Happy Spring!
We are happy to announce that with the return of robins and green grass, the start of our 2019 season is just around the corner! We have been planning our 2019 season since last fall and working with our hands in the soil since late February. All this to bring you a selection of horticultural delights which will be sure to excite you! Opening Day is SOON! - Friday 26 April and from then on, we will be open daily until June 16. 
So why should you come visit us?
This is our 26 th year in business, we love what we do and we think it shows! We home grow a selection of high quality annuals, perennials, veggie plants, herbs, hanging baskets and planters at our farm here in Glencairn. We also bring in shrubs, soils and fertilizers to round out our selection. Each year I research new plants and add plenty of new varieties and colours to our plant collection, as well as design a new range of unique hanging basket and planter combinations. Included in our plant collection is a selection of the famous Proven Winner branded plants. We are proud to use biological controls to take care of insect pests and we do not use Neonicotinoid insecticides. We offer a fantastic Custom Container Growing Service to give your containers a head start. One thing that you can be sure of is that our plants will always be grown with care and for longevity. We research and select plants that will thrive in our climate and environment – and finally, we employ fabulous staff who know their plants and are keen to help you - Our ultimate goal is for YOU be successful with your plant choices!
What’s new for this year?
We are pleased to welcome two new members to our team – Samm and Jacqueline . Both come to us with a love of plants and nature and experience growing veggies. More about them in later newsletters! Not to be missed annuals this year include the stunning Thunbergia Orange A Peel , climbing Sweet Potato Vine Solar Tower Lime and the pollinator magnet Salvia Sky Scraper Dark Purple . We have numerous other annuals, perennials, shrubs and veggies to show you as well as plenty of brand new hanging basket and planter combinations for 2019.
 
Our crops still have some growing to do before they are ready for sale. However, I thought I would inspire you with a few sneak peak shots of the greenhouses to get you thinking and planning for spring! Enjoy!
View of Australia Greenhouse
Petunia Supertunia Honey
Growing Selection of Herbs
Thunbergia Orange a Peel
Dianthus Paint the Town Magenta and Other Perennials
2019 Opening Times
We’re open daily, April 26 to June 16
9am to 5pm
Visa, Mastercard, Interac, Cash or Cheque accepted
Gift certificates available – great idea for your favourite gardener!
See us at the Creemore Farmers Market, Saturday mornings from May 18 to June 15
Perennial Party
We’re giving away plants!
Receive a free Nepeta Cat’s Pajamas (Catmint) with each purchase made
 
Receive 10% off all perennials including our locally famous Specialty Peony Collection
 
Sunday May 5
1pm to 5pm
 
Enjoy a Sunday afternoon at the farm as we kick off our 26 th season in business!
Refreshments and Door Prizes
Vote in our 2019 Hanging Basket Challenge
Meet and mingle with our family, staff and animals
2019 Hanging Basket Challenge Fundraiser
Vote for a chance to win!
 
In 2018 we tried a new fun initiative – a Hanging Basket Challenge, which we are proud to say was the recipient of the Award of Excellence for Outstanding Promotional Event at 2018 Landscape Ontario’s Garden Centre Awards . Due to the huge success of the Hanging Basket Challenge, we are once again running this unique fundraiser. Here’s how it works:
 
In early March, our employees designed and planted a 14” hanging basket each, using no more than 6 plants. Baskets are now filling out beautifully and starting to flower. Starting at our Perennial Party on Sunday 5 May , visitors to the farm can look over the 8 baskets and pay to vote for their favourites, with each vote being a chance to win the basket. There will be some free ballots given away at the event. We will continue the voting until Sunday 26 May when the votes will be tallied and the winning design will be announced. The winning basket designer will have bragging rights and also will choose a charity for the proceeds to be donated to. Last year, we raised over $1000 for the Alliston District Humane Society. A random draw will occur from all votes collected for each basket and a winner of each basket will be announced. The 8 basket designers are: Kieron, Dan, Kelly, Jacqueline, Cathy, Ben, Samm and Chris. We hope that you will participate in voting for a chance to win a beautiful hanging basket lovingly created by one of our fabulous employees!
 
Read on for photos and information about each of this year’s 8 baskets.

Sun or part sun
Verbena White Out
Sweet Potato Vine Blackie
Sedum Lemon Coral
Sun or part sun
Petunia Vista Fuchsia
Petunia Vista Silverberry
Sweet Potato Vine Tricolour
Sun or part sun
Dahlia Gardenetta Passion Fruit
Sweet Potato Vine Sweet Caroline Light Green
Calibrachoa Superbells Holy Moly
Calibrachoa Superbells Yellow
Calibrachoa Superbells Rising Star
Calibrachoa Superbells Lemon Slice
Sun or part sun
Lobularia Snow Princess
Bidens Goldilocks Rocks
Bidens Campfire Blast
Calibrachoa Superbells Rising Star
Petunia Morning Glory Charm
Sun or part sun
Scaevola Whirlwind Pink
Calibrachoa Superbells Tropical Sunrise
Petunia Blueriffic
Petunia Night Sky
Sun or part sun
Sweet Potato Vine Blackie
Petunia Supertunia Honey
Calibrachoa Superbells Holy Smokes
Shade or part shade
Sweet Potato Vine Sweet Caroline Light Green
Fuchsia Dollar Princess
Torenia Summer Wave Blue
Shade or part shade
Illumination Begonia Golden Picotee
New Guinea Impatiens Sunpatiens White
Fuchsia Shrimp Cocktail
Attracting Hummingbirds to your Garden
They will be here soon!

Hummingbirds can be easily attracted to your garden by using a combination of feeders and plants. In this area, the ruby throated hummingbird is the most common species found. Hummingbirds are attracted to plants by flower colours and nectar, not fragrance and are especially attracted to certain shades of red. They are intensely curious and will not hesitate to approach any red object, even human clothing, looking for potential food sources. We are often 'buzzed' in the greenhouses and once one of our staff even had a hummingbird land on her finger!

So follow these tips to attract these fascinating Hummers into your garden.
Don’t forget, Opening Day is Friday April 26! Thank you for all your past support and thanks in advance for your custom this season. Thank you for helping us to be here, running our farm and doing what we love! See you really soon!

Katie Dawson
Cut and Dried Flower Farm