I’m staring out the window at nothing but white. It would be pretty if I didn’t hate it. I’m pretty sure I just heard what my daughter tells me is “thunder snow.” We’re expecting up to two feet of the white stuff today with winds that could lead to power outages across the area.
Fun.
My wife and I continue to work from home while the kids sleep late, eat like crap and throw out the occasional “I’m bored”. The dog cries at my feet begging to play in the snow outside. I’ll make one of the kids take her out.
All I want to think about is the garden. It’s March and it’s that time. Bulbs have emerged and there are subtle signs of perennials coming to life. The fun is just starting.
So you know what I want to do to celebrate even with this crappy weather? I want to give something away. I want to fire you all up and get you plant shopping. I want you to forget about the nasty weather and think spring and green.
How would you like a $100 gift card to my favorite place to buy plants online, Santa Rosa Gardens?
You want it? Just leave your email address in the comments section below and I’ll pick a winner in a week’s time.
Here are the specifics:
- The prize is a $100 gift card to Santa Rosa to be spent in any way you’d like
- The winner will receive the gift card directly from Santa Rosa
- The contest is only for those residing in the U.S.
- Leave a comment now through Wednesday, March 14th at 9:00 pm (EST) to be eligible
- A winner will be chosen at random later that night and I’ll announce it here on the blog
After you’ve entered, why not head to the Santa Rosa website and get yourself:
Aralia Sun King
Calamagrostis Lightning Strike
Lavender Ghostly Princess
Seriouly, head to their site now and do some shopping. I’ve never been disappointed by a single plant I’ve ordered from them and I’ve been doing so for at least seven years running.
Enjoy.
Tell them John sent you.
I’m sorry, John. While we’re always thrilled with our token two snows/year, spring is in full swing in SC. I’m gutting the kitchen garden and building my dream edible garden, planning to surround it with perennials for pollinators, so this would seriously help stretch the plant budget!! I hope spring heads your way soon.
I am so ready for spring. Went to the Philadelphia Flower Show yesterday and stocked up on some goodies.
I hope you don’t lose power! I saw earlier you posted a picture with a foot of snow, which I thought was bad enough- but two feet? Good grief! I would love to be put into the drawing for plants from Santa Rosa!
I’d never heard of this store before, but they have some wonderful plants!
‘Sun King’ Aralia!!! One of my favorite things! I have 5in my garden!
‘Sun King’ Aralia!!! One of my favorite things! I have five of them in my garden!
I would love to win the $100 gift certificate~! marthajane1@hotmail.com
hoffsj@gmail.com
I would love to order from Santa Rosa!
Would be fun to win the Santa Rosa Gardens gift card and experience the luck you have had, John!!
I have started planning my flower and vegetable gardens for this year. I have an area that could use some new plants and the gift certificate would be much appreciated.
Well, John, you DID send me to Santa Rosa, several years ago, and I’ve bought quite a lot from them since. Sure would like to order me one of those Aralias.
Brrr, meanwhile we’re in full spring mode down in South Texas. Awesome giveaway, I’m a huge Santa Rosa Gardens fan and especially like their selection of grasses.
Santa Rosa is my favorite mail-order nursery. I discovered them by reading your blog posts about grasses. Now I’ve got at least a dozen different varieties of grasses in all my gardens. There’s always room for more . . . ! I love the pix you post of plant combinations through all the seasons.
Just checked out Santa Rosa Gardens for the first time–no wonder you like them. Best of luck with your book.
Love Santa Rosa Gardens!
Hi, I would be thrilled to win the gift card. I am moving and leaving my beloved 9-year old garden behind and it would be great to help me start a new one in my new home!
Hope the snow melts quickly and you find all sorts of gems underneath.
I would love to try this site. They have a great selection.
Thanks for the opportunity to order from Santa Rosa. Exciting to have a new place!
Excited for a new place to get plants!
‘Sun King is No. 1 on my wish list. Heading to Santa Rosa website now. Spring has sprung here in NC.
Thanks for sending us spring inspiration! I love your posts. And thanks for the chance to win.
Just keep holding on and spring will appear
I’d like to be included in the drawing for the $100 shopping spree at Santa Rosa Gardens. I’ve never shopped online there and would like to check them out. I do know that Snoopy/Peanuts has a museum in Santa Rosa that I’d like to visit some day so I do know that good things come from Santa Rosa.
Not happy about the snow! Ready for spring
I’ve been through Santa Rosa and loved the roses!
Maybe your plants’ roots are happily snaking through the cold ground ready to burst with vigor when the snow leaves!
Heading to the Santa Rosa website now. It’s March, think positive, your snow won’t last long!
clevineys@yahoo.com
Thanks!!
Cheryl
John – Last week I was yelling at the crocus and other things pushing through the ground NO – NOT YET – YOU WILL BE FROZEN! The more catalogs that come and the more emails I receive have convinced me I need one extra full paycheck a month to help with my gardening addiction. Julie in Cleveland (jsailaway@aol.com)
I would live to win the gift card!
Yes, please enter me in the contest- thanks!
I love Santa Rosa Gardens. they have an entire section of plants for xerioscape gardening. Mary Hatton mary __hatton@hotmail .com
I am so ready!
I’m feeling the same way! Hurry up, Spring! Thanks for the chance to win.
avnalis@hotmail.com
Lavender Ghostly Princess is the winner in your newly display of pictures! I always look forward to your posts! I’m excited because last year you advised me to buy on line and plant Joe Pye Weed. So….I’m waiting expectantly to see if it survived the winter and if it’s happy in it’s new home!
Thank you!
Lisa from MD
You could come out west and have a whole different set of problems! And we have just as many pipelines too so you’d feel right at home! I’d love to win…. bkdoghouse@gmail.com
Ooh, I would love the hyssop “Black Adder.” A real bee magnet. 🙂
Thanks for the info. Will definitely check out the site. Here’s to spring.
Kick ass and pick my name!
Woo Hoo! I’m in! Thanks!
Hi John,
Thanks for the chance to buy more plants I have no idea where I’m going to put. It is seriously one of my favorite things to do! I have already had a go at the aralia. It lasted almost 3 years. I had to move it and it never acclimated to its new spot. Due to the last snow we just had, the decision has been made to remove the 60ft. white pines along our property line. It breaks my heart, but they have become too much of a liability. A little help replanting that area would be much appreciated. I guess I actually do know where I would put some new plants!
Here’s hoping that snow melts fast. Thanks for a chance to win!
Hi John, sorry to hear about the snow. It sounds like there is a lot of that going around from the Midwest to the Northeast. Our part of the country is starting to get slightly warmer so it’s time to head back to Whidbey from AZ. Do you ever come down here for spring training? A friend from Whidbey who grew up in San Francisco just wrote a book about the Giants leaving NYC for SFO. He wrote it in novel form and I think that it’s pretty good and I know very little about the game. It’s called “Home Town”. Anyway, having as much plant lust as you, I would love to be placed in the drawing for Santa Rosa. We have some good nurseries near us in WA so we hardly ever buy online, but we also have a huge number of gardeners in our area so the exciting plants go quickly. Thanks and here’s hoping that you can play in the dirt really soon.
I love the lavender ghostly princess plant.I would love to order from their website.
Sorry about the snow, but it will melt soon. I just hope you don’t lose power. Would love to win the Santa Rosa Gardens gift certificate, put me in the drawing!
I know what you mean… the Nor’easters around here are getting old fast. We may get another next week. I can’t wait for spring to arrive. My crocus, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and irises are starting to emerge and I’ve noticed some hydrangea buds starting to pop. Whoo-hoo!!
Sweet! thehodgemanz@aol.com
And I can relate to 100% of your snow day experience.
Just started getting your blog in my email. Always happy to find a new source for good plants! Thanks! 9barbv9@gmail.com
We could use some plants at our new house!!
.
Love your blog!! I wish I could start gardening . Too cold here in New York. Thanks for the inspiration.
Put my name in for the drawing. Thank you for offering this.
jstrob3315@msn.com
Thanks for picking me.
Love Santa Rosa, love your blog and getting excited for the gardening season!
That lavender would be fabulous in my front yard.
I need to replace a bunch of plants due to deer damage, old age, and loss of shade, so this gift card would come in handy. And I’ll check out Santa Rosa because it’s become inreasingly difficult to find any of the wonderful plants I read about on your blog and others. I’m farther north and west of you so spring is even farther away.
Winter is holding on here in Michigan also! Thanks for the opportunity to win the gift certificate. A wonderful selection of plants at Santa Rosa…..will be hard to choose!
Pretty much doing the same thing here in PA. Thanks for the escape…to Santa Rosa Gardens.
I’m looking forward to some nice Spring weather and getting the garden planted.
Love your jaw dropping posts!!
Sun King Aralia is gorgeous! I must try that!
Thank you so much for the chance! I can’t wait to get back out in my garden! crazy4bassets25@yahoo.com
You introduced me to Santa Rosa Gardens some years ago. Yay, you! And yay for my garden!
Thank you for your blog, I have been a subscriber for some time. I really enjoy them. I sure would love the gift card, who can’t use more flowers and plants?
I’m a new gardener starting out with a brand new blank slate. Ive bought a few things from Santa Rosa Gardens and I love it! But I have a lot of space to fill so a gift card would be amazing!!!
I can always use some new plants!
Mercermt@gmail.com
Love to win. Thank you for the giveaway.
Please count me in for the drawing. I’ve been wanting an Aralia ‘Sun King’ and it sounds like I’m not alone in that!
Sooo ready for spring and gardening! Thanks for the giveaway; I’m on my way to check out Santa Rosa right now.
Luckily in my area of SC, we’ve seen less than an inch of snow all winter! Its been so mild that most of the early spring blooming plants are already starting to fade.
I started ordering from them last year after hearing such good things about them from your blog.
Yes PLEASE! Ordered from Santa Rosa for the first time last year and was mighty impressed~!
I planted an Aralia sun king in my north- facing garden last year and the foliage was simply beautiful. It needs some companions!