Dear Hydrangea enthusiasts,

 

Welcome to the January 2010 newsletter for Hydrangea Plus®.  We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are getting garden fever and not the bad kind of fever going around out there.  Now, let’s get planning and planting!  We are very much looking forward to a wonderful hydrangea year.

 

Happy New Year!

We’re been busy here during the last month or so.  Not so much outside in the nursery but inside year end cleaning up and my favorite, taxes.  I’m really ahead of the game this year with payroll and related requirements.  But I’m ready to start the real tax filing.  But, here in Oregon, we cannot file until a few major tax measures are decided.  Such is life for the never ending fun of taxes.

 

Weather here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon is our normal rain and we are expecting a series of storms over the next ten days.  Let it rain but hope the wind doesn’t get at gusty as Rufus LaLone says it will.  It’s great for the new Hydrangea Haven we’re on planning for the display garden.  However, it may be another year we must build the arc to get the kids to school.

 

Hydrangeas Plus® Catalog (X)

The volume ten of our catalog is getting closer to completion.  Final draft went to the printer on Friday, hurray!  Now to the exciting part, it’s closer to your mailbox.  We are charging $5 for the catalog so either order online or send a check.  I’ll get them in the mail as soon as I get them.  We have some new hints and tips and have added an index of all the plants we grow so you can find them quickly. 

 

I can’t believe we’ve produced ten catalogs.  I am missing only a few of them as I decorate the walls in the office with all the catalogs.  

FaceBook and Twitter

We’re up to 3000 fans, don’t miss out on specials for Facebook fans.

Just search for Hydrangeas Plus and become a fan.  We have a link on our website if that is easier.  And, I tweet.  I’m still trying to get the hang of that one.  This Twitter thing is very interesting and I’m following some sports stars, government officials and some actors. 

 

Shipping and office schedule

I have scheduled to begin shipping again on January 25th, 2010.

 

We are back to work at the nursery but I will be in the nursery often as we prepare for the crazy shipping season and I make sure we have the supplies we need to get started.  If I miss your call, leave a message or send an email.  I’ll try to get back to you promptly.

 

I did find out the Lilly Miller is discontinuing their wonderful Aluminum Sulfate product.  I got the last few cases so I have plenty if you need to restock your supply this year.  I can ship amendments via UPS Ground or in the USPS Priority Mail boxes which may be much less than the shipping cost calculated online.  Contact me if you have any questions.

 

Yard, Garden & Patio Show

We will be selling our hydrangeas in this legendary spring kick-off show in Portland at the Oregon Convention Center on February 12, 13 and 14th.  And just wait and see what we have in store for you this year.  Visit the new website at http://www.ygpshow.com but here are some of the highlights…

Buy tickets to the wonderful show for $7 (that’s four dollars off the price at the door) at our sponsor’s locations, Dennis’ Seven Dees (http://www.dennis7dees.com)

 

Experience the nine Display Gardens from the best landscapers and designers in our area

Shop from hundreds of vendors selling plants, pots and garden necessities

Visit a boulevard of garden artists from Cracked Pots (http://www.crackedpots.org)

Bring the children to enjoy Kids Digs

Free garden seminars & demonstrations featuring, Dan Hinkley (yes, it’s really him), Lucy Hardiman, Mike Darcy, Kym Pokorny, Sean Hogan, Eammon Hughes, just to name a few.

Blooms and year round interest display from the Hardy Plant Society (http://www.hardyplantsociety.org)

The Remarkable Green Market has expanded to include more vendors offering unique and hard to find plants for your garden

Music and Beverage Gardens decorated with small garden vignettes designed by member of ANLD (the association of Northwest Landscape Designers) with live music

And lots of free give-away

 

Remember, this is the best garden show in the area.  It’s produced by the Oregon Association of Nurseries, a non-profit organization representing the ‘green’ industry.  The show is put together by many volunteers of this organization, including yours truly.  Please come to the show and be awed by the beauty and inspired by the ideas you can take back to your own garden and home.  Oh, and buy a few hydrangeas while you are there.

 

Hydrangea Haven (the garden has been named)

As soon as it stops raining, I really will get out there.  We are now working on the ironwork and the hardscapes for the garden so we’ll be ready for our unveiling in June.  I’m just hoping we have a few blooms by then.  I did anticipate a Garden kick-off but I don’t know when the blooms will appear.  Stay tuned.

 

Lot of great hydrangeas are available

I’ve updated the 1 year plant lists for those that are ready for shipping and those that want to pre-order our starter size of hydrangea.  If there is a variety that is not in stock, they should be ready in early April this year.  Email me ([email protected]) at let me email you when they are back in stock.   I’ve got many of the Oakleaf cultivars in stock, as well as many of the most popular mopheads and lacecaps available in the one year size that are usually out of stock at this time of year. 

 

The 2 year and 3 year plants are ready to go.  There are a few cultivars I’m still waiting to get a little bigger.  The trees are ready to ship, too.  Don’t miss out on these beautiful Paniculata trees.

 

2010 New Offerings

Don’t forget, we have these new offerings and they are fabulous! Order soon before I sell out.

 

Arborescens Hayes Starburst – Florets bloom May to first frost

Aspera Kawakamii – Delicate lavender and white blooms

Paniculata Greenspire – The florets stay green

Serrata Midori-boshi Temari – Don’t let the dainty stature fool you

 

Hydrangeas Plus® important dates for your calendar

Here at the nursery

Open House - Retail Sale – March 19th & March 20th

Overstock Sale – April 24th – May 8th

Northwest Hydrangea Society Kickoff – June (tba)

LeTour des Plants – September 11th – September 19th

 

Markets and events where Hydrangeas Plus® will be selling plants

Yard, Garden & Patio Show (Portland OR) February 12, 13, 14th

Gardenpalooza (Aurora OR) – April 3rd

Gardening on the Edge (Newport OR)– June 26th (tentatively)

Garden Faire (McMinnville OR)– June 27th (tentatively)

 

More details are on the website in the purple help box under ‘2010 Scheduled Events’.

 

Sincerely,

Kristin VanHoose

Hydrangeas Plus®

http://www.hydrangeasplus.com

 

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