More about Canadale and nurseries

We had such an amazing and wonderful trip to Canadale Nursery in St. Thomas on Friday. Sunday morning, a tornado ripped through the nursery tearing hoop houses to shreds. They were grateful that no one was hurt.But the damage is just incredible.

The horticultural business is fragile at best because everything depends on the weather and then something extreme happens and you wonder how people in the biz can stand the strain. When people whine about the price of plants, they should know that most nurseries work on very small margins. The price of gas is hitting them right where it hurts. On top of all that, we gardeners are so fickle in our tastes (wanting all variegated plants one year, and none the next), they have a hard time second guessing us.No one goes into this business to make fortune. So stop complaining about sticker shock.

People don?t mind spending money to go out to a mediocre meal in a chain restaurant, and yet for the same price they could buy a small shrub or a perennial which would go on giving pleasure for decades instead of hanging around for the same time on their hips.

Wandering about in my own garden on this chilly holiday Monday, taking stock, I have determined I will change my ways: Always neaten up after going about doing some work here and there; picking up the secateurs, wearing gloves. You know all that good stuff

I have had the best holiday Monday. I was supposed to do an interview but it was cancelled so along with my friend Monique, I worked in the garden for hours. We whacked, and pulled and planted almost non stop. Now I?m going back out to make a catalogue of all the new plants.

It?s the most sensible thing I do: I keep track of the plants as I get them (well most years, and definitely this year) and put the names in my computer. It?s amazing how many things you find disappear completely.

More tomorrow and I’m happy to send out the spring instructions newsletter if you’d like it.