Flowers

Here's something for the "I can't wait for Fall " folks. Our guys are planting the garden mums that will be available in September. By the way, mark Saturday, September 15th on your calendar. That's the date for our annual Fall Mum Festival.

That's about all for this issue. I hope your garden is florishing. By the way, we're on Facebook, so be sure to "friend" us. We have last minute sales and special offers plus lots of tidbits of what's going on at Binleys on there.

When looking for an annual plant which will bloom throughout the summer months, the general opinion is you should look for Impatiens. An absolute favorite for both the fanatic and the amateur gardener, Impatiens are sold by the millions throughout the country and perhaps worldwide. They can be readily found as seeds and transplants, in hanging baskets and as bedding plants. Because these plants are so easy to grow, are so readily available, so cheap to get, come in virtually every shade of the rainbow (minus a couple of colors, that is), make the garden sparkle like none other and are ever-blooming, they will never be surpassed in the annual bedding plant department.

There perhaps still is some confusion between Impatiens and New Guinea Impatiens. That would be the New Guinea Impatiens are as easy going plant as its cousin the regular or Impatiens wallerana to give it the correct botanical name. Here is a crash course on the subtle and perhaps not-so-subtle variances between the New Guinea and the regular Impatiens.

Improve your state of mind.

A national magazine offers a checklist to improve health and state of mind, and "Surround Yourself With Flowers" is among the tips. According to the January issue of "InStyle Magazine" flowers can help you to a happier, more enthusiastic year.

"There's a very compelling reason to have beautiful blooms around at all times: In a study by Nancy Etcoff of Harvard Medical School, 27 women were sent colorful stems; another group received home décor items. Within a week, Etcoff found that the flower group reported feeling more enthusiastic about their daily activities.

I couldn't have said it better! For more ideas to improve your health and state of mind, click here.

In this issue I'll address a question I hear all the time. What can I put in my garden that requires minimal care?

I found a study from Harvard University that claims flowers brighten your day. Also included is an article from Cornell University about care of poinsettias in the home.

Keeping with my tradition of having something unusual, I've found a collection of some really different Christmas trees. Who knows, maybe someone will be inspired. If so, send me a picture and I'll include it in our January issue.

I hope you enjoy the holidays. I'll be back in January.