‘Tis the season to set up your holiday Department 56 Villages! From the tiniest figurine to the biggest Dept. 56 house, it’s all in the details when setting up your displays. We have a huge display of villages and a large selection of display accessories including styrofoam, lighting and more!

Our villages include The Dickens’ Village, Christmas in the City, The North Pole Series, The Alpine Village, The Original Snow Village and The New England Village. See below for some photos of our display and new pieces for the season:

If you are out tending your herb garden and find these guys happily munching on your parsley (or dill, or fennel), don’t have a pest panic! You should be more than happy to share with these colorful caterpillars (there are four in the photo,  in different stages of developement), for, if left alone for a few weeks, they will become beautiful Black Swallowtail Butterflies!

~ The Garden Goofball

One of the easiest, and most common, ways to murder a tree or shrub is to plant it too deep to begin with. If you wish to avoid this heinous crime, make sure you place the root ball on firmly packed earth, and confirm that you  see the trunk flare above ground level. Remember, Mother Nature is watching!

~The Garden Goofball

While we all find relief under the shady shelter of an umbrella, it’s important to follow a few guidelines. The leading cause of a glass table breaking is leaving your umbrella up and open. All it takes is some strong wind gusts and crack, boom, bang! … Your glass table has broken or your umbrella pole has snapped in half. When you’re not using your umbrella, keep it closed! And if the weather calls for windy conditions, take your umbrella down if possible. This will certainly help you maintain your shade and your furniture!

~ Your Outdoor Furniture Fairy

January 27th, 2011. 89 days ago.  Brrrrr!

So step outside, and  enjoy the wonders of the Spring!

“Autumn was kind to them,

Winter was long to them –

But in April, late April,

All the gold sang.”

                                 –Thomas Wolfe

~The Garden Goofball

Don’t let your backyard BBQ end early because of the dark. And forget jumping up and down every 15 minutes to keep your motion censored lights on! Ever heard of a Fire Lite or a Fire Pot? It’s an easy way to add some ambiance and light with a unique garden accent. You can refill them with a fuel gel so it will never burn out like a candle. Is your yard a mosquito hang-out? No problem, there is also a gel infused with citronella. There are tons of styles and options!

~ Your Outdoor Furniture Fairy

I know you are anxious to get those beautiful summer annuals and veggies planted in your garden! But remember, the frost date for this area is not until mid-May, so unless you want to plant twice, hold off.

That being said, some annuals are more cold tolerant than others (e.g. Pansies, Nemesia, Snapdragons, etc.), so you can have your flowers and eat them too! And you could start an herb (or flower) garden in a container that can be brought inside on a frosty night.

~The Garden Goofball

Teak outdoor furniture is a gorgeous and classic choice but it does require more maintenance than other options such as synthetic woven or aluminum. Many people just let teak weather into a silver-gray. This process usually takes 9 months depending on the furniture’s exposure to rain and sunlight. But if gray is not your thing, you can always protect your new teak to keep the original golden honey color. All teak companies offer some type of protectorate or sealant that will help preserve the color. It usually needs to be applied once or twice a year. Whatever you do, oiling your teak is a big no-no!! Oil can cause mildew or irregular coloring.

~ Your Outdoor Furniture Fairy

If you had a Crabgrass problem in your lawn last year, you will have it again this year, unless you apply a pre-emergent control. But timing is critical!  The optimum time is when the Forsythia flowers closest to your lawn (not the ones growing down by the Expressway or over in Aunt Betty’s yard) are waning (a little  after peak bloom). Follow the directions on the label. And remember, you cannot seed for 16 weeks after application. Unless you use a product listing ‘Siduron’ or ‘Tupersan’ as the active ingredient (big $).

~The Garden Goofball

April 1 was no joke. It rained. It sleeted. It even snowed in some places. Let’s hope that’s the last of it. Why not brighten your day and give your indoor or outdoor furniture a facelift? An easy option is to invest in some new throw pillows. It’s a great way to change the look without the big price tag. Colors in the orange family are thought to stimulate optimism and happiness. Aqua, green and blue colors are thought to give a sense of calmness and relaxation. Refresh your furniture and your mentality!

~ Your Outdoor Furniture Fairy