Hours for our Cottage Grove location are 9am – 5pm, Monday through Saturday.

We saw it in her eyes.  The winter blahs had set in. It appeared that our sweet Lucy was experiencing a bit of depression and who isn’t?  It’s been a long, cold and miserable winter.

Hubby and I tried many things to lift her spirits.  We gave her a new tennis ball … nope, not even a tail wag.  We puffed up every one of her sleeping/napping areas in the house and coaxed her to cuddle up on one of them…nada, zero, zippo, nothing!  

Lucy would probably have loved some treats…you know…the dog’s answer to our cookies and milk, but since we watch her diet closely that wasn’t going to happen.  We did put some shredded carrots and sliced up green beans in her dish, but she turned her nose up at that.  (Can’t say as I blame her.  It’s not my idea of comfort food either!)

After several other attempts to cheer her up the look of absolute boredom and disinterest still showed in her eyes.  

And then it hit us.  Lucy needed a day at the spa.  We called her favorite spa ‘Tabby and Jack’s’ and got her booked for a day of pampering.  

The timing was perfect because ‘Tabby and Jack’s’ was having a spa sale.  Lucy got the works.  She had a bath, deep coat conditioner, de-shedding (which rejuvenates the coat), ears cleaned, teeth brushed, paws moisturized and her nails trimmed.  

When I picked her up an hour later, she came prancing, yes, prancing out of the grooming room with a great big smile on her face.  I almost didn’t recognize her. She was beautiful. 

And you know what the best part was?  The twinkle was back in Lucy’s eyes!  

I immediately called my hair dresser.  If it worked for Lucy, I’m more than willing to give it a try!

`til next time,
    ~ Shirley

It’s the 2014 Midwest Garden Expo, of course!  Come on out to the Exhibition Hall, inside the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, and see what’s new for the 2014 gardening season.

Our large and colorful booth is located just inside the entrance across from the Wisconsin Public Television booth.  Our experienced staff will be there to answer all your gardening questions.

Friday     3 pm – 9 pm
Saturday     9 am – 6 pm
Sunday     10 am – 4 pm

Who wouldn’t want to live in a place like this?
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Stop by our booth and check out our HUGE miniature garden display.  Choose from our vast selection of succulents, miniature garden plants and tiny garden accessories.  Then let your imagination take over and create your very own miniature wonderland.

Our cyclamen have "Be Mine" written all over them
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Our blooming primroses and blooming cyclamen are guaranteed to chase away your winter blues!  These lovely plants, in a rainbow of colors, would make a perfect Valentine’s Day gift.  We’ll also have a nice variety of succulents, including aloe vera, and houseplants for you to choose from.

Primula ‘Blue Zebra’
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Our ‘Blue Zebra’ Primula was such a big hit last season that we sold every single one of them!   These gorgeous flowers will add the perfect finishing touch to any garden or planted container.  We will have them at the Garden Expo this weekend and at our greenhouses this season.

Seeds!
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If you are planning a vegetable, herb or flower garden this season make your seed list and bring it out to the Garden Expo this weekend.  We’ll have a huge selection of Livingston seeds for you to choose from.

If you can’t make it out to the Garden Expo just stop in at either our Cottage Grove or Edgerton location, after Expo weekend, for seeds and other gardening needs.

Classic Brands bird feeders are made by people who are passionate about birds.  Their goal is to develop quality bird products that will bring more birds and more joy into your yard.  

People like these bird feeders because they are easy to fill and easy to clean.  Birds like them because it’s easy for them to get the food and the larger perches make it much more comfortable for them. How do we know that?  Let’s just say a little birdie told us!

Order your Valentine’s Day flowers through our floral shop in Edgerton. Our Edgerton location, at 1101 N. Main St, has a beautiful floral shop and a very talented and creative staff.  Give them a call at 608-884-8120 or 1-888-287-1411 and they’ll design that perfect Valentine’s Day bouquet for your very special someone. 

If you live in the Cottage Grove area we can either deliver your Valentine’s Day flower order or you may choose to pick them up at our greenhouse.  All flower orders for the Cottage Grove area must be phoned in to the Edgerton location by noon on Thursday, February 13.

Delivery charges apply at both locations.

Spring 2014 is right around the corner!  People are beginning to think about vegetable gardens, shade trees, flowering shrubs and glorious flowers.   

What perfect timing for your non-profit organization to participate in America’s Best Flowers fundraiser program.  Non-profit organizations earn 25% of the proceeds from each gift card they sell.  For example, if your organization sells $500 of our gift cards, which are available in any denomination over $10, your organization would earn $125.   

Please contact us if your non-profit organization is in need of funds for things such as (but by no means limited to):

• local charities, (i.e. food pantry)
• church mission trips,
• new equipment or uniforms for your school sports program, or
• new equipment or uniforms for your school band or orchestra.

America’s Best Flowers gift cards are valid at both our Cottage Grove and Edgerton locations. 

If you are interested or have questions regarding our easy and profitable program, please contact Shirley at abfscimino@yahoo.com.

The weekly newsletter will begin on March 6.  If you are a Loyalty Customer and have submitted your email address to us you will receive our newsletter by noon, every Thursday.

If your email address has changed please remember to let us know by either calling us at 608-222-2269, sending us an email at abfbev@yahoo.com or just let us know the next time you are at the greenhouse. 

Our newsletter can also be found on our website www.americasbestflowers.com.

It’s going to be another busy season for us at America’s Best Flowers.  Our Community Egg Hunt will be on Saturday, April 19 this spring.  We’re going to have 10 container workshops this year along with several different types of gardening classes.   Our hope is that we have a little something for everyone.   We’ll have more details about our 2014 events in future newsletters.