Sunday, February 1, 2015

A Bit of Spring in Winter at O'Toole's



The Denver area of Colorado had temperatures in the middle 70's early last week, and the unusually mild weather made me dream of Spring!  Normal winter weather returned by this weekend, however and Saturday was a chilly and damp day, with snow on the way.  Happily, my Spring fever was revived when I visited the 5th Annual Early Spring Garden Show at O'Toole's Garden Center, held at the Littleton, Colorado garden center location.  (All photos and photo collages in this collage will enlarge for easier viewing when clicked on.)


So many beautiful flowers were on display!


The Early Spring Garden Show mini-gardens will be on display for two weeks. Some of the themes this year are urban garden, English garden, fairy garden, gnome garden, Japanese garden, and tropical garden.


I really enjoyed seeing the delightful gnome garden!


 This garden had a Candyland theme, complete with a revolving Maypole



The photo collage above shows more of the garden themes I enjoyed seeing.  Even a small space could be transformed into a garden spot with a little imagination and some decorative elements.


I wish I could grow these beautiful flowers in my front and back yards, but my area is visited daily by frequent deer, and I know they would eat everything. My husband and I even had to surround our shrubs with chicken wire, as the deer were eating them down to stubs.


One plant I did purchase at the garden center was a dwarf lemon tree. I am always amazed by the Southern California garden of Kris, over at her blog called Simplify.  She has citrus and avocado trees as well as many chickens in her backyard and plants a magnificent summer vegetable garden every year. While Colorado's climate can not sustain citrus trees year-round, I can now keep this one inside by a bright window in winter and on my second-floor terrace in spring, summer, and fall. We have a fig tree that is also potted and is thriving this way. The bonus is that the deer can not reach them!


O'Toole's Garden Center was full of a good selection of shrubs, plants, seeds, and garden supplies, and my husband and I enjoyed browsing and filling up our shopping cart.  I particularly enjoyed seeing all their statuary.  The dog drinking at the fountain was part of the English garden theme.


The little fox statues were charming, as I've also seen real red fox sunning in my yard. this way  It was also fun to pose by the life-size ferocious bear statue! A worker told me that he is a particular favorite with children that visit the center.


O'Toole's also had many different types of miniature gardens on display.



They sold many supplies to make your own.  This photo shows just a small example of what was for sale.



More miniature garden themes: fairy, farm, beach, Mexican and small town.  I wanted to take them all home with me!



As I checked out our purchases I was observed by the resident cat, who sat on the counter with a very wise expression on his face. I think he approved of our visit and wanted to tell us: "Come again!"



Yes, I think we will, as we now have found our favorite local garden center, and I hope I brought a bit of Spring to your day!



Bookmark and Share

53 comments:

Poppy said...

Hi Pat,

Happy February!

Well, who wouldn't be inspired by all these pretty array of spring flowers and theme gardens? There's something so inherently rejuvenating about growing flowers every spring, isn't there?

Thanks for the lovely tour!

Poppy

eileeninmd said...

Oh wow, temps in the 70's. Where are you living? Just joking! The garden show and flowers look wonderful. I wish it was spring already.. I love all the cute garden art too! Have a happy new week ahead!

Ciao Chow Linda said...

You're making me long for the spring and summer months, Pat. Those flowers are beautiful and the gnomes made me smile. I would like to know how your fig tree and your new lemon tree progress. I may follow your lead, although I don't have the big sunny windows I'd like. Still, I may give it a try.

diane b said...

That is a good way to get a little bit of Spring in winter. It looks a magnificent nursery. I feel for you and the frustration of the deer eating your plants we have the same problem with the wallabies. We have to wire netting around the herb garden. They have eaten many of the new plants I recently planted.

Michelle said...

What a wonderful bit of spring at this time of year! I adore those miniature garden accessories. I might need a mini garden this year.....

Beth said...

Wow, what beauty! I really love the big gnome garden! Thanks for sharing a breath of spring, Pat.

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

A spring garden show is inspiring and I enjoyed all the colour and miniatures. Fairy gardening became a huge success two years ago without any signs of letting up!
Thank you for linking to Mosaic Monday.

Sheila said...

It was lovely to tour the garden centre with you Pat. Your flower collages are lovely! I really enjoyed the miniature gardens. I can imagine how much fun your grandchildren would have creating a miniature garden...maybe in the not too distant future!

Rajesh said...

Beautiful and colorful flowers. Very nice.

Pamela Gordon said...

Oh thanks for all that gorgeous colour Pat! It looks so wonderful. We don't have our home shows here until March and the blooms are usually few and far between and are usually spring bulbs. Not too exciting. Thanks for sharing these photos. Have a great week!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

What a fun event and a great opportunity to take pics. Next month is Tulsa's home and garden show and it is always fun as well.

Jim said...

Wonderful flowers.

Pondside said...

Visiting a garden show or flower show in mid-winter is a tonic! I'll bet those wonderful colours are all you need to get through the rest of winter - they'd do it for me!
This year I'll miss the garden show in Seattle - always a real tonic for the winter-weary.

The Gathering Place said...

Ah, spring flowers always make me happy. I love the mini fairy gardens! Smile!

SmilingSally said...

Hello Pat,

What a delightful place! I'd go back too.

Have a Happy Blue Monday!

Anonymous said...

Lovely splashes of colour!

Anonymous said...

Lovely. It's good to remember that Spring is just a garden shop away!

bj said...

Oh...how lovely. Thanks so much for this bit of spring. :)

Linda (More Fun Less Laundry) said...

This bit of spring is so welcome here as I look out the window at sleet coming down and covering the huge piles of snow! Pat, you will have to get some deer spray or you won't have any shrubs left. Those little fairy gardens are delightful! I would love to start one! Just need to pick a theme. This is a wonderful thing to dream about today! Linda

Sara - Villa Emilia said...

Thank you for this wonderful post, Pat! We all love garden centres and garden shows, and this one was really inspiring.
Beautiful flowers and mini gardens and gnomes... Garden gnomes are so underrated!
Have a great new week!

Donna said...

What an amazing display of what is to come as we are pummeled with snow again....no thaws or warm ups here....one would be nice for a change.

Ann said...

I really like the Day at the Plant sign, might have to copy that one for my yard. Lovely color on this 10 degree day.
Ann

podso said...

Home and garden shows just amaze me at how they transform a big empty building into such a thing of beauty. Your post did bring thoughts of spring. Our area is a bit mixed up with some warmer days and never really, really cold. As a result the grass almost needs a mowing and the daffodils are about to show their pretty faces.

Lorrie said...

Hello Pat,
What a colourful display of plants and flowers. Just the thing for getting us through these months until spring really comes. The colour is like a tonic.

Anonymous said...

That gnome garden would be a dangerous place for me ...so cute!

Jeanne said...

Hello Pat. I have been on the go all day. First my garden club meeting and then on to an auction with my sisters. fun but busy day. I actually didn't put up my post until I came home from my garden club meeting.

Oh my word, your visit to O'Toole's is a delight in the middle of winter. Your photos are awesome and I too am dreaming of spring and Summer flowers. I especially loved the gnomes and all of the cute things for dish gardens etc. This post is adorable.
Happy Blue Monday,
Hugs, Jeanne

Barb said...

What a flower fix! I wish I'd known about this early spring fling when I was down your way last week. I just love the miniature gardens and always want to make one. I think this summer, that might be a good project for the Grands and me.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

If O'Toole's doesn't put a bit of "spring" in your step, I don't know what would. How delightful to be able to see this extravaganza of beautiful flowers during the dead of winter.
Sam

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

powerful.

Cheryl @ TFD said...

With a bit of snow on the ground and cold temps this morning, seeing the beautiful garden center was certainly a treat! I'd have a ball shopping there and I see so many things I'd like to have that I'd probably have to take out a loan! lol! Your photos are just fabulous, Pat. Thanks for sharing!

carol l mckenna said...

Oh how lovely to see all the Spring items and color! Great shots! Thanks!

Happy Week to you,
artmusedog and carol

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

What fun! I love garden shows. I tried to plan a fairy garden spring before last and got so far as I purchase just a few items. I saw it was going to be more expensive and time consuming than I would like, so I stopped planning. :( I do, however, love! to see the finished ones. They are so whimsical and delightful!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Pat, AHHH---makes me anxious for spring also... Gorgeous flowers. Thanks for sharing.

I told hubby that I need to live in Colorado if I want to see SNOW.. What I like is that your snows come and go --and you have some milder temps in between. That is PERFECT...

Hugs,
Betsy

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

What a pretty place! Love the resident cat!

Gracie said...

What a great choice you have there! Spring is so far away here, thanks for sharing its spirit with your photos!

Lea said...

Breathtaking possibilities!
Love the cat, too!

TexWisGirl said...

that does look a very wise cat. :) love all the gnomes taking over! too cute!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

We don't garden any more, but I would love this place! It's a piece of Paradise for whimsy-lovers and for photographers as well. And of course even better than a good garden catalog for those of you who do still garden.

Thanks for taking us along on the visit.

Annesphamily said...

O"toole's always has grand displays. Makes one wish it were Springtime! Soon enough, as I keep hearing this weekend we will be bathed in sunlight and 70s! Are you going to the Home and Garden show? More dreamy redos and lots of pretty flowers too. Have a great week!

Ida said...

How beautiful and fun. Such a nice bunch of colorful flowers and items to enjoy. I would have enjoyed visiting this myself. Thanks for some color in an otherwise gloomy world here today.

Rue said...

Hiya Pat! I answered your comment on my blog, but I just want to tell you again how happy I am that you found me :)

Great garden pictures! It made me wish for spring.

xo,
rue

Unknown said...

Thank you for visiting my blog & sharing your thoughts. I enjoyed your post very much, all the more because I have a son & daughter-in-law who live in Silverthorne, CO. I adore flower gardens & especially fairy gardens. What a wonderful way to bring spring a bit sooner.

The Tablescaper said...

Oh, I haven't been to visit in way too long and what a wonderful surprise of SPRING to greet me.

- Alma, The Tablescaper

LV said...

I love the outdoors and working with my flowers. I really liked seeing the greenhouse you shared. My son and his wife lived in Littleton several years ago and loved it. In fact, my son graduated from college there.

Buttercup said...

What a beautiful post. I'm getting very envious of anywhere that has anything green. This winter has been tough and I'm starting to get cabin fever big time. Your post really perked me up.

Charlene N. K. said...

What a medley of everything lovely!

HWIT BLOGG said...

So many lovely pictures...beautiful spring flowers!
Have a happy weekend, take care!
Titti

eileeninmd said...

Hello Pat, stopping back to say thanks so much for sharing this post with my critter party.. I hope you are having a great weekend!

Al said...

That looks like a good show. And yes, I too miss the sights and sounds of the sea, but I absolutely love the mountains.

Michele said...

such wonderful ideas and gorgeous gardens! and I do also love that cat. happy pink saturday! xo

Tami Von Zalez said...

That gnome garden is the bomb! And all the mini garden accessories - too cute.

Popped by from Pink Saturday and added you to my Feedly.
http://thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com/2015/02/i-heart-you.html

Louisette said...

Lovely post and fotos, happy february month, greeting from Belgium.
http://louisette.eklablog.com/grebe-huppe-podiceps-cristatus-a114631484

A Colorful World said...

Wow! Looks like they have everything you could ever want for a garden! What a great place to browse and just soak it all in! Beautiful!