Feb 16, 2023 | Newsletters
February Newsletter
Happy almost Spring!
Even though it doesn’t quite feel like it, spring is on the way. 42 days to be exact. Everyone at Samantha’s Gardens has been working hard to be ready for the spring flood gates to open.
Vlasta and the lead gardeners have been working on the 2023 maintenance contracts. Wes, Kate, and I have been pricing up all the wonderfully designed projects that Jen and Jack have been working on, which will be on the schedule for this spring.
Please keep in mind if you are one of those lucky clients who will be getting their dream garden and landscape installed this spring we need to start when the nurseries get in their plants, and this happens when weather allows them to be shipped. This could happen anytime in May.
For anyone who got a new install last year but didn’t talk with us about a maintenance program to keep all the plant babies happy and healthy, make sure to reach out.
If existing clients want to schedule a yearly review, would like to add a veggie garden, or make your existing garden bigger, now would be a good time to schedule a meeting.
Vlasta and I are also busy interviewing our new gardeners and crew leaders to join our amazing SG team. We are very excited to introduce them and be able to have them work on all your properties.
A reminder about last-minute seed orders:
Laurel has all the seeds ordered for the veggie gardens and cutting beds. It’s not too late for any last-minute requests.
Here is what we’ve ordered so far:
Herbs: Greek Oregano, Bouquet Dill, Calypso Cilantro, Fino Fennel, (Emma and Karen’s Fav), Italian Large Leaf Basil, Red Rubin Basil, Dark Opal Basil, Giant Italian Parsley
Veggies: Tomatoes: San Marzano (my favorite), Sun Gold cherry, Golden Sweet Plum, Black Prince, Big Beef Plus (this one’s for you, Ed), Sakura, Purple Brandy Bumble Bee, Early Girl, Five Star Grape, Yellow Brandywine.
Beets: Touchstone Gold (yummy) and Red Ace
Broccoli: Green Magic
Beans: Provider, Trilogy Mix, Amethyst
Carrots: Atlas (small and round), Negovia, and Rubypak
Celery: Tango (another Ed and Karen Fav)
Cucumbers: Citadel, Little Leaf, Picolino
Kale: Kalebration Kale Mix
Lettuce: Salanova Premier collection, Butter crunch, Encore Lettuce mix
Peas: Sugar snap, Avalanche, Royal Snow
Peppers: Sweet Sunrise, Intruder Bell, Early Jalapeno
Radish: Sora, Bacchus
Swiss Chard: Bright Lights
Spinach: Lizard
Squash: Honey Bear Acorn, Delicata JS, (Karen’s must have), Patty Pan (one of Rachel’s favorites), Spaghetti Squash, Dunja Zucchini Squash, Tempest Yellow Squash
Cutting Garden Flowers: Dalia’s Strawflower, Celosia, Echinops, Calendula, Chabaud Dianthus, Zinnia’s in all colors, Celosia, Marigolds, Scabiosa, Snapdragon, Sunflowers
Holiday Shoppe Photo Contest Recap
Wow! It was a tough one. All the photos were so wonderful, it was nearly impossible to choose a favorite. Thank you again to everyone who submitted their photos and for sharing their holidays with us.
If you think you can handle all of the sweetness, you can check out the photo submissions and winners on our site. See the Photos >>
Show Off Your Gardens
Speaking of photos, I have a request for you. As many of you know, we’ve been working hard to update our website and improve our marketing. We’d like to give our website visitors the ultimate experience like you have now. I would love it so much to have photos of you all enjoying your gardens and outdoor spaces that we designed, installed or maintain for you, with your permission to use them on our website and marketing materials.
For anyone who submits photos, we will plant 2 of your seasonal flower containers for 50% off. So, let’s see all those amazing pictures. Family around the firepits. Party’s on the terrace, summer gatherings, picking yummy veggies in the garden, enjoying the garden from your home office windows, you get the idea. The key is showing how you actually use and enjoy the spaces rather than the peopleless, empty gardens. Below are a couple of examples of photos we would love to see.
(Submit your photos to photos@samanthasgardens.com with the subject line: “My SG Photos”)
Your Online Reviews Mean the World To Us
It’s also hugely important for our business to be able to show reviews online. So the same goes for anyone who would lovingly take the time to post a review on Google. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
I am ending this letter by saying that we have very exciting and fun stuff this year and look forward to sharing all of it with you.
Thank you and look forward to seeing everyone soon.
Samantha and Vlasta
Dec 30, 2022 | Newsletters
Samantha’s Gardens End of Year Newsletter
I would like to start by saying “Thank You!” to all our clients for an amazing 2022.
We had so many wonderful projects this year. We added so many new maintenance clients and several spectacular garden renovations. For anyone who is still on our waiting list, we promise, we will get to you this season.
Our amazing team is working hard. Kevin as our new account manager, Kate in the office and Wes, overseeing operations, are all doing a wonderful job. Wes has hired a crew specifically for our enhancements which will lighten up the construction crews.
Successful Cutting Garden
Our cutting garden was so successful this year. We had beautiful cut flowers and bouquets for sale on the side of the road in front of our HQ. It seemed like a new favorite for all of the local folks. This year, we are excited to be introducing more varieties of cut flowers and we’re looking forward to joining the local farmer’s markets, where “Rosey” our 1947 red Dodge Pickup will be proudly displaying our magnificent array of flowers. We hope to see you out there! Stay tuned for my information.
Christmas Cheer
Samantha’s Gardens Christmas Tree and Holiday Shoppe was a blast. We had so much fun with all of the kids drinking hot cocoa, making s’mores and being creative in the Kid’s Craft Corner. They made adorable ornaments and “Chet” the super cute Pinecone Reindeer. All of our workshops were completely booked, including the additionally requested private workshops (which were a shocker to me). What a huge success this was! I am already thinking about what incredible workshops we are going to add for next year.
If you have ideas or requests for next year, please reach out. We would love to hear your ideas. Let’s get creative!
Holiday Photo Contest – Will You Be A Winner?
Speaking of the holidays, we are holding a photo contest of all the photos taken during the holiday at Samantha’s Gardens. So send us your photos of Santa’s Sleigh, photos with Rosey and any other pictures from your holiday experience at Samantha’s Gardens Christmas Extravaganza.
• First prize will win their choice of Premium Fraser Fir and wreath next Christmas
• Second Prize will win a decorated 14” wreath of your choice for your door or window
• Third prize will win a $25.00 gift certificate.
Please send all photos to photos@samanthasgardens.com with the subject line “Photo Contest” by January 15, 2023.
Our esteemed judges are Elizabeth and Jessamyn from our Marketing Team. All winning photos will be on our website and social media. Please keep that in mind when submitting your photos.
All of us at Samantha’s Gardens had so much fun during the holiday season that we were sad to see it come to an end. Please check out all of the great photos on Instagram and Facebook.
What’s Happening in the Greenhouse
The temperature is comfy for all of our client’s plant babies. We are diligently working on ordering all of the seeds for the cutting garden and client’s veggie gardens. We will be starting the seeds accordingly.
Please get your requests to me ASAP. All orders are going in by January 15th. We are looking forward to getting back to work and our next growing season.
Preparations for the Upcoming Season
Maxsuell will begin welding the garden art. His garden art includes flower supports and peony rings. They will be available for purchase on our website soon. If you are thinking of any other garden enhancements or larger scale projects, now is the time to reach out so that we will be sure to add it to our drawing table and get the job done in time for Spring.
During our downtime, Wes is available for interior painting. He has several years experience and does an amazing job. He has done several jobs for myself and other clients and comes highly recommended. So if you are thinking of giving a room a facelift, contact me and I will have Wes get in touch.
On a sadder note, some of you may have already heard, our dear bookkeeper, Terie of 16 years suddenly passed away this fall. Vlasta and I have not yet found a replacement for helping us with invoicing so please bear with us because we are a little behind. No worries, it will get to you.
We’re Nothing Without You
All of us at Samantha’s Gardens want to thank you for all of your continued support and being a part of the SG family. We love what we do, but it is so much more fun and rewarding when we have families like yours to work with.
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Samantha Mannarino
Samantha’s Gardens, Inc.
Office: 978-409-2079
Cell: 978-423-3482
www.samanthasgardens.com
Nov 18, 2022 | Newsletters
Welcome to our winter wonderland at Samantha’s Gardens
What does Jack Frost have in store for us?
Despite what mother nature has been throwing at us, the fall foliage has been stunning this year. One day we are planting bulbs in shorts and t-shirts soaking in the sun, and the next we are bundled up in our winter parkas as we cut down perennials. The weather this fall has been one for the books. In fact, if you have been keeping an eye on your gardens you will have noticed that many spring and summer perennials are starting to bloom once again. We have been very lucky to have an October that had multiple 70 degree days and, for the first time all year, a month with above average rainfall!
Fall cleanups and cutbacks of your gardens and lawns have gone smoothly and Christmas at Samantha’s Gardens is underway. We have been able to cross many of you off our fall cleanup list and have put plenty of beds to sleep for the winter. Strong winds and rain have helped leaves galore to drop onto your lawns and beds but we have been able to keep up with every gust. If you have been looking out into your lawns and gardens and are still in need of a cleanup, please reach out to us now! There is still time before the winter is upon us to get to your property if need be.
Spring bulbs have been a treat for us this season as many of you have had daffodils, alliums and even crocus planted in your yards and gardens. We all await the spring months for when we finally get to reap the rewards of the warm weather and see the bulbs poke their way through the ground. Thousands of bulbs have left our shop and we always enjoy this part of the season here at Samantha’s Gardens.
We want to formally invite all of you to join us at our Christmas retail shop here at Samantha’s Gardens. Starting on the 19th of November, our retail shop will be open seven days a week from 9am to 8pm, located at 120 Tewksbury Street in Andover, MA 01810.
Our hot cocoa bar will warm your soul while the ting tings and wreaths that decorate our shop bring on the feelings of Christmas cheer. A variety of large christmas trees are lined up and ready for picking. Please come on down with your family and kids and check out what we have to offer as we completely transform our little shop into a winter wonderland.
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We want to extend an offer of good faith to those of you who are first responders, teachers or military (active or veteran) with a 15% discount on everything in our Christmas retail shop. We appreciate everything you do and want to extend our gratitude to all of our heroes.
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Our little family at Samantha’s have been busy with what has been happening here at the shop. Samantha’s daughter had a stunning wedding earlier this fall and we completely transformed Sam’s backyard to a beautiful venue. We have also welcomed a new company mascot to our ranks. Samantha found a 1947 Dodge truck that has been turning heads as she drives down the road. With a new paint job and Samantha’s Gardens logo she is ready for work (come visit Rosie at the Christmas Shoppe)!
We also took this time as the holidays approach to be thankful for the family that we have surrounding us. During October, we lost one of our beloved family members here at Samantha’s Gardens. Terie Lea McGovern worked tirelessly alongside Samantha and Vlasta for the past few decades, helping to create the business that you see today. Her spirit is one that we are missing dearly and has weighed heavy on all of our hearts.
All of us on the team are very excited to bring the holiday season to your properties. Please do not forget to reach out to us if you are not on our radar for decorations or end of the season work. Making sure your holiday season goes flawlessly is why we are here. Trees, wreaths and jingle bells are on site and ready to deck your halls! Also, if you have next spring or summer work in mind NOW is the time to reach out to our design or maintenance team to get projects started for the new year. We want as much time as possible to accommodate your dreams.
Lastly, we want to extend thanks to all of our clients. Without you, our fall season would not have been what it was. From all of us at Samantha’s Gardens we want to thank you and we hope to see you this holiday season!
All the best,
Samantha and Team
