It's Just About Time!

It seems hard to imagine that it is actually time to start planting!!!  After a long-awaited (warm) winter and a cold spring, it is time to plant cold tolerant vegetables and flowers; trees, shrubs and perennials....and SOON - time to plant colorful warm weather annuals and vegetables.

The frost free date in Central PA is May 10th -- after this date it is generally safe to plant warm loving plants.  If you plant before this date, be sure to listen to the weather forecast and cover these tender plants to protect them from frost.

Make plans to visit our store this spring!  Our tables are just filled with gorgeous blooming annuals, vegetables, herbs, daylilies, hosta, perennial favorites, trees, shrubs, vines, native plants and the list keeps growing and growing!

We have extended hours in May:  Monday through Saturday from 8am to 8pm and on Sundays from 11am-4pm.

Grab a bite to eat at our Country Kitchen while you're here.  Our daily lunch entrees are listed on our website at:  http://www.ashcombe.com/maymenu.htm

HAPPY PLANTING!

Great New Vegetables This Season!

There is so much to see and do at Ashcombe...especially in the spring. Visit our warm greenhouses filled with beautiful flowering annuals, herbs, vegetables, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines and so much more! While you're visiting be sure to check out our lunch specials in our Country Kitchen and grab a sweet treat to take home.

We have some exciting new additions in our vegetables this year:

BURPEE BOOST VEGETABLES - SUPER NUTRITIOUS!

Cucumber - Gold Standard 49 days NEW! 6-8” fruit with 500% more beta-carotene.

Tomato - Cherry Punch 48 days NEW! 1” cherry with 30% more vitamin C and 40% more lycopene.

BURPEE GARDEN HOME EXCLUSIVE

Tomato Big Pink NEW! Medium sized smooth pink skin.

Tomato Brandy Boy 5” smooth pink fruits with great taste.

Tomato Orange Wellington NEW! Nearly seedless, dense orange fruit; indeterminate

Tomato Sweet Seedless No seeds! Medium size red fruit, solid and juicy.

GRAFTED TOMATOES

Grafted Tomato - Mighty Mato Amish Paste 80-90 days NEW! Extreme vigor, more disease resistance, higher yield, indeterminate.

Grafted Tomato - Mighty Mato Beefsteak 85-95 days NEW! Extreme vigor, more disease resistance, higher yield, indeterminate

Three Reasons To Visit Our Deli, Bakery, Gourmet Shop!

#1 From soup to nuts, you're on the right track to "whet your appetite" and enjoy a relaxing atmosphere during your truly unique shopping experience at our store. At Ashcombe, we really are more than a garden center!

Beginning early in the morning, fresh pies are made from scratch in our farm kitchen. We offer popular fruit flavors, shoofly, oatmeal, custards, key lime and many more! If you are looking for something in particular, you are welcom

e to call ahead and place your order. For over 20 years, these pies have been something people make the trip to Ashcombe for. While you're here shopping, take a break in our two quaint dining areas and enjoy a slice of your favorite pie (it might be hard to choose!)

#2

Every day at lunch we offer hot specials, two soups and assorted salad sandwiches, fresh salads and sides. With your selection, enjoy a cup of coffee, tea, soda or cappuccino. Top it off with a scoop of Hershey's ice cream

- available in about 20 flavors.

#3

Our Gourmet Department has a selection of salsa's hard to find elsewhere. We also have a wonderful selectio

n of mustards, soup mixes, dressings, jams, nuts, pretzels and chips. Packaged coffees, teas and cocoas are some more of our specialty items - great for entertaining.

It's Time For Spring Open House!

I can't believe it's that time of year already -- spring is almost here! Ashcombe's annual Spring Open House will be kicking off this weekend. Bring the whole family for some good spring fun! Here is a schedule of events for this Saturday:

"LEARN HOW TO START YOUR OWN SEEDS" - Stop by our Garden Supplies department between 10am and 2pm and get some great tips on starting your seeds indoors. FREE

"GROW IT RIGHT!" PERENNIAL MINI-SEMINARS ~ CUTTING PERENNIAL GRASSES. Learn everything you need to know about cutting back perennial grasses. Informal presentations at 10am and 2pm in the Perennial Courtyard. FREE!

"HOUSE PLANT REHAB" - Bring in your house plant and have it re-potted for free between 10am and 2pm.

"CHILDREN'S GARDEN CRAFT" - Each child can plant a small herb garden to take along home. 10am-3pm. FREE!

Check out our in-store specials

NEW PLANT DISPLAYS BOTH WEEKENDS!

Visit us online at:

www.ashcombe.com

... our 2012 plant lists are ready for viewing!

Something For The Whole Family!

We have lots of great events for the whole family. Take a look at our upcoming schedule and THINK SPRING!! Be sure to make plans to join us for our annual Spring Open House event March 17th and 24th.

Children’s Class: “Petal Picture Frames” ~ Saturday, March 10th, 9-10am. Each child will make a picture frame decorated with paper “flower petals”. Please wear old clothes. Ages 5 and up. Pre-registration required. Fee: $5.00

Homeschool Garden Craft Club: Stepping Stone Workshop ~ Wednesday, March 14th, 10-11am Each child will make a stepping stone for their garden at home.

We will use portland cement, colorful stones, plastic insects and more. Please wear old clothes. Ages 5 and up. Pre-registration and payment is required. Fee: $8.00

Spring Open House ~ Saturday, March 17th & 24th Join us for our annual open house event. We’ll have special displays, new gardening items, kids events and a sneak peek at new plant varieties for the upcoming season.

Spring Open House - Learn How To Start Your Own Seeds ~ Saturday, March 17th, 10am-2pm Stop by our Garden Supplies department between 10am and 2pm and

get some great tips on starting your seeds indoors.

Spring Open House Seminar: “Grow It Right!” Perennial Mini-Seminars ~

Cutting Perennial Grasses ~ Saturday, March 17th Learn everything you need to know about cutting back perennial grasses. Informal presentations at 10am and 2pm in the

Perennial Courtyard. Free!

Spring Open House Garden Seminar: “Grow It Right!” Perennial Mini-

Seminars ~ Pruning Evergreen Perennials ~ Saturday, March 24th Learn

everything you need to know about pruning evergreen perennials. Informal presentations at 10am and 2pm in the Perennial Courtyard. Free!

Spring Open House Garden Seminar: “Get Your Garden Ready” with Michael Larkin ~ Saturday, March 24th 10:30am PA Certified Horticulturist Michael Larkin will show you how to get your landscape ready for the new season. Learn when and how to fertilize, how to plant and transplant trees successfully, how to create more perennials through division and spring pruning tips to help your plants grow better. Bring your questions. Pre-registration and payment required. Fee: $5.00

Spring Open House Garden Seminar: “Gardening With Chickens” ~ Saturday, March 24th 1pm There are some great benefits of raising chickens in your backyard. Learn how to care for chickens and some interesting ways to use their by-products. Pre-registration required. FREE!

Homeschool Garden Craft Club: Living Herb Wreath Workshop ~ Wednesday, March 28th, 1-2pm In this class each child will make a living wreath using herbs. Please wear old clothes. Ages 5 and up. Pre-registration and payment is required. Fee: $10.00

How To Grow Dinner: “Vegetable Gardening That You Can Actually Do,” with George Weigel~ Saturday, March 31st, 10am A vegetable garden doesn’t have to be a weedy rectangle that requires back-numbing labor. Techniques such as wide rows, raised beds and even growing in containers can yield tasty results in small spaces with less work.

Pre-registration and payment required. Fee: $8.00

“Grow It Right!” Perennial Mini-Seminars ~ Planting Strawberries - Saturday, March 31st Learn everything you need to know about planting strawberries. Informal

presentations at 10am and 2pm in the Perennial Courtyard. Free!

UPCOMING EVENTS AT ASHCOMBE!

Chase away those winter blues with some quality time at Ashcombe. Stroll through our 70° greenhouses, explore our beautiful gift shop, browse our extensive selection of seeds and start planning your dream garden for the upcoming growng season!

Ashcombe makes it easy with all the supplies you need to get started and keep your garden growing all season long.

Below is a list of classes we are offering for the winter months. Adults, children and homeschool families can join in the fun.

And don't forget - Tuesdays are Senior Citizen day at Ashcombe. All customers who are 55 and better receive 10% OFF all non-sale items.

UPCOMING EVENTS...

Adult Suet Making Workshop ~ Saturday, January 28th, 10am Each participant will make and mold their own suet to take along home for the birds. Pre-registration required. Fee $10.00

Every Friday in January and February is Bring A Friend Friday. Buy one lunch entree from our Farm Kitchen and get a second lunch entree at half price!

Children’s Class: Making Gourd Birdhouses ~ Saturday, February 11th, 9-10am Each child will make a birdhouse from a long neck gourd. We will sand, paint and decorate the houses. Please wear old clothes. Ages 5 and up. Pre-registration and payment is required. Fee: $5.00

Learn How To Start Your Own Seeds ~ Saturday, February 11th, 10am-2pm Stop by our Garden Supplies department between 10am and 2pm and get some great tips on starting your seeds indoors.

Homeschool Garden Craft Club: Making Soft Scrub Soap ~ Wednesday,

February 15th, 1-2pm We will make hand soap from household ingredients. Each child will take some along home. Please wear old clothes. Pre-registration and payment required. Fee: $5.00

“Landscape Ideas Worth Stealing” with George Weigel ~ Saturday, February 18th, 10am Ready to spruce up the boring ol’ landscape? No need to reinvent the wheel when lots of great gardeners have gone before and come up with all sorts of creative improvements. This program takes a look at some of the interesting things uber-gardeners have done that might be worth “borrowing” in your own yard. Pre-registration and payment required. Fee: $8.00

Soup & Bread Luncheon ~ Thursday, February 23rd, 11am Enjoy a warm and tasty lunch featuring several different kinds of soups and breads - all made right here in our kitchen. Dessert and drinks are included. Recipes will be available. Pre-registration and payment required. Fee: $10.00

Homeschool Garden Craft Club: Papermaking ~ Wednesday, February 29th, 1-2pm Each child will make 2 pieces of paper using recycled paper scraps and other embellishments. Please wear old clothes. Ages 5 and up. Pre-registration and payment is required. Fee: $5.00

Stop In For Lunch!

As the cold winter winds start to howl, it's time to get warm and cozy inside. Visit our Gift Shop for lots of winter pampering ideas! Quilted throws & place mats; candles in glorious scents; lotions and soaps; and many beautiful home decor items. While you're here have lunch in our farm kitchen - we have daily lunch specials and 2 great soups every day. Top it off with a sweet treat from our in-store bakery. Check out our daily lunch specials here: December Lunch Specials // January Lunch Specials.