Friday, July 29, 2011

Girls Night Out

Last Thursday, at the height of the recent Midwest heat wave, I went to a Girls' Night Out event at Spring Bluff Nursery.  The temperature was 96F, but with the humidity, it felt like 230F.  They were featuring gourmet hors d'oeuvres, wine, fun vendors and sales on many annual and perennial plants. 

I was sweating.  Profusely.


The nursery folks had a fun game for all the participants. They hid 50 Easter eggs amongst the ball and burlap trees, each containing some kind of coupon.  My coupon is good for 50% off a tree, so we'll be getting another tree for the backyard very soon.  Skyline honeylocust, anyone?


One of the vendors I was really impressed with was Holly of The Backyard Farm Girls.  Holly and Jennifer help people set up and maintain small chicken flocks in suburban backyards.  What a great idea!  Martha has chickens, and I've always loved the idea of having my own backyard flock. But if the Big Guy won't go for a beehive in the backyard, then you know chickens are out of the question.  Of course, that doesn't stop me from asking him about it 682 times a week.  Bonus! They offer introductory classes...hopefully I can attend one soon.


I wanted to buy a gazillion plants, but with limited time, space and funds I only bought two clearanced Purple Passion asparagus plants, two gallardia and two sedum.  My hope is that with more flowers in the backyard amongst the vegetables, I should be able to attract more bees and butterflies to help with pollination issues.


Spring Bluff Nursery had a darling fairy house on display. Isn't this too cute?



One thing I liked about the event was that I got to visit their "sample garden" where they feature all the varieties of vegetable seedlings they sell. I was happy to find out that zucchini plants are in fact bushes, and not vines.  I had always thought zucchini was more like a cucumber, and I expected it to vine everywhere.  Good to know that it's supposed to be a bush!


Now that plants are fruiting (vegging?) the sample garden turns into a U-Pick garden.  The kids and I will head out there soon to see what they have available.


It was a nice, if sweltering, evening.  Thanks to Spring Bluff Nursery for a fun event!

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