I checked the weather, so check this out. Today is hot, yesterday hot. But this Saturday it’ll be cold, relatively speaking. If you work out in the weather for a living, whether its 100 or 104, it doesn’t make much difference, minus the humidity of course. Only when it gets up to 107-110 degrees does it really start to wear me down. But let’s not think about 110 degree weather at this time because on Saturday it will be relatively cool. Why am I zeroed in on Saturday? Saturday is Lavender picking at Maple Rock. If you’ve never stood in the middle of a Lavender field with a 150 Million of your favorite buzzing friends, it is an experience. I am exaggerating, I stopped counting somewhere around 3 million. I’m sure there is a calculus equation to extrapolate the rest to get to my ultimate Bee Number.

Like anyone, I’m certainly aware of the weapon a Bee possesses. But I have a feeling that a Bee’s last option is to deploy that weapon to sting you. It would be sacrificing itself for the hive.

I have not been stung in years, however I got stung on the bottom of the foot last night. I stepped on a Bee who was drinking water on a brick path. Every step I take reminds of the Bee that laid it’s life down to protect itself. Surely if I was paying attention than I would have avoided the Bee and both of us would be living pain-free today.

Having been stung will not preclude me from walking into the Lavender field on Saturday.

So Here’s the Deal

Picking Lavender is like walking on fire, there’s a pace and awareness you have to keep. A blood pressure that you have to maintain and a calmness in your breath. Just so you know, the bees don’t really care about you, they care about gathering pollen to take back to the hive. It’s a pretty cool experience to be surrounded by the smells of the Lavender. While you’re doing your work and harvesting the Lavender the Bee is doing it’s work. It’s very symbiotic. While standing in the Lavender you will feel the buzz to your core. You will feel the energy of the bees internally. This sounds strange but it’s true.

If you’re coming out this Saturday to Maple Rock’s Lavender picking then please remember these simple things:

• Don’t dress like a flower
• Don’t wear perfume
• Move at the same pace the bees are moving (important!)
• And of course you can walk our gardens

Things To Bring to Lavender cutting:

• A container for your Lavender
• A tool to cut Lavender
• A picnic lunch

I hope to see you this Saturday at Maple Rock.

Tickets are available at the gate or can be purchased online by clicking here.

This is my hand holding a Terra Cotta pot in front of a High-Hand poster, this much is obvious. This is my attempt to make a simple Terra Cotta pot look glamorous. However I was upstaged by Dori. But I will say this, I don’t think Dori can hold a Terra Cotta pot with her right hand and take a photo with her left. This may sound simple, like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time. I felt as if I was playing “Competition Twister” while trying to get my left and right brain to coordinate. Dori is not afraid to upstage anybody and she certainly upstaged me.

From boring Terra Cotta to elegantly French.

Join Dori at High-Hand for her French Garden Pot Workshop. You’ll make beautiful appliques to adorn your pottery. Learn how to texture and finish your pots to create the rustic French style. You will have all the supplies to adorn two pots. And yes, of course, mimosas.

Disclaimer: No French champagne will be used during the pouring of Mimosas. We will be using a Champagne from the Veneto region of North-Eastern Italy. And if you’re a mimosa snob the grape that we will be using is called Glera. Now you know.

Create two beautiful pots from France and drink the beautiful champagne from Italy.

Join us Saturday, June 29th from 10am-12pm, for this European trip. The cost is $65 plus tax. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

I want to share this with you. I received this letter the other day in the mail. Sometimes we never know what happened to all the people that we have helped along the way.

I just thought I would share this with you. Your gracious giving has created places for people to catch a breath.

Your unconditional love and support has created so much for our neighbors in need. I know that you know this but I just thought you should be reminded.

We hope to see you out at Maple Rock on Saturday.

See you at High-Hand Nursery,

Scott

How can you help out those impacted by the Camp Fire?

You have helped out so much! Here is what’s needed – Visa Gift Cards and cash. Gift cards and cash can be delivered directly to the nursery or sent to us by mail. Our address is:

Attn: Nichole
High-Hand Nursery
P.O. Box 2280
Loomis, CA 95650

You can also call us and give us a credit card over the phone. Our number is 916-652-2065. We will turn all checks and credit card transactions into cash.

I wanted to title this email “I’m going to pick a fight”, but I changed my mind, that would not very nursery-ish, would it? Besides, what nursery goes out and picks fights?

Let’s pick something positive to start off with. Let’s pick Lavender.

You asked for it, Lavender picking is here.

Saturday, June 15th 9am-2pm

Check this out, you can come to Maple Rock Gardens and pick all the Lavender you want until it is gone. Don’t be greedy, greedy people get stung. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the day.

Things you’ll need to keep in mind for Lavender picking:

• Don’t dress like a flower, Bees love flowers. Don’t be a flower.
• Be calm. Beeee calm. Bees like calm people.
• Bees are punch-drunk while collecting pollen. They don’t care about you, so don’t care about them.
• Bring your favorite clippers and your favorite container to store your Lavender.
• Carrying your Lavender around in hand will most likely get you stung. Bees follow the Lavender and if you grip down on your Lavender bouquet then you might be met with a Bee under your hand.
• Don’t hold your Lavender bouquet by your face unless you want bees in your face.

So, where am I going with all this?

Bee about the Lavender.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking here or at the gate on the day of the event. I don’t mind if you pay at the gate but if you purchase them online then I know how many cookies to make. We will have Lavender Cookies and Lavender Lemonade available for purchase. Have fun, bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the day.

Now let’s pick a fight. I was at a Big Box Store. Walking in I thought, “Man you guys could do better than this, I do.” Now I’ve been reluctant to pick a fight with a Big Box Store or any other nursery for that matter. But the store that starts with an “H” and the store that starts with an “L” are frustrating me with what they are offering you with compared to what I am offering you at High-Hand Nursery.

As most of you know we grow flower baskets. So I notice flower baskets when I’m out and about.

Let’s be straight up, this is a Lowe’s flower basket by their front door. Now, granted this is a 14″ flower basket, I was impressed. I’ve never seen a 14″ flower basket at Lowe’s. Usually it’s a 2″ flower basket or a 6″ or a 10″ or whatever small little basket they can grow to save money. Obviously I’m being fecetious about a 2″ flower basket but you get the point. I’ve never spelled the word fecetious before, I’m not going to spell check it, who cares. Anyway I was impressed, “Wow, a 14″ flower basket”.

Then I noticed the price.

Wow, what a deal for such a fine plant. By the way look closely, that is a cancer warning on the price tag.

So here’s where High-Hand beats out the Box Store. We grew a flower basket bigger, better and saved you money at the same time.

Our flower baskets are $25. We win.

Looking for a great Hydrangea? We grow those also.

We beat them at Hydrangeas too. I could go on and on about the things we beat the Box Stores up on. Maybe next week I’ll pick another fight. Let’s make it a 15 round fight: Round 1 goes to me. Come check out High-Hand grown plants for yourself.

Make a Fresh Lavender Wreath With Dory

Join Dory Saturday, June 22nd, 10am-12pm for the most fragrant class of the year. Fresh harvested Lavender hand-picked at Maple Rock Gardens will be your paintbrush. Create a fresh Lavender Wreath while enjoying refreshing mimosas and delicious Lavender scones. I hope we can make Lavender scones, we make Lavender cookies so I’m sure we can. Reserve your space by clicking here to get tickets. The class is $65 and includes all you need for a fresh Lavender wreath.

Last Saturday we gave away 3,000 fruit trees in Paradise/Magalia.

Simply, we did this because it’s time to “Get Growing”. Thanks Tom for your efforts and getting the trees up the mountain. It was a great time had by all. It was a very positive time and everybody felt great.

So I picked a fight and survived, I think. I hope your scorecards will reflect this.

Lavender Days is a relaxing time, bring a lunch and enjoy. I hope to see you you Saturday, June 15th at Maple Rock.

See you at High-Hand Nursery,

Scott

How can you help out those impacted by the Camp Fire?

You have helped out so much! Here is what’s needed – Visa Gift Cards and cash. Gift cards and cash can be delivered directly to the nursery or sent to us by mail. Our address is:

Attn: Nichole
High-Hand Nursery
P.O. Box 2280
Loomis, CA 95650

You can also call us and give us a credit card over the phone. Our number is 916-652-2065. We will turn all checks and credit card transactions into cash.