Milo spent the entire weekend of our 2012 spring fair at the gate, saying hello. We started hosting a spring fair 3 years ago, after Rob had the opportunity to attend one in Italy. We invite growers and nursery people in our community to bring plants and sell them. Everyone is encouraged to bring a flyer or postcard or announcement that would tell people about their business. Last spring the weather was a little spitty on Saturday, but generally balmy. He was perfectly happy at his post, all weekend.
However this weekend promises to be cold-28 degrees overnight tonight. There is a chance of snow flurries, and the probability of 20-30 mile an hour winds. We have had a lot of rain over the past 3 days. What kind of weather is this for a spring fair?? Terrible weather! So we spent the entire day today arranging to move the fair in doors and under cover. Our warehouse is not the most glamorous space, and the lighting is not the best. But we are determined that the inside of our shop will represent the spring that we all have been anxiously awaiting.
Mark from Bogie Lake Green house does a great job of forcing spring bulbs. We’ll have plenty of them on hand, for any gardener who is despairing over the tulips that are 2 inches all in their garden, or the daffodils that are not showing any signs of having buds. I myself plan to take some hyacinths home, and breathe deep. This wintry weather has hung on like a really bad cold.
Fiona Brinks, the Vice President of Bordines, is a great nursery person, and a really good friend. She will bring all kinds of spring plants-including some of the juiciest and well grown pansies you will ever see. Her staff is knowledgeable and friendly. They’ll have a sheet about their upcoming expo, and anything else they have planned for their nurseries.
Wiegand’s Nursery, English Gardens, Eckerts and Goldner Walsh will be here too, with much the same story in quality plants and great service. The nursery people in our area are good people, who work hard. And they have a big love for plants and gardens. I shop all over the area for plants-I enjoy this as much as any other gardener. Every grower will have something that appeals. We don’t grow plants, but we do plant pots-and lots of them. Though the cold spring has meant that both the annual and perennial plants have been slow to come on, I think we have some very handsome pots.
The property shared by the landscape company, Deborah Silver and Co, and our manufacturing company, Branch, is home to some great live moss colonies. Contrary to what I would expect, this moss grows in little hummocks in full sun, on the gravel. These round dense colonies look great in these miniature urns. To say that we grew these is a stretch-there was another hand in charge of this planting. Julie’s Floral, and Greystone Gardens will be here-representing the Oakland County Farmer’s Market contingent. Lloyd is sure to have some herbs, and Crystal will bring a beautiful assortment of planted containers and plants.
New this year to the fair is Arrowhead Alpines. Joseph Tychonievich, nursery manager and author of the book “Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener”-recently published by Timber Press, will be here in person! A hort head’s hort head, he is extremely knowledgeable about plants. I met his today for the first time-what a treat. He has some pale yellow hellebores that are fabulous-I am trying to stay out of his small stash of them.
Though our pussy willow branches are absolutely saturated with water, they still look like spring. We will have some plants outside-but the majority will be inside. They say 60 degrees on Monday. I am hoping this number represents a trend.
Cold rain and wind is not so friendly to the big flowered pansies, or the lettuce.
Though these pansies may be hanging their heads right now, a few days of warmer weather will get them back in the game. Mother nature is not quite ready for spring, but we are. Hope to see you tomorrow.