Pinocchio Predicament...

Since we can barely see our gardens, we may as well discuss Pinocchio. In the original book and the Disney movie, Jiminy Cricket calls Pinocchio a "boy of oak". Some have said the name Pinocchio came from one of Gepetto's family friends and has nothing to do with Pine... hmmm... perhaps more research is required! Must dig deeper Jeannie...

Outdoor Living...and Pinocchio...

Well, we had our first Spring 2009 course today - Pruning and Tree Care with Barry Erskine. It went very well despite the fact that is was snowing! Every time I get excited about the arrival of Spring, it seems dump another 5cm! Oh well, soon, soon, we will see the buds on the trees pushing. Actually, last week, on our garden walkabout, we saw a Robin - first one for me this season. That has to be a good sign, doesn't it?
I have been looking at magazines and I can't believe the push that is on right now for outdoor living. As predicted, the magazines are full of outdoor rugs, outdoor lighting, gazebos, pergolas, gorgeous outdoor furniture and tons of whimsical art pieces to hang and place in your yard. I am seeing bamboo pieces EVERYWHERE, especially in furniture and vertical accents in outdoor containers. I can hardly wait! I wish I had a blank canvas so that I could start over with new stuff!
Brenda has been busy interviewing for our seasonal staff - a brand new batch of "Sprucers"! The buzz is starting, and I'm very happy, once again, to be a part of it...
I was wondering today what kind of wood Pinocchio was made from? If you find out, let me know...
Peace out...

Gear Up For Summer Gardening Season...

Well, I have finalized quite a few courses coming up in April and May, so check out our website at http://www.spruceitupgardencentre.com/ for more information, then phone the store at 403-201-7525 to sign up. There are a couple of courses on vegetable gardening, one on organic gardening, one on planting a container with flash and flair (hands-on class), and this Saturday there are classes on tree care and pruning. Should be a fun couple of months!

I just started a new book. It's called "The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything". I remember when I discovered that gardening and design were my true passions. In my travels, I hear people say "I would love to have your job - I love gardening". I say to them, "if it's your true passion, then you should be doing it". Trouble is, many people are afraid of following their dreams because they are caught up in the rat race, workin' for the man (as my kids say!) Maybe taking some of these courses will ignite the passion in you and encourage you to delve deeper into gardening - even if it is...just on weekends!

Have a sensational Friday!

Thanks James for all Your Inspiration - Enjoy...

The 10 most important words: I won't wait for others to take the first step.
The 9 most important words: If it is to be, it's up to me
The 8 most important words:If not me, who? If not now, when?
The 7 most important words:Let me take a shot at it
The 6 most important words:I will not pass the buck
The 5 most important words:You can count on me
The 4 most important words :It IS my job!
The 3 most important words:Just do it!
The 2 most important words:I will
The most important word:We

This made me smile this morning! Have a fabulous day...

I Don't Like Mondays...

Thinking back, I used to love that song by The Boomtown Rats. Now I listen to the lyrics and realize that if someone wrote those words in their blog, the police would be at their door in less then and hour! Anyways, I used to dislike Mondays, but then I started taking yoga every Monday morning, and now it is my favorite day of the week. Maybe I should go to yoga class every day?!?!?
Today, on my blog layout I added a few of my favorite books. Two of them are books on landscaping ideas and one has gardening advice that is relevant for Calgary. I get great inspiration from reading landscape books and magazines, so thought I would pass a few good ones along.
Gardening Under the Arch has great info on when to start seeds, and when you flip through it, you can pick up some great tips on almost any gardening subject you can think of, so its really worth purchasing.
I have been out meeting with landscape clients for the past few days. It is so interesting to see how many people are calling to "Spruce Up" their yard (shameless plug...) I had thought it may slow down this year because of the economy, but it is actually one of the busiest springs we have had. We have some really exciting projects firmed up already, and we are very proud that Joel Seibert is taking a big role this year in making our Landscape Division the best yet! I'm excited about the whole feel of the group this year - lots of positive vibes!
Hope you like your Monday...

Springtime in Calgary...

So, it was 13 degrees yesterday around 1pm when we were walking around with my University Landscape Design students - had a fabulous walkabout in Brittania. Then we wake up this morning to 9" of snow. Here is a picture from my front door - that's probably the closest I will get to going outside today!

We had no snow on this south facing front yard when I went to bed last night, but now its a winter wonderland! I guess my Birch and Spruce will be happy with all of the extra water on their roots.

What's new at the garden centre? I am headed in there today (so I guess I am going outside!) because I have finalized a few more spring courses - check out the website later this week for updates. You can also call the store for more info. Meryl was also telling me yesterday that herbs and pansies are in - a sure sign of Spring!

Olly Olly Oxen Free...

Okay, again, what the heck does this have to do with gardening? Nothing, but I'll get there eventually... Do you remember yelling this out during a game of hide-and-seek? If you're younger than me, perhaps it was a game of kick the can? Aaah, so many nights out playing hide and seek as a kid, and I didn't really think twice about running through a neighbor's yard at 11 oclock at night, but a few years ago, when my son was out playing kick the can in the evenings, I used to cringe as I would see a silhouette of a young man flying over my fence into the neighbor's yard at midnight... oh how they must have hated us.... How did it ever become Olly Olly oxen free??? This was the statement the person who was "it" would say when they caught their first person, to let the rest know that they could come out without losing the game. Some say it started off as "all ye, all ye, all in free". It's like a game of telephone, really, where the message changes as it reaches a new set of ears...

As far as gardening goes, after much research, my talk in February at the Home and Garden Show was about Design Trends for 2009. One of the trends I listed was 'Bamboo' and how hot it was going to be. Meryl pointed out to me yesterday all of the ads in current magazines about bamboo. You will be seeing it everywhere - sheets and linens (I know!), outdoor furniture, privacy screens. I am going to k.i.s.s. this year and use bamboo as the vertical interest in most of my pots. I am even thinking of turning a small area in my backyard into a small Japanese themed sitting spot with bamboo screens, black urns with bamboo, a concrete bench...aaah, I can hardly wait...

Today I am doing a walkabout with the University students from my Landscape Design course. It's a three hour, fun-filled tour of some gardens in Brittania. Should get us all in the mood for spring!

The Vernal Equinox...

Happy First Day of Spring! Early this morning we welcomed the vernal equinox, or the first day of spring. The sun is positioned directly over the earth's equator, and our day and night are equal in duration. Hopefully that means that very soon I get to stop scraping frost off my truck windows in the morning!

Because of the earth's poise and balance at this time, it is said that today is the best day to try and get an egg to stand on end. I spent about 2 1/2 minutes this morning trying to prove that theory, and I have come to the conclusion that folklore is generally not true - who knew...

I was watching the news last night (after watching Obama on Leno - fabulous interview!), and there was a story about how the price of fresh vegetables has escalated. This plays right into a course that I firmed up yesterday. On the evening of April 30th, Kath Smyth will speak at the store about seeding vegetables into containers. We are going to see a big shift in the amount of people growing their own food. There is huge buzz on the internet about it, and now that people see they can build raised vegetable garden boxes and they can plant seeds right into containers, you will be seeing more people trying it for the first time this year. So, in the next few days, I will be finalizing all of our spring classes and you can sign up for them at Spruce!

Have a fabulous FDOS!

P.S. try shaking the egg really, really hard before you try the trick...

Uh oh that Soil Looks a Little Dry...

Well, here is a picture of my grow op. It seems that my Nasturtiums are becoming a bit stretched, so I've been told to take the lid off. I will try that. What fun! I always thought that growing plants from seed was such a hassle, but when it comes right down to it you just stick some seeds in soil and water them - I can handle that...well, apparently not, judging by the dry look to my soil in this picture. I guess I better get the spritzer bottle out.

Namaste...

Happy Monday!

Just got back from hot yoga class - great way to start the week. Our teacher always says 'Namaste' at the end of each class. It means, literally, I bow to you. It allows people to come together to a place of connection and timelessness, free from the bonds of ego-connection. It is a symbol of gratitude and respect for eachother, thereby allowing the truth to flow - the truth that we are all one when we live from the heart...

Now how do we incorporate those warm thoughts into the garden? It goes back to my belief that we all need a place to go to in the garden to be at one with nature. Maybe it's a meditation garden - doesn't need to be huge, just tucked away somewhere private. You could even consider converting a shed into a sitting room. A shed with windows, glass doors, and a comfortable area to sit inside. I can just picture the doors being wide open, allowing you to sit somewhere and be close with nature. Plantings should ignite all 5 senses... Sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. When you are thinking of planting plans, keep the senses in mind...

Namaste...

Sunny Days, Sweeping the Clouds Away...

Yeh, I know, everyone is in mourning today with the news of Sesame Street being hit by the 'economic downturn'. I've been reading blog sites about the news - absolutely hilarious. Big Bird wearing a sign that says "Will engage in comical, yet educational hijinks for food". Also, check out the CNN News Conference held by Kermit the Frog. Perhaps I'm wasting my life away on YouTube?!?!?!? Anyways, SS has been a mainstay in my life - one of those shows that you always remember watching as a kid. Recently saw Ricky Gervais on SS with Elmo - laugh out loud funny!! Catch it on YouTube...

So we're all dreaming of sunny days about now - get outside and check a few things out as the snow melts...

• check out how fast the snow disappears from around a Spruce Tree - makes you realize how much moisture they need


• look for areas where the snow melts first in your yard - these might be great microclimates where you can plant out-of-zone plants


• ensure you are getting proper drainage away from the foundation


• check for low lying spots - most plants don't like to be soaking in water, so may need to build that area up if you were planning a garden in that area
  

Have a splendid weekend - enjoy the warmer weather...

No, Really, Who Let the Dog's Out...

WOW! You have to see the store - it is ridiculous (which in today's lingo, mean's unbelievable). Tim (our designer) has been in displaying all the new products and it is awesome. The picture is one of our choices from Atlanta - the bobble head dog I spoke of yesterday. Meryl is trying to take credit for it, but don't believe him. He's just tellin' lies again...ha! Anyways, this is not just a shameless plug, I would honestly spend a ton of money there on the new product lines for both indoors and out.

Seeds update...nothing else but the onions have come up, but I seem to have a bulbous piece of matter, that my daughter is convinced is a spiders' egg. I'm tempted to squish it, but it actually makes my tummy a little queasy thinking about it...will keep you posted.

Who Let the Dogs Out???

Spruce got in a huge shipment this week of the items we bought in Atlanta at the Gift Show in July 2008. Sometimes you forget what you bought and then opening the boxes is a big surprise! Lots of cool stuff including some benches that are shaped like dogs - they are metal, with a bobble head - gotta see it to believe it - very interesting focal point for your foyer!
I also managed to secure Sheldon Gesell from Greenstar Plant Products to do a seminar on going organic in your yard - he will be speaking about taking an organic approach to amending your soil and greening up your grass, plants and trees. He will also talk about organic approaches to disease and insects This will be a free seminar on Saturday April 4th from 11am to 1pm at Spruce It Up Garden Centre. Give the store a call at 403-201-7525 and register - it is always an exciting talk!
A personal side note... I'm back rereading a Robin Sharma book and read a chapter on shining as a parent - I want to pass this along even though it has nothing to do with gardening - just resonated with me today...
"Try not to teach your fears to your kids. Introduce your children to what is possible"
Say these following words to your kids every night - and I hope my kids read this...

• you can do whatever you want to do
• never give up
• whatever you do, do it well and with all your heart
• remember how much I love you

Have a fantastic day!

Seeds of our Lives - Update

Turned my T-5 grow light on this morning and there they were - little green things poking out from the soil. Because I didn't label anything, its hard to tell what it is, but memory says it is probably onions. So, that being said, they took 4 days to germinate. I see other tiny things poking out around the tray, but will wait a day or two to take a picture. It is very cool to grow your own seeds - I know this is the easy part, but I was genuinely excited this morning when I saw them! Now I see why herb gardens (especially in containers) are popular - you can grow them by seed so rapidly and keep sowing new seeds every week so you have a steady supply. I'm also very happy with the T-5 red spectrum light. I think it really does help with quicker germination.
Well, it is another nasty, cold morning out there. And now, the double digit warm weekend we were supposed to have has been selfishly pulled away! Stay warm and have an incredible day!

Dream of Better Days...

I was one of the lucky ones who was out in last night's snowstorm. I couldn't believe the amount of snow that dumped in such a short period of time. Between that, the fact that I was out late last night, we lost an hour, and I had to get up early to do the Let's Talk Gardening Show this morning, I think I need an afternoon nap! My seeds aren't up yet, and I also found out today that I can turn my grow light off at night, so no more midnight glow when I get up to let the dog out! Make the best of the snow today - build a snowman!! Dream of a summer garden - take a look at the picture and see how texture is so important in a garden and a splattering of purple really pops amongst the varying shades of green. Enjoy...

Grow Op in Sundance...

I've decided that perhaps having a grow light glowing through my front window probably gathers unnecessary attention from the outside world, so my little seeds will have to go into the basement. I don't need the neighbors asking any more questions than they already do!!
Questions I should have asked:

1. Does a grow light stay on 24/7?
2. Why are seeds so damn small and the color of the soil, so that when you inadvertently drop a handful of them into the soil, you can't see them? That would have been a good question to ask...

I'm sure there will be lots of other questions in the next few weeks. For now, I'm actually excitedly anticipating seeing life emerge from the soil. The kit has been a great purchase - even for rookies like me...carpe diem

The Seeds of Our Lives...

Today was the day!! I planted my seeds - first time ever. Some Horticulturist I am, hey?!?!? I planted Nasturtiums, Onions, Lettuce and Parsley. I'm not a very patient person, so didn't place the seeds in perfect rows or anything, and of course nothing is labelled, so it will be a surprise when things start coming up. I have a great grow light from Spruce and I've placed the whole little kit right next to my desk so that I can look at it and give an update when things start to happen. May have to place it on top of my fridge downstairs to keep the bottom warm, but we'll see how this goes. If you don't hear any updates, you'll just know that things went horribly wrong... Have an incredible weekend!!

A Little Haiku for a Thursday Morning...

Do you remember learning Haiku's in Elementary School? Aaaah, good times - I loved it because you didn't need to rhyme anything, you could just write your thoughts...

I long for summer
Embracing garden in bloom
Kiss the snow away

Whew...that's deep..
Maybe you have a haiku to share - Geoff looks like a haiku kinda person. Maybe he can post one!?!?!
Alright, back to the real world. It is a cold day here in Calgary - maybe its a good day to start my seeds? I better get going on it, or the nice little kit I bought at Spruce will still be sitting in my garage in June!
Enjoy the day!!!

A Duck's Quack Doesn't Echo...

Cool, hey?!?!? Does that have anything to do with my blog - no, not at all, I just heard that from a friend today and thought I would pass it on...
I met a really interesting sales rep on the weekend at the home show - his name is Sheldon Geselle of Greenstar Plant Products. He was speaking on the garden stage and he was also doing a great job at our booth promoting his products (Thanks Sheldon!). He was talking about Coco Earth and Sea Soil - both organic products that are great for supplementing your garden soil. I am trying to firm up a date for him to come into Spruce and do a workshop on some products (including chemical application) in April or May, so will keep you posted.
For now, we are having very timely workshops on March 21st and March 28th on tree care and pruning. Barry Erskine will be conducting the workshops at Spruce, so if you are interested, give the store a call and sign up. It is coming to be that time of year for tree pruning, so he will be giving great advice on how to tackle that job safely and effectively.
Just an update for you... My neighbor and I dug a trench for water flow on the street yesterday, so my driveway is dry, and I was able to get out - yay!

Little Things Seem So Difficult...

Oh yes, the little things... Like getting out of my driveway this morning. It seems I should have been out yesterday clearing the ice so that the rain/snow we received last night wouldn't all be accumulating in front of my house from the entire street! I think this is what they call heart attack snow, or at the very least "holy cow, my upper back is absolutely killing me, where's the Advil" snow.
One good thing is that I was able to take all of the snow from my driveway and shovel it under my large Spruce tree. Even with all of the moisture we have had this winter, it was completely dry under there, so now the Spruce is happily drinking up this snow from last night!
Caught up with all of my emailing yesterday. We had so many inquiries about landscaping at the H&G show, so Patti is really going to be busy coordinating the landscaping division this year! Recession? What recession? New home sales may be down, but many homeowners are going to be creating that really nice oasis in their backyards this year, opting for the "Staycation" - the stay at home vacation. Now is the time to really be thinking about chatting with us about your landscaping needs for 2009. We can have a plan in place, so that when the weather finally clears and I can get out of my driveway, we can get started on implementing the plan. Also look into the Home Renovation tax Credit that the Federal Government has implemented for 2009 - could save you 15% of your total cost. another incentive - Spruce will be matching that tax credit.
Did anyone catch The Bachelor last night! OMG!! Everyone went home broken-hearted at one point or another! I guess the little things were difficult for him too...But I bet he got out of his driveway this morning...
Have a spectacular day!

Be good, get good, or get out....

I love that saying! Spruce was definitely good on the weekend, having arguably the busiest booth in the entire Home and Garden Show! Everyone seemed to love the new product lines that Pat has brought in for 2009, with the mini tea light chandeliers and the colorful flower shpaed stands being a huge hit.
Best moment of the weekend - watching Geoff give the Spruce It Up bags away to the show visitors. Had to see it to believe it, but he put a lot of smiles on everyone's faces. "$20 bag, but for you it's free!"
As much fun as the garden show is, everyone, I'm sure, is glad it's over. It's a tough weekend down there for all, but we all made it through once again.
Now it's time for take down, and with the success of the show, there will be fewer boxes to haul back to the store. I'm sure Pat will be on the phone this week reordering more of everything!!! Congratulations to everyone for pulling off another great show!