Armstrong Flower Shops

Armstrong IA News

Aug 3, 2020

A pandemic garden of joy and happiness in just three months - Marin Independent Journal

Of the plantings in the raised beds, most of them were grown from seed, while the remainder were starts from Armstrong Garden Centers in Novato. One of her strategies for success was to put plants together in certain beds for optimal growth, she says. “I also planted pollinators and native flowers.” In what was supposed to be a simple salsa garden is an exuberant display of vegetables, including tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, jalapeños, pumpkins, watermelon, lettuce, eggplant, basil, rosemary, cilantro, corn and cucumbers. There are also flowers, of course: sunflowers, marigolds, lavender, zinnias and dahlias. “Dahlias are my absolute favorite flower and my favorite variety is called ‘SB’s Sunny,’” Miller says. “There are so many varieties and each one is unique. I love the colors and the shape of the petals.” Miller wants to extend her garden in autumn and is planning her plantings for spring. “I can’t wait to add more fruit trees and try growing potatoes,” she says. This space has given her more than fruits and vegetables to eat and flowers to enjoy, it’s given her a great sense of accomplishment. “Creating something from nothing is amazing,” she says. It has also given her a new way to experience nature each day. Photo by Arianne MillerPollinator plants, such as zinnias and dahlias, mingle with fruits and vegetables in Arianne Miller’s Novato garden. “I love seeing the birds enjoying the garden,” she says. “I love the early morning light, picking the vegetables and watering everything by hand.” She has two tips to share with readers. “Plant what you love,” she says. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. If I can do it, so can you.” Miller can’t share her peaches with all of us, but she offers her recipe for summer peach crisp. RECIPE Arianne Miller’s summer peach crisp 4 cups sliced fresh peaches ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup cold butter 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup rolled oats Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange peaches evenly in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Mix flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt in a bowl using a pastry cutter until evenly crumbled. Fold oats into flour mixture; sprinkle and press topping into peaches. Bake the crisp in a preheated oven until the topping is lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Show off your garden Since the popular home and ...

May 1, 2020

Flowers dropped on Upland porches are ‘random acts of kindness’ amid coronavirus crisis - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

James Russell, vice president of wholesale operations for Armstrong Growers, was sick of throwing out product. As a nonessential business, his retail centers are closed during the coronavirus pandemic and ornamental flowers are going into the trash bin.Last weekend he had an idea. He got in his truck and began dropping off flower baskets at homes around his neighborhood. All told, he left 28 colorful flower arrays on porches in Upland. “I love Upland,” he said on Friday, April 24. “The houses are so beautiful here. So my wife and I have been going around dropping off flowers.” Flowers were dropped off at random homes in Upland last weekend. James Russell of Armstrong Growers, left this note with each basket explaining that these flowers were not being sold due to the coronavirus non-essential business shutdown. (Photo Courtesy of Dylan White). Cynthia Gonzalez looked out her living room window on Sunday, April 19, and saw a man in a truck pull up to her home and place a basket of flowers on her porch along with a note. He was wearing a mask b...

Jul 5, 2019

Garden events in the San Fernando Valley, June 7-14 - LA Daily News

Maintenance,” with Steve Singer, 1:30 p.m. June 29 ($35). Reservations required. 10459 Tuxford St., Sun Valley. 818-768-1802. www.theodorepayne.org Armstrong Garden Centers classes: “Rose Care,” 9 a.m. June 15. Area locations include: 5816 San Fernando Road, Glendale (818-243-4227); 1515 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge (818-790-2555); 12920 Magnolia Blvd., Sherman Oaks (818-761-1522); 50 Taylor Court, Thousand Oaks (805-497-9223). Check website for other locations. Call ahead to confirm your location is holding the class. Free. Upcoming: “Tropical Plants,” 9 a.m. June 22; “Growing Plumerias,” July 6. www.armstronggarden.com Orchid Society of Southern California Orchid Auction: The annual auction event begins with bidder registration and plant inspection, noon June 22. Bidding begins, 1 p.m. First Christian Church, 221 S. Sixth St., Burbank. 323-478-0016. Email: info@orchidssc.org. www.orchidssc.org VISIT Adamson House and Malibu Lagoon Museum: Guided tours of the house, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Garden tour, 10 a.m. Friday. Admission $7; $2 ages 6-16; cash only. 23200 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. 310-456-8432. www.adamsonhouse.org Conejo Valley Botanical Garden: Specialty gardens include bird habitat, butterfly, desert, rare fruit, herb, orchard and tranquility. Hours: sunrise-sunset daily. Closed on July 4; heavy rain and if trails are muddy (trails may be muddy for several days after rain). Children’s garden: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. 400 W. Gainsborough Road, Thousand Oaks. 805-494-7630. www.conejogarden.org Descanso Gardens: Specialty gardens include ancient forest, California natives, camellias, Japanese, lilacs, oak forest and rose. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (except closed on Christmas). Admission $9; $6 seniors and students; $4 ages 5-12. 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. 818-949-4200. www.descansogardens.org Gardens of the World: Specialty gardens include English perennial, French, Italian, Japanese, mission courtyard and rose. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Closed on major holidays. Free. 2001 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 805-557-1135. www.gardensoftheworld.info The Getty Center: Tours of grounds and the Central Garden. Check website for hours. Free admission. Parking $15. Getty Center Drive at North Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles. 310-440-7300. www.getty.edu Huntington Botanical Gardens: Specialty gardens include Australian, children’s, Chinese, desert, herb, Japanese, palm and rose. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except closed on Tuesdays. Closed on New Year’s Day, July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Admission $25/$29; $21/$24 ages 65 and older and ages 12-18; $13 ages 4-11 (first price is weekday; second is weekend). 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. 626-405-2100. www.huntington.org The Japanese Garden: Stroll through the “dry” Zen meditation and the “wet” gardens. Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Guided tours by advance reservation Monday-Thursday mornings. Call to check for unscheduled closures; closed if it rains 24 hours before opening and during open h...

Jun 22, 2019

Edible flowers talk among upcoming garden events - Marin Independent Journal

Margaret Todd Senior Center, 1560 Hill Road, Novato. Email gardenclubnovato@gmail.com or call 415-898-0444. Workshops and gardening classes: Armstrong Garden Center in Novato offer free classes to gardeners of all skill levels most Saturdays. Call 415-878-0493 or go to armstronggarden.com. Workshops and seminars: Sloat Garden Center has five Marin County locations that offer gardening workshops and seminars on a weekly basis. Check sloatgardens.com for schedule, locations and cost. Workshops and seminars: The Marin Master Gardeners present a variety of how-to workshops, seminars and special events throughout Marin County on a weekly basis. Check ucanr.edu/sites/MarinMG for schedule, locations and cost. Workshops and seminars: Marin Rose Society presents monthly lectures on growing roses and good garden practices. Check marinrose.org for schedule and locations. Seminars: The Marin Orchid Society presents lectures on raising orchids at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month in the Morning Glory Room, 750 Lindaro St., San Rafael. Call 415-895-0667. Gardening volunteers: Marin Art & Garden Center in Ross seeks volunteers for maintenance, weeding, transplanting and mulching. Call 415-455-5260. Gardening volunteers: The Novato Streetscape Committee seeks volunteers for weeding and planting on several traffic islands in Novato from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. most Saturdays. These sites are predominantly California native and drought resistant plants. Call 415-897-7124 Gardening volunteers: The Novato Independent Elders Program seeks seasonal vo...

Mar 15, 2019

Garden events in the San Fernando Valley, March 15-22 - LA Daily News

Earl Warren Show Grounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. www.sborchidshow.com MARCH 16 Armstrong Garden Centers class: "Fragrant Garden," 8 a.m. Locations include: 5816 San Fernando Road, Glendale (818-243-4227); 1515 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge (818-790-2555); 12920 Magnolia Blvd., Sherman Oaks (818-761-1522); 50 Taylor Court, Thousand Oaks (805-497-9223). Check website for other locations. Upcoming: “Growing Perfect Tomatoes,” 8 a.m. March 23. www.armstronggarden.com Night Garden – Plant Power: Variety of activities on the theme of plant usages including making potpourri, learning about essential oils, oak lore and meditation in nature, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Advance tickets required, $15. Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. 818-949-4200. descansogardens.org MARCH 19 Geraniums A-Z: Master flower show judge and floral designer Gundrun Kimmel discusses the topic at a meeting of the Southern California Garden Club, 11 a.m. The meeting begins with a plant market and plant specimen display, 9:30; business meeting, 10; club member Gail Vanderhorst discusses "Adaptive Gardening," 10:30 a.m. Bring your own lunch, noon. Sepulveda Garden Center, 16633 Magnolia Blvd., Encino. 818-361-7873. www.southerncaliforniagardenclub.com MARCH 21 The Sweet, the Foul and the Awesome Asciepiads: Sandy Chase discusses the topic at a meeting of the Burbank African Violet Society, 10 a.m. Little White Chapel Christian Church, 1711 N. Avon St., Burbank. 818-951-3597. The Secret Gardens of Forest Lawn-Glendale: The Glendale Historical Society presents a two-part program: Lecture and slide show, 7-8:30 p.m. On March 23, a tour of two locked gardens and the meditation garden 1-5 p.m. Free. First come, first seated. Meet at Forest La...

Mar 15, 2019

Flower Fields set to bloom big-time March 1 - Escondido Grapevine

The remainder of these flowers are grown to provide the ranunculus bulbs. Fresh cut flowers are sold at the adjacent Armstrong Garden Center. Thanks to cooperative efforts between the land's owner, the grower, The City of Carlsbad, The Carlsbad Agricultural Improvement Fund and the California Coastal Conservancy, this colorful hillside will continue to welcome visitors for years to come. SEASONS AND HISTORY Flowers in full bloom at the famous Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch/Andy Wilhelm According to Taylor Morgan of Garden Collage Magazine, the ranunculi planting cycle begins in the Fall, as six- to seven- foot tall walls are temporarily positioned to usher million of tiny seeds into their respective rows in the Carlsbad Flower Fields, creating a funnel for them to be pollinated by the wind. This is a requirement for their survival, as ranunculus have no fragrance or nectar to incentivize pollinators. The seeds resemble Quaker Oat flakes, which can often become problematic for the methodical vision the farm strives for– a true synchronicity of variety and color. In order to give weight and consistency to the seeds, silica sand is mixed in with the seeds before they are sprinkled in the planting rows. A tractor will then form an additional layer of mulch and compost appropriate to their sowing. Approximately four weeks later, the ranunculus seed germinates, but it can take up to six months for lush blossom to take shape. The Flower Fields in Carlsbad have a reputation that proceeds them: over eight-million ranunculus grow in this distinct region of Southern California annually, blooming in April through May. People come from all over the world to see them. The flowers are watered on a drip-system that the farm has cleverly implemented since the ‘70s. The computerized system acts as a moisture sensor for the soil, enabling farmers to prevent over-watering- water has become an increasingly rare commodity in California these days- and monitors the moisture off-site. "When the city of Carlsbad installed the reclaimed water line, up Palomar Airport Road, they asked if we would like a sideline to our property," Fred Clarke, the farm's General Manager, explained during my visit. "We have access to lots of reclaimed water and the city has said we are somewhat drought-proof because of that. But we are still a working farm with 55-acres of ocean-view property, so monitoring water is always important to us." When the ranunculus flowers fade, which happens sequentially beginning at the furthest point north where seeds are first planted, the bulbs' tuberous root- the bulb of the plant- is harvested by machine. Next, they are air-dried and sorted according to size, before being packaged.