Written by Alex | March 16, 2017 | 2017 NewslettersNewsletterNewsletters

Top of the Morning, to You!

Newsletter 11 – Thursday, March 16, 2017
• Lady’s Story – Chapter 33• Fresh St. Patrick’s Day Flowers and Plants!• Get Ready to Plant! Small Space Gardening Class• NEW Lawn Program just for YOU• Your Yard Deserves It!• Ready for something NEW???• Is Your Non-Profit Organization in need of $Funds$?• Employment Opportunities• Mother Earth needs your help!• Recipe: Turkey, Bean and Kale Soup

Cottage Grove location open hours
Mon-Sat 9-5
Closed Sundays

Edgerton location open hours
Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30
Sat 8:30-5:00
Sun 9-4

Lady’s Story – Chapter 33
“Top of the morning to ye, laddies an’ lasses!” Click for Larger Image
Happy St. Patrick’s Day everybody!~Lady Leprechaun

Fresh St. Patrick’s Day Flowers and Plants!
Green Carnation Bouquet Click for Larger Image
Green Shamrock Click for Larger Image
Red Shamrock Click for Larger Image
St. Patrick’s Day is here!  Stop buy and pick up some green for those favorite Irishmen or women in your life.  Choose from a green potted mum, a bouquet of green carnations, or an Oxalis Zinfandel aka Shamrock! To order flowers or plants for delivery, for any occasion, just contact us at either our Cottage Grove location at 608-222-2269 or www.americasbestflowers.net or our Edgerton location at 608-884-8120 or 1-888-287-1411 or www.edgertonfloralandgarden.com.Please keep in mind that flower and plant selection may vary between our two locations.
If you’re Irish, it doesn’t matter where you go – you’ll find family.Victoria Smurfit

Get Ready to Plant! Small Space Gardening Class

Saturday, March 25, 11-Noon
Please join us for our first gardening class this season.  We will show you just how easy it is to grow a vegetable or flower garden in a small area such as a deck, patio, balcony, or a very small yard.Pre-registration is not necessary but greatly appreciated, so please give us a call at 608-222-2269 or email Shirley at abfscimino@yahoo.com.

NEW Lawn Program just for YOU – By Jesse Steinke

Premium slow release fertilizers with micro nutrients and iron for enhanced performance. EARLY SPRING - Phase 1- Crabgrass Preventer - Fertilizes and also prevents crabgrass and other grassy weeds for up to 5 months. LATE SPRING - Weed & Feed - Also kills dandelions and other broadleaf weeds on contact. SUMMER - Insect & Feed - Also kills a broad range of damaging lawn insects on contact. FALL - Winterizer - Also contains sulfur to protect and strengthen grass for spring green-up. Click for Larger Image
You asked for it and we have it!  We now carry the 4 Phase Bonide Lawn Care Program.  Bonide uses the highest quality turf grade fertilizer and weed control products on the market.  With 4 easy phases, you will have a lush green and weed-free lawn.  Save when you purchase the complete program!In addition to having the best ingredients on the market, Bonide offers a $15 mail in rebate when you purchase all four phases at once.  Also, there is a rebate on Crabgrass Preventer and Weed & Feed when you purchase separately.Stop in today to learn everything you need to know or click here for more information about the 4 Phase Lawn Care Program right now!
What did Cinderella say when her photos were late in arriving?

‘Some day my prints will come!’

Your Yard Deserves It!
Dress up your yard this spring with beautiful new ceramic pottery and unique metal garden art!As ‘they say’ timing is of the essence! Just stop in between today and next Wednesday, March 22nd and bring this coupon or mention this offer when you are checking out and save.
Choose your offer or choose both! $10 off any Ceramic Pottery (49.99 ea and up) OR $5 off any Metal Garden Art (39.99 ea and up). Valid March 16, 2017 – March 22, 2017. Cannot be used with any other offer. Click for Larger Image
Why do people wear shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day?

Regular rocks are too heavy.

Ready for something NEW??? – By Jesse Steinke

Click for Larger Image
Check out these unique seed vegetable varieties we have in stock just for you!Have you seen a purple carrot before?  Well now you can grow and eat your own with Cosmic Purple Carrots!  It has purple skin, sweet orange flesh and a bright yellow core.  The flavor is sweet with a slight hint of spice.  Colors will stay more vibrant when served fresh.Not ready for purple carrots? Try Livingston’s Color Mix Carrots. The mix consists of Red Chantenay, Orange Kuroda, Amarillo Yellow, Snow White and Purple Haze. This is a great way to get kids excited about eating veggies.Give someone a piece of YOUR heart with Pizza My Heart container pepper.  These peppers are crisp and juicy.  Great for snacks and cooking.  Try them sliced on pizza, add to salads, or even grill them on the BBQ!And who can resist a name like Italian Scallion?  This salad type onion can be used as a scallion (green onion) or allow them to grow into juicy baby onions.  They taste great in salads, stir-fries, egg dishes or on pizza.  These are easy to grow and hold well in the garden so you can harvest as needed.Back to purple… beans that is.  Royal Burgundy is a stringless, bush variety that has 5-5 ½” meaty, purple pods.  These beans turn green when cooked so it’s easy to tell when they are done!  For more fun, mix purple and yellow beans and let the kids watch as they cook and become green and yellow!   This is an early variety that does great in cooler soil.
What do you call an Irishman who knows how to control his wife?

A bachelor.

Is Your Non-Profit Organization in need of $Funds$?
An America's Best Flowers Gift Card Click for Larger Image
There is still time to participate in our 2017 Spring Fundraiser Program!  People are beginning to think about vegetable gardens, shade trees, flowering shrubs and glorious flowers.   What perfect timing for your non-profit organization to participate in America’s Best Flowers fundraiser program and earn funds for your local charities, mission trips, school equipment, school uniforms, etc.America’s Best Flowers would like to help you succeed with your fundraising efforts! Our SPRING fundraising program runs through April 3, 2017.  We have designed this program to be quick, easy, and profitable.  In as little as 2-3 weeks or less, you can earn substantial money for your group by selling America’s Best Flowers gift cards.What else makes our fundraising program so fabulous?

  • Your group will receive 25% of the total value of America’s Best Flowers gift cards they sell! 
  • Our gift cards are valid at both our Cottage Grove and Edgerton locations!  
  • Our gift cards NEVER EXPIRE!

Click here for more information
What do you get when you cross poison ivy with a four-leaf clover?

A rash of good luck.

Employment Opportunities
Are you looking for a short-term seasonal job?   Do you enjoy people and flowers?  If so, we may have the perfect job for you.  We are looking for a few good people to perform cashier duties.  Plant knowledge is preferred for these positions.These job opportunities would be from approximately mid-April thru mid-June.  We are in need of candidates who can work weekends and several days during the week.  The total number of hours per week could be between 24 – 40 hours.Other job duties could consist of stocking and cleaning plants, sweeping floors and corralling run away shopping carts.
Another position available is for a Greenhouse Production Associate.  The Greenhouse Production Associate is responsible for all aspects of plant maintenance including but not limited to: watering, moving, shipping, and disposing of all plants while maintaining the quality standards of America’s Best Flowers. Physical stamina is necessary for this position.We are in need of candidates who can work weekends and several days during the week.  This is a 40 hour per week position.If you are interested in either of these employment opportunities please email Marty Robbins at abfrobbins@yahoo.com or Betty Bless at abfbettyb@gmail.com.
What does it mean when you find a horseshoe?

Some poor horse is going barefoot!

Mother Earth needs your help!
“I was a plant once, send me back home!”
If you have any clean brown grocery bags that you just don’t know what to do with, please don’t throw them away, bring them in to our greenhouse.  We will use them for a multitude of things.
What happens when a leprechaun falls into a river?

He gets wet!

Upcoming Events
Sat, Mar 25 Small Space Gardening Class (11-Noon)
Pre-Registration Appreciated
Sat, Apr 1 Vegetable Gardening & Seed Starting Class (10-11am)
Learn from an expert!
Sat, Apr 1 Composting Demonstration (11-noon)
Learn the art of composting.
Sat, Apr 1 Rose Care Class (1-2pm)
Planting, pruning & maintenance.
Sat, Apr 8 – Sun, Apr 9 Spring Open House
We have your all-time favorite plants plus a few new ones for the season and a HUGE selection of new pottery.
Sat, Apr 8 – Sun, Apr 9 Universal Saw & Tool Sharpening (9-3pm)
Get your tools ready for easier gardening.

Our Kitchen – By Bev Wilson

Kale vector art

Last week I was talking to you about spring; this week it’s more like “Is winter ever going to end?”  If you’ve lived here very long, you know what Wisconsin can be like.This last round of cold weather made me think about soup.  I made this one and shared it with a few of my coworkers.  Two of the three, both exceptional cooks on their own, wanted the recipe.  The third doesn’t cook much but volunteered to eat another bowl if I made it again.This hearty nourishing soup is health in a bowl.  But don’t let that scare you.  It’s delicious too.  It does take a little time to peel the squash (I used a potato peeler) and chop all the vegetables, but I assure you it’s time well spent.   Hope you enjoy!If you are looking for a great dessert to go with this, as well as give your meal a St Patty’s Day flair, try our Andes Grasshopper Cake from our 2014 St. Patrick’s issue.

Turkey, Bean and Kale Soup
Makes 8 hearty servings
squash

• 2 lbs lean ground turkey• 3 T olive oil• 2 med/large sweet onions, diced, 3 – 4 cups• 2 c diced celery (including green tops)• 4 large cloves garlic, minced, or more if you like• 8 – 10 C chicken broth, depending on how ‘soupy’ you like it• 1 med butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1” cubes – 6-8 cups• 6 cups packed coarsely chopped kale, ribs removed• 1 can ( 15 oz) butter beans, drained and rinsed*• 1 can (15 oz) northern beans, drained and rinsed*• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed*• 4 T fresh basil, or 1 ½ t dried• 2 T fresh thyme, leaves only, or 1 t dried• 1 t cumin, ground• 1 t salt• ½ t black pepper, freshly ground

Directions
Add olive oil to a large soup pot sprayed with Pam. Sauté the turkey, onions, celery, and garlic until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.Add the broth, squash, kale, beans and spices.  Bring to a boil.  Cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, just until squash is tender.  Do not overcook or it will fall apart.* You could use whatever beans you like, but this combination is good and has a very appealing look.  And, as they say on The Food Network, you eat with your eyes first.
SEE YOU SOON!!!