Design n Bloom - Eagan Florist - Blog

Rake leaves? Not me!

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 12:10:00 -0500

This time of year, leaves get a lot of attention. First, we all enjoy the brilliant colors that fill the landscape as the nights get cooler. Later, we don't enjoy the tasks of cleaning them up as they drop on our lawns and fill the streets and gutters. So, what are we to do? Back when I was growing up, all we had was a rake. Now, you not only have rakes, but you also have blowers, blower/vacuums and shredders. Well, as it turns out, none of those are the best thing for you, your lawn, or the environment.

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Just Got Engaged? Congratulations! (You're not alone)

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 16:40:00 -0600

On average, the time between an engagement and the wedding is about 15 months. It seems like a long ways off. Right? It's amazing how much gets left to the last minute, even with meticulous planners. With today's economy, more couples are trying to find ways to limit their wedding budget and you have every right to. You need to get educated very quickly on how to plan and budget successfully for your wedding.

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Why Do We Garden?

Sun, 03 Aug 2014 13:10:00 -0500

As I am out dealing with 'weeds', I often wonder about what I'm really doing. After all, a plant is a weed only by circumstance. And, what compels me to do what I do? I yank one plant out by the roots, yet gently nestle another in nearby.

I realize plants grow in places we don't want them to. And - they won't grow where we do want them to. They grow in places we don't expect them to. And they've grown without us doting over them and bringing them water and food. All of this leads to a very difficult question to answer - Why does it matter? Why do we garden?

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After the Storm - What To Do Next

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 21:20:00 -0500

How's everybody doing today? Anybody see any talking lions, scarecrows, tin men or flying monkeys?

Last night we got some wicked hail here in the Twin Cities - in Eagan, we got over 1" of rain and after the hail stopped, most of the ground was completely white. This morning, I still had a pile of hail on the deck that hadn't melted, yet. Today, it was time to clean up.

Check for impending danger!

If you have trees or overhead power lines near your property, make sure you start by looking up. There may still be branches that haven't fallen completely and could land on you, a family member or a neighbor. Or, a tree trunk may be split and it will only be a matter of time before it topples over. Clear the area of any potential danger before proceeding with any other clean up effort.

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Today is Mother's Day! Let the planting begin!

Sun, 12 May 2013 07:20:00 -0500

Today I noticed our lilies are starting to sprout. These are lilies we received (yes, even florists and gardeners get plants and flower arrangements as gifts) and then planted around our yard.

Trivia question: When do Easter lilies bloom?

Well, that's a bit of a trick question! Normally, lilies will bloom in mid-summer. The lily plants you see blooming at Easter have been forced to bloom at that time by exposing them to 1,000 hours (42 days) of moist cold temperatures and then warming them up to 60 - 70 F, causing them to sprout and then bloom. Once they sprout, it is about 40 - 45 days before they bloom, at least in our yard here in Eagan MN (between USDA hardiness zones 4 and 5)

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Care and Feeding of Your Arrangements

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:10:00 -0600

Your fresh arrangement has been prepped and fed to give you long-lasting enjoyment. Every arrangement we deliver was made to order with the freshest flowers possible. To keep your bouquet looking fresh longer, we've prepared a care and feeding guide for you.

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Flowers for St. Valentine

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:00:00 -0600

 We are coming up on the 14th of February - a day set aside to observe love and devotion.

Since Valentine's Day is observed worldwide, this isn't just another Hallmark holiday. It is the second most celebrated holiday in the world (New Year's Day is #1). In fact, Valentine's Day goes back quite a ways - to the 5th century, when Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as a day to honor St. Valentine (A real person! Actually, there are several saints named Valentine - possibly as many as 11). keep reading ...

Mae Flowers

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 21:20:00 -0500

Both of us had grandparents known for their gardens and we were blessed to get to know them. We hope we may have even inherited some of their passion. For them, gardening was much more than tending plants - it was a part of life. Their gardens allowed them to share their abundance with friends and neighbors, and were not just for their own enjoyment.

Mae Holm (Gayle's grandma), passed away last May, at the age of 103. Today would have been her 104th birthday. Grandma was the original namesake for Design n Bloom - we were Mae Flowers - but, it was suggested we choose a more descriptive name. keep reading ...

Blue is the New Green

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:50:00 -0500

Recently, I attended a seminar on planting for clean water presented by the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District (Dakota County SWCD), Blue Thumb and the city of Eagan. Living in the Land of 10,000 Lakes and truly enjoying sitting on our deck looking out over a man-made pond each summer, we have a vested interest in how we plan and care for water management in our yards.

Just counting those with a surface area of an acre or more, there are about 200 natural lakes and wetlands in Eagan, and almost all are part of a stormwater drainage system. Adding in the man-made waterbodies, there are over 1,200. The stormwater management area shared with my neighbors "across the pond' is much smaller than that, but it supports quite a bit of wildlife. From the time the ice is out (nice and early this year) until it freezes over again in December, we watch for the returning ducks and mergansers to hatch new generations of their families, listen for the frogs to start their springtime serenades (a couple just started last night), and we smile when the turtles wake up and start sunning themselves on the big rock again.

You may not have a waterbody on your property like we do, but chances are, you enjoy time at a lake or on a river - Minnesota has the highest percentage of people vacationing in the state where they live. You've also got a roof over your heads, rain gutters and downspouts to divert water away from your foundation, a driveway, sidewalks and probably a little bit of lawn. Everyone of those contributes to runoff and adds to the stormwater management system. If we don't do a better job of restoring some of the native plantings that used to handle rainfall, more of our waterbodies will be turning green instead of blue.

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Eagan Wedding Workshop 2012

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:30:00 -0600

It's always more enjoyable when you get to know the people in your community. Eagan is a great community and there are some great local businesses, especially when it comes to wedding venues and vendors.

That's why we're excited to be participating in The Wedding Workshop, a local wedding fair being held at the Eagan Community Center on March 18 from 1 - 4 p.m.

You will be able to talk to over 30 different businesses that provide products and services for weddings - everyone from caterers to photographers to bakers to formal wear. There will even be a florist or 2 to check out.

Eagan Community Center is located at 1501 Central Parkway, near the Lockheed Martin campus just off Pilot Knob Road. Admission to The Wedding Workshop is only $2 and one of the prizes is $100 off your rental at Eagan Community Center. We'll be offering some specials, too, but you'll need to stop by to find out what they are!

I'm glad we'll be there, because we'll be able to meet some of the other businesses in Eagan that offer wedding services.