Howdy all and Happy Spring!

I'd like to host another shopping trip for those in the South Central/Eastern PA area that are interested. Contact me at hortusd@msn.com to RSVP.

Here are the details!

This year, it is on Saturday, April 9th. We'll meet in the AC Moore parking lot (to the left of AC Moore) in the Lancaster Shopping Center at 8 am, travel to Shady Maple restaurant for breakfast and then over to Black Creek Greenhouses and Mrs. Martins. Then on to Esbenshade's Greenhouses and Oberholtzer's which are both on 322 outside of New Holland and then back to Lancaster.

Mrs. Martin runs a rare perennials nursery in Narvon specializing in unique Hosta, rare Coleus, and funky perennials. Her garden center is on her farm and is always a treat. Ask her for anything you don't see and she'll find it for you in her eclectic garden center. Also check out the hand-crafted curly willow structures created by her son.

Black Creek is a family run business in East Earl and is a HUGE operation offering inexpensive annuals, water garden plants and rare tropicals. They have a great selection of perennials as well as tons of specialty annuals that you just don't find anywhere else. I think that herbs this year ar 4 for $5.00, and I remember that Koi are usually very inexpensive.

Oberholtzers is a mid-sized greenhouse featuring a sunken tropical garden, tons of ferns, great bonsai selection, and old-fashioned houseplants. Make sure to check out the home grown orchids while you are there and the cactus/succulent garden in the back of the greenhouse.

Esbenshades is a gigantic retail/wholesale operation with water gardening, twig furniture, huge selection of Summer bulbs, and the county's largest selection of perennials and annuals.

Maps will be provided and car-pooling is encouraged.

Contact me at 717-799-6075 to RSVP. If you prefer to meet at Shady Maple, we will meet at the restaurant UNDER the Smorgasbord at 8:30 am.

David 'Skeeter' Gelatt