This Week in Wildflower Gardening

At long last, the blog is back! At American Meadows, we've been wildly busy launching our all-new website. I hope you've visited, and I hope you like it. The new site is much larger and has all kinds of new bells and whistles. Best of all, I hope it works better for you than the old one. I'm really appreciate you letting our customer service dept know if you have suggestions.

Meanwhile, spring has definitely sprung, and we're seeing thousands of you back from last year. Welcome! And I hope you're enjoying the current early spring discounts on Perennials and Spring bulbs, and our Advance Sale of Fall Bulbs that's now up at a full 50% off.

Now that the blog is functioning in concert with our new site, I hope you'll check back for weekly posts as we go through the season. Best wishes, Ray

That's right. The earlier you order, the more you save. Right now, we have over 150 perennials and over 100 spring bulbs (Dahlias, Lilies, Glads, Callas, and more) on the site with 50% savings. As spring approaches our discount will drop to 35%, then 20% then regular price as spring shipping begins in March. So order now for maximum choice and best prices. Enjoy the savings!

It's that time of year again. Our Gift Certificates, amaryllis and Meadow Gift Boxes are going out to go under the trees all over the country. Meanwhile, our 50% Off Advance sales of Spring Bulbs and Perennials have begun. The earlier you order the more you save.

Our Fall Bulb Clearance is in full swing, and soon all the daffodils and tulips and lilies will be gone. If you can still plant, this is the time for fall's biggest bargains. Come get 'em while they last.

That's right. On October 17, a film crew arrived from Los Angeles to shoot the operations at AmericanMeadows.com, since they are featuring us in a documentary they're doing on Google, and how small businesses have grown using Google "Adwords"--the pay per click ads on Google. Our Sales Manager, Mike Lizotte, who has worked for us for 17 years hosted the film crew and explained our history on camera. The crew was from NHK TV, the government-operated TV network in Japan. Their documentary will air in Japan and will be broadcast in Japanese. On their visit, the Japanese film crew were able to enjoy some of Vermont's famous fall leaves and we enjoyed hosting them.

We have used Google advertising to build our business, and one thing I like about it particularly, is that we can change the copy on our little Google ads in real time. If we run out of something, I try to take the ad down instantly. If we have a new item, I can introduce it that day. Google is an internet sensation. It's not all silicon valley buzz--it's true. We know!

As you may notice, there is a gap in my posts for several months during 2006. This was due to technical problems, which may now be solved. We shall see. At AmericanMeadows.com, the fall bulbs for this year are still on sale, and we hope you find full stocks and great savings when you stop in for your order. Welcome back!

Did you know that daffodils are still common in the wild? Well, the ancestral home of many favorite daffodil species is the Ukraine, and a famous valley there has been protected.http://www.wumag.kiev.ua/index2.php?param=pgs20051/104
Click here to go to the incredible Valley of the Narcissi.

Our member, Diana Nellans, and her husband recently ventured down to Mexico to visit the celebrated ancestral home valley of the famous Monarch Butteflies. After their long migration from Western North American, millions of the butterflies congregate in several specific valleys in Central Mexico. The Nellans were kind enough to send their photos and story to us for all to share. (See homepage, week of March 6th.)

Yes! They're all at AmericanMeadows.com for the first time. And they're all now at Early Bird Savings of 40% off. Here comes spring! Our staff has been slaving away to get all these new items up for you....let me know what you think! Write me at ray@americanmeadows.com

Finally, we have our own list of perennial plants for sale this spring. With a decided emphasis on native plants and close hybrids, I think you'll find the list interesting, and right now, with our Early Bird pricing, they're big bargains. All the perennials are now on sale at 40% off.

The same week the nation was focused on West Virginia's mining diaster, we received a photo on a much happier note from our friends there. This is a photo of our seed in bloom last summer along I-77 near Beckley, WV. We supply the seeds to several states for their roadside plantings, but West Virginia is one of our oldest and best customers, and their seedings are always a huge success. Photo by Rebecca Holmes of Cass, West Virginia.

Happy New Year, and welcome to a whole new year of great gardening! Right now, on our site, you can choose from a greatly expanded list of dahilas, glads, lilies, tuberous begonias, callas, cannas, and more. Our big advance sale of Spring-planted bulbs is on. The earlier you order, the more you save. And right now, to start the year off right, all our wildflower seed mixtures are on sale and shipping is free, too. Enjoy.

Our entire staff at AmericanMeadows.com joins me in wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

It's that time of year. In most of the country, most of our gardens are either gone or being hit hard by winter. Enjoy this beautiful shot of Calendulas with first frost taken by master photographer Don Paulson out in Oregon. It's sad to see the gardens go, but it's wonderful to welcome the holiday season! Enjoy!

Among our bulbs this spring, we're introducing a wonderful new group chosen by the horticultural experts at the Biltmore Estate, the famous Vanderbilt mansion near Asheville in North Carolina. Long famous for their incredible gardens, Biltmore House horticulturists have chosen a group of really outstanding bulbs including spectacular dahlias, unusual glads (as you see here), exquisite lilies, and more. We're delighted to see they chose two North American native plants, the famous Leopard Lily from our Pacific states, Lilium pardalinum, and a selection of the unique wildflower "Blazing Star" (Liatris) from the Great Plains. All the Biltmore selections will be on our site soon.