able to see it!  We invite you to come on out and experience ‘silly scarecrow time’ with us!  We guarantee creating your very own one-of-a-kind scarecrow will be a hay-raising experience.

Scarecrow building is ongoing throughout the day starting at 10:00am to 5:00pm everyday of the week until Sunday, October 16.  What a perfect after-school adventure and fun project for the entire family!  Kids, bring Mom and Dad, or Grandma and Grandpa out and watch how silly adults can be. Get a few of your neighbors together and see who can be the most creative scarecrow builder on the block.  The cost of the scarecrow kit is $12.99.  The kit consists of a frame, a burlap head, a funny face, staff assistance and straw, lots of straw.  After all, what is a scarecrow without the straw?

Clothes in all sizes are available at garage sale prices, but you are welcome to bring your own outfit.  For groups of 5 or more, please call ahead -222-2269 – so we can be sure to have enough staff available.

Our Third Scarecrow of the Week
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Name this Scarecrow to win a prize!
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Our scarecrow contests are really getting exciting. We have 2 separate contests.  Our first contest is name our Lady-in-Red scarecrow.  Yes, this beauty needs a unique and special name.  October 16th is the deadline.  One of our beautiful mums will be presented to the winner.

The second contest is a drawing for our scarecrow of the week.  This is the third and final week of the contest, so don’t miss out on your last chance to win.  Check out this picture of this week’s scarecrow that is up for grabs.  Our Al Cornpone fugitive needs a front or backyard to hide in.

Our Farmer Scarecrow with his new owner, Kristie
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Congratulations to Kristie, the winner of our Farmer Scarecrow.  Look at the happy expression on both their faces!

While you’re here shopping for mums, bulbs or shrubs don’t forget to enter the drawing.

Shocked Corn
Click to see what he’s looking at!

Are you looking for a fun and interesting fall look for your yard? Pumpkins, gourds, corn shocks, straw bales and ornamental corn are all in stock at America’s Best Flowers.  Combine these with some of our brilliant mums and asters to create a show-stopping display.  Remember our corn shocks are netted (like a Christmas tree) so they can be safely tied to the roof of your vehicle, keeping your car clean and the shocks free from wind damage.  Hey, no worries, we’ll even provide the twine.   Hurry, get them while supplies last.

Don’t you just love the easy way out?  If your busy schedule leaves little time for decorating, we have the answer.  Our Autumn Bundle includes one of our larger-than-life mums, a straw bale and a bundle of corn shocks, all at special savings.  Add two more mums and save even more.  Shocks, include a few pumpkins, your very own made in the USA scarecrow, and you’ll be the talk of the neighborhood!

A Pathway Lined with Fall Mums
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Want a little color in your life?  America’s Best Flowers’ fields are overflowing with mums in many shades of white, yellow, gold, bronze, red, burgundy, lavender and purple.  Our beautiful mums are grown outside in two-gallon pots, resulting in very large, strong plants that are completely covered in buds and bloom.  We also have mums in 5 inch pots for those smaller spots.  For a quick facelift for your landscape, set several around your yard, on your front porch, or walkways.  Our late bloomers are starting to peak and will provide reliable color for the entire fall season.  Stop out today and see for yourself how majestic our mums are.  We believe they are the best mums in town.  Check out our website for details on special pricing.

If you haven’t seen Purple Pride, 2011 Tulip of the Year, stop out today.  She’s the best of the purples – what a beauty!  Plant several, along with some daffodils, and you’ll have an April full of blossoms you will be proud of.  We have several daffodils still in stock, including Curly (see photo), Rip Van Winkle , Wave, and Pink Parasol.  Bulbs are an investment in the springtime beauty of your yard for years to come.  Check out our website for details on our terrific pricing.

When you plant your bulbs, be sure to dig in a generous amount of plant food. It’s your only chance to get the nutrients the bulbs need for maximum flowering directly under the bulbs in the root zone of your plants. This year we are featuring Hi Yield’s Dutch Bulb Food and Bone Meal.

There is still time to plant a shrub or two or even three.  We have lilacs, dogwood, willows, spireas, yews, viburnum and more.  And while you’re in the garden, add a few perennials.  We have a limited selection of healthy plants just waiting for you to give them a home.  Come take a look and if you have questions talk to one of our experts about the planting and care they need.  Check out our website for details on super duper specials.

The holiday season is right around the corner!  Want to dress up the front porch or yard?  Let us help!  On Saturday, November 19, from 10 am to 4 pm we are having a workshop to help you do just that.  Start with a bundle of assorted greens, add your favorites from a variety of decorations, and voilà, you will have your very own unique creation.  Feel free to bring your own container or you can purchase one of ours.  This workshop is particularly fun to do with a friend, so get on the phone, there is still time to register.  Call America’s Best Flowers at 608-222-2269 or e-mail abfrobbins@yahoo.com.

Our fan club is growing. Please become a fan on Facebook, and invite your friends.

America’s Best Flowers will continue to accept monetary and food donations for the Cottage Grove Food Pantry for the next few weeks.  A collection bin is available in the main greenhouse for food donations.  Needed items include: canned pasta, fruits, sweet potatoes, spaghetti sauce, corn, and meat; toilet tissue, laundry detergent, dish detergent; and shampoo and conditioner. Monetary donations can be turned in at the Customer Service Desk.  Please place cash donations in an envelope marked with “Cottage Grove Food Pantry” and the amount of the donation or make checks payable to the Cottage Grove Food Pantry. If you would like to contact the Cottage Grove Food Pantry directly, the telephone number is 608-839-4768.