Message from the Owner
The cold, persistent Winter is finally fading and Spring in on the way!!! We are vigorously preparing for the Spring season...potting thousands of plants, preparing for seminars and shows, and setting up the garden center.
2009 is all about being green and sustainable...and gardening is a natural green choice. By definition: Sustainability - How to make human economic systems last longer and have less impact on ecological systems, and particularly relates to concern over major global problems relating to climate change and oil depletion. For gardening, it's not just about being green but also about being responsible.
Last year I travelled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (gardening mecca of the East) on 3 occasions. The trips included the famous Philadelphia Flower Show, the Perennial Plant Associations Annual Conference (of which I was asked to speak), and a long weekend at Longwood Gardens. The trips were educational and inspiring. The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) Meetings are attended by garden innovators and intellects from the United States and abroad. One of the seminars, presented by "the Garden Media Group', dealt with the trends for 2009. I'd like to share a few thoughts with you that we will be adopting for our "Green" gardening season.
Eco-boosting (a 2009 trend that supports sustainability): In 2009 it's all about being "Green" say "No" to garden drugs and go organic. A "Know Maintenance" approach (Roy Diblik's concept) to plant selection as well as using native plants & cultivars "Nativars" (Allan Armitage's coined phrase). We have a large selection of Roy's plants and will be planting our first sustainable garden in our June "Rise & Shine" seminar. In addition, we are reorganizing the garden center to feature native, "Nativar", and sustainable plants. We further support the eco-boosting concept by hand watering & drip irrigation at the garden center (using a fraction of the amount of water when compared to overhead irrigation). In addition, we try to use natural pest control means whenever possible, rarely spraying with chemical pesticides.
Grow It Yourself (GIY): Growing it yourself is a form of slow-gardening that reconnects us with nature, family & friends as we share our bounty. Plant a vegetable, herb, or cut flower garden. If you don't have enough land, plant in containers. This year we will enhance both our Cutting Garden and Potager Garden. The cutting garden will feature unique flowers and shrubs suitable for cutting and arranging throughout the 4 seasons. The Potager Garden, our 2,500 sf interpretation of a 15th century soup & kitchen garden, will have a plethora of plants for culinary, medicinal and ornamental purposes. We will be using the herbs and vegetables for our grilling demonstrations in the outdoor kitchen.
Locavore (people who go to great lengths to source locally grown & manufactured food and other materials): Buying local is all the rage. Shop at your local independent garden center and support local business. Think of it as our own economic stimulus package...only no one has to pay back the debt.
We invite you to be a part of our "Green" Garden Center at Gardens on the Prairie. I hope you will join us for eco-boosting procedures and enormous selection of plant material including "Nativars" & "sustainables". Let us grow along with you as we keep it local and green!
Think Green!
|
