Welcome to Spring 2.0
Who isn’t ready for Spring? What a carousel of seasons we have experienced in the last two weeks in the Inland Northwest!
Sun, rain, wind, snow, cold, repeat! But the weather man says high 50’s, and this time we're holding him to it!
Indeed it is time for the bulbs to pop open, and the trees to show their leaves…who wouldn’t welcome a stroll through an idyllic garden filled with tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, crocus, and other exotic bulbs! We wanted to share a beautiful garden with our readers called Keukenhof.
The Keukenhof, Netherlands
Located just south of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, Keukenhof is open from end of March to end of May every year, and it attracts visitors from around the world. It is an international experience when you visit the “grand daddy” of the annual bulb shows! If you have been, you will likely never forget it…and if you haven’t, it’s time to add it to the ‘bucket list.’
Click www.keukenhof.nl/en/ for more information about the show.
A bit closer to home
The Skagit Valley, north of Seattle, is home to an impressive show of tulips and bulb flowers! While it is not Keukenhof, it is well worth the trip! Nearly all the cut tulips grown for distribution in the Inland Northwest, come from Skagit. And, most of the bulb flowers distributed to the western US (unless directly imported from the European market), come from Skagit and neighboring communities. And, a huge bonus to the trip to Washington state flower growers, is you can easily bring home bulbs for planting in your own gardens!
The show runs the month of April and the link to the festival is www.tulipfestival.org
Earth Day 2022
Earth Day is an annual event held on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by www.earthday.org.
Read more about the movement, and its accomplishments so far, along with simple changes you can make in your own life, to help preserve the planet for future generations!
Here are a few more links that you might like to read that can give more information on ways to preserve the planet
And a subject near and dear to the hearts of gardeners world wide, is sustainable gardening…below is a link to the American Horticulture Society’s web site. On the site, you will learn the ways to interact with nature, and create sustainable ways to work alongside with nature. It is a great resource to gardeners, and explains the many ways that we, as gardeners, can create a better future for the earth thru sustainable gardening! From composting, raising earthworms (vermiculture), planting habitat gardens and using native plants, all family friendly ways to be active in the movement.
www.ahsgardening.org/gardening-resources/sustainable-gardening/
What can I do?
Save Electricity…turn off unnecessary lights
Recycle!
Go Digital…reduce paper usage, buy e tickets, cut down on junk mail (Use www.directmail.com to remove yourself from direct mail registries and serviceslike www.catalogchoice.org and www.paperkarma.com can help get your address removed from catalog listings) Use on line banking and reduce paper statements.
Reuse and Repurpose…find ways to reuse items that have instantly gone into the trash 😊
Carpool and Rideshare (also a great way to save on gasoline costs!)
Energy efficiency in your home…start watching that thermostat!
Shorten your shower, brush your teeth with a cup of water…
Go meatless one day a week to save money, eat healthier, and help the environment…cattle is often grazed on deforested land; by cutting the demand for beef, you are helping save important areas such as the Amazon Rainforest.
Buy a water bottle and keep refilling it. Cut down on plastic bottles, which sadly only are recycled 5% of the time.
Recycle metal coathangers by returning them to your drycleaner for another use!
Condense your laundry loads and save water!
Use reusable shopping bags.
Recycle your pots!
Did you know that New Leaf Nursery will recycle your garden pots? Instead of dumping them in a landfill, bring them over to the Nursery’s retail building, and we’ll be sure to put them to good reuse! Please make sure that these pots can fit a gallon or more of soil.
We can make a difference!
Last week: What a class!
Friend of the nursery, Deb Beissel, and locally known artist, set a group of ladies free with paint and brushes, and some very cute garden art was created!
You want in the fun? Check out our EVENTS page on the web site, and click to see what’s coming next…from pruning classes, to potting classes, to windchimes and birdfeeders…the fun is just getting started! We keep our classes small so our teachers can interact with students! Come treat yourself to a little fun!
Employee Spotlight
While three radiant beauties are featured in this photo, it’s Meaghan in the middle that is our spotlight team member this week!
Without a doubt, we have the kindest, and most caring people in the entire world working on our team and Meaghan leads the way! Meaghan handles customer sales at the front counter inside the garden center, like she was born for the job!
Her kind manner, and sweet disposition, are only two of her talents…and this gal can create beautiful crafts, specializing in hand made gifts for your baby that can be found on her Etsy stoe, currieandco.etsy.com
Meaghan is also knows a lot about garden soil, composting, and hands on knowledge of plants and trees. Come see her and see why she is our spotlight team member this week!
What's happening in the nursery?
Our greenhouses are full, our retail space is full of goodies, and we’ve got annuals, perennials, and ground-covers that can help your garden welcome Earth Day in style!
Ground Cover Plants
Our perennial greenhouse has an excellent selection of ground covers to choose from. These plants are low maintenance, and will thrive without taking over your property.
This same greenhouse has a beautiful set of 4 inch perennials as well. These are a fantastic way to bring color and value to your garden, while returning each year along with their blooms.
A daffodil and tulip menagerie
If you were inspired by the Keukenhof and Skagil Valley gardens, why not pick up your own bulbs from our annual greenhouse? Our tulips and daffodils are at their peak of vibrant color, and would make a gorgeous addition to your home.
Seed Reward Program
There is nothing better than getting a little reward for your loyalty at New Leaf Nursery. Sign up online, or the next time you are in the nursery, and start earning rewards on every dollar spent in our nursery or on our web site. It’s easy, and free! It’s a great deal for you, and it’s a fantastic way for us to show our appreciation to our loyal customers! And you can check your rewards using your phone number online! What could be better?
Click here to sign up today!
