Spring Openhouse!

This weekend for the first time ever on our Openhouse weekend, we're conducting tours of our growing areas. Kevin, Dave or Carol will explain how the seeding, transplanting and growing are done. Check our website for specific times today and tomorrow afternoon. www.huronridge.ca

Large patio pots for sun with geraniums and lobularia (a hybrid trailing alyssum)

Gorgeous Mandevilla vines can be grown outside once it warms up but are fine in the house during the cooler weather. These beautiful plants can sometimes be over wintered inside by a bright window!

Impatiens are in beautiful colour!

Today is our second day of our Spring Openhouse! Yesterday was not all that nice but we still have some wonderful folks brave the nasty weather. The sun did arrive from behind the clouds after lunch and we welcomed it with cheering! Not quite as much cheering as at the Royal wedding but we were just as happy. :)

Today we're working furiously at getting our retail greenhouse set up for you to view a sample of what we've been planting and growing at our annual Spring Openhouse. Every day more plants are being potted and this weekend you can have the priviledge of a guided tour from Dave, Kevin or Carol through our growing area. When you enter our doors, sign up for a tour (they are only at specific times throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon). Browse while you wait, snacking on some goodies. Most of our perennials will be outside on benches and each week there will be a Perennial of the week highlighted and on sale. Check back each week for this special.

Hours for Openhouse this weekend.

Friday April 29, 9-8

Saturday, April 30, 9-5

Sunday May 1, 1-5

After this weekend, our hours will be extended for your convenience.

Mon-Fri 9-8

Saturday 9-5 Sunday 1-5

Hope to see you this weekend!

Gardening Workshop

Once again this year, Dave and Carol will be hosting two veggie gardening workshops. Whether you're a beginner or have already been gardening for awhile, there's always more to learn. Grow your own food and know where it came from! Fresh tomatoes picked from your garden for lunch and new potatoes dug for supper can't be beat!

The dates are May 10th and 12th from 7 pm -9ish. Both nights will contain the same content so pick whichever one works for you. If you have questions during or after, Carol and Dave would be glad to answer them. There's no charge, we just ask that you have bring a donation for Blessing Food Bank in Zurich. Call us at 519-565-2122 or email carol@huronridge.ca

We have an e-newsletter!

If you haven't signed up for our monthly newsletter, you should. It will keep you up to date on any up and coming events, sales, and other news delivered right to your inbox! You can sign up on our website www.huronridge.ca We don't always advertise end of the season sales so this is a handy reminder!

Easter is just around the corner!

Next Sunday is Easter already! Actually, it's about as late as it can get in the year. Our first Easter Lilies arrived this morning. We don't grow them here, but always make sure we have some to be purchased and enjoyed at home. We're all hoping for a beautiful Easter weekend to enjoy family and the outdoors.

Yesterday I took a walk in a friend's subdivision along the lake and enjoyed observing how everyone is cleaning up their yard and beginning to decorate. I saw some pots of pansies, patio furniture with bright coloured cushions and flower beds with perennials beginning to pop up out of the ground. Lawns had been raked, branches in piles and a gentleman was rolling his lawn. Now's the time to do that early spring clean up if you haven't already. Flower beds can be cleaned up and dead branches trimmed. Some shrubs can be pruned now as well. Lawns can be raked, overseeded and rolled. If your garden is dry enough to work, it can be enriched with compost and manure, then planted with lettuce, spinach, peas, onions and maybe even potatoes. Most other seeds and plants should wait.

April....hath put a spirit of youth in everything.

-William Shakespeare

A sure sign of spring!

We can always tell when spring has sprung by the birth of kittens! We get to enjoy them until end of May and then give them away. Our calico mama has 3 that are about 2 weeks old that she brought out to show us and placed in this box. The grey mama is still hiding hers but we know she has some because she's quite a bit slimmer! :) The children that come always go looking for the kittens and some of the adults too! A kitten is always so sweet, just like a newborn baby.

Hanging Basket Haven

Yesterday and today, we are potting hanging baskets with a variety of annuals. After planting, hangers are snapped on to the baskets and they are hung on automatic watering drip lines. Early on they might get watered every few days but once they are bigger and full of blooms, the watering happens every morning. Fertilizer is added to the water automatically. It's always fun watching the plants grow and beging to bloom. It seems that they grow right before my eyes!

Hope everyone had a trick free April Fool's Day and here's hoping for a sunshiny weekend!