Friday, May 1, 2020

Getting back to business (safely)

My local garden center has been closed to in-store traffic since the latter part of March when businesses began to shut down in response in California's order to stay at home for all but "essential" business.  While California classified garden centers, plant nurseries, and agricultural supply stores as essential services, the employee-owned garden center chain store near me elected to remain open for on-line and phone orders for pickup or delivery only.  Customers weren't permitted to wander about the grounds on their own.  I picked up one order placed by phone but, without the ability to see what they had on hand, that purchase was limited to a couple of tomato plants, fertilizer, planting mix, and compost.  I used a mail order nursery based in Northern California to fill other needs.  Yesterday, I called my local garden center to place another order for planting mix for an area I'm trying to rejuvenate and, much to my delight, I learned that the store was reopening.

I paid a visit soon after the store opened this morning.  As expected, they'd implemented the same kind of controls used by local food markets.  Masks were required for everyone.  Customer traffic was managed by a  concierge at the front entrance.  Carts were wiped down.  Cashiers were positioned behind plexiglass shields and credit/debit card readers were positioned to keep customers away from them.  No cash transactions were permitted.  Social distancing requirements were reinforced by signs and directional arrows.  It was busier than I'd have expected for a Friday morning but, as it's a relatively large place, there was no problem staying an appropriate distance from other customers.  Although I'd come for planting and potting mix, I wasn't able to pass up the opportunity to take a quick spin to check out the plant selection.

I used my phone to snap a few photos.  As shade covers are used throughout the garden area, my photos aren't great but the place was immaculate and the plant counters were full.

May camera was pointed toward the ground covers and vegetable sections here

Vegetables were front and center, reflecting the new interest many people have in growing food

I was in the shade plant area here looking toward the benches containing small perennials

I only glanced at the shrub area, not wishing to tarry


Did I leave only with planting and potting mix?  Of course not!  Still, I didn't dilly-dally much either.  In addition to the soil mixes, I brought home a flat of 'Elfin' thyme and a few plants.

From front to back, I picked up: Cuphea 'Honeybells' (2), purple pepper (1), Hunnemannia fumarifolia 'Sunlite' (aka Mexican tulip poppy, 1), 'Sungold' cherry tomato (1 for a friend), and Lavender stoechas 'Anouk' (2)


So now I'm set to take advantage of the comfortable temperatures we expect throughout the weekend.

In other good news, Ms Pipig completed her last chemotherapy treatment yesterday afternoon.  It's been a long haul from surgery to address the breast cancer we discovered in early December, through multiple tests, and six chemotherapy treatments, each spread three weeks apart.  All looks good at the moment and Pipig has the credentials to prove it.

The clinic sent us home with a bandana and a certificate

Pipig had her stomach shaved (again) for her ultrasound test but that's hopefully the last time for that.  She rolled herself into the sun outside her "catio," clearly appreciating the warmth of the paving stones.


We're both relieved.  Moreover, my nephew, who'd been battling Covid19-like symptoms for weeks, is feeling better.  All in all, it feels like a good start to the weekend.  I hope you find some silver linings in your weekend too.


All material © 2012-2020 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

27 comments:

  1. How wonderful to go and see plants and browse.I haven't bought a single plant for 6 weeks.I'm like a drug addict going cold turkey. Of course you can still get mail order here, but like you, I love going to nuseries and picking out my own plants. I'm glad you are enjoying good newsl

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    1. It wasn't quite a normal nursery visit experience, Chloris, as I still felt a degree of urgency about getting in and out as quickly as possible, just as I do now when I visit a grocery store. But it was still nice to be among plants again and know I could actually take some home with me!

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    2. Exactly! That feeling of urgency to get in and get out quickly. Leisurely wandering through tables of plants, trying things out in my head is gone. Too busy making sure I'm keeping distance & feeling pretty much nothing but cautious avoidance. It feels very strange.

      SO joyful over Pipig! What a sweetie.

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    3. As much as we'd all like to get back to how things used to be, I imagine that's going to take a long, long time. Best wishes Sandy!

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  2. I am so envious! We're now on week 8... but at least my garden center friends were willing to take an order over the phone, which they delivered last week. I ordered lots of compost, potting soil, bamboo poles and seedling, because I'm now focusing on a C19 Victory Garden! Thank you for the photos - enjoy your freedom!

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    1. I replaced my vegetable garden with a cutting garden a few years ago and have recently felt regret about that. I've got artichokes planted on my back slope, though, and I've recently squeezed tomatoes and strawberries in among the flowers in my cutting garden. Good wishes with your C19 Victory Garden, LoLM!

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  3. Didn't know what Armstrong's status was--thanks. Now tempted to visit, but will work at not going. You got some nice plants--the Cuphea looks interesting. Hummannnia here is in full bloom now, love that plant.

    Glad your nephew is feeling better, and great news on Pipig. Wonderful to see her do what a cat should do: nap in a warm place.

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    1. I'm not certain all stores in the Armstrong chain have reopened but the Torrance store has. I'd already planned a phone order for planting mix so I was committed to a pickup visit, which made taking that next step easier. It was like visits to the grocery store are now, though - I focused on getting in and out with relatively little dilly-dallying. The Hunnemannia was an impulse purchase, however. My other one died out in 2 years and didn't self-seed. I'm going to put this one is a more hospitable spot.

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  4. Plant shopping and healthy loved ones...life is good!

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    1. Yes, it really put a positive spin on the weekend, Loree!

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  5. I can't wait for our local garden nursery to re-open. I haven't ordered online because they've been swamped with orders after setting up their new online shop, plus I like to pick my own.

    So happy to hear of Ms Pipig's good news and that your nephew is feeling better. :)

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    1. The mail order nurseries here have been swamped too, and shipping preparations are more time-consuming as well due to social distancing requirements. I hope you have the opportunity to shop onsite soon!

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  6. Good news about Pipig and your nephew - I like that healthy trend. :)
    I went to my favorite seasonal plant stand on Saturday, which I was pleased to see opened for the season. Because they have food plants, they are 'essential' but of course, I was there for flowers! Most folks were wearing masks and practicing distancing, but there was a long line for checkout (6' apart requires a long line!) creating bottlenecks with other shoppers trying to pass. I ended up grabbing what I had and bailing as it got too crowded for comfort. Being their first weekend open, I expect they will figure out the snags before the Board of Health steps in. As of tomorrow, masks in public are required by MA governor edict. About time.

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    1. The supermarkets had difficulty managing the social distancing requirements when they first started too - I'm sure your seasonal plant stand will figure it out. I'm surprised about the lag in ordering masks in MA but then the mixed messaging during the early stages of the pandemic concerning the value of masks and the failure of White House leadership to set an example didn't help matters.

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  7. I am so happy to hear that Pipig is doing well! Our provincial government just allowed nurseries to reopen, as part of the 1st phase of returning to "normal". I'm planning a trip in the next couple of weeks or so, but the centre I'm going to has imposed strict guidelines (i.e. you can't touch anything unless it's to put it in your cart), so I'll likely not dilly dally either, which will be hard for me as I'm a born dawdler! Still, I'm really looking forward to it.

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    1. I usually take a ridiculous amount of time perusing the shelves at my garden center before making decisions myself, Margaret. But it's funny how the nervousness about exposure to the virus gets one moving with a greater sense of urgency.

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  8. So glad about Pipig and your nephew and glad you were able to a make a garden center visit. I'm still staying home except for groceries but finally, after a traumatic episode of being trapped at my mailbox across the road, had a sheriff's deputy come out about a neighbor's dog who has been threatening me. It's been a 2 month ordeal but hopefully he will re-home her or get an electric fence installed. I'm out in the country and many folks don't believe in keeping their dogs under control. I was able to do some garden clean up today and have the poison ivy rash to prove it!

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    1. Oh no, Barbara! With all the anxiety associated with this pandemic, the last thing you need is a neighbor problem like that. I hope the problem is resolved. I'm glad you had an opportunity to do some work outside but I'm sorry you got a rash in the process!

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  9. So glad for you that your garden center is open again Kris! There is nothing more soothing than strolling through aisles of flowers and plants. Although the selection in your garden could surely rival any garden center.
    On the other hand, also equally glad that Pipig has finished her treatments and is sunning herself as a reward. I'm sure you're relieved and hopeful for a full recovery! Best wishes to her!

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    1. I can't say I "strolled" through the garden center, Cindy - I took the trip at more of a good clip, a woman on a mission!

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  10. So good to see that things are going back to more normal affairs. It will be so exciting to be able to get out and about. Happy to see Pipig with her bill of health. Things are looking up in your corner of the world. I hope you enjoyed your weekend and got all your plants into the ground.

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    1. I got half the plants in, Lisa - it's hard to avoid getting side-tracked when there's still a lot that needs tending in the garden.

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  11. There's an Armstrong in biking distance of my home, but your Torrance one will always be special to me because it's where my youngest son met his wife! They both loved working there. I wish I had some sun for a patch of hunnemania, but something's gotta give before that happens! So glad Pipig finished her treatment in time to enjoy spring.

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    1. that's a nice story and a wonderful memory, Denise. Pipig is currently enjoying the warmer temperatures on her enclosed catio, by sleeping of course.

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  12. Oh garden centres are still to open here Kris and will no doubt be busy when they do - probably too busy. Interesting to see that the vegetables were centre stage. Good to hear that Pipig is doing well and that your nephew is getting stronger.

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    1. Garden center schedules seem to be another difference reflective of our very different climates, Anna - garden centers here are open year-round (usually). There are suddenly a lot of people building C19 Victory Gardens here!

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  13. Delighted and relieved that Pipig and your nephew are doing well.

    At our usual supermarket - the broadcast message is, buy what you need, hop to it, go home and stay home - in the nicest possible way, of course!

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