Every year, shortly after Easter, the industry brings a lot of new material to market very, very quickly. We do it and our competitors do it, too. A whole lot of everything becomes available all at once, leading to a certain kind of craziness that we call “Spring Rush Week.”

To prepare for the mayhem you must arm yourself with an organized shopping list; know what you want and get it early. New and interesting merchandise that will make you stand out from the chains is exactly what will sell out early.

Our standard Azaleas are available in white, red, pink and purple, but we also grow out a crop of Fancy Azaleas featuring some spectacular bi-color flowers.

As you know, we like crops that stand out from the crowd, and we think each one of these Azaleas has a unique personality:

Even though we all start with the same Tulip bulb, not every grower will ship the same caliber of plant. The quality of any Tulip flower is heavily influenced by the care with which it has been grown. 

Nearly all the Tulip bulbs on the market today are supplied by the Dutch, so the perception is that one grower’s Tulip crop will be pretty much the same as another’s—same bulb, same plant. The accepted wisdom is that last year’s plant is already growing inside this year’s bulb.

Last week, we mentioned Pansies as a saturation crop—a product that is sold everywhere by everybody. Easter Lilies are another saturation crop, and garden centers suffer a great deal of pressure from the chains and supermarkets, who compete on price but not quality. To meet their price points, it’s necessary for them to make some key sacrifices that produce an underwhelming Lily—a practice that lowers the bar for other growers.

Many shoppers in Cincinnati want a choice Easter Lily—as a gift for a friend, for a classic presentation in a church or business, or simply to decorate their home for more than just a couple of days. Discerning customers don’t turn to supermarkets for their holiday flowers; it is for them that we grow superior Easter Lilies.