The Flower Press
Summer 2005
by Claire Roorbach Olson
The days certainly rush past when we're busy with the spring planting season. So, this will be a Summer newsletter to cover June, July, and August.
Our spring this year certainly was an improvement over last year when it rained all the time and the temperatures stayed frosty well into June. The planting season was delayed by an entire month last year which is a real challenge to our growers, trying to keep the little annuals from becoming overgrown in their pots. This year was more of a normal season with sales the strongest right around Memorial Day.
As the summer progresses, we sell out of the smaller annuals and vegetables but still maintain a good supply of garden plants in larger pots and hanging baskets for our customers in July and August. Perennials, of course, are sold right through the summer and can be successfully planted into early September. And, "fresh" perennials are available all summer from our grower in southern Wisconsin - so if you are doing a landscape change or addition and need something special, give us a call, we'll do our best to find plants for you.
Weddings are the focus for the summer weekends. We're seeing more and more outside weddings, in parks, and in backyards. We had a beautiful garden wedding this June which almost wasn't. At 8:30am it was pouring rain, but by 1:00pm it was sunny and dry and the wedding went off at 3:00 without a hitch. A beautiful yard, a beautiful day, and a beautiful bride! Bob and Joan Kellner's daughter Kathryn was married in July in Bob's beautiful garden - can't wait for those pictures.
The Ball Seed Company is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. Every summer - usually the last Friday in July - the company opens the corporate grounds in West Chicago to wholesale and retail customers of their seeds and related garden products. Last year they didn't have the gardens open because they completely redid the entire area - repositioned mature trees, moved and rebuilt "hills" and added garden structures and art. We are taking two vans down and can hardly wait to see the transformation. I'll put pictures on this site when I return.
We are excited about plans we have for the fall. We're working on events the you might think of in a greenhouse, and some that are a little unusual. There is a whole lot of talent in our community and we will be bringing them together "amongst the plants" for your enjoyment. More later!
Have a Great Summer
