Written by Alex | February 6, 2014 | 2014 NewslettersNewsletter Tags: flowers, Gardening, jokes, recipies, stories
Visit us at the Garden Expo!
Newsletter 2 – Thursday, February 6, 2014
- Lucys Story – Chapter 38
- Whats the first sign of spring?
- 2014 Garden Expo
- Miniature Gardens are BIG at Americas Best Flowers!
- Blue Zebra: Back by popular demand!
- We have seeds…lots and lots of seeds!
- Classic Brand Bird Feeders
- Valentines Day Flowers
- Americas Best Flowers Fundraising Program
- Our 2014 Newsletter
- Upcoming Events for 2014
- Recipe: Valentine Fruit Pizzas
Current Hours
Hours for our Cottage Grove location are 9am – 5pm, Monday through Saturday.
Lucys Story – Chapter 38
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 isnt? Its 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 dogs answer to our cookies and milk, but since we watch her diet closely that wasnt 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. (Cant say as I blame her. Its 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 Jacks and got her booked for a day of pampering.
The timing was perfect because Tabby and Jacks 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 didnt recognize her. She was beautiful.
And you know what the best part was? The twinkle was back in Lucys eyes!
I immediately called my hair dresser. If it worked for Lucy, Im more than willing to give it a try!
`til next time,
~ Shirley
Never lend your car to anyone to whom youve given birth.
Erma Bombeck
Whats the first sign of spring?
Its the 2014 Midwest Garden Expo, of course! Come on out to the Exhibition Hall, inside the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, and see whats 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.
2014 Garden Expo
Friday 3 pm 9 pm
Saturday 9 am 6 pm
Sunday 10 am 4 pm
Miniature Gardens are BIG at Americas Best Flowers!
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.
Q: What did the boy octopus say to the girl octopus?
A: Can I hold your hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand?
Blooming plants in February? You bet!
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 Valentines Day gift. Well also have a nice variety of succulents, including aloe vera, and houseplants for you to choose from.
Back by popular demand!
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.
We have seeds…lots and lots of seeds!
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. Well have a huge selection of Livingston seeds for you to choose from.
If you cant 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.
You can buy anything on eBay. I bought the worlds oldest globe.
Its flat!
Classic Brand Bird Feeders
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 its easy for them to get the food and the larger perches make it much more comfortable for them. How do we know that? Lets just say a little birdie told us!
A Mommy Moment
Four-year-old Mitch loved candy almost as much as his mom Ann did. He and Daddy had given her a beautiful heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day.
A few days later Mitch was eyeing it, wishing to have a piece of it. As he reached out to touch one of the big pieces, Ann said to him, "If you touch it, then you have to eat it. Do you understand?"
"Oh, yes," he said, nodding his head.
Suddenly his little hand patted the tops of all the pieces of candy. "Now I can eat them all."
Valentines Day Flowers
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 theyll design that perfect Valentines Day bouquet for your very special someone.
If you live in the Cottage Grove area we can either deliver your Valentines 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.
Cupids Arrow
A guy knows hes in love when he loses interest in his car for a couple of days.
Tim Allen
Americas Best Flowers Fundraising Program
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 Americas 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.
Americas 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.
Our 2014 Newsletter
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.
Upcoming Events for 2014
Its 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. Were 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. Well have more details about our 2014 events in future newsletters.
A Thoughtful Valentine’s Day Gift
Jim asked his friend, Tony, whether he had bought his wife anything for Valentine’s Day.
‘Yes,’ came the answer from Tony who was a bit of a chauvinist, ‘I’ve bought her a belt and a bag.’
‘That was very kind of you,’ Jim added, ‘I hope she appreciated the thought.’
Tony smiled as he replied, ‘So do I, and hopefully the vacuum cleaner will work better now.’
Upcoming Events
Fri, Feb 7 – Sun, Feb 9 | Garden Expo Come on out and visit us at the Midwest Garden Expo! |
Sat, Apr 12 – Sun, Apr 13 | Spring Flower Show We have your all-time favorite plants plus a few new ones for the season. We also have a HUGE selection of new pottery. |
Sat, Apr 12 – Sun, Apr 13 | Herb, Terrarium & Miniature Garden Container Workshop 10am-4pm FREE soil and assistance. Create your own herb container garden, terrarium or miniature garden. Bring in your own containers or buy some of ours. |
Sat, Apr 12 – Sun, Apr 13 | Universal Saw & Tool Sharpening 10am-4pm Get those tools ready for easier gardening. |
Sat, Apr 19 | Community Egg Hunt 10am-2pm Rain or Shine! FREE candy! Children 6 and under. Bring your camera and have your picture taken with the Easter Bunny. Accepting items for the Cottage Grove Food Pantry. |
Sat, Apr 26 | Earth Day Celebration 10am-2pm FREE childrens activities 10am-2pm. Bring a white T-shirt to paint, make seed balls, plant cat grass, and more. |
Our Kitchen
This recipe was previously featured for Valentines Day, 2013.
Valentines Day is a wonderful time to try something a little different. In an attempt to come up with something new, my sister and I went to the grocery store to see what we could find. We came up with a super easy-to-do, fun and fruity dessert. This recipe can be made ahead, stored in the refrigerator and brought out as a surprise, or set it up as a do-it-yourself bar. Whichever way you choose, everyone will love these delicious cookie pizzas.
Valentine Fruit Pizzas

- 1 package Pillsbury Ready to Bake sugar cookies 24 count (see photo)
- 1 tub strawberry cream cheese
- 1 can mandarin orange slices, drain well, pat sections dry with paper towel
- Strawberries, sliced
- Blueberries
- Kiwi, peeled and sliced
Directions
Preheat oven to 325. Cover 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with non-stick vegetable spray (Pam). Recipe makes 8 six-inch cookies.
Place 3 pieces cookie dough 2 inches apart on one end of cookie sheet forming a triangle. See photo.
Using your fingers, shape dough into a heart, taking care not to allow the curved edges at the top to touch, creating an exaggerated dip See photo.
Cookie will be about 5 inches across and high and slightly less than one-quarter inch thick. Repeat on other end for second cookie. Depending on size of your cookie sheet, you may be able to do three. Be sure to leave 2 inches between cookies.
Bake 8 9 minutes, until edges are browned and cookie is set. Remove pan from oven. Allow to cool completely before removing from foil.
To assemble, spread cream cheese on cookie and arrange fruit to your liking. See photo.
This recipe is extremely flexible. Any of the sweet flavored cream cheeses could be used, or just add a little sugar and vanilla to plain. Fruit can be mixed and matched depending on your preferences. The dark cream cheese in the photo is Krafts Dark Chocolate Indulgence. Even though I love decadent chocolate, I actually preferred the strawberry-flavored one. Chocolate syrup could be drizzled on the top.

Edward Knapton says Keep on Smiling!
Sec – Treasurer Berry Hill Farms, Inc.
DBA Americas Best Flowers Garden Center
4311 Vilas Hope Road
Cottage Grove, WI 53527
608-222-2269 Fax 608-222-1234 Cell 608-698-5627