February's Happy Hours Sale At Hester & Zipperer

Who Doesn't Love A Good Mystery?
In Las Vegas there is a slot machine that won me over a few years back. It had the normal three spinning slots, but then an extra fourth held the possibility of landing on "mystery nudge". A voice sounding like Vincent Price would even say it like, "Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisteeeeeeery Nuuuuuuuuuudge." Basically-it meant more money.

Hester & Zipperer on Wilmington Island is bringing you a mystery sale item every day during the month of February. From 3 until close one item in the store will be 30% off! It could be anything. Will it be those bushes you want for the back yard? Will it be those clippers that you've wanted?

Come in and find out for yourself and save.

Julie's Question Answered-Inexpensive Raised Beds

Pat Veretto's Frugal Living Blog
Metal Raised Bed
How about a raised bed of itty-bitty greens?

Come in and take a look at our new organic seeds. There are some interesting things that you can get started inside while the weather is still cool.

Inflatable Judy At The Low Country Living Home & Garden Show

Inflatable Judy and I wooped it up with Erica Glasener from HGTV's "A Gardener's Diary".
Erica's blow-up doll didn't make the show, because she had a nasty incident with a Knock Out Rose.



After catching up with Erica, Judy decided she wanted to see what the rest of the show had to offer. This riding lawnmower sure made Judy smile.It's always nice to have a cocktail after mowing the lawn. Judy found a nice Margarita to quench her thirst. Judy also found a nice man to hold her up while she drank them.







We've all been there, right? You have a few too many at a trade show and boom right on the tookus! Judy was so embarrassed, but I tried to console her. "Nobody saw," I said. She knew though. Even in her drunken state, she knew.











I suggested she get some water. You know how drinking cocktails dehydrates the body.

She was feeling a little deflated.

















And, well, after you've had a lot of water, there is nothing better then a toilet with an automatically closing lid.















They couldn't fill it with water, because she would just float out-I mean the hot tub, not the toilet. Actually, it might be a problem in either situation.

Judy is nothing if not a social butterfly. Here she is visiting the Orkin man. Apparently, Judy was one pest that he rather enjoyed. They talked for hours about bugs. Okay, just a few minutes.

Judy has a sweet tooth, so we had to visit the Girl Scout booth and pick up some Thin Mints. This young lady was taken with Judy right away. I think Judy might like to be a den mother some day. The camp fires could be dangerous though.








Judy had a nice chat with the guy from the "Shamwow" booth. His product couldn't be photographed because of some copyright issue. He was more than happy to put his arm around Judy's shoulder though. I wondered if they had met before.


Hope you have enjoyed Judy's trip to the trade show. Judy is available for public speaking engagements and is much less likely to have a panic attack then me.

That Was A Close One-Pheeeeew.

Speaking at Home & Garden Show Almost Kills

I was so ready. I wasn't nervous before going on. "Gardening is about people, not plants," I would say. It would be fine, I just knew it. For the uncensored version of my speaking gig, just click here. To type it all out here would break Mary-Ann's rule about cussing behind the counter.

At the end of the day, I was happy with my talk. It was my first public speaking, and I feel like I was able to pass on some good information. A lady from Michigan said that she really liked what I said, and that she was going to look at her yard differently from now on. So, it makes the post-traumatic-stress disorder worth it.




Plants Should Fit You Like A Glove
Back to the gardening is about people thing. Choosing
plants isn't about picking cool plants and then swearing on a copy of Southern Living that you will
take care of them.

Don't pledge to change your behavior for your plants. Choose plants that fit your behavior. Below I have a list of questions. If you show up to buy plants with the answers written down, you'll be in great shape.

1. I enjoy working in the yard. Y / N
2. How many hours can I easily spend hand watering, grooming, and fertilizing plants?
3. The area that I'm looking to plant has _____hours of direct sunlight.
4. I would call my style: funky formal tropical cottage
5. I have ______dogs. Specify breeds.
6. I have ______kids. Specify ages.
7. The best vacation I ever took was________________________.
   

This Saturday!

Customizing Your Yard To YOUR
L I F E S T Y L E

You may have seen plenty of presentations about gardening, but I feel pretty safe in saying that you haven't seen one like I'm planning to give this Saturday at the Low Country Living Home & Garden Show.

You may have seen plenty of blow-up dolls in your life (I'm not judging.), but I feel pretty safe in saying that you haven't seen one used the way I plan to use one Saturday at the Low Country Living Home & Garden Show. Inflatable Judy and I will by on stage at 1:00 P.M. at the International Trade & Convention Center. Be there, or Judy might be deflated.

The Savannah Garden Expo-Exhibition Garden Competition

We at the Wilmington Island Hester & Zipperer are extremely flattered to have been invited to compete in the Exhibition Garden Competition at The Savannah Garden Expo this Spring. We eagerly accepted, and by eagerly I mean that I said:

"Come on Mary-Ann! I know it's Spring and we are going to be busier than ever and have to design something fantastic on top of that. Come on! Please! Can we? Can we? You know you want to! What is stress to two old pros like us? "

She agreed before I could resort to a sorority-sister-like hug with more sacriny-sweetness than Annette Funicello. Incidentally, those of you looking to barter on plants might try this approach with her. That's how we successfully instituted "Naked Fridays" at the store.

Seeds - The Next Big Thing

At the risk of sounding like an after school special, seeds are cool. If you want to be cool, you have to get some. Seeds are the magic morsels of gardening. I mean who would believe that a pumpkin could come from one of those seeds on the right side of this page? It's no less wondrous than Jack's bean stalk!

Stop by our Wilmington Island local and pick up a few packs. There are many edibles that can be started directly in the ground this time of year. How about some green onions, sugar snap peas, or parsley? Get thee to seed store at once!