Tag Archives: An Eastridge Garden

Your Local Christmas Shop – An Eastridge Garden

By Ron Stafford

Dale and Sally Foster, owners of An Eastridge Garden located in Centreville, invite you to visit their unique plant nursery and garden supply store, especially during the holiday season when they open their Christmas shop. They offer a variety of holiday items: festive table centerpieces; unusual gift ideas for those difficult-to-buy-for persons on your list; wreaths and greenery for decorating your home indoors or outdoors; and, novel ideas for decorating Christmas trees and other plants.

Why not consider purchasing a boxwood and decorating for the holidays rather than the usual Christmas tree? The ideas are endless, and An Eastridge Garden can help you with your decorating needs. Dale and Sally opened their gift shop in 1995, and the popularity and size of their shop has grown each year. Here are some “tricks of the trade” the Fosters offer for decorating the perfect Christmas tree.

• Choose a basic theme for your tree. It can be based on the style of the room in which you are placing the tree (modern, Victorian, country, nature); on a special family theme (handmade ornaments, vacation memories,); or, fun themes such as a Santa tree or a pine cone tree.

• Color coordinate your ornaments. Try an all-red theme, a blue and green theme, or an all-white theme. If you are really creative, go for a non-traditional Christmas color such as purple.

• Select a main focal point of the tree and start working your decorations around the tree. Begin with filler ornaments and then place your specialty ornaments where they can standout.

• Be sure to place your ornaments on both the inside and outside of the tree to create depth and interest. Do not hang all your ornaments on the tips of branches.

• If you are decorating a live tree, be sure to properly preserve the tree so you can enjoy it longer. Add the product Prolong to hot water at the base of the tree. The tree will soak up a lot of water during the first week, so be sure to check the water level regularly and add warm water as needed.

For more information on this and other unique offerings, visit the Fosters at An Eastridge Garden at 533 Dulin Clark Road in Centreville, or give them a call at 410-758-3650. They are open year round, and their hours of operation through the end of December are Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sundays 10am to 4pm. Their website is eastridgegarden.com.

Marylanders Plant Trees Program – Plant, Save, Enjoy

By Wilma Rubock

Fall is the perfect time for planting new trees and taking part in the Marylanders Plant Trees Initiative. You can beautify your landscape, save money on the trees you plant and become eligible for other prizes. Sally Foster, owner of Eastridge Garden along with her husband Dale, says “The Marylanders Plant Trees Initiative is a great program with incentives for everyone! And Fall is ideal planting time. It brings cooler weather, which allows all the energy to go into the root system. When spring arrives the trees are ready to just take off. ”

Sally and Dale Foster know all about trees and plants and are big supporters of the Marylanders Plant Trees Program. They met at Homestead Gardens where they both worked. Sally left Homestead to start Eastridge Garden, growing herbs for the wholesale market. “Business grew, and we decided it was time to go retail.”

Dale left his job at Homestead Gardens after 23 years and joined Sally in expanding their business to include nursery stock. Sally adds, “We’ve been in business for 17 years now, and Dale and I are doing what we absolutely love to do. We have a passion for plants and love helping our customers find the perfect plant.”

Governor Martin O’Malley launched the Marylanders Plant Trees program in 2009 as part of his Smart, Green and Growing Initiative. It encouraged citizens and organizations to plant 50,000 new trees by December 2010, and Marylanders exceeded that goal and planted 54,089 trees.  On Arbor Day of this year, Marylanders again were challenged to plant an additional 50,000 trees by the end of 2012.

Trees help to protect air and water quality, reduce energy costs, and provide critical wildlife habitat. Trees also increase property values and beautify the landscape. One large tree can eliminate 5,000 gallons of stormwater runoff each year. Well-placed trees can reduce energy costs by 15 to 35 percent.

“We encourage our customers to participate in the Marylanders Plant Trees program. Many are familiar with the program through the program’s website. Dale and I remind customers about the initiative if we think they have forgotten or are just unaware,” offered Sally. “Our three most popular trees from the approved list for this area are river birch, dogwoods and red maple.”

The Marylanders Plant Trees Initiative added a School Challenge for all Maryland elementary, middle and high schools. The website offers helpful tools and guidance in selecting, buying and planting trees for a specific school area. The website also lets students calculate the benefit of every tree planted, and students can see a picture of what the tree will look like when it matures. Trees must be registered online in the name of student’s school to be counted in the challenge.

Another program uses inmate labor to plant trees. The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services is partnering with local governments across the state to beautify communities and parks. Maryland is on track to exceed its goal of planting one-million trees on public lands by 2011. Over 550,000 trees have been planted since 2009, and state officials plan to plant another 500,000 under this program.

Eastridge Gardens is located at 533 Dulin Clark Road in Centreville. “We are open year-round and have something for everyone. We stock plant care products and carry an assortment of house plants,” offers Sally. “We have a wonderful gift shop where customers can find soy candles, handbags, pottery and much more. Our Christmas shop opens November 1.”

Eastridge Gardens is open seven days a week March through December and Tuesday through Saturday in January and February. Call the Fosters at 410-758-3650 or visit their website at www.eastridgegarden.com for more information.

The Marylanders Plant Trees program offers $25 coupons toward the purchase of native trees costing $50 or more. The coupons are redeemable at nearly 70 nurseries across the State, and there is no limit on the number of coupons used. DNR encourages Marylanders to register every tree they plant to be eligible for prizes. For more information including a list of eligible trees, a list of prizes and to register a tree, go to www.trees.maryland.gov.

 

Recommended Tree List for Marylanders Plant Trees
www.trees.maryland.gov
This list may be updated periodically as interest and availability of native tree stock changes.
Cultivars of native species may be acceptable. Please contact us at tgalloway@dnr.stat.md.us.

In honor of National Breast Cancer Month, think pink when making your selection! The pink ribbons designate trees that bloom pink!

SMALL TREES
Crabapple SPP.
Dogwood, Alternate-Leaf/Pagoda
Dogwood, American Flowering
Fringetree, White
Hawthorn, Washington
Hawthorn, Green
Holly, American
Hophornbeam/Ironwood
Magnolia, Sweetbay
Pawpaw
Redbud, Eastern
Serviceberry, Allegheny
Serviceberry, Downy or Shadbush
Serviceberry, Shadblow

LARGE TREES
Bald Cypress
Beech, American
Elm, American
Hackberry
Hemlock, Eastern
Honeylocust
Linden, American
Locust, Black
Magnolia, Southern
Maple, Red
Maple, Sugar
Oak, Chestnut
Oak, Pin
Oak, Red
Oak, Swamp White
Oak, White
Oak, Willow
Persimmon
Pine, Eastern White
Pine, Loblolly
Pine, Virginia
Redcedar, Eastern
River Birch
Sweetgum, American
Sycamore
Tulip Poplar
Tupelo, Black
Walnut, Black

www.trees.maryland.gov
contact: tgalloway@dnr.state.md.us

Fall Is For Planting!!!

The weather forecast for this weekend is wonderful… lots of sun, warmer temperatures…  Great weekend to spend some time outside! Why not take the opportunity to get some of your landscaping and outdoor home projects done this weekend while the weather is so nice!

This weekend  you will find October savings at An Eastridge Garden in Centreville.  Save 20% on ALL perennials, trees and shrubs during the month of October.  Sorry, quantity discounts are not included in this offer.  The wonderful and knowledgeable staff at An Eastridge Garden will be happy to answer your fall gardening questions and help you make the best landscaping selections for your home.

An Eastridge Garden is located at 533 Dulin Clark Road in Centreville.  Hours are Monday – Saturday, 9 am-6 pm and Sunday, 10 am-4 pm.  Their phone number is 410-758-3650.