Garden Center Blog

you had us at pansies

Happy Vernal Equinox! And last Friday was everything I was hoping for the first day of spring. Despite that blizzard, the month of March, thus far, has felt fairly mild and if you look at Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, known...

plant a butterfly buffet

Learn About Butterflies Day was March 14th and it always reminds me that the battle between strength and fragility is not illustrated more clearly than by a butterfly. About 130 of these brightly colored beauties can be spotted during the spring and summer in...

signposts of spring

As winter recedes, each sign of spring seems more symbolic than the last. And this year’s teasing tone has made all of us more than a little crazy. Personally, I’m longing for thunderstorms instead of snow showers. The sandhill crane’s raspy call or the melodious song...

coax some early spring bounty

A beautiful vase of flowers is a perfect remedy for chasing away the late winter blues when all we really want is to see is the light of spring at the end of winter’s tunnel. So how can you add the color and fragrance of flowers to your home without breaking the bank?...

how long until spring!

We’ve experienced some lovely weather this month and the warming temperatures will definitely be a trend as we move into March. We hope that you have a chance to get outside and enjoy those beautiful days. And even though, these steps into early spring will be...

lion? or lamb?

What exactly determines the difference between lamb and lion weather? Temperature? Precipitation? Clear skies? I’ve never been sure. I’ve checked all 6 of my favorite weather apps and forecasts range from 30 degrees and sunny to 24 degrees with a 30% chance of snow....

let the growing begin

It’s a bit early, but if you’ve already started some seeds, those baby seedlings may be growing like Jack’s beanstalks. Be sure that you check them every day and observe their progress. Water whenever the soil surface is dry to the touch and feed them every other week...

be our valentine

Valentine’s Day, as well as the more inclusive Palentine’s and Galentine’s days, are this weekend and everyone at the Bruce Company wishes you and everyone you love a great day! Have you wondered why red roses are the go-to flower for Valentine’s Day giving? Or why...

a flower blooms in winter

Even though it’s barely started, you may find yourself getting a bit sick of winter. My guess is that the recent super cold days have contributed to many cases of cabin fever and a longing for the sight of some swelling buds and tender green shoots. I see two choices....

duck. duck. groundhog?

Monday will find many a modern gardener checking the sky as soon as their alarm clock rings. Why? Groundhog Day! While Punxsutawney Phil may be more famous, in Wisconsin, Jimmy rules. Let’s explore the origins of this quirky American holiday. Spoiler alert though....
spring into summer!

spring into summer!

written by Lisa Briggs
Early summer is an especially nice time to start a garden journal. Your what-to-do-in-the-garden-today lists have shortened and everything is just so achingly beautiful.

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is it finally time to plant?

is it finally time to plant?

written by Lisa Briggs
May is many a gardener’s favorite month, and this year even more so! The seesaw spring had spring flowers developing in fits and starts, but the warm temps late last week pushed many plants hard, all at once.

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the 64 dollar gardening question

the 64 dollar gardening question

written by Lisa Briggs
I find that the pace of spring seems more accelerated every year and this season is especially frenzied. The yoyo temperatures had all of us itching to start gardening in March, even though those chilly nights held back a lot of our plant deliveries and trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals are arriving early!

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we are so ready for spring!

we are so ready for spring!

written by Lisa Briggs
April’s crazy temperature swings had gardeners racing from the urge to get tomatoes in the ground to the scrambling to dig up floating row covers and empty utility pots from the back of the garage.

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is spring here to stay?

is spring here to stay?

written by Lisa Briggs
Last weekend’s really warm days gave us a taste of the summer to come, but the unseasonably high temps should moderate for the next few days to something more seasonal.

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beauty can be fleeting

beauty can be fleeting

written by Lisa Briggs
Every spring, gardeners hold their collective breath as we wait for the first green shoots pushing through the warming soil. To be a perennial gardener in this climate requires great faith in your choices.

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