We've moved all of our blogging to another home! No, no, it was nothing you did, we just found a nice place, and a more convenient place, to create our verbal messages.
But, we'd love to have you follow along and chime in. So click here to see where we are now!
Sincerely, (and we mean that)
All of us at Brent and Becky's Bulbs
Hi! I'm Cleo, and I'm the Official Office Cat for Brent and Becky's Bulbs. The humans here say they are a little busy for blog writing, so I am taking over...something about me "earning my keep for a change" or something like that. Anyway, I spend my days stretched out on a computer, phone, window sill or in an empty box of computer paper absorbing what is being said and done. So if you have questions, email me at cleo@brentandbeckysbulbs.com!
Friday, August 30, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Macerated Peaches with Monarda
I just had to share! I just quietly made a run outside and Monarda is EVERYWHERE and doing quite well!
Monarda, also known as bee balm, horsemint, bergamot and oswego tea, is a wonderful plant loved by butterflies and hummingbirds and hated by deer! It is terrific for a meadow garden or as a backdrop for the flower border. It blooms from the early Summer all the way through the late Summer! It is mildew resistant and can grow a little prolifically! But, if it spreads to much, just 'yank' it out!
It's also tasty! The blooms have a floral, tea-like fragrance and pairs well with all kinds of food. But since it's Summer now, nothing is quite as nice as a cold, Summer peach! So, here's a recipe from our General Manager on how to pair these two flavors for a bright and yummy dessert!
MACERATED PEACHES with MONARDA
Ingredients:
8 - 10 ripe peaches
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. sugar (more if the peaches aren't sweet enough)
4 Tbs. monarda flowers (petals only! We use the Jacob Cline pictured above)*
vanilla ice cream
Slice peaches and place in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, the sugar, and half or more of the Monarda petals. Save a few of the flower petals as a garnish. Stir let it to stand for 35 - 45 minutes in the refridgerator.
Spoon the fruit and juice into a your serving bowl. Top with a scoop of ice cream and garnish with fresh Monarda flower petals. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings
*Around here, we know that our blooms have not been sprayed with chemical pesticides. So picking and eating right out of the garden is second nature! Make sure yours are not covered in nasty chemical sprays before eating them. We'd kinda like to keep you around for a while!
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| Monarda 'Petite Delight' |
It's also tasty! The blooms have a floral, tea-like fragrance and pairs well with all kinds of food. But since it's Summer now, nothing is quite as nice as a cold, Summer peach! So, here's a recipe from our General Manager on how to pair these two flavors for a bright and yummy dessert!
 |
| Monarda 'Jacob Cline' |
Ingredients:
8 - 10 ripe peaches
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. sugar (more if the peaches aren't sweet enough)
4 Tbs. monarda flowers (petals only! We use the Jacob Cline pictured above)*
vanilla ice cream
Slice peaches and place in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, the sugar, and half or more of the Monarda petals. Save a few of the flower petals as a garnish. Stir let it to stand for 35 - 45 minutes in the refridgerator.
Spoon the fruit and juice into a your serving bowl. Top with a scoop of ice cream and garnish with fresh Monarda flower petals. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings
*Around here, we know that our blooms have not been sprayed with chemical pesticides. So picking and eating right out of the garden is second nature! Make sure yours are not covered in nasty chemical sprays before eating them. We'd kinda like to keep you around for a while!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Lily Beetles
(YAWWWWN,.....stretch) Hello. Cleo the Office Cat here...
Ok, bugs are NOT my forte. I just know that they're fun to chase, and with the exception of stink bugs, occasionally fun to taste! But, the staff here has asked me "carry my weight" and to share some information with you regarding Lily Beetles. It seems that someone contacted them on their Facebook page with a question about how to deal with them in a safe and natural way. Since I don't know anything about these creepy crawly things, I have done a little research.
According to Wikipedia, "Lily Beetles (Lilioceris lilii), or red / leaf lily beetle, is a leaf beetle that eats the leaves, stem, buds and flower of lilies, fritillaries and other members of the family Liliaceae. They mainly lay their eggs on Lilium and Fritillaria species. Observed in absence of Lilium and Fritillaria species, the numbers of eggs laid were significantly less and the survival rate of eggs and larvae were lowered. It is now a pest in most temperate climates where lilies are cultivated. Lily leaf beetles overwinter in the soil and come out early in spring whereas adults stay in moist environments."
As far as how to eradicate them, it seems my owners have a customer named Carolyn who offered a successful and earth friendly way to rid your Lilies of Lily Beetles. Carolyn says to try this:
1 - Hose the lilies down with water.
2 - Absolutely cover them with wood ashes, top and bottoms of the leaves covered.
3 - Wait 15 minutes.
4 - Hose off with water again.
5 - Watch, if you see them again, do it again.
It seems Carolyn has done this on two separate occasions and had 100% success. Now, it's your turn to try. Then, if you don't mind, let us know what you think of how it works! Just send me an email and I'll forward it on to my owners. I'd reply directly, but I'll probably be napping. Even though I'm a beautiful feline, I still need my beauty sleep to stay this way!
All the best,
Cleo
Ok, bugs are NOT my forte. I just know that they're fun to chase, and with the exception of stink bugs, occasionally fun to taste! But, the staff here has asked me "carry my weight" and to share some information with you regarding Lily Beetles. It seems that someone contacted them on their Facebook page with a question about how to deal with them in a safe and natural way. Since I don't know anything about these creepy crawly things, I have done a little research.
As far as how to eradicate them, it seems my owners have a customer named Carolyn who offered a successful and earth friendly way to rid your Lilies of Lily Beetles. Carolyn says to try this:
1 - Hose the lilies down with water.
2 - Absolutely cover them with wood ashes, top and bottoms of the leaves covered.
3 - Wait 15 minutes.
4 - Hose off with water again.
5 - Watch, if you see them again, do it again.
It seems Carolyn has done this on two separate occasions and had 100% success. Now, it's your turn to try. Then, if you don't mind, let us know what you think of how it works! Just send me an email and I'll forward it on to my owners. I'd reply directly, but I'll probably be napping. Even though I'm a beautiful feline, I still need my beauty sleep to stay this way!
All the best,
Cleo
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Summer Livin' Contest
I'm so excited, I could hock and hairball and not even care! Because I've been asked by my humans to announce a new contest!
This Summer has been purrrr-fectly hot and humid here. And to most of you fur-less ones, being outside is what Summer is all about. Not me, of course. I'm not fur-less! You try wearing a fur coat out there! But, those of you who walk on your back legs like it for some reason! It's your time for fun outside, cookouts and picnics. Let's not forget some time pool-side!
Does your Summer
garden surround your pool? Did you have a picnic next to your Dahlias? Or was
your cookout highlighted by the Cannas in full bloom next to the grill? Show
us your Summer garden and the different ways you enjoy your time around it!
Email your pictures to media@brentandbeckysbulbs.com! Then we will post them to Facebook. After that, the photo with the most "Likes" wins a $50 Gift Certificate! It's that easy! But hurry, the deadline to enter is July 31st!
DETAILS (a.k.a. "fine print")
- Email the picture to the address above.
- Include your name, address, phone and email so we can let you know if you won! Entries not containing this information in full will not be considered. Relax, this info will stay with us and not be shared.
- Open to Legal U.S. residents only.
- Deadline to enter: July 31st
- Photos will be posted on or around August 1st and an announcement will be made that they are available to be viewed.
- Tie breakers will be decided by an in-house panel of judges (meaning the homo-sapiens who run this joint).
- Any photo deemed to be not "family friendly" will not be entered. So, keep it PG people!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
What's In A Name?
Hello, everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post, but one of the humans in the office bought a laser pointer and I haven't been able to concentrate one bit since then! It's so pretty and captivating...and elusive! If I could JUST get my PAWS on it...
When I take my break from chasing that little red light, I have heard some of the people here answering questions about a name change.
"Is Brent and Becky's Bulbs changing it's name?"
"What is this I hear about you all changing the company name?"
"What brought about the need to change the name?
I'm around here a lot, 24 hours a day, lounging around and listening to everything that everyhuman has to say. There is no name change, there won't be a name change and the confusion is easily explained, even for a cat.
Heath Enterprises, LTD is the parent company for 3 other companies: "My Bloomin' Garden" (a very small, local, landscape company), "Brent and Becky's Bulbs" (your favorite bulb supplier) and "The Bulb Shoppe and Gardens" (the local retail store and gardens here in Gloucester).
What use to be simply called "The Bulb Shoppe" is now "The Bulb Shoppe and Gardens - Where Homes and Gardens Come Alive". And the humans here have been making that name heard more and more recently. It started out as a place to stop the general public from just walking into the warehouse and getting run over by a forklift. Then the idea of "why not offer bulbs" has turned into a fast growing retail space that offers local artwork, jewelry, home accessories, clothing, natural soaps and lotions, bulbs, potted perennials, fresh cut flowers and tons of free advice!
It is also where people check in for garden tours, to utilize or reserve the new "Chesapeake Lounge" meeting and events facility, and gain access the 8+ acre "Chesapeake Bay Friendly Teaching Gardens". There's a Wine Festival here this Fall, there's already been 3 weddings, an anniversary party, a family reunion, classes and seminars, and numerous corporate and organizational meetings. So, you see, this Shoppe has become so much more than just, well, a Shoppe! It is now everything local about Brent and Becky's Bulbs and, in the future, what will draw people in from miles around to become inspired by our display gardens.
So, if you hear something about Brent and Becky's Bulbs changing its name, just smile and reassure that person that nothing is changing, only getting better!
When I take my break from chasing that little red light, I have heard some of the people here answering questions about a name change.
"Is Brent and Becky's Bulbs changing it's name?"
"What is this I hear about you all changing the company name?"
"What brought about the need to change the name?
I'm around here a lot, 24 hours a day, lounging around and listening to everything that everyhuman has to say. There is no name change, there won't be a name change and the confusion is easily explained, even for a cat.
Heath Enterprises, LTD is the parent company for 3 other companies: "My Bloomin' Garden" (a very small, local, landscape company), "Brent and Becky's Bulbs" (your favorite bulb supplier) and "The Bulb Shoppe and Gardens" (the local retail store and gardens here in Gloucester).
What use to be simply called "The Bulb Shoppe" is now "The Bulb Shoppe and Gardens - Where Homes and Gardens Come Alive". And the humans here have been making that name heard more and more recently. It started out as a place to stop the general public from just walking into the warehouse and getting run over by a forklift. Then the idea of "why not offer bulbs" has turned into a fast growing retail space that offers local artwork, jewelry, home accessories, clothing, natural soaps and lotions, bulbs, potted perennials, fresh cut flowers and tons of free advice!
It is also where people check in for garden tours, to utilize or reserve the new "Chesapeake Lounge" meeting and events facility, and gain access the 8+ acre "Chesapeake Bay Friendly Teaching Gardens". There's a Wine Festival here this Fall, there's already been 3 weddings, an anniversary party, a family reunion, classes and seminars, and numerous corporate and organizational meetings. So, you see, this Shoppe has become so much more than just, well, a Shoppe! It is now everything local about Brent and Becky's Bulbs and, in the future, what will draw people in from miles around to become inspired by our display gardens.So, if you hear something about Brent and Becky's Bulbs changing its name, just smile and reassure that person that nothing is changing, only getting better!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
From a Feline's Point of View
My first blog post! I was so excited earlier, I spazzed out and ran around the office looking all insane and fluffy! The humans love that, so I figured I'd give them a thrill, too.
So, things have been crazy around here lately! Phones are ringing. Office humans are beginning to walk around more. The humans in the warehouse are moving big black crates out of trucks. Others are taking the bags out of the crates, putting them in boxes and then either a brown truck or a white truck takes it away. Seems odd for humans to be excited about taking something in and then letting it go out the door again. But who am I to judge?
I just jumped up on the window sill and took a look outside. It rained earlier. Puddles are everywhere. But the Zephyranthes candida looks great! Its blooms are sparked open by the ozone after a falling rain in the late Summer/early Fall. Huh? What? You're surprised by my knowledge? Give me a little credit! Don't forget, I lie around this office all day listening to what humans are saying. I know a lot more than you'd think. In fact you can email me your questions if you want. Yes, I know...a cat has an email? Oooo, wow, like humans are the only ones who use a computer. What do you think I do around here after everyone leaves at night? Lick my paws and look cute? No, I'm scoping out the latest feline finds on the Doctor's Foster & Smith's website and playing Angry Birds! Ha ha ha meow...Love that game! Anyway, email me your questions at cleo@brentandbeckysbulbs.com.
(Yaaawn...stretch) Well....I hear my litterbox calling. Check back again soon. I think I'll sneak outside next time when no one is looking and see what's crawling around in the garden!
 |
| View from the window sill of Zephyranthes candida, after the rain. |
(Yaaawn...stretch) Well....I hear my litterbox calling. Check back again soon. I think I'll sneak outside next time when no one is looking and see what's crawling around in the garden!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Bulbs on a Budget
With the recent announcement that unemployment rates will hover around 9% through 2012, along with the ever growing concern over the long term economic standing of our country, frustrations can run high. So to help ride out these unsure times, people begin to look for deals. They do research to find the best quality for the best price. Gardening is still one of the most cost effective ways to beautify your home, ease stress, feed yourself and more. So, when it comes to bulbs, should you shop for price? Or should you shop for quality? The answer is "both".
Quality of the product and company you get said product from can be determined in two ways: your opinion and the opinion of others. Do your research online with reputable gardening social sites such as Dave's Garden or GardenWeb.com. See what other people are saying, see what they are getting, how it arrives, how it looks when it arrives, when they planted, how it performed, etc. Find companies who are of interest to you, then look them up by name online. There may be blogs such as Garden Rant or Dirt that are talking up certain companies or talking down others. Then the rest is up to you. Trial and error. Choose a company and place an order. Once you've chosen a company that, hypothetically speaking of course, has a LONG history of being dependable and offering the highest quality product through it's now 4th generation of service (wink-wink, nudge-nudge), you may also want to order some similar things from other companies so you can compare. Compare websites. Compare customer service. but most importantly, compare size and quality when it arrives. Then plant them. But what are you really planting?
Did you order varieties that are more perennial? Are they hardy for your zone? Do they need full sun and you have full shade? Do they like good drainage or wet feet? Is your soil sandy and loamy or hard clay with rocks? Are all of these questions making your head spin? Try a product search engine to determine your needs such as...(ahem)...this one! The BulbFinder allows you to select from a number of conditions that will help narrow down your choices for you. Do you live in Zone 7B in full sun with average soil and love the color red? Done. Do you live in Zone 3A in full shade with dry soil and love plants that were introduced in Europe between 1651 and 1700 that bloom in the mid-spring with the color red in it that are fragrant, pest resistant and considered a Brent and Becky's Favorite (the best of the best)? Done...but good luck finding results that specific. But you get the point! So, why is it so important to use this tool?
Easy...we're busy. All of us. This will narrow down potentially thousands of choices to a more manageable size. But it also forces you to be aware of conditions. The title of this blog is "Bulbs on a Budget" and to get the most bang for your buck and not waste what money you may have left, consider those things that are hardy in your zone, love the lighting/soil/moisture conditions that you have and are the best performers. Annuals are nice, but in these questionable economic times, you want to have something perennialize year after year with little effort and money.
For more information on how to maintain your bulbs before AND after they are planted, download this Cultural Instructions booklet for Spring Bulbs and Summer Bulbs. Plus follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more information and ways for you to ask us for some help.
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| Spring & Fall Flowering Bulbs |
Did you order varieties that are more perennial? Are they hardy for your zone? Do they need full sun and you have full shade? Do they like good drainage or wet feet? Is your soil sandy and loamy or hard clay with rocks? Are all of these questions making your head spin? Try a product search engine to determine your needs such as...(ahem)...this one! The BulbFinder allows you to select from a number of conditions that will help narrow down your choices for you. Do you live in Zone 7B in full sun with average soil and love the color red? Done. Do you live in Zone 3A in full shade with dry soil and love plants that were introduced in Europe between 1651 and 1700 that bloom in the mid-spring with the color red in it that are fragrant, pest resistant and considered a Brent and Becky's Favorite (the best of the best)? Done...but good luck finding results that specific. But you get the point! So, why is it so important to use this tool?
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| Mass Fall planting on the farm and home of Brent and Becky |
For more information on how to maintain your bulbs before AND after they are planted, download this Cultural Instructions booklet for Spring Bulbs and Summer Bulbs. Plus follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more information and ways for you to ask us for some help.
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