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E-Newsletter: April 2011

The Phoenix Perennials E-Newsletter
April 2011

Hello from Phoenix Perennials! It's April, fellow gardeners, and the 2011 season is here even if the weather doesn't make you feel like it. The nursery is filling with plants. Despite the cool temperatures they are growing and blooming and looking good! It's time to brave the weather, give in to your pent up desires to get your hands dirty and get out into the garden! Just put on your long underwear and your rain gear and hop to it! The Clematis Conundrum... is only days away and will feature a great selection of clematis including Kivistik cultivars, Evison cultivars and a wide range of other species and cultivars. Famed Clematis breeder Raymond Evison will be at the nursery this Friday to give a very special workshop. All seats are now spoken for with standing room only unless you can bring your own fold up chair. We also have two free workshops on clematis and other vines with Belinda on Saturday and Sunday! We are very excited to announce the advent of a new chapter for us at the nursery: MAIL ORDER! Oh my! Full details included below. We have a special offer for our April workshops: Buy one spot and bring a friend for free! And don't forget about the rest of the season of exciting workshops including our KIDS SERIES with two workshops designed for kids and families. Fabulous at Phoenix this month highlights 6 new hardy lady's slippers now available at the nursery. Also in this issue you'll find links to new videos I've been doing at the nursery. Watch for more throughout the season. We have a new contest, a new t-shirt on the way, I'll be on the radio this weekend and at the end of the month we have our first Charity Shopping Weekend of the year to benefit A Loving Spoonful. There's a lot going on! See you soon at the nursery! Cheers, Gary and the Phoenicians		GARY ON THE RADIO Perennials for a Royal Wedding Plants with Regal and Wedding-Related Names
		Gardening 101 with Jeff De Jong C-FAX 1070AM or listen online. Sunday April 17th 10am
		Win Tea for Two and Admission to Abkhazi Garden in Victoria Click Here to Enter the Contest Learn more about this beautiful garden.
		AuctionMart auctions are running in the Vancouver Sun and soon in the Surrey Now! There are Phoenix Perennials gift certificates available for bidding in both these programs. You could get a deal!

In this Issue

Opening Notes: News, Tidbits and the Phoenix Calendar

1. The Clematis Conundrum...: So many clematis, so little time!
2. Introducing...[Drum Roll Please]... MAIL ORDER ACROSS CANADA!
3. Special Workshop Offer for April
4. Charity Shopping Weekends 2011: A Loving Spoonful
5. Fabulous at Phoenix: Summer Flowering Bulbs

Opening Notes: News, Tidbits and the Phoenix Calendar

Follow us on Facebook Follow new plants, events and happenings in real time with regularly posted images, videos and updates from the nursery. Fan Page members are the first to find out about sales, special events and other happenings! Recent Updates Video: Fragrance in the Spring Garden Video: Nursery Walkabout , March 18th You don't have to be a Facebook member to view the Fan Page and photo albums. Have a look!

Gary's Favourite Books

Click Here for 50+ More Titles

Mark your calendars! Or print this off for the fridge!

1.

SPECIAL EVENTS
The Clematis Conundrum...
So many clematis, So little time!
Featuring over 100 different Clematis and other Vines
Plus free workshops by famed clematis breeder Raymond Evison and our own Belinda Cardoso.

Friday through Sunday April 15th to 17th

A Conversation with Famed Clematis Breeder Raymond Evison | Fri April 15th 2pm | Free but book ahead. Spaces are limited. | Raymond Evison is one of the most famous modern day clematis breeders. He has introduced over 100 different species and cultivars during his career from his famed Guernsey Clematis Nursery in the UK. Raymond will be at the nursery to discuss his many introductions and using clematis in the garden and in containers in combination with perennials and shrubs. He will take you through a full season in the garden from spring through fall and will also talk about pruning and care of clematis. He will also be available to answer your questions and chat about all things clematis. Please Note: We have standing room only left unless you can bring your own fold up chair!

Climbing to New Heights: Clematis and Other Vines for the Spring, Summer and Fall Garden | Instructor: Belinda Cardoso | Two Workshops: Sat April 16th 1-2pm and Sunday April 17th 11am-12pm | FREE but book ahead. Spaces are limted. | Belinda will introduce you to all kinds of great vines for colour and fragrance all season long. She’ll talk about the huge variety of different clematis and how to care for them as well as other vines like honeysuckle, jasmine, deciduous and evergreen climbing hydrangea, passionflowers, kiwis and more.

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS

The Great Easter Plant Hunt: An Easter "egg" hunt for gardeners | Easter Sunday April 24th, 2011 | 10 am SHARP! | Introduce your inner child to the gardener in you and skip on down to the nursery for some fun and fabulous prizes! The Easter Plant Bunny will be visiting Phoenix Perennials and hiding lots of eggs in all the nooks and crannies of the nursery. You're going to have to be quick to find the eggs before other gardeners do! Then crack them open to find a prize inside each one! There are more than $1500 in prizes to be won including gift certificates, discount coupons, plants, t-shirts and chocolates!

May Maple Mania | Friday through Sunday May 6th to 8th, 2011 | Featuring an incredible selection of Japanese and other maples plus a free workshop by maple expert and UBC Botanical Garden Associate Director Doug Justice.

Mothers' Day Free* 'Entertainer' Lily | Saturday and Sunday May 7th and 8th, 2011 | Mom's need beautiful things and Phoenix Perennials is here for Moms on Mothers' Day. On Mothers' Day weekend come on down, show us that you're a Mom or Grand Mom by bringing your kids (pets count too) or a picture of them and we'll give you a free 'Entertainer' lily as a thank you for raising the next generation of gardeners. *With purchase over $10, while supplies last.

Mark your calendars!

2.

Introducing
[Drum Roll Please]
MAIL ORDER ACROSS CANADA!

At Phoenix Perennials we are embarking on a new and exciting chapter for our nursery. We will now be shipping plants across Canada. This year we offer an old-fashioned mail order list. Next year we will launch full online ordering! We need your help. Please tell all of your gardening friends across Canada
and help us get the word out!

All the information you need can be found on our new Mail Order Page.

The Mail Order List: Our mail order list includes over 580 different cutting edge perennials in 2011. Order these using our form for Phoenix Perennials Mail Order 2011. Download Mail Order List (PDF).
Download Order Form PDF | Word DOC .

The Special Request Form: For plants not included in our Mail Order List, such as plants highlighted in our e-newsletter, plants found in our Plant Library, or plants that would fulfill your wildest dreams, you can fill out our Special Request Form. We will let you know if and when these plants might be available, their size and price. Download Special Request Form PDF | Word DOC .

On your mark! Get set! MAIL ORDER!

3.

Special Workshop Offer for April

It's been awfully cold and so many people haven't been thinking much about gardening and taking workshops. So we offer a little incentive:

CONTAINER SERIES | Gardens in Miniature: Plant Up a Stone Art Container with Alpines and Other Diminuitive Plants | Instructor: Shelley Brignall | Sat April 16th, 10am-12pm | $16* | Stone Art planters are amazing containers that look like a hollowed out rock only they’re lighter and more manageable (www.stoneartgardens.com). They are perfect for planting up gardens of small plants and look great on patios and as centerpieces on tables. After some general instruction and an introduction to a number of alpines and small plants, each participant will have the opportunity to design and plant up their own Stone Art container. We will have a wide variety of these containers for you to choose from ranging in price from $12 to $47. *The cost of the container and the plants you use are not included in the price of the workshop.

CONTAINER SERIES | Living Sculptures: Year-Round Interest with Dwarf Conifers in the Garden and Containers | Instructor: Lisa O’Donnell | Sun April 17th, 1-3pm | $18 | Hold court with our Conifer Queen and learn about the incredible world of dwarf conifers. Lisa will chat about the aesthetic and design uses of dwarf conifers and, through examples from her own garden, talk about integrating them into the perennial border and containers. You will learn how to use conifers as incredible year-round living sculptures. She will also highlight the best dwarf conifers for our region and talk about their care and maintenance. After the instruction participants will have the opportunity to plant up a container with dwarf conifers and companion plants. Please bring your own large pot (minimum 12-14 inches in diametre) with enough space for at least 3 to 5 one gallon perennials. A large, black, seven gallon plastic pot can be provided at an additional cost of $7. Please order your pot when you book your workshop. The price of the workshop includes your potting mix but not the plants you use.

POWER OF PERENNIALS SERIES | Top Plant Performers for the West Coast Garden: Spring | Instructor: Shelley Brignall | Sat April 23rd, 10-12pm | $16 | Do you want to know what the best performing perennials are for spring? Shelley will introduce you to a selection of top plant performers for West Coast gardens that provide great seasonal interest. She will also provide seasonal maintenance tips. This course could be the most important step you take to transform your garden from ordinary to extraordinary! For a full year of top plants sign up for the two other sessions: Summer and Fall and Winter.

CONTAINER SERIES | Perennial Hanging Baskets: To Boldly Go Where No Perennial Has Gone Before!  | Instructor: Belinda Cardoso | Sat April 30th, 10am-12pm | $20* | In this workshop you’ll take perennials into the unknown and on to the world of the hanging basket. You’ll learn about perennials that are suitable for growing in hanging baskets in both sun and shade and then you’ll get a chance to plant up your own to take home with you! Cost includes potting mix and moss. It does not include the plants you use or the hanging basket. Hanging basket options will be provided leading up to the workshop.

DOWN TO EARTH SERIES | Phoenix Fresh Berries and Fruit: Develop your Urban Orchard and Berry Patch | Instructor: TBA | Sat April 30th, 2-4pm | $16 | One of the easiest ways to grow your own food at home is to plant berry bushes and fruit trees. These plants tend to be low maintenance, offer seasonal beauty and shade, and, of course, crops of tasty blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, kiwis, grapes, figs, apples, persimmons, citrus and more! In this workshop you'll learn how to plant and care for your urban orchard and berry patch.

Booking Workshops

Spaces are limited. Please call (604-270-4133) or visit the nursery to book your space. Payment is required when booking. If you would like to take advantage of one of our special offers please let us know at the start of your booking.

Each workshop requires a minimum of 10 people and a maximum of 15-25 depending on the workshop. If the minimum is not met we may not be able to run the workshop in which case we will contact you a few days before the scheduled date of the workshop and give you a credit towards another class, a credit at the nursery, or a refund.

If you are unable to attend a workshop you have already signed up for please give us 3 days notice. We would be happy to give you a credit towards another class or a credit at the nursery. We cannot offer credits, however, unless you let us know 3 days in advance of your workshop that you cannot attend.

4.

Charity Shopping Weekends 2011
April - A Loving Spoonful

A Loving Spoonful is a volunteer-driven, non-partisan society that provides free, nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS in Greater Vancouver. Every week, all year round for over 19 years, our volunteers deliver approximately 1200 frozen meals and over 250 snack packs to men, women and children who are primarily homebound with AIDS. Our average meal cost is only $3.55. A Loving Spoonful is the constant support of over 250 adults and children living with HIV/AIDS throughout the Greater Vancouver area.

To find out more about A Loving Spoonful, visit their website.

Charity Shopping Weekends are a way for Phoenix Perennials to give back to the community while helping to introduce gardeners to our nursery. Each month one charity or group of charities has been selected to participate in a Weekend. During that Saturday and Sunday 25% of each purchase made by a customer who tells us they are there for that charity's Weekend will be donated to the charity. Since 2004 we have raised over $8800 for local charities and institutions.

5.

Fabulous at Phoenix
Gary's Picks of New, Notable and Luscious Plants at the Phoenix Candy Store

Cypripedium Hybrids from Frosch® - Lady's Slipper Orchids - These high quality blooming size and near-blooming size hardy ground orchids make an exquisite statement in the shade and part shade garden. Despite their delicate and beguiling appearance these are strong and robust hybrids that are easy to grow in classic woodland or shade garden soils with evenly moist but well drained, rich soils. Plant them with your ferns, your hostas and your other shade plants. They will grow quickly into sizeable and impressive clumps! These hybrids come from Frosch® in Germany, an excellent and reputable specialist grower.
		To learn more about growing lady's slipper orchids have a look at the Frosch growing instructions.
Cypripedium ventricosum 'Pastel' Frosch®	Cypripedium 'Gisela' Frosch®	Cypripedium 'Dietrich' Frosch®
Cypripedium 'Ulla Silkens' Frosch®	Cypripedium 'Sabine Pastel' Frosch®	Cypripedium 'Victoria' Frosch®

Just to prevent sticker shock you should know that these plants are blooming size or one year from blooming size and they are all $89.99 in gallon pots. 'Ulla Silkens' is in 2 gallon pots and also $89.99. Supplies are limited.

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Word of mouth has been such an important part of our success and growth at Phoenix Perennials. Thank you to everyone who has told their friends about us and thank you in advance for continuing to introduce new people to our nursery! We couldn't do it without your kind patronage and support!

If you have any other questions please contact us at phoenixperennials@shaw.ca.

Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.
One of the largest and most exciting selections of perennials in the Lower Mainland.
Specializing in distinct perennials, fragrant shrubs, hardy subtropicals and the botanically intriguing.3380 No. 6 Road, Richmond (Between Bridgeport and Cambie)
604-270-4133
www.phoenixperennials.com

Please visit our web page for information on the nursery, driving directions and a map.
We are near the south end of the Knight Street Bridge and very easy to get to from all of the surrounding municipalities and beyond.

Opening Dates and Hours
February 25th, 2011 until October 31st, 2011
10am-5pm

Copyright Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.

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