Think Pink in the garden - Aug 07, 2015

Dear Gardening Friends,

We have been celebrating Karyn’s birthday today so if you had been here at around 11am you may have got a piece of her birthday cake.
As you can see we always go for a cake that is covered in fruit because we are so health conscious here.

This week’s newsletter seems to be all about pink things. A carton of retro Pink Flamingos has turned up this week and it has brought back great memories for me. About 20 years ago we used to put a pink flamingo out the front of our nursery every day and he used to get up to mischief just like pig. Fashion goes in cycles and now we have these amazing bright pink Flamingos back in stock. We are selling them for just $13.99. I think they were more expensive 20 years ago! They have wire legs which you can just push into the soil. Easy

Pink flowering Anthuriums have arrived. These are often called Flamingo Flowers and when you see them beside one of these retro pink Flamingos you can see why.
Anthuriums are excellent indoor plants and they are great conversation starters if you are looking for a plant on your desk at work. They have these bright pink, happy to see you flowers, throughout the warmer months. Buy a plant and a nice ceramic pot to suit and we will happily repot it for you using Tim’s Best Potting Mix. They make great flowering gifts and they are cheaper than a bunch of flowers from the florist. Plants cost just $24.99 less your Tims Garden Club Discount.

Princess Lavender plants are flowering in the nursery today. Lavenders are famous for their lavender coloured flowers but Princess Lavender has pink flowers that still have that great lavender fragrance. This plant is so good it was named Shrub of The Year for 2014. This variety really is worth growing because it stays nice and bushy and it does get smothered in pretty pink flowers for months. You can grow Lavenders in pots but they have to be big!!!! A big pot holds at least 2 bags of Tims Best Potting Mix.

Lavenders have a vigorous root system so they are often pot bound when you buy them. If you look at this photo you will notice that there is very little potting mix. The potting mix is what holds the water so as this disappears the plant dries out faster and has more chance of dying.
Solution?
Buy fresh plants that aren’t too big. Plant them within 24 hours or transplant them into bigger pots. Dunk your Lavender plants in a bucket of water until all the bubbles stop then plant them in your garden and water at least twice weekly. The addition of soil improver products like Planting Compost will help keep these plants wetter longer. Our plants come with a 6 month plant guarantee so it is in our interest to have fresh plants so you have success.

Lobelia Crystal Palace has gone out of fashion a bit these days but we have some growing in a pot with orange pansies and they just look devine. The Lobelia is starting to spill over the sides and I just love those bright navy blue flowers. We still sell Lobelia in punnets and it does come in white and a mixture of colours too. But my favourite is this one called Crystal Palace.
It seems to flower for at least 6 months and it is easy to grow. Talk to Lisa in the seedling area for more advice.

The Black Wattles have started to flower along the roads throughout the Macarthur area. I spotted some beauties growing along Appin road today. The Black Wattle has dark green fern like foliage which makes the perfect back drop for the bright yellow ball like flowers. It is called a Black Wattle because the trunk is black. Check them out on your way to work. We sell more of the dwarf wattle varieties these days so talk to Simon or Ryan if you need help. Wattles have a reputation for being short lived. They live for around the same time as your family dog or cat.

Poor Kenny was involved in a car accident last week and he has been in Liverpool Hospital ever since. Kenny has worked at Tims for at least 25 years so most of you will know him. He is going to be away from work for several months while he recovers. We wish Kenny a speedy recovery. That’s two accidents in as many weeks for Tim’s staff members.
Simon has had a self inflicted accident this week when he attempted to give himself a hair cut. See the results for yourself next time you visit. I wouldn’t get him to prune my garden.
If your garden needs a spring prune see in store for Tims Gardening Service contact numbers. Hayden has been having trouble with his phone so ring him again if he didn’t return your calls.

Spring unofficially starts next week for the nursery industry. We will fill the nursery up with fresh spring stock over the next few weeks so come and see us if you are planning a new garden. We are happy to help you choose the best plants and we know which plants grow the best in our area. This is where we all live and we are mad gardeners. You can buy plants cheaper but they won’t be as good and you won’t get the same advice. Our plants are better, and that’s what you keep telling us.

Lots of stock is starting to arrive now so I better get out and help.

Happy Gardening
Tim