Just wanted to update you on what’s happening at Brantim now that the warm July weather has arrived.
We have a great sale on at the greenhouse on all of our summer stock. Discounts range from 15% to 25% off for the rest of the summer. This is a great opportunity to spruce up the patio for your next big dinner party with one of our beautiful outdoor arrangements.

Also we’ve announced the dates for our Fall and Winter Workshops. Call us now to book your date, because they fill up fast. We know you probably don’t want to think about the snow flying when you are lounging poolside – but you don’t want to miss out on these super fun events. The winter workshops were so popular last year that we’ve added weekday time slots, as well as the opportunity to book an evening slot with a group of 10 or more.

We’ve also finally updated our Photo Gallery section with some new seasonal pictures from the greenhouse. We hope to add some more really soon, so stay tuned.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our June seminars. We had some wonderful guest speakers, who got everone inspired and informed about some great gardening topics. We hope to do this again next year, so let us know if there any particular seminars you’d like to see us host. You can leave a comment or email us on the contact page.

And that’s Brantim in a nutshell – now get back to your beautiful backyard!

The staff had a lot of fun with Joel Haslam and Kathie Donovan from Regional Contact on CTV Ottawa. You can check out the clip from the telethon here:

• Allow your child to accompany you to Brantim and let them pick out a couple of plants. These can be for a special part of the garden or a patio container just for their plants. If your child is having problems deciding, suggest plants that are colorful, edible and/or “touchable.” Tomato or strawberry plants are great because they are pretty low-maintenance and yield tasty treats. (And strawberry plants are still on special at 2 for $10!)

• Gardening allows children to combine two great things – learning and playing in the dirt! Teach them how to freshen up the soil and why it’s important for healthy plants. (This also might be a good time to talk about earthworms before they make their way into your house.) If you’re planting in a container, pick out a terra cotta pot which they could decorate with paints and stickers.

• Show your child how to dig holes, place the plants in the soil and water them. While you’re planting, tell them about how a plant uses light from the sun and turns it into energy and the roots help the plant receive water and nutrients from the soil.

• Throughout the growing season, help your child to care for the plants. Encourage them to take photos or draw a picture of their beautiful garden or container. You can even keep track of how much it grows by measuring the plants with a tape measure or ruler.

Gardening offers kids a way to learn a new skill and appreciate nature in its purest form – from beginning to end. If your child learns to love plants at an early age, he or she will realize the importance of caring for our environment while beautifying their living space.

As always, we have the best baskets and containers ready to go here at Brantim this week and you’ll find that some are further along in their growth than others. So if you’re looking for instant colour – we’ve got it. There are some truly spectacular containers to make your front entrance stunning. We take great care with all of our plants and our customers say our baskets outlast the competition – hands down.

In the kitchen garden we have everbearing strawberries still on sale, which can be kept in a container, or planted in the garden. The Tumblin Tom cherry tomato baskets are already heavy with little green tomatoes and the Early Girl tomatoes are looking big and beautiful (and already 4 feet high!) Don’t forget to pick up some fresh herbs as well, there are 20 or so flavours to choose from and our small window box herb containers make great gifts.

We also have a great selection of shrubs this year including some from Proven Winners like the Invincibelle Spirit, a pretty pink hydrangea that is a reliable bloomer and heat tolerant. $1.00 will be sent to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for each Invincibelle Spirit sold.

Roll up your sleeves, put on those gardening gloves and get your garden beds in shape. Then hurry out to Brantim this weekend with your friends and get gardening!

Mother’s day is just around the corner and so is summer. For any mom who loves to garden, outdoor plants are wonderful and timely Mother’s Day gifts. But before you rush off and pick out a planter or hanging basket for mom, there are a few things to consider beyond her favorite colour. You need look for an outdoor arrangement that will suit her lifestyle as well.

If mom is finding the garden a little difficult to manage, or has recently downsized to a smaller home, a large container planting may be perfect for her. A container provides a beautiful shot of colour without the maintenance of a traditional garden. Pick a container that’s large enough to hold a tall grass or spike, a nice variety of filler plants and something to trail out the front. Mom can let it dry out a little bit between waterings, but she should definitely fertilize once a week to keep the plants flowering.

If mom likes to entertain friends and family, go for some bright, bold tropicals mixed with annual grasses. These will impress her guests and make the backyard more exciting. Sunpatiens and Solenia Begonias feature gorgeous, bright blooms and love the sunshine. Fiber-Optic Grass and Baby Tut are two grasses with very interesting foliage to add that extra wow-factor.

If mom is enthusiastic about cooking, consider giving plants of a culinary nature. A hanging basket of Tumblin’ Tom Cherry Tomatoes or Everlasting Strawberries will keep going all summer long. Fresh herbs like Basil, Parsley or Mint can be grown outside in pots or inside the kitchen window where they are within reach of the master chef.

Some other classic favorites for mom include:
• Geraniums. Try the new Calliope Dark Red geranium for a deep, red flower with big blooms.
• Dahlias. The Melody series has a beautiful flower and is a more compact plant.
• Euphorbia. The new Breathless series really does take your breath away.
• Osteospermum. This is a daisy-like flower that is just gorgeous in the new Zion series.

Mother’s day is a time to celebrate mom and find ways to make her feel special. Consider not just a gift of flowers, but of your time as well. Perhaps mom would enjoy an afternoon with her family tidying up the garden and planting the beautiful flowers you’ve given her. That is a gift that will last all summer long.

We also want to congratulate our winners of the door prizes this weekend:

Container/Watering Can – Toni, Gertrude and Janice
Gift Basket from Appleton Gift Baskets – Clarisse
Set of three Ceramic Containers – Charles

Thank you to everyone – we had a great time and we’re already marking our calendars for next year.

This weekend is also our Spring Open House! We’ve got some fantastic door prizes to giveaway including a beautiful set of ceramic containers and a gift basket from Appleton Gift Baskets as well as some valuable Brantim Gift Certificates! We’ll also have a selection of refreshments, some container gardening demonstrations and of friendly staff is on hand to answer any of your questions.

It’s a little early for planting your garden - but not too early for planning your garden!

This year we’ve put together an impressive showcase called Brantim Easy Style. We’ve artfully grouped together a selection of plants according to four distinct styles: Country, Modern, Classic and Exotic. Each grouping contains a variety of new introductions and old favourites, sure to appeal to your individual taste. If you’re new to gardening and not sure how to begin choosing plants, this guide is a great way to get started.

Country
If you’re a little bit country, you’ll love this selection of cottage garden favourites. Soft colours and delicate looking flowers create a comfortable, easy to maintain garden.

Modern
If you prefer clean simple lines and uncluttered living, then your tastes lean towards this style. Your ideal plant selection includes monochromatic tones and lots of textural variation. Foliage plants and grasses complement this look perfectly.

Classic
For the sophisticated gardener, our classic collection consists of traditional favourites. Featuring formal groupings of conservative colours and elegant foliage, this style is classic and timeless.

Exotic
Your life is filled with colour and so is your garden. This selection includes exciting tropical plants and lush foliage. Bright and colourful flowers create a garden that really pops!

To see these how these styles can be applied to your garden, come to Brantim where we have a great in-store display. Our helpful staff is ready to help you find your style and “Get Gardening!”