Month: November 2017

Winter is nearly upon us, and the winter holidays are quickly approaching! Everyone is changing out their harvest theme for Christmas trees, trading in their cornucopias for wreaths and evergreens. We change from symbols of abundance to signs of a season full of generosity, giving, and the gathering of loved ones.

In the greenhouse industry, winter is a time to celebrate! Festive outdoor patio pots make entrances inviting and welcoming. Cheery wreaths adorn front doors. Garlands trail along windows, framing in outside’s winter scenes while cozy-ing up the inside. Once-empty window boxes are now full of long-lasting spruce tops and winter evergreens. Beautiful and exotic houseplants are in full bloom. We watch in awe as Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis, Cyclamen, and Poinsettias flower.

Decorating for the winter season can be fun and easy! Make up DIY patio pots with a few balsam tips, spruce tops, and flat cedar sprigs. Add Dogwood twigs, winter berry, and birch branches for height and color. Decorate with bows, pine cones, pheasant feathers, or dried hydrangeas for added interest. To stabilize your patio pots from strong winds, we recommend adding a dirt/sand mix to the bottom of the pot and then watering the items in when you are finished.

Stop in for all of your outdoor winter decorations: wreaths, garland, custom-made patio pots, and all of the items needed for DIY patio pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets. We also have fun Christmas ornaments and gifts!  It’s time to “Deck the Halls” and welcome the winter season.  Hope to see you soon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are excited to announce the arrival of a new, easy care Amaryllis! 

All set and ready to bloom, this Amaryllis bulb comes mounted on a beautiful birch disc with winter greens, pine cones, and berries. Perfect for the busy holiday season, this amazing plant needs no water at all! This Amaryllis bulb naturally stores all the water and energy it needs to bloom. Simply place the Waterless Amaryllis Arrangement in a full or partially sunny spot in your home and enjoy! The bulb typically blooms for 4 to 6 weeks.

Originally from the tropical regions in South America, Amaryllis is known for its large trumpet-like flowers that bloom as indoor bulbs during the winters in colder climates. The flowers bloom in various shades of red, white, pink, salmon, orange, or variegated. 

These bulbs make perfect gifts or to decorate your home during the holiday season! Available for pick up or delivery around November 22 in our retail center at Balsam Lake Pro-Lawn! 

*Please note: this new easy-care variety of Amaryllis bulb will only bloom once, unless it is transplanted into a container with soil. Click here for details regarding long-term care for your Amaryllis.

 

As Thanksgiving approaches, everyone is bustling about with their minds full of holiday planning, family, and turkey. In preparation for this festive day, consider a few of these harvest table setting traditions to welcome your guests and decorate your home for Thanksgiving.

The Cornucopia: The cornucopia (aka the ‘horn of plenty’) is the most common symbol of a harvest festival, meant to represent the abundance of Earth’s harvest (thanksgivingday.org). Filled with flowers, small squash or pumpkins, leaves, berries, acorns, pinecones, pomegranates, and other fall harvest goods, cornucopias make an excellent main statement for your Thanksgiving table. If your table is too full of food for an arrangement, add it to the kids’ table or as a side table display for your appetizers or pies.

Baskets: Big or small, round or square, low or high, a natural fiber basket full of autumn’s bounties makes for a beautiful table display. As a multi-purpose gift for a host, baskets can later be used as simple decorations or as unique containers for fruits, vegetables, breads, and other household items. 

Fall Arrangements: Unique autumn containers such as pumpkins, wooden crates, or birch bark vases add a festive flare to table displays. Create an arrangement with pillar candles, succulents, and house plants for a long-lasting home decoration. 

Whatever your traditions are, we hope you have a safe, wonderful, and happy Thanksgiving! We are grateful for your support of our local business and look forward to working with you this holiday season!

*Please note, we will be closed Thursday, November 23 thru Sunday, November 26. We will still check phone messages and take floral orders during that time! Call us at 715-483-3131 or order flowers on-line 24 hours a day at www.balsamlakeprolawn.com.

 

From September to November, the gardening world is bombarded by big, blooming Chrysanthemums (aka “mums”). When giving or getting this fall favorite, there’s always one big, looming question: Will this mum survive the winter? 

The answer is a bit more complicated, and it depends on the type of mum you have. Many garden centers and florist shops in the Midwest sell Chrysanthemum varieties commonly known as “Fall Garden Mums” or “Florist’s Chrysanthemums.” These mums are mostly annuals suited for zone 5 to 9. As we are zone 3 to 4 with variable climate conditions, there is no guarantee Fall Garden Mums will survive in our zone. But, some people have had success and their Fall Garden Mums come back year after year. We like to say, “You can always hope. Plant it and see!” 

The Pelee Mum is another variety commonly sold in garden centers and florist shops . This mum is strictly an indoor plant! The Pelee Mum features 2 to 4 inch, bi-color blooms with daisy-like petals of deep red turning to yellow toward the center. This compact plant makes a great indoor display to brighten a home or office in the fall.

If you are looking for a perennial mum, you are best to look for a variety in the Mammoth series. Developed by the University of Minnesota as a cold-hardy cultivar mum, a Mammoth Mum is a more reliable option. Click the link to learn about these hardy mum’s! https://mnhardy.umn.edu/varieties/flowers/chrysanthemums

If you are giving or getting these fall favorites, be sure to check the tag to determine whether your new plant is an annual, perennial, or indoor plant!