Poinsettia Care with Jim Hole

Holes Greenhouse Welcome Edmonton Opera in Celebration of Alberta Culture Days

Above is a brief snippet of the visit Edmonton Opera paid to Holes Greenhouse late September/13.

Enjoy a Spring Visit to Holes Greenhouse With Me

A variety of tomato plants are already available for the eager gardener!  I almost caved myself but didn't know where I'd put one just now.  I will be back early May though so I hope they still have the yellow tomatoes!

The colour variation on this bromeliad is an eye-catcher!

More tomatoes, above.  Container gardens perfect for Mom!  (below)

The tables are set up, Holes is gearing up for a busy season!

The spring colour trend in pots includes the lime green of last  year with the wonderful turquoise blue of this year.  Do you like the plaid pots?

Oh Azalea, you are breathtaking!

Perfect to don your table at Easter, the above hydrangea is not hardy to plant outdoors.

Vivid!

Which plants suit you best?

Yellow!!!

I am loving this take on a terrarium garden with string of pearls cascading over the edge.  I would love one of these!

Nothing says "Welcome Spring" like these blooms!

If only the weather would agree!

Solar lights are available in a variety of styles this year.  Don't you love it?

It's a gnome invastion!  Aggghhh!  (I really do not like garden gnomes!)

My answer to the invasion, above!  I noted that a gnome was still strung up in a tree above this display too.  What a wonderful sense of humour and right on the mark, if you ask me!

The fern on the left is one of my favourites!  I love the contrast of black stem with light green leaves.

The occasional wall is ordained with beautiful paintings/art like this one above. Yes, it is for sale.

Too cute not to photograph.

When I worked in a greenhouse, this headwear would have been a welcome item for those unbearably hot days.  Just soak in water and, I believe, you put it in the freezer after.  

Wear it around your neck to cool yourself while you enjoy the garden.

And at the end of a hot day in the garden, soak in your very own hot tub or relax in one of these.  Ahhh.......

Flowers of Spring

Today, after work, I visited Holes Greenhouse at the Enjoy Centre.  The cheery blossoms of spring flowering bulbs and plants greeted all, and the scent of fresh soil was better than the finest perfumes.  There's nothing like a visit to the greenhouse in the spring to brighten your mood.

I am popping on over to visit Mary at the  Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.  Won't you come on over?

Enter now to win $150 gift card at the Enjoy Centre in St. Albert

Follow the link below to view Holes Christmas catalogue and find the instructions on the back page to enter:

http://issuu.com/holesonline/docs/xmas2012_week1/10

Contest ends November 29/12.

Holes Ornaments for Christmas Part I

 Continuing our Christmas explorations of the Enjoy Centre and Holes Greenhouse in St. Albert, I discovered some beautiful ornaments and Christmas items for everyone on your list.

I was interested in these Flatyz Candles.  They are indeed flat and, when inserted into a specialty candle holder, can be lit but who would want to light these works of art?

Coming soon, more from Enjoy Centre and Holes for Christmas 2012.

Taking it Outdoors at Enjoy Gardens

You may be getting tired of this tour, after all it has lasted a few days now;).  This is the end of my visit to Enjoy Gardens, May 2012.  Above are three water features.  Note the colour combinations of turquoise and orange.  Trends in decor colours are not limited to the interior.  Embrace the outdoors and bring the beauty of a water feature into your garden.  Big or small, water in the garden is a natural relaxing feature that I truly enjoy.

Above, Azalea.  

Below, Rhododendron.

Snow Day.  If you have to have snow this time of year, this is the only way to do it!

Perennial pansies, just the cheeriest blooms ever!

Above, "Princess Diana Clematis" and 

below, "Rosie O'Grady Clematis".

Above, alpine clematis "Helsingborg" is looking extremely vigorous and healthy!

Above and below, the tree and shrub area.

Above, the Sweetheart Mayday in bloom.

Above, a variety of Norway Maple.  Similar to Crimson King and Crimson Sentry, this is another variety but I cannot remember... Crimson ....

Above and below, Double Flowering Plum grafted on a standard.

More Double Flowering Plum Standard.

Above, shrubs and below,  apple blossoms (next two photos).

Above and below, the perennial portion of Holes.

The Gardeners' Prayer on a tablet.

Above, weeping crabapples.  When you see these in full bloom, you'll understand why they sell out so fast!

Above, Nannyberry Viburnum.  

Below, hostas.

Don't you love the colours of this dwarf columbine?  It reminds me of a sunset!  Stunning!

Above, Ligularia.  I still recall seeing Ligularia in person for the first time.  It was love at first sight.  Look at the leaf shapes, sizes and colours!  And they flower too!  I have yet to add it to my garden, though.  I'm just not sure where I'd put it.  

More perennials.  Coral bells, Heurchera, are one of my all-time favourite shade plants.  Some can be grown in sun, but for shade I love Purple Palace!  This last winter, mine had virtually no die-back.

Bugbane - not just a good architectural perennial.  Did you know this tidbit about rattlesnake bites?  I'm afraid I don't want to attempt it though.  I recall a story my grandfather used to tell about the time he was out on the road by the farm, heading out to move irrigation pipes, when he spotted a rattler crossing the road in front of him.  Since he had a shovel handy, he thought he'd put this one away, so to speak.  Wouldn't you know it, though, the darn thing shot straight up the handle of his shovel!!  He wasn't bit, thank goodness, nor did the rattlesnake live to tell the tale.

Bugbane, a handy perennial in rattlesnake country.  I advise going to the hospital, though, if you get bit!

I was telling K how I find myself attracted to the white flowers.  Iberis, aka Candytuft, is a nice little front of border plant.  If any of you know Brian Gluckstein, a wonderful interior designer in Ontario, he once featured his back garden on CityLine TV.  The only living colours in his back garden were green and white.  He had chosen only white blooming plants for his garden and it looked lovely on the perimeter of his swimming pool.

Lastly, another view of the columbines and a few perennials.  As it is early in the season, not every table is full and I overheard an employee telling a customer that a shipment of hydrangeas was expected any day.  There's a lot to see now, before the big rush that commences May long weekend, but imagine it multiplied by say 10?  What enormous satisfaction the local gardener will derive from a visit to Enjoy Gardens!  Start your Gromance today!