We are nearing the end of the line for our Annual Canned Food Drive, but there is still a little bit of time left to take advantage of the savings!  The last day for this year’s event is Sunday, November 15th, so you will have to hurry in if you want to donate food and get your discount.  Five cans of food gets you 20% off of your total sale, even off of items that are already on sale (with just a few minor exclusions).  We have already taken in an enormous amount of food this season for the Oregon Food Bank, and we will be sure to post the final weight of the donations after the drive is finished!

We’ve got lots going on around the store this winter – I’ll write more about that another time!  But all the changes we are making require us to clear out some of our remaining stock.  This week we reduced the price of all our hardy fuchsias to 60%off.  And if you couple that with our canned food drive – bring in five cans or non-perishable packages of food for the Oregon Food Bank -you will receive an additional 20% off.  They won’t last long, and the selection is still good!  Get them in the ground now, and you’ll have fantastic color all through next summer.

Updated 11/12/2009

Going fast at this price:  50% off all Halloween decor.  Bring in 5 cans of food for our annual food drive, and receive an ADDITIONAL 20% off.  Such a deal!

It’s October, and that means three things here at Farmington Gardens – It’s time to plant, the place is looking fantastic with all of the beautiful fall color, and it’s time for our Annual Canned Food Drive!

The Fall Canned Food Drive has been a tradition at Farmington Gardens for longer than any of us can remember, but it is certainly a tradition that keeps getting better every year.  From October 8th through November 15th, you will receive 20% off of your total purchase (with a few minor exceptions) when you bring in 5 cans or packages of food to donate.  This 20% comes of of your total sale, so it even applies to already discounted material!

Last year, we brought in over 2,000 pounds of food that went to the Oregon Food Bank to help those in need in our area, and we are hoping for an even bigger year this year.  The current economic climate has generated a lot of need in our state, and the food bank has been absolutely swamped, so any and all help is appreciated.  So if you want to drop off more than 5 cans of food, we will certainly welcome it.  This is a great opportunity to do something great for the community and save a bundle on plant material for your yard!

Finally, although we still call it the Annual “Canned” Food Drive (it’s one of those hard-wired traditions that are really hard to change), we realize that more and more food items are no longer sold in cans, so donations are not limited to canned items only.  According to the Oregon Food Bank, the most needed items are: Canned meats (i.e., tuna, chicken, salmon), canned and boxed meals (i.e., soup, chili, stew, macaroni and cheese), canned or dried beans and peas (i.e., black, pinto, lentils), pasta, rice, cereal, canned fruits, 100% fruit juice (canned, plastic or boxed), and cooking oil.  Basically anything that is non-perishable is acceptable.

**Update 11/12/09 – Most of these plants are gone, but we still have many wonderful plants in our sale area!**

**Update 09/20/09 -  These plants are disappearing quickly, so don’t miss out on the fantastic deals!**

Fall planting season is upon us, and to help you in your planting endeavors, we have some outstanding deals on overstock field grown plants!  Fall is also the season when we clean out some of our overstock, and we have found some groups of plants that need to find good homes.  Our current super deals include a few varieties of Pines, Blue Spruce, and others.  These are large field grown (balled and burlapped) plants that will establish quickly and have an instant effect in the landscape.  These are going for 60%-90% off of our regular retail prices (most only $10-$20), and supplies are limited, so stop by early for the best selection!

The Sunset Western Garden Book has been one of my favorite go-to gardening resources for more years than I care to share – suffice it to say that I have more than one edition on my shelves.  Since it is specific to the western states, it is very applicable for our Pacific Northwest conditions.   There are maps with their own Sunset zones (and frankly, that is my only problem with Sunset – why can’t they use the USDA zones like everyone else?), as well as lots of lists of plants for different situations:  Plants that attract butterflies; Plants for tropical effects; Plants for dry areas; Rock garden plants…you get the idea.  The plant encyclopedia is quite extensive – it lists climate, exposure requirements, watering needs, toxicity issues, and cultivars.  The feature I like best is the cross-referencing of both common names and botanical names, which makes it very easy to find the information you are looking for, but are unsure of the “correct” name.

If you don’t already have one, I very much recommend this latest edition – it is a beautiful as well as functional book, and good for both novice and veteran gardeners.  And as luck would have it, we have this hardbound gem on sale now, $19.99, reg $39.95.  This would make one terrific and affordable gift – for yourself or a friend!

This sale list is no longer valid

We’ve currently got some great plants on sale, so now is the time to fill in those gaps in the garden.  The autumn rains are coming soon, and the new plantings will get well settled before spring.  Here’s just SOME of what’s been recently reduced:

• All roses – 60% off
• All perennials (1 gallon and larger), except ferns - 20% off
• All planted hanging baskets - 25% off
• All magnolias – 25% off
• All Flowering Dogwood trees – 25% off
• All heuchera, 1 gallon size – 30% off
• All agaves, 1 gallon and larger – 60% off
• All hardy fuchsias, 1 gallon – 40% off

Remember, sale items are limited to stock on hand, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.  We never know how long these prices will be around, so shop early!

The 2009 Green Thumb Sale is over, but will be back next summer!  In the meantime, be sure to check out all of the other specials we currently have here on our blog!

As we cool down a bit and leave the smoldering temperatures of the past week behind us, we would like to let you know that we have decided to extend our Annual Green Thumb sale by an extra week!

Many people were simply not able to make it out due to the extreme weather, and we ended up closing early on a few days earlier in the week for the safety of our employees and guests, so not everyone was able to take advantage of the sale prices.

The official end date for the 2009 Green thumb Sale will now be Sunday, August 9th.  We still have lots of sale items in stock, but some items are running low and may be gone before the end of the sale, so shop early for the best selection!

Also, be sure to keep a close eye on your plants and their watering.  The extreme heat may be behind us, but even temperatures in the 80’s and 90’s can dry a plant out quickly!

Thursday, July 23rd marks the beginning of our 16th Annual Green Thumb Sale!  Our biggest sale of the year only lasts for 2 weeks, but the deals are amazing, and the prices are never lower.  This year’s sale is the biggest ever, and a majority of things in the store are on sale during the event.  You can download a complete sale list here. Remember though, this sale ends August 2nd, and some items may sell out quickly at these ridiculously low prices.  Shop early, and check back often as more items will probably be put on sale as the sale progresses!

The 2009 Green Thumb Sale is over, but will be back next summer!  In the meantime, be sure to check out all of the other specials we currently have here on our blog!

These Sales Are Expired and are No Longer Valid

Spring is here, and the plants are leafing out and starting to grow like crazy.  This includes the Japanese Maples, and it turns out that we have a few extras that need to go to make room for new crops.  So, for a limited time, we now have several incredible Japanese Maple deals that will probably never be seen again!  This is your chance for grower direct savings of 25%-80% off of our regular prices on selected varieties, until they sell out!

Our current Japanese Maple Blowout Selections, while supplies last:

• Emperor I Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Emperor I’) – 7 gallon size, $29.99 each (regularly $79.99)
• Katsura Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Katsura’) – 20 gallon size, $99.99 each (regularly $199.99)
• Kiyohime Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Kiyohime’) – 3′-4′ size, $19.99 each (regularly $99.99)
• Coralbark Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’) – 7 gallon size, $39.99 each (regularly $79.99)
• Crimson Queen Laceleaf Japanese  Maple (Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Crimson Queen’) – 7 gallon size, $39.99 each (regularly $79.99)
• Green Laceleaf Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Viridis’) – 2 gallon size, $9.99 each (regularly $34.99)

These prices are only good while supplies last, so hurry in before they are gone!  Below are some pictures of these varieties for your reference.

These sales are now out of date and the offers are no longer valid.

It is time to thin the herd, as they say, to make room for cool stuff soon to arrive.  These prices won’t last long, so shop early, because when they’re gone, they’re gone!

• Lonicera nitida 5 gallon – 25% off
• Buxus sempervirens variegated 5 gallon – 25% off
• Juniper tam 1 gallon – 3.99, reg 5.99
• Cotinus Grace 7 gallon – 25% off
• Bamboo 20% off
• Camellias 20% off
• Daphne odora Marginata 1 gallon – 20%
• Acer palmatum Goshiki Kotahime 5 gallon 49.99. reg 79.99