Saturday, January 24, 2009

Winter Doldrums


It's almost the end of January and it seems as though we all have the Winter Doldrums! Even though the snow is beautiful, especially when it's fresh, we feel as though we've seen enough. The gardeners among us (me included) are just itching to be outside and get our hands in the dirt, but for now, we will have to settle with bringing plants and flowers inside the house.

If you want to plant something that you can watch for several weeks think about paperwhites. They aren't just for the holiday season. Plant them in dirt, or lay them on top of small stones in water and you will be happy seeing them grow and bloom. I have planted several in a vintage birdbath. Yes, most of us have birdbaths that have been put away for the winter. All you need to do for the look in this photo is bring it inside and put the bulbs in some dirt - voila, in a few weeks you'll have a burst of flowers and fragrance. These are in the store window, and I notice that everyone walking by stops to look and enjoy. If paperwhites aren't your thing, buy some tulips or other cut flowers and delight in their beauty.

Happy winter gardening. . .

Monday, January 19, 2009

Wow, It's Been A Year!

Yes, we've been open over a year now and it's been great! I finally feel like I can say that I have some experience as a shopkeeper. It's been great fun meeting new people that come into the shop, taking buying trips, displaying and merchandising the products that we find. My daughter Erin helps alot, and we've just returned from a trip to America's Mart, the huge Market in Atlanta. I'm not sure that I'll go back to NY after seeing this show. We saw, and bought some really beautiful things for the upcoming season. Can't wait to start getting those deliveries! Stay tuned. . .