Here are some our staff member’s current favorite recommended products.
Brighida’s Picks
I love all the beautiful plant pots we have in the store right now! The rainbow of colors is absolutely gorgeous! Our range is now wide enough to compliment any plant variety or decor style. From sophisticated to whimsical to classical, we have something for everyone. During the fall and winter I love to add new color to my interior environment, and I always add a few more houseplants to bring the “green” inside. We work with local companies to bring in unusual pots in a range of colors and patterns that are hard to find anywhere else. With a lovely plant inside, they make the perfect gift for anyone! We’ve worked hard to expand both our indoor and outdoor plant inventory to make it easy to find a plant you or a loved one will enjoy in one of these cheerful containers.
Amy’s Picks
The Zenport Harvest Shear (H300) is the tool I use most both at work and in my own garden. These small pruners fit nicely in my hand and are made of heat treated carbon steel that hold up well to the rigors of daily use. With their corrosion-resistant coating and pleasing spring loaded action, they are great for harvesting vegetables, snipping flowers, deadheading plants, pruning small branches and a number of other unintended cutting purposes. These shears are surprisingly strong yet nimble and are a great tool for any person who works with plants.
2nd Pick – Flexzilla Hose
As a gardener and nursery worker, hoses are an important part of my world. This summer I purchased a couple of Flexzilla hoses to try out. They are drinking water-safe, light, and truly do not kink! We use them all year in the nursery here, where they get daily use nearly every day. My favorite part about these hoses is how they turn in tight spots without flopping over and damaging the plants. They come in ⅝ inch diameter which allows for good water flow, even with several attached together. We carry 25,50,75 and 100 foot Flexzilla Hoses. The flexibility means that they do not have a ‘coil memory’, but it also means they are extremely tough, which is important. The lime green color can be a bit vibrant in the yard, but is good for visibility and prevents a tripping hazard. Flexzilla hoses are pleasant to use and a worthy investment for a long-lasting tool that stands up well to daily use for years.
Sionnach’s Picks
Bahco PG-12 Light Duty Bypass Pruners
This is a product that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who wants a simple, no nonsense, yet high quality pair of pruners at a great price. The “Light Duty” part of the title is somewhat misleading, I’ve had my pair for coming on 4 years now and they have yet to let me down – no matter how hard I wrench on them. I’ve cut many branches that should have been cut with loppers and the high density plastic handles refuse to warp or snap despite the abuse. This is a design that in my opinion, sheds many of the flaws and weaknesses found in other pruners in its price range. For starters, the steel is a very tough high carbon steel that won’t chip or lose its edge very easily like many stainless blades I’ve had the opportunity to use, while being easier to sharpen to a working edge. It will need to be oiled to keep rust from creeping into the joint while it’s being stored between periods of use but if a little surface rust appears it’s as simple as taking some steel wool to it and applying another coat of mineral oil and she’s ready for another month of heavy service. I like the spring design because it is open and does not trap water or dust like the Felco style (and the many Felco copies) of rolled sheet metal springs, and thus prevents that gritty, sticky feeling from ever occurring when the pruners open up for another cut. The lock as well is a major improvement in my mind and a masterclass in simple yet effective engineering. Not so much for the way it locks the pruners shut, but the way that it clicks into the handle to stay out of the way the entire time you’re working. Nothing worse than fiddling with a complicated and bulky spinning lock that doesn’t want to stay open while pruning a thorny rose or hard to reach branch, this one stays in its lane and does what the complex multi part rotating lock does, but better, while being a single piece of wire-thin spring-steel. The fact that all this comes in at 25ish bucks is amazing, not to mention it’s made in France! I’d much rather have these than a similarly priced chinese pair and I think that’s a great accomplishment for Bahco.
Hoya Curtisii Houseplant
I can’t explain why I like this plant so much other than it gives that “Sherwood Forest” vibe. It’s a relatively easy to care for trailing plant that (although somewhat rare) is a real looker and makes your house feel that much more like a cozy forest dwelling where plant and animal kind exist in harmony. Superb.
Imperial Epineuse Plum
This is like reviewing an old friend for me. How could I possibly say anything negative about this stand-up character? The fruit are large and sweet and oh-so-plumy, best when slightly firm and just starting to soften in the late summer. I’ve caught the neighbor kids on more than one occasion bashfully reaching over my fence to enjoy a stolen treat (which always tastes best don’t you know). Which for this plum is not a problem! Year after year, it continues to pump out dozens of pounds of fruit, more than I can eat, and I am more than happy to share my bounty with the community. I heartily recommend picking one up on a dwarf rootstock so they never grow out of reach, because you will be reaching for them with zeal. Also makes for great preserves, as well as pies, cake topping, fruit salad, or whatever else you might need a delicious plum for! We get them in bare-root in late January, and have them every year at the nursery until they sell out!!