Monthly Archives: February 2013

Have We Got Some Ferns For You!

In the greenhouse, we try to always keep a good variety of ferns, and once the spring growing season is upon us we’ll also have hardy outdoor ferns as well.

Maidenhair fern –
this is the southern
form – hardy for us

Korean rock fern is
another hardy fern

Autumn Fern - this one is hardy for us too!

Autumn fern – hardy
AND evergreen too!

Bird’s nest fern – nothing frilly here!

Meanwhile, here is a sampling of the “houseplant” ferns we have now in the greenhouse. The selection is constantly changing , so be sure to check with us if you’re looking for something in particular. Just look at the variety of leaves here!

Florida ruffle - this is one frilly fern!

Florida ruffle –
ultra frilly!

Variegated pteris
fern adds brightness

Lemon button fern adds great texture to any composition

Lemon button fern adds
nice texture in mixed plantings

We use these ferns as supporting players in mixed combination shade planters as the weather warms too – the softness and color of the fern foliage contrast nicely with many shade plants including coleus, hostas, begonias, persian shield, and impatiens, just to name a few.

Austral gem fern

Staghorn fern

Button fern

Pteris fern

In addition we’ll begin to plant custom mixes of foliage that will be wonderful for your porch or patio for the spring and summer – many will last well into the fall with adequate water and care.

Alternately, you might choose to use a grouping of pots and put one type of fern in each container. (Be sure to choose those with contrasting leaves so it’s an interesting arrangement.) Position your grouping as it pleases you for your space.

Kangaroo paw fern

Asaparagus fern – very tough and can be used in mixed planters in the sun too.

Blue Crisp Fern/Bear’s Claw Fern

Native Plants…Here Are Some Jewels For The Garden!

We’ve gotten in our first shipment of native perennial plants for those of you who’d like to add some of these beauties to your garden. The selection is usually a bit limited, so please come see us now if you’re interested in them.

jacob’s ladder…sweet blue blooms will appear in spring…

Blue woodland phlox will spread readily in a woodland garden

Plants in stock now include bloodroot, (Sanguinaria canadensis) which have the purest, whitest blooms in early spring…) blue woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) that will slowly spread where it’s happy… jacob’s ladder, (Polemonium reptans) Indian pinks, (Spigelia marilandica) that are actually red and yellow! Celandine poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) which will brighten the garden with bright yellow blooms…and southern maidenhair fern, which handles our heat in stride…(Adiantum capillaris)

Southern maidenhair fern adds a soft
texture and light color to a landscape

when the bloodroot appears
spring is not far off!

The above photo shows the bloodroot just emerging…These are all in quart pots with the exception of the southern maidenhair fern, which is offered in gallon containers. We are so pleased this shipment is from just down the road in Wilsonville, Alabama.

You’ll notice as you walk in our door we have our own southern maidenhair fern growing in the greenhouse out of the asphalt – obviously some spores landed there and took a liking to that spot – so, sorry, it’s not for sale…of course, we’ll continue to post as new arrivals come in, so stay tuned!

this southern maidenhair fern is growing in asphalt…

Bleeding Heart Vine – Try One This Year!

Our beautiful bleeding heart vine…clerodendron thomsonae, has graced the doorway here for over 20 years, and many of you have noticed and commented on it. Many, many years ago we purchased some of these plants and there were a few that didn’t sell and outgrew the pots…what to do with them? The grapevine placed around the doorway seemed the perfect spot to grow a vine of some sort, so we decided to try the clerodendron – really to use the left over plants more than anything! It’s been a smashing success and has become our signature tropical vine.

Pinkie works on cutting back the clerodendron – this is done each February without fail!

After all these years, the same plants are on either side of the door and have bloomed faithfully each Mother’s Day for us. Each February the vines are cut back quite hard and they bloom on all the new growth that results.

Garden Up! These Vertical Gardens Are Easy To Make!

These vertical gardens are fun to make!

Vertical gardening is hot! We have been searching for a user friendly vertical garden system for our customers to try, and think we may have found it!

These are sturdy frames with a coco liner insert. The liner has openings cut so insertion of plants is easy peasy…there are nine openings along the front and three on each side and, of course, the top is plantable as well. You can even put more than one together to make a larger vertical garden. We have the frames available for you to purchase and plants like those shown here if you’d like to give it a try! (Or, buy the frame now and save it for planting in the spring.) We’re going to try a succulent version next – we’ll keep you posted!

Orchids: These Arrangements Add Drama!

What a nice surprise to have our work recognized by garden writer Steve Asbell of The Rain Forest Garden in his latest blog. We know many of you come to us for creative and unique arrangements, and here is a sampling of some of what we do with orchids and other flowers every day – we offer the photos from his website here as well, and urge you to go to his blog to read the nice piece about us in addition to other great posts and information – thanks for the recognition Steve!

He also posted pictures of these arrangements!

So, you say you need to add some drama to your life? We’ll be happy to oblige!

Promise In A Packet…Seeds!

If you’ve been in recently you may have noticed the colorful seed display behind the counters.

Oh the promise of seeds – those tantalizing pictures and mouthwatering descriptions of vegetables, flowers and herbs…all in a magical seed packet.

Maybe you’ve never tried to grow anything from seed. That’s ok, there’s a first time for everything! Here are some easy flowers to grow by direct sowing them right where you want them to come up in your garden: zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, marigolds, tithonia (Mexican sunflower) and gomphrena are a few.

Seed planting is a fun project for the little ones!

Since you will be sowing these directly into the ground, you need to be sure the soil is warm enough for them, May is the perfect month to plant these. Here you can see Billy planting seeds in the garden with some little helpers in the community garden across the street last spring. Below you can see we have veggie seeds too – and plenty to choose from as you plan your summer garden!

Warm season vegetable seeds…eggplant, peppers, melons and more!

U-Pot-It ~ You Take It!

The U-Pot-It bench – ready for you!

Spring is right around the corner, and we want to remind you the U-Pot-It-Bench is available (when Ozzie isn’t sleeping in it, that is!) for all of you who’d like to bring your own pots in and plant them yourself!

Of course, you can also pick a pot or planter out from our stock too – all we ask is that you use our plants…but you knew that already!

Details are posted on the bench, and forms are provided to keep track how much soil and fertilizer you use. Have fun!

Small, Smaller, Smallest – Miniature Gardens!

A sampling of our miniature gardening accessories

Kids love them and so do adults! Miniature gardens capture the kid in all of us, and maybe that’s why they’re so popular. Really, how can you resist the magic of these tiny worlds? From the smallest birdbaths and ponds (every garden should have some water, after all) to the perfect path leading to a miniature bench (yes, that’s a kitty sunning itself there..) we think they’re magical.

A child’s miniature garden

We created one special garden for a little 7 year old – it was a Christmas gift from her grandmother. Imagine that little girl’s face when she caught sight of her very own little garden! From that child’s delight to a landscape used as a centerpiece on a luncheon table, all of the gardens we create are meant to last – just let us know where you’d like to use them, inside or outside, and what type of light they’ll be in and we’ll take it from there – we promise you’ll be delighted!

A bird’s eye view of a miniature garden landscape

Another tiny garden we created is a bird’s eye view of plants designed to live in a sunny location – we used plenty of succulents and other small plants that can take some heat!

Miniature garden with greenery and rocks

Maintenance involves keeping plants trimmed and watered as necessary…no aching back tending these gardens! How great is that? We’ll be posting more photos of our miniature gardens and accessories so check in often!

Botanicals Under Glass – We Have Everything You Need!

violas and fern

Aren’t these little glass frames great? You can either purchase them empty and put whatever strikes your fancy in them or we have others already done, like those shown here.

We’ve used violas for the small ones and a fern frond for the larger, but honestly, the possibilities are as endless as what is growing in your yard…

botanical…violas

So…you’ll have your own mini botanical frame (or a grouping, perhaps?) that will add a touch of charm to a special spot in your home

a simple fern frond

This would also be a simple and fun project to do with a youngster – wouldn’t they love being able to pick just the perfect bloom for their frame!

A Valentine’s Day Teaser

Red and white for Valentine’s…

Just had to post one more Valentine’s Day teaser because there are so many beautiful flowers in the greenhouse….the baskets and containers we’ve done are one of a kind – we don’t do any cookie cutter arrangements – ever.

tulips, cyclamen, heather and a fragrant hyacinth mix here…

Remember too, if you have a basket, bowl or other container you’d like us to fill with beautiful plants, just bring it in and we’ll take it from there.

Some of the blooming plants we have in now include tulips, cyclamen, campanula, primroses, rieger begonias, narcissus, roses, violets, amaryllis, orchids, hydrangeas, pansies, hyacinths, heather, bromeliads and more! So much color and such beauty surrounds us!

A Pretty Valentine

: We think orchids are perfect for the Valentine in your life!

Would your Valentine like this pretty orchid? Call us and place an order soon and we’ll be sure to pick out the prettiest orchid for your sweetheart! Remember we also can put together a gorgeous arrangement of plants and flowers as well. Either choice will last far longer than cut flowers.

Sweet treats for your sweetheart!

If sweet treats are more to her liking, we’ve got what you need there too! Shown here are some of the goodies the ladies from Seven Winds Kitchen have cooked up for us, including heart shaped mini teacakes, chocolate covered pecan and peanut clusters, and amazingly wonderful toffee…We sampled them all and have to say, you can’t get much tastier! Call and place an order and we’ll have it ready when you are! Remember, we also deliver – call us to set up your order and delivery.

Baskets on BOGO!!!

Yes, the Buy One Get One Free SALE on our baskets is continuing the month of February – and there are some great deals on some really nice baskets!

So many to choose from!

This would be a great time to stock up on some you think might be good gifts down the road – buy them now and bring them back in later to fill with beautiful plants ( We’ve even planted some with pansies – so pretty!)

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Add Some Color With Rieger Begonias!

Rieger begonias add color and beauty to containers, or are wonderful on their own too!

It’s so nice to be able to add some long lasting color to our homes during the winter months.

Rieger begonias do just that, and are long lasting houseplants as well. Give them a bright spot in your home and let them go a bit dry between watering. Get more than one and make yourself a beautiful arrangement like the one above, or come in and let us do it for you! Rieger begonias are available year around, and can be purchased in 4″ and 6″ pots.

Make Someone Happy With A Blooming Basket!

We’ve had recent posts showing pictures of gerbera daisies – well, here they are in action as the focal point of a pretty combination basket – this one went out to someone as part of a birthday celebration…

Pretty gerbera daisies in a mixed basket

We added a sweet primrose with a touch of foliage – using maidenhair fern and pink fittonia to round out the composition. Add a bow and voila! a lovely gift for some lucky someone! The primroses are also a bright and seasonal addition to arrangements, but keep in mind they are available only for a short time early in the year since it will get too hot for them as we get into spring and the warmer months. (Primroses are native to cool, moist climates – while we might have the moist part covered, we certainly aren’t cool!)

Forced bulbs, add bright blooms in this container…

Here’s another example of some of the seasonal flowers available now – this container shows forced bulbs of tulips, hyacinths, and narcissus, as well as a pure white hydrangea and willow branches to add even more drama…these forced bulbs are, like the primroses, usually available in the early portion of the year. You can plant the narcissus in your garden once they’re done blooming – we’ll talk about that in a later post.

Need Your Terrarium Planted? We Can Help!

Reindeer moss and small rocks enhance this miniature landscape in glass ~

Terrariums, gardens in glass, are everywhere these days. We’ve noticed many of our customers have them, either given to them as a gift, or purchased on a whim because they thought it would be a fun project. So…do you have one and not know what to do with the darn thing? Well, that’s just the sort of thing we can help with!

Of course, a terrarium can be any glass container with a lid, or open at the top like the one shown here. A customer brought one in the other day that had been used as the centerpiece at her wedding in 1974 – she was thrilled to let us do the planting honors for the first time in 19 years! You want to plant one yourself you say? We can give you tips and advice to help you create a beautiful ecosystem to enjoy for years.

The terrariums shown here have a layer of pebbles mixed with aquarium charcoal, (The charcoal keeps bacteria from forming in the moist environment.) a layer of potting soil, and plants with decorative rocks and moss added for the final touch. Isn’t the 2 tier terrarium fun? What a wonderful focal point it would make in an office setting or home! Most terrariums need water rarely – if enclosed, the environment stays quite moist. Those with open tops will need water more often, but be careful not to overwater since there’s obviously no drainage. Ferns, fittonias, creeping fig, nephytis and selaginella are just some of the plants that thrive here. .

A double tier terrarium – twice the fun!

Terrariums in all shapes and sizes…

More Blooms (and some herbs) for February!

These gerbera daisies could brighten anyone’s day! They are the perfect addition to mixed baskets and centerpieces for a lively pop of color and also make for lovely thinking of you gifts. Remember also that plants like this will last longer than cut flowers and you can try planting them in your garden come spring – they need a sunny, quite well drained spot if you want to give it a shot.

Cheerful blooms of gerbera daisies

We also have a few herbs in stock now – always a fun addition to mixed containers. This basket shows some silvery lavender and a trailing thyme adding their foliage color, texture and scent to this arrangement. Our baskets are still on sale, by the way – buy one get one free. Stop in and take a look!

mixed basket with lavender, thyme and blooms

This mixed basket combines herbs and flowers…

February Construction – Progress!

We’ll be happy to welcome our municipal complex neighbors back this spring!

We’ve had a front row seat to the exciting progress of the municipal complex across the street for the past months and are happy to see it beginning to look like a real building!

From what we understand, the fire station directly across from the shop will have big windows where the kids can see the firetrucks when they’re not out. (We’ll just be glad to hear the sound of fire trucks again instead of the beeping of construction crews, and see our friends across the street once more.)

The projected completion date is spring of this year, so we’ll not only be celebrating a new growing season but cheering that we’ll be able to look across the street and see a beautiful, completed city hall, fire and police station too!

The Cats of Oak Street Garden Shop

Meet Gracie, shown here doing what he (Yes, Gracie is a guy!) does best, which is sleep the day away. When he’s not sleeping, you might find him walking his domain, or hanging out with his buddy, Ozzie.

Gracie has been with us for many years, and is a pretty old kitty, but you certainly can’t tell it by looking at him! So, if you stop in the shop, look for Gracie and say hello – he might just want a pet.

Our shop cats, Gracie & Ozzie

Ozzie is Gracie’s buddy, and he is a bit skittish and very shy. But you’ll still spot him stretched out in the sun, (Usually right in the middle of a walkway!) or fast asleep like he is here in the U-Pot-It potting bench.

Ozzie taking a nap in the U-Pot-It-Bench

They love the pot of catnip that is, of course, exclusively theirs – it even has a Not For Sale! sign… Both Gracie and Ozzie found us and have made themselves quite at home here. We’re happy that they did, and hope they both are with us for many more years to come, enjoying their “shop cat” lives.

We’ve Got The Sweets (And More) For Your Sweetie!

Once again the ladies from Seven Winds Kitchen have outdone themselves, providing delectable Valentine’s Day sweets for your sweetheart!

Sweet treats for your sweetheart!

Pretty rieger begonias are lovely in mixed baskets…

Here you can see their heart shaped mini tea cakes, chocolate covered peanut clusters and to die for toffee…there’s really something for any kind of sweet tooth – and we can tell you, because of course we had to sample them ;-) they are delicious – the toffee is a new offering this year and we pronounce it amazingly good!!! If you know your love would prefer a flowering orchid or an arrangement of mixed flowering plants like those shown here, of course you know we can take care of you on that front too…place your order soon, and we’ll either have it ready for you to pick up or we can deliver it to your sweetie. Yes, we deliver in the area – you just need to make a purchase of $35 or more, and delivery is $10. So, we have it all for you this Valentine’s Day, sweets and flowers for your honey with our best wishes too!

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Oak Street Garden Shop and Local Market

Voted "Best Garden Shop in Birmingham" for quality plants, creativity, and excellent customer service

Monthly Archives: February 2013

Have We Got Some Ferns For You!

Native Plants…Here Are Some Jewels For The Garden!

Bleeding Heart Vine – Try One This Year!

Garden Up! These Vertical Gardens Are Easy To Make!

Orchids: These Arrangements Add Drama!

Promise In A Packet…Seeds!

U-Pot-It ~ You Take It!

Small, Smaller, Smallest – Miniature Gardens!

Botanicals Under Glass – We Have Everything You Need!

A Valentine’s Day Teaser

A Pretty Valentine

Baskets on BOGO!!!

Add Some Color With Rieger Begonias!

Make Someone Happy With A Blooming Basket!

Need Your Terrarium Planted? We Can Help!

More Blooms (and some herbs) for February!

February Construction – Progress!

The Cats of Oak Street Garden Shop

We’ve Got The Sweets (And More) For Your Sweetie!