The Arkansas Green Industry Association, Keep Arkansas Beautiful and the Arkansas FFA has formed a partnership to promote leadership among the FFA chapters through local horticultural service projects. To kick off our partnership, we organized a planting at the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock with the help of Holly Morgan, the Mansion Horticulturalist.
Two FFA chapters grew some of the plants for the flowerbeds, and we had about 30 kids show up to plant the plants they grew. The event was successful. The kids worked hard and were great group. Some of them even used one of their senior skip days to come to the Mansion. I enjoyed being there with the kids and being part of the event. Thankfully, the rain held off until we were done planting. I just hope the Governor didn’t see the dirt we tracked in.
Here is a link to the news coverage – http://www.katv.com/story/17955158/students-gain-a-green-thumb-at-governors-mansion
And here are some pictures from Monday. There are a few more pictures that some other took including one with the Governor and all the kids on our Facebook page.
Our sunpatines are looking really good this week.
I guess everyone took a breather this week. We were busy but not as busy as last week. We talked to a lot of people across the central U.S. and heard the same thing. Retail sales apparently slowed down last week and weekend. Sales were steady but not what was expected. Some rainy weather also contributed to the drop.
I’ve been sitting here off and one for about a half an hour trying to come up with something to talk about and have not had any luck so that’s all you get this week.
While having a chance to catch up on some stuff that we were behind on around the farm and also getting to go home before dark was nice, I am looking forward to going gangbusters next week, and we have the plants for that.
Our #8 Square planters look great and the Bacopa baskets are nice and full.
Lots of Calibrachoas in several sizes are available in mixes and solid colors. Mix only in the deco pots.
We are getting down to the last of our #12 Confetti Garden baskets.
The Cora Vinca is more resistant to phytopthora (did I spell that right?) and we have both the Cora and Cora Cascade in #6 pots.
Dahlinova Dahlias have nice color and the Dragonwing Baskets are huge.
Fresh Look Celosia is both bright and tough. The Rose Splash Geraniums have been popular this year.
The Caliente Geraniums baskets and the #4.5 Gerbera Daisies both look awesome
Lots of impatiens to choose from.
Kong Coleus and Lantanas
#4.5 Mexican Heather (Cuphea) and Osteospermum
New Guinea Impatiens with good color in deco pots, #4.5 pots and hanging baskets.
Sweet Potato Vine and Ornamental Peppers – great for accenting foliage plus you get the added color for the peppers when they ripen.
All our hanging baskets look great.
We still have a good selection of Stepables.
Sunpatiens with good color.
Trailing Petunia Combo baskets
#8 Wave Medleys
Veggies for those who are just now getting around to planting their gardens.
Another humorous video on how plants can help you heal from the folks at Grower Talks. You can check out their YouTube channel here.
What makes this more humorous is if you know Bill (the patient) who was actually in the hospital recently. That is if you think having a friend in the hospital is funny which kind of makes me sound awful now that I think about it.
Glad you’re feeling better, Bill!
