Beat the Blahs

As our customers will attest, I love to send them on field trips. Late into a long, snowy winter is a great time to cure cabin fever with a visit to a cool garden center or two. Here are a couple I would prescribe, as “therapy.”

Parkside Orchid Nursery (http://www.parksideorchids.com/), located less than an hour away from the LehighValley, near Lake Nockamixon, has not only several greenhouses full of orchids to drool over but also how-to-books, pots, materials, and an expert staff to guide you according to your level of experience, interest, and wallet size—I believe they have the best quality and prices. They offer a free Saturday class and a first repotting of an orchid you buy there.

Speaking of orchids, Longwood Gardens—one of the best winter getaway garden spots—is having its Orchid Extravaganza until March 31. Visit http://www.longwoodgardens.org/ to get the details. The bonsai exhibit gives me an itchy pruning finger for the season to come.

Terrain at Styers (http://www.terrainathome.com/) gets my vote as the most innovative garden center around! Located outside of Wilmington, just off Rte. 202, it’s a little more of a drive, but well worth the time. Their supply of plants and containers is phenomenal and was just what I needed to create a new terrarium, dish garden, and a few other indoor plantings.