Events to Look Forward To...

Is your calendar filling up as quickly as mine?

The Philadelphia Flower show is February 28-March 7. Fly over to www.theflowershow.com for all the details on Passport to the World... I am sure it will give me all new ideas for my garden.

Don't forget the Ides of March on the 15th. Always a good day to watch your back.

March 20 is the first day of Spring... and as you might have guessed (or read...) , I have Spring Fever. Yes, snow is falling outside my window, but I am ignoring it, thank you very much. To get a jump on things I am starting seeds indoors and keeping FreezePruf handy. I am not going to guess when the last frost will be... I don't gamble. A few sprays will protect my little babies just in case a frost hits!

Looking farther ahead....April 22 is Earth Day. And not just any Earth Day -- the 40th one! Has it taken us 40 years to bring our own bags to the supermarket? Oye! My question is....
Is it wrong to give Earth Day gifts? Check out http://www.wholesaledoormats.com/ for eco-chic designs! You can't go wrong with a message like "Save the Planet!"

:) Kathleen

Hot Red-head for your garden!

If you want lots of early color in your garden from a plant that's a repeat bloomer, get ready to fall-in-love with the first red-hot early-blooming hardy daylily. We have!

Hemerocallis Jersey Earlybird 'Cardinal' is the first in a new collection of early and repeat blooming daylilies from Centerton Nursery (http://www.centertonnursery.com/).

Wow. This beauty starts blooming in May within a week of Stella D'Oro and continues to re-bloom for nearly 100 days through Zone 6 and 85 days in Zone 5!

Jersey Earlybird 'Cardinal' was bred by world-renown daylily hybridizer Dr. Darrel Apps, famous for his popular 'Happy Returns' Daylilies. The 4" ruffled blooms are fire-engine red with a yellow-to-green throat that are held high on 21" stems. And it's surrounded by thick foliage in a soothing green color. What a gorgeous contrast!

Plus, this beauty is an easy-care, sun-loving perennial that's rust, pest, and drought resistant, making it a perfect choice for everyone looking for a low maintenance, repeat blooming plant that provides plenty of color in your garden. Saves time and money. Perfect throughout your garden or standouts in containers.

Aptly named with a red color that rivels our birdie buddies, Jersey Earlybird 'Cardinal' is simply the plant that just keeps on giving! Check out earlybirddaylily.com or visit http://www.centertonnursery.com/ for more info on this delicious red. - Lynne :)

Next Big Thing for Small Gardens

We all love roses here at GMG, especially ones that are low-maintenance, easy to care for and look great throughout the season. This spring we'll be planting some of the new Drift Roses from The Conard-Pyle Co., introducer of the famous Knock Out family of roses, in our new test garden.

A cross between full-size groundcover roses and miniatures, Drift Roses offer delicate, double flowers and continuous blooming throughout the season. With exceptional disease resistance and winter hardiness, these low-maintenance beauties are the perfect choice for small gardens or along paths and walkways. Plus they combine wonderfully with perennials intermixed with other upright shrubs like coreopsis, veronicas or lambs ear and even hostas. Try the new Apricot Drift and Sweet Drift roses for non-stop color from spring until fall!

And don't forget to check out Conard-Pyle's full line of Star Roses, Star Plants and Knock Out Roses at www.conard-pyle.com.

Happy Planting,

Stacey

Philly's Flower Show Inspires Visits to Local Gardens

Great article in The Washington Post by JoAnn Greco today talking about the great Philadelphia gardens that surround Philly! Bartram's Garden, Longwood Gardens and Morris Arboretum are all beautiful places to place on your 'must see' list when visiting Philly. You don't have to wait for the Philadelphia International Flower Show to experience all the beautiful scenes that the Philadelphia area has to offer!

Off to Bed

The wind is whipping by and the snow banks are looming large...and all I can think about is building a raised bed.

As with most things, you will wish you made it bigger once it is done. 3 feet wide and 2 feet high are suggested for most gardeners who want to get started with a raised bed. But for serious folks, raised bed 4 feet wide and 10 or more feet long is just right.

I have my seeds (golden beets & purple carrots) my Organic Mechanics Premium Blend (www.organicmechanicsoil.com) -- all I need is the wood and nice weather!

Also Snow days have turned into get creative days. Check out the video below to see inside The Garden Media Group. And don't forget to leave a comment.

http://snipurl.com/gardenmediagroup2010

You're gonna love this white... and it's not snow!

Well... just about everyone throughout the USA (except for the lucky ones in Hawaii) have been digging, pushing & shoveling the white stuff.

Snow-- that magical, pristine and lovely-to-look-at but a pain to shovel stuff that's worn-out it's welcome. Around here we're all ready for the first signs of spring!

Speaking of spring planting: You're going to love the new white Hakonechloa macra FUBUKI 'Briform' from Briggs Nursery!"

This first white variegated Japanese Forest grass lives up to its name. 'FUBUKI' is Japanese for "snow storm" and this outstanding plant is certainly going to take the garden world by "storm!"

This never-before-seen white Hakonechloa lights up the shade and is perfect for shade gardeners and partial sun locations. And for even greater impact, as soon as the cooler autumn weather arrives, 'FUBUKI' reveals a stunning pink color among the blades.

This Zone 5 compact and mounding plant reaches 14" x 18" -- making it a perfect choice for beds, borders or grouped with 3-5 plants.

So when you're thinking spring "green" - don't shy away from white! (As long as it's FUBUKI, and not the cold slushy stuff.)

-Lynne

Plants with Personality

Have you ever thought that houseplants have personalities just like we do? We all know that orchids project elegance, but how about ferns, crotons and peace lilies. What type of personalities best represent them and which ones fit your lifestyle?

Well, our good friend Marty Ross explores this in her latest article "Plants with personality can fit your lifestyle," which was recently published by Universal Press. If you want to follow the trend, try succulents and cacti, which are low-maintenance and well suited for people who travel for a living. If you're laid-back and easygoing, consider ferns and palms for your home or office.

To learn more about the benefits of houseplants, visit "O2 for You: Houseplants with a Purpose."

NYC Here We Come with APLD Award Winner

Tomorrow I'm headed to the Big Apple for a media tour with Margie Grace, the APLD International Landscape Designer of the Year. We're seeing lots of our old media friends and meeting some new ones.

Margie is founder and president of Grace Design Associates, Inc. is an award-winning, full service landscape design and build company located in Santa Barbara, CA. She's been designing and building world-class gardens for more than 25 years. Whether it's a small residential gardens, large estate, commercial projects or community works, her designs vary from extremely naturalistic to highly urban, contemporary to traditional, sublime to whimsical.

But tomorrow night Margie and Dawn are taking us to the Westminster Dog Show. This is something I've wanted to do since I was a little girl. So dreams really do come true!

For more gardening news, visit Garden Media Group.

Suzi

We are DEFINITELY Pro Flowers around here!

It is really exciting to receive flowers for Valentine's Day...given that it is still two days away makes it even more fun! (I had to take this opportunity to show you my delivery...Thanks Mark!)

Another way to enjoy the presence of flowers this Valentine's Day is to stop at your local garden center or florist on your way home today and pick up a beautiful plant! It will live way past Valentine's Day and provide much needed beauty and O2 for your office or home!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Know Your Limits... in the Garden

Many of us may have great plant knowledge, but limited design skills. Or vision for how we want our garden to evolve, but can't seem to get motivated to get it done. You are not alone!

Landscaping success doesn't have to be hit or miss, and if it has been for you, it may be time to call in a professional landscape designer. Why? Because in the long run, hiring a landscape designer can cost less than doing it yourself. You'll get a "doable" design created right the first time, saving you the cost of repeated tries at getting it right or planting the wrong plants in the wrong spots.

A professional landscape designer envisions creative solutions to the most difficult outdoor challenges - problems they've more than likely solved before.Plus, a high-quality landscape increases home sale prices up to 10.8 percent, compared to a home with a simply average landscape, according to the Journal of Environmental Horticulture.

Check out this article - Tips for Creating A Beautiful Landscape.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/family/22057214/detail.html

GWA Finds Edible Trend Continues in 2010

According to the 2009 Edibles Gardening Trends Research Report conducted by the Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF) in November, over 41 million U.S. households (38%) grew a vegetable garden in 2009. More than 19.5 million households (18%) grew an herb garden and 16.5 million households (15%) grew fruits during the same period.

Did Edibles Gardening Grow in 2009?
There was definitely a growth in edibles gardening in 2009 from both experienced gardeners and an influx of new gardeners. Among those that grew edibles gardens this year, 92% had previous experience and 7% (7.7 million households) were new to edibles gardening. One-third of the experienced gardeners reported growing more edibles in 2009 than in the previous year, while 46% reported they grew about the same as 2008, and 19% grew less than the previous year.

Will Edibles Gardening Continue to Expand in 2010?
When asked if they planned to continue their garden for 2010, 37% of households reported plans to increase their edible gardens, 29% reported they planned to plant about the same as 2009 and only 1% reported they would plant less than this year. Although a significant number (15%) remained undecided regarding their 2010 plans, the strong response for growing more edibles next year should carry the market to a new level of activity.

The main reason given for increasing or maintaining edible gardening for next year was to supplement household food supply. The most common reasons given for planting less next year were: lack of success in 2009 (14%), cost (13%), loss of interest (8%) and time involved (4%).

Consumer Information Sources
With over 7 million households becoming new edibles gardening participants in 2009, the GWAF investigated where consumers were getting their gardening information. The top response was friends, which has been the leading response in almost every past survey. Having magazines, books, retailers and newspapers in the third through sixth positions was also not a surprise. However, websites are now listed as the #2 information resource but were #5 as recently as March 2009.

The 2009 Edibles Gardening Trends Research Report is the fourth and final trend report of the GWA Foundation for 2009. The study was conducted by Technometrica Market Intelligence of Oradell, N.J., in November.

Pictured above: Margie Grace, APLD International Landscape Designer of 2009 and 'Pink Lemonade' blueberry from Briggs Nursery.

Click here to see Garden Media Group 2010 Garden Trends

Geohumus® Retains and Releases More Water

Want to try Geohumus® -- a completely different “water-holding” polymer product from any other on the market? It's all natural and made from volcanic rock & organic polymers.


Unlike slimmy, chemical jelly absorbents, plant roots are really attracted to these organic ingredients and readily absorb water from Geomumus when they need it.

The sponge-like granulate is odorless and retains its structural stability in the soil together with its high water absorption and release capacity.


The key benefit of Geohumus® is that it provides more plant available water over an extended period of time, compared to soils without Geohumus®. And it's very easy to apply.

In addition to having better water holding and release characteristics, its natural minerals can have a positive effect on soil condition properties and overall plant health.

It is manufactured in Germany where it's won numerous awards.

Contact Garden Media Group for samples.

Forget the Chocolate ... Think Garden Goodies

Need a great gift idea this Valentine's Day for your garden lover? Here are a few top picks from our trendspotter Suzi McCoy.



1) "My Heart is in the Garden" cast stone birdbath -- versatile and lasting gifts are trendy for this year. Don't have the space? A small heart and large heart birdbath/container are also available. Visit Campania for a complete selection of beautiful garden accessories.



2) Roll out the welcome mat. Literally. Simply adorable mats -Pick from eight designs -- a timely eco message of “Save the Planet” simply stated against a blue-green world and Gandhi’s “Be the Change” credo in warm, earth tones. There is even a tie dye mat for Uncle Jerry. See more at Imports Unlimited.



3) Orchids speak volumes with their simplicity and beauty. When roses seem over the top and trite -- let your valentine wrap their head around the universal message of love, beauty, wisdom, and thoughtfulness. A pink orchid signifies pure affection. Think orchids are hard? Visit Easy Care Orchids for the true scoop! 



4) Not big on space? Give The Simple Garden to a budding gardener in your life! All you need is water! The Simple Garden is a kit that includes the container, soil and seeds! Learn more at Fertile Earth.

5) Give something racy! Like an orchid, an anthurium speaks volumes! Hey, live a little! 

Besides giving gifts this year - give plants. One great gift is a consult with a landscape designer. Get the garden of your Valentine's dreams started by visiting http://www.apld.org/ to find one near you.

GMG looking for PR Interns

Are you a social media butterfly? Do you love to connect on Facebook? Addicted to Twitter? Do you read blogs and follow social media conversations?

Garden Media Group is looking for a Social Media/Web Intern to boost our client's online presence, produce original video content, post to our blog, Facebook and Twitter accounts, upload news to Digg, de-li-cious, etc and keep us socially nimble.

Are you a high energy, enthusiastic, self-motivated & fearless person who can bring fresh ideas and creative writing to our boutigue PR and marketing agency, you are the one for us.

We're looking for someone who can blend our traditional communications strategies online, can produce and distribute videos, cross-post news, optimize press releases, and make Google Analytics sing.

Of course, you need to be a whiz with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, & Outlook. If you love the Mac, iMovie, and other Apple applications, even better.

We have a fun team and great clients we work with on a national level.

Interested, contact: susan@gardenmediagroup.com. We look forward to hearing from you and knocking our socks off.

Adopt-a-Plant for Your Classroom

Calling all schools & youth groups! Costa Farms is teaming up with the Green Education Foundation and Lowe's to launch Adopt-a-Plant for Your classroom this week. As the official start of the Green Thumb Challenge, the largest youth gardening initiative to date, Costa Farms is calling on schools across the country to participate in this program to improve classroom air quality, a growing concern in outdated school buildings.

For children, who spend an average of 30 hours per week inside school buildings, the potential hazards of poor indoor air quality are pervasive. “We want to communicate the benefits of indoor plants and the role they play to purify indoor air to educators and students across the nation,” says Jose Smith, Costa Farms CEO. “Kicking off this program during National Green Week 2010 affords the perfect opportunity.”

Every group registered will receive a 50% off coupon for a 6 inch indoor plant purchased at Lowe's. Enroll now at www.adoptaplant.us.