By Liz Lipsitz:
That's right. Urban Roots is a year round garden center. The snow is on the ground, the ground below has frozen, the plants are all asleep under their blanket (at least for the moment.) So what's a garden center to do in winter? Well, for a few years now we've been trying to figure that out, we've tried a thing or two, had good results and bad. We're ready to talk a little about what's going on.
The holidays are almost done, and Urban Roots was a lively holiday store this season. Living Christmas trees, wreaths and greens, poinsettias and other holiday plants, as well as gifts galore for gardeners, including many local- and artist-made items. If there's a gardener in your life, you might want to think of us on Valentines Day or birthdays, too.
Indoor gardening is a growing interest for many gardeners and a real passion for some. It is a wonderful salve for the soul of the gardener who is getting that itch for the soil in mid-winter. Urban Roots is working to make our garden center a destination for indoor gardeners with a large selection of houseplant varieties and sizes. Easy to grow standbys like philodendron and peace lily, along with undemanding cacti and succulents, as well as some more challenging plants. Soon we will bring in a selection of orchids. We have pots and other containers, as well as all the supplies you might need for your indoor gardening chores. We are particularly excited about Wooly Pockets, a modular vertical planting system that is made from recycled material and hangs on the wall, available for indoors or out. (Learn more about Wooly Pockets at urbanroots.org)
For gardeners who are interested in making their gardens a habitat for birds as well as blooms, Urban Roots has a good selection of bird feeders, houses, suet and seed. We carry an interesting and informative array of books and other resource material on gardening and related topics. And of course, throughout the year we continue to stock basic tools, gloves, and supplies that any garden center would be expected to carry - just in case you can't wait until spring to get that particular organic plant food or really perfect weeder you or someone you care about is going to need in the shed when the earth thaws.
Educational programming has been an important part of the mission of Urban Roots since the beginning. We offer workshops on gardening topics, all year round, with a very active workshop schedule this winter, including backyard birding, vermicomposting, seed starting and native plants, among others. We had a fun and successful workshop in December on making your own decorated boxwood holiday tree.
Another highlight of our winter programming is Gardeners' Give & Take, a low-key round table discussion that might address questions, how-to instructions, favorite plants, problems, projects, plans or public policy in any given Saturday morning session. There is a place at this table for the beginner as well as the experienced gardener. We'll put up the coffee. (To see the schedule of workshops and Gardeners' Give & Take, visit urbanroots.org. Advance registration is requested: visit the store or workshops@urbanroots.org or call 716-362-8982.)
Urban Roots is a cooperative that will be entering its 5th year this spring. We are thrilled to say that we hit member/owner number 700 (and beyond) during the month of December. Urban Roots is located at 428 Rhode Island St. on Buffalo's west side. We're working hard to be an asset to our community and our city. Most of all, we are working hard to be a good garden center - a year round garden center.
Urban Roots
428 Rhode Island
Buffalo, NY 14213
(716) 362-8982
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That's right. Urban Roots is a year round garden center. The snow is on the ground, the ground below has frozen, the plants are all asleep under their blanket (at least for the moment.) So what's a garden center to do in winter? Well, for a few years now we've been trying to figure that out, we've tried a thing or two, had good results and bad. We're ready to talk a little about what's going on.
The holidays are almost done, and Urban Roots was a lively holiday store this season. Living Christmas trees, wreaths and greens, poinsettias and other holiday plants, as well as gifts galore for gardeners, including many local- and artist-made items. If there's a gardener in your life, you might want to think of us on Valentines Day or birthdays, too.
Indoor gardening is a growing interest for many gardeners and a real passion for some. It is a wonderful salve for the soul of the gardener who is getting that itch for the soil in mid-winter. Urban Roots is working to make our garden center a destination for indoor gardeners with a large selection of houseplant varieties and sizes. Easy to grow standbys like philodendron and peace lily, along with undemanding cacti and succulents, as well as some more challenging plants. Soon we will bring in a selection of orchids. We have pots and other containers, as well as all the supplies you might need for your indoor gardening chores. We are particularly excited about Wooly Pockets, a modular vertical planting system that is made from recycled material and hangs on the wall, available for indoors or out. (Learn more about Wooly Pockets at urbanroots.org)
For gardeners who are interested in making their gardens a habitat for birds as well as blooms, Urban Roots has a good selection of bird feeders, houses, suet and seed. We carry an interesting and informative array of books and other resource material on gardening and related topics. And of course, throughout the year we continue to stock basic tools, gloves, and supplies that any garden center would be expected to carry - just in case you can't wait until spring to get that particular organic plant food or really perfect weeder you or someone you care about is going to need in the shed when the earth thaws.
Educational programming has been an important part of the mission of Urban Roots since the beginning. We offer workshops on gardening topics, all year round, with a very active workshop schedule this winter, including backyard birding, vermicomposting, seed starting and native plants, among others. We had a fun and successful workshop in December on making your own decorated boxwood holiday tree.
Another highlight of our winter programming is Gardeners' Give & Take, a low-key round table discussion that might address questions, how-to instructions, favorite plants, problems, projects, plans or public policy in any given Saturday morning session. There is a place at this table for the beginner as well as the experienced gardener. We'll put up the coffee. (To see the schedule of workshops and Gardeners' Give & Take, visit urbanroots.org. Advance registration is requested: visit the store or workshops@urbanroots.org or call 716-362-8982.)
Urban Roots is a cooperative that will be entering its 5th year this spring. We are thrilled to say that we hit member/owner number 700 (and beyond) during the month of December. Urban Roots is located at 428 Rhode Island St. on Buffalo's west side. We're working hard to be an asset to our community and our city. Most of all, we are working hard to be a good garden center - a year round garden center.
Urban Roots
428 Rhode Island
Buffalo, NY 14213
(716) 362-8982
Every year, I take most of my geraniums to the cellar and set them up in the windows and on benches, under fluorescent lights. They slow down a bit, but still bloom the whole time. Some are over 10 years old. It's always springtime at my house !