Category Archives: Local Market

The Holiday Season is Here 🎁✨

It’s hard to believe it’s the beginning of December already, and before long, we’ll be celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Year. Where does the time go?!??

Before that, though, we’ve got things to do! Our final shipment of magnolia garland, Fraser fir wreaths, specialty wreaths, and more arrived this week, as well as mantel pieces and bunches of greenery. It’s fun to see all the beautiful decorating being done around town!

If you need new bows for your wreaths or for indoor decorating, we have lots of ribbon available for sale by the yard or by the roll. We can also make bows for you out of our ribbon, so if you haven’t checked out the selection, it’s not too late.

If you like to plant your own paperwhites timed for Christmas bloom, we still have bulbs available—get them planted soon! We also have paperwhites already potted up and ready for gifts or for you!

Don’t forget about our delicious food offerings – they make great hostess gifts. We have Ginger Clark’s local honey in the cutest bottles, the best peanut brittle from Seven Winds Kitchen, and many more delectable foods they offer. We happen to think their cheese hooies are amazing!

We know it’s a hectic time of year, so thank you for taking a moment out of your busy day to read about what’s going on in our world.

Hope to see you soon.

Thanksgiving Arrangements 🍁🦃

Next week is Thanksgiving, and we know you’ve been planning your menu… remember, we can help with the centerpiece! Just bring in a container of yours for us to fill with plants, or browse through our offerings. Please be sure to get your order in soon though, so we can take the best care of you. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

Our select grower of quality pansies and violas is working on a new crop of these cool-season beauties. They’ll be available soon, so we’ll have a good selection for any of you still looking to finish up your winter plantings. The temperatures this week should be perfect for them—and us!

We’re getting excited about the offerings we’ll have through the upcoming season. Garlands, mantel pieces, wreaths, and bunches of greenery are just the beginning of the options that will be available. It might look a little different without the Christmas trees, but we hope you’ll enjoy your experience here even more!

We’ll be able to continue to keep perennials, herbs, and all the wonderful ornamental greens—think mustards, kale, chard, and more—in stock this year. We also still have some beautiful camellias and other shrubs, including juniper and boxwood topiaries, for any larger containers you have.

This week, we’re also getting a truckload of rosemary topiaries, trees, and other evergreens from a new supplier. We weren’t able to carry these in years past, so we hope you’ll check them out, too.

We look forward to seeing you soon and hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Amaryllis Bulbs & Brittle Treats!

Our amaryllis bulbs have arrived! Many of you have already spotted them in the shop, but for any who haven’t, you’ll notice we have some varieties you might not find later. They’re right up front; take a look next time you’re in!
Maybe you’d rather start some paperwhites – they only take about 4 weeks to grow and come into bloom – just in time for the holidays and party season! If you don’t want to start your own, we’ll have them and amaryllis already potted up to give as gifts or for you to enjoy!
We’re also beginning to get in our holiday food offerings. Need some cheese hoolies to take to a party as a hostess gift? Stock up! They can be frozen and used as needed. Another great holiday offering in stock now are both of our brittles—peanut and pecan. (Which is your favorite?) We think the brittles make great gifts and party treats, and the reviews of them have been stellar!
We hope you’re beginning to plant your winter garden. We have the best pansies, snapdragons, foxglove, and so much more in stock now. Fall planting ensures healthy root growth and beautiful spring blooms.
Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you soon.

Winter Offerings at Oak Street

We’re exploring new plant and planter options this fall and winter since we aren’t clearing the nursery area for Christmas trees this year. For any of you who missed the news, we made the difficult decision not to offer trees this holiday season, and the owner and our fearless leader, Billy Angell, sent out an email last month with a personal message to everyone.
If you missed it, you can read the announcement here.
We’ll offer everything else we always have had though, including wreaths, garland, greens,mantelpieces, arrangements, berries, and more for your celebrations!
One thing we’re excited to bring in for fall and winter are more planters than we’ve ever had this time of year. Our supplier out of Pennsylvania offers the highest quality cast stone pots, and you’ll find them displayed across the front and throughout the shop. Can’t haul a pot home? We deliver!
We’re also changing things up in the greenhouse for the holidays too. This year our Santa display will be a gingerbread house with all the trimmings. Everything will look a little different this year!

Our ribbon display is coming together too. We’ll post on our social media accounts when it’s set up for any of you who’d like to shop a little early for your ribbons and bows.
November is right around the corner and with it one of our favorite holidays, Thanksgiving. Please be thinking about containers you might want to use on your table and bring them in at least a couple weeks prior.
Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you soon.

A Message From Billy

I hope you’re all enjoying the beautiful fall season. With the holiday season quickly approaching, I wanted to be sure this message got out to everyone. After much thought, we made the announcement to our email subscribers and are uploading it to the blog just in case anyone missed the original post.

I wanted to let you all know how much I’ve appreciated your patronage over the past 48 years I’ve been in this business, almost 35 of them in Crestline Village. (And no, I’m not retiring!)

But this message is to let you know that after much thought and many sleepless nights, I’ve decided that Oak Street Garden Shop will no longer sell Christmas trees beginning this year. What a difficult decision this has been! Over the years, we’ve enjoyed providing the most beautiful trees, and we have so many wonderful memories, including being shown pictures of your decorated trees, the holiday jewel in countless living rooms, each and every one of them described as the “Best Tree Ever.”

I still have the drawing one little girl made, addressed to me, that hung on the tree she and her family had picked out after hours. Attached to it was a handwritten note asking, “Please, Mr. Angell, save this tree for us.” I proudly had it laminated and hung it in my office. How special finding that was, and how good it felt to know she will probably never forget that Christmas either.

Or the customer who each and every year would browse the trees on Thanksgiving Day (their special tradition). We always knew to look for their tree the day after Thanksgiving… and there it would be, the red luggage tag with their name on it, affixed as high as they could reach.

It’s truly been 48 years of happy memories, but I won’t deny that the last few years, due to labor shortages, it has become more difficult. I could also see it wasn’t as happy an experience for you either. I know no one wants to stand in line to pick out a tree still wrapped on the ground, no matter how pretty you know it will be in the end, or wait in line for hours while trees are drilled.

The stress of this carried over to me and my staff, and, unfortunately, the holiday season became longer and harder each year. We always prided ourselves on the precision with which sales and deliveries were carried out, and I knew that we had come to a point where a decision had to be made.

However, the good news is that we will continue to offer the most beautiful wreaths, garland, new products, and mailbox decorations just as we always have. We hope you’ll still look to us for all of that and more this holiday season!

We’re also excited that we’ll be able to, for the first time in so many years, truly have a fall season in the nursery. This means that in addition to everything we’ve always carried through autumn and winter, we’ll also be adding more shrubs, natives, and interesting plants for your fall garden. We are having fun planning this new avenue!

I’ll end this by thanking you for coming along with us as we enter a new chapter in Oak Street Garden Shop’s almost 35 years – we can’t do any of this without you! I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but now I’m ready to pass the Christmas tree baton to a new generation.

With much appreciation,

Billy Angell

Seasonal Selections and Confections!

It’s been fun seeing all the decorated front yards around town dressed up for Halloween. We love being a part of your celebrations, and if you have any need for more pumpkins and gourds look to us for inspiration!
In the greenhouse we have sweet and savory for you. A new shipment of Ginger Clark’s We Bees Working honey has arrived, as well as the perennial favorites, Cheese Hooies from Logan, Alabama. The hooies go particularly well with football parties!

Many of you are beginning your fall planting, and we want to point out the many complimentary leafy plants available to add to the usual pansies and violas. Just a few include frilly-leaved ornamental kales and the beautifully colored cabbage selections. Include in your plantings the chartreuse colors of the many carex grasses and acorus, rich reds of mustard greens (They’re edible too!), and perennial red veined sorrel, and you’ll have a varied and gorgeous winter palette even when flowers aren’t in bloom.

So many of you commented this past spring on the blooms in the O’Neal Garden across the street from the shop that we donate to the city of Mountain Brook and maintain. Did you know you can also have the larkspur, poppies, and bachelor buttons that shine in it March through May? We have the seeds available for many of them now. The key to this winter garden is to sow the seeds when the ground is cold, so wait to plant until after the leaves fall — November. We’ve sown these as late as January for spring bloom.
Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you soon!

The Best Bulbs to Plant in Fall for a Gorgeous Spring Display 🌷🌼

Fall might seem like the end of the gardening season, but it’s actually the perfect time to plan for a breathtaking spring garden! Planting spring-blooming bulbs in the fall gives them the cold dormancy they need to thrive when the weather warms up. Here are the best bulbs to plant in Northern Alabama this fall to ensure a stunning display next spring.

  1. Daffodils

A classic favorite, daffodils (Narcissus) are one of the easiest and most reliable spring bulbs. They come in a variety of colors—yellow, white, and even pink. Daffodils are deer-resistant, making them a great choice for Alabama gardeners. Plant bulbs 6 inches deep in well-drained soil for the best results.

  1. Tulips

Tulips provide bold, vibrant color to any garden. While they can be a bit trickier in warmer climates like Northern Alabama, choosing heat-tolerant varieties like Darwin hybrids or Species tulips can give you great results. Plant tulips 6-8 inches deep in well-drained soil for a striking spring display.

  1. Grape Hyacinths (Muscari)

If you love fragrant flowers, hyacinths are a must! These early bloomers offer rich, heady scents and a range of colors from deep purple to white. Plant hyacinth bulbs 3 inches deep in groups for maximum visual impact and fragrance.

  1. Lycoris (Surprise Lillies)

Lycoris, often called Surprise Lilies or Spider Lilies, add an exotic touch to the garden with their tall, striking blooms. It’s not too late to plant Lycoris bulbs—they prefer sunny spots and well-drained soil. Plant them with the top of the bulb about 5 inches below the soil line and 1 bulb per square foot, and they’ll reward you with gorgeous, unexpected blooms when you least expect it.

Tips for Success

  • Plant bulbs in well-drained soil to avoid rot over the winter.
  • Choose a sunny spot for the best blooms come spring.
  • Add a little bulb fertilizer when planting to give them a head start.

Plant these bulbs now, and when spring arrives, your garden will burst into life with color and fragrance! 

On the Changing Season and Plant Selections

Wow! The temperatures this week are perfect for working outside. If you aren’t able to get a jump on your fall planting though, don’t worry. We will continue to offer the best plants for the season.

Fun fact:

Our growers are like farmers. They have “crops” of plants that they plan to have ready for certain times. Always ask if you don’t see something you’re looking for! That grower might simply be “between crops”!

If you’re not quite ready to plant your pansies and other winter flowers yet, try to give yourself a break and do things in stages. Perhaps you have planters that are looking bedraggled—get those summer plants out of there and add fresh potting soil so you’re ready to go when your schedule allows. Do the same things with beds, and your life will be a little easier!

Have you gotten your classic Jack O’Lantern yet? Come see us! We have gorgeous, big Jacks ready to go on your porch or front steps to welcome Halloween!

We hope you all have been enjoying the O’Neal Community Garden across the street from the shop. As you’ve probably noticed, it’s beginning to “go down” for the season. We will let the zinnias, cosmos, and the tall orange tithonia naturally die down so seeds drop into the soil for next year. This is the cycle of nature, and the pollinators are still enjoying it! We hope you’ve been as well.

It’s dry out there, and your landscape may be showing signs of stress. Stressed plants can exhibit all of the following:

  • Wilting leaves (Leaves not returning to normal the next morning)
  • Leaf edges looking scorched
  • Leaf drop
  • Branch dieback

We’re hoping for rain soon, but until then, continue to water existing plants slowly and deeply and make sure plantings are mulched. The cooling temps will at least help!

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you soon!

Autumn Planting Tips for a Beautiful Spring Garden 🌸🍂

Serious gardeners know that a gorgeous spring garden starts with fall prep! Here are our best tips to make sure your garden is ready to burst with color come springtime:

1. Amend Your Soil for Strong Spring Growth
Think you’re done after spring’s soil work? Think again! Summer’s heat depletes nutrients, so it’s crucial to keep adding organic matter like compost, soil conditioner, or PlantTone. Healthy soil is the foundation of a healthy garden, and loose, well-amended soil helps plants thrive. 🍃 Pro Tip: Don’t toss those fallen leaves—shred them with your mower and use them as free organic mulch!

2. Watering: Keep Plants Happy Before Planting
If you’re not planting right away, keep your new transplants watered. For smaller plants in 4” pots or cell packs, water them at least once daily, especially in warm, sunny weather. As it cools down, you’ll need to water less, but be sure the plants stay moist until they go into the ground. 🌱

3. Fertilize the Right Way
Early in the fall, when the soil is still warm, you can use a slow-release fertilizer like Osmocote. But as the winter months approach, switch to Calcium Nitrate, especially if you notice the leaves on your pansies turning a reddish hue. This ensures your plants stay nourished and ready to bloom in spring. 🌼

4. Mulch to Protect Roots
As temperatures drop, mulch becomes your garden’s best friend. A good layer of shredded mulch or pine straw insulates the soil, keeping roots warmer and protecting your plants as they settle in for the colder months.

5. Water Wisely After Planting
Once your plants are in the ground, give them a deep watering to settle their roots. Keep watering regularly while the transplants establish, but be careful not to overwater as the days get cooler. Overwatering in cold weather can lead to root rot and other issues.

6. Deadhead for More Blooms
Deadheading is a small task that makes a big difference, especially with pansies and violas. Removing faded blooms prevents the plant from wasting energy on seed production, and instead encourages new flowers. Make a habit of walking through your garden once a week, and pinch off any fading blooms or forming seed pods. This simple step will ensure your garden is bursting with flowers all season long!

Planning ahead is the key to a vibrant, colorful spring garden. By taking care of your soil, watering properly, fertilizing at the right time, and staying on top of maintenance, your garden will be primed for success. Happy planting! 🌷🌼

In Time for Fall Planting: Shrubs, Camellias, Veggies & More 🌿

Fall is the second season of planting for gardeners, and the best time to plant many shrubs. We have some beauties in stock now!

sasanqua camellia

First and foremost, camellias! Two types of camellias are commonly found in area gardens: Sasanqua, or fall-blooming camellias, and Japanese, or winter-blooming camellias. We have great selections of both now. High shade, well-drained soil, and protected locations are perfect for these staples of southern gardens.
If your home is formal, a topiary plant can be just the ticket. We have some gorgeous boxwood topiaries of various sizes in now for just this purpose, and if you just want an evergreen shrub, the hollies, arborvitae, and junipers are lovely. Accent them with some pansies or violas, and you’ll have a stunning entrance to your home.

red lettuce

Fall is also vegetable planting time! With lettuce, arugula, kale, mustard greens, collards, broccoli, and more, you can have fresh veggies into the winter months. Come browse our kitchen garden and create your own potager!
Did you know we have Oak Street Garden Shop T-shirts? Available in all sizes, they are $25 and feature our very own Liam kitty on the back. We have a sample hanging at the front of the shop, so take a look next time you’re in.
Enjoy the fall temps this week and we’ll see you soon!

Embrace Fall with Pumpkins and Gourds: Your Seasonal Inspiration Starts Here! 🎃🍂

As the temperatures finally start to dip, we can’t help but smile and say, “We’re so lucky to work outside!” This is the time of year we’ve been waiting for—when pumpkins, gourds, and all those autumn decorating staples make their grand entrance.

For a classic and easy display, try grouping pumpkins and gourds along your front steps. Choose a mix of colors, shapes, and sizes to create a welcoming, layered look that draws the eye. Add in some potted mums or trailing ivy for extra fall flair. It’s an effortless way to showcase the beauty of the season right at your doorstep!

For something simpler, try stacking pumpkins in front of your home. Mix up the colors, or keep it monochrome for a clean look. Add some moss between the layers for an extra touch, and suddenly you’ve got the most welcoming entrance in the neighborhood!

And let’s not forget about those mini gourds—they’re perfect for cozy spots like your bedside table, coffee table, or as part of a fun tablescape. Surround them with angelvine or moss, and you’ve got a beautiful, nature-inspired display.

Whether you’re creating gifts or centerpieces, there are endless ways to get creative with the various sizes, shapes, and textures of gourds and pumpkins. Pair them with organic accents like lichen, branches, or even other organic elements for a personal touch. (One of our favorite customers even brings us fallen acorns to use—talk about thoughtful!)

And, yes, our succulent-topped pumpkins are back! If you’re local and want to grab one, give us a call. They won’t last long! 🌿🎃

Ginger Clark’s “We Bees Working” Local Honey Is HERE!

We are thrilled to announce that we are exclusively offering Mountain Brook resident gardener, bee keeper, and friend Ginger Clark’s “We Bees Working” honey at Oak Street Garden Shop and Local Market.

Stop in and try some next time you’re in the neighborhood. Her honey is tasty and the packaging is beautiful as well, so either size make the perfect gift too. We’ll also offer honeycomb as it is available.

 

It’s Summer….The Red Market Tables Are Full!

Peaches and jewel like plums...

Peaches and jewel like plums…

Melons, Chilton County peaches, plums, and more are filling the red market tables at the entrance to the shop. There’s nothing better than biting into a ripe, juicy peach, or making a cobbler with the freshest fruit.

Fresh blackberries appear first, then the blueberries will follow...

Fresh blackberries appear first, then the blueberries will follow…

Freshness...

Freshness…

Butterbeans!

Butterbeans!

The cooler in the greenhouse is stocked with peas when they’re available, both  blackeye and pinkeye, as well as butterbeans, freshly shelled – they are huge summertime favorites  of many.  Here you’ll find all sorts of greens from Michael Dean  – mixed lettuces, tatsoi, mizuna, and more,  from his farm that provides fare for many of the best restaurants in town. And, whenever we can get them, organic eggs from Shannon Blount.

Garden Goodness...

Garden Goodness…

Do you like to make fresh summer salsa? All season long the local  tomatoes are plentiful, as are peppers, cucumbers, and vidalia onions – the perfect additions to a fresh salad or salsa. This year we’ve added a “tropical” table too – full of exotic fruits – mangoes, cactus and more – it’s a fun addition to the local fare!

Melons!

Melons!

 

The market has freshness every day of the week through the summer and into the fall. Located at the entrance to the greenhouse, you can’t miss the goodness!

Market Goodness…It’s Summer Fresh!

blackberries have arrived - blueberries won't be far behind!

blackberries have arrived – blueberries won’t be far behind!

It’s early summer and the market tables at our entrance are beginning to fill up with all the colors of the season.

And, since it’s at the greenhouse entrance now instead of separate from it, the visual addition of fruits and vegetables on our red tables is as pretty as the flowers that surround them…

red table produce...

red table produce…

Be sure to check out the cooler inside the greenhouse to the right – there you’ll find fresh organic eggs from Leeds, local blackberries and blueberries in season, and lady peas and other peas whenever they’re available. These are all big faves with our regular customers and with good reason – they are delicious!

strawberries from Hayden!

strawberries from Hayden!

 

 

The strawberries are still coming in from Hayden; this week the first of the blackberries arrived from Jemison – and the Chilton County peaches have appeared too!

Chilton County peaches!

Chilton County peaches!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We really have such an abundance of goodness, and Dená will continue to shop for the best and freshest produce through the summer months. We’re really looking forward to all the local tomatoes and pretty peppers!

While we do miss the admitted charm of the old space, it really was more room than we needed…and honestly a lot of folks have mentioned they like having the produce closer to the greenhouse. So, it seems to be working so far – really, it’s hard to go wrong with beautiful plants and delicious produce all in one stop, right?

fresh, organic eggs from Leeds...

fresh, organic eggs from Leeds…

In addition to the fresh produce, Seven Winds is continuing to supply us with their cookies, brittle and pecan goodies. These make really nice hostess or thinking of you gifts – just be sure to get some for you too…

The shelves past the cooler to the right have an assortment of jams, jellies, pickles and honey…there really is a little of everything!

Thank you to all of you who have supported our little market through these first years and all the changes its gone through…(We are still disappointed we can’t carry cheese items.) We’re so glad we can do our part to help you buy fresh and local!

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

 

The Market – Our Red Table Produce Is Back!

Not quite Alabama tomatoes (it's only April!)

Not quite Alabama tomatoes (it’s only April!)

The market is beginning to happen again! Dená has begun to check out the availablility of fresh vegetables.  So…the  red market tables out front have had some early Florida tomatoes (It’s not quite time for the Alabama ‘maters yet.) that are really quite tasty. Strawberries have looked pretty and been flavorful too – it’s the perfect time for those beauties!

Fresh, organic eggs!

Fresh, organic eggs – so delicious…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shannon Blount has been keeping us stocked with her fresh, organic, and very delicious eggs. She even has chickens named after Billy (Well, that one is a rooster…), Kris, Jamie and Pinkie – one Saturday she’ll bring them by for a visit!

 

 

 

The very prettiest lately have been the baby Vidalia onions. Dená found a yummy sounding recipe you might want to try – it’s really easy.

 

Vidalia Onion Pie

Ingredients:

3 cups thinly sliced Vidalia onions
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (9-inch) prebaked deep-dish pie shell
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until lightly browned.

Put the pie pan on a sheet pan. Line the bottom of pie crust with the onions.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs and the flour together to combine. Add the milk, sour cream and salt. Mix well and pour over the onions. Garnish with the bacon and bake until firm in the center, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Read more at:
Vidalia Onion Pie
www.foodnetwork.com

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone