Change of hours

New hours begin immediately as follows:

Wed.-Sat. 11-6
Sun 12-5

Note Cards for Sale

We've finally found the perfect note cards. We wanted something that related to the store, as well as a wide variety of customers. They are designed by local artist, Beth Shepherd. She calls them polaroid paintings. They are actually polaroid pictures that she manipulates using a car key. The result is a painting-like effect. You have to see them. They are amazing. They come with an envelope, and are prepackaged in a plastic wrap. They sell for $4.50 each.

Come in and check them out!!

Medicinal Plants

I found this while searching online and thought it was well worth passing on.

Without plants, most medicines you take would not exist. Over 40% of medicines now prescribed in the U.S. contain chemicals derived from plants. Historically, plant medicines were discovered by trial and error. Our ancestors noticed that aches and pains went away when they drank tea made from the bark of a willow tree. Later, scientists found that willow bark contains salicylic acid, the active ingredient in aspirin.

This process continues today. Throughout the world, including the wild places in the U.S., botanists and chemists search the plant kingdom for new medicines. They sometimes find treasures in other people's trash. For years, the native Pacific yew was burned as trash generated by logging operations in the Pacific Northwest. In 1975, a substance in its bark, taxol, was found to reduce the production of cancerous tumors.

A comprehensive search of known plants for medicinal chemicals is an enormous task. Of the estimated 250,000 plant species on earth, only 2% have been thoroughly screened for chemicals with potential medicinal use. Because native plant habitats are destroyed almost daily, many medicinally valuable plants will be gone before scientists can even investigate them.

Coming Soon: Envy's Green Thumb Diaries

Starting next week, we will be interviewing neighbors in the Central Area and snapping some photos of their gardens, yards and patios. You know the ones. We walk our dogs or stroll to get our lattes and americanos, all the while gawking and admiring what they've done with their yards and gardens.

We are eager to meet the people behind these fantastic green spaces and introduce them to you as well. Who knows? We might even be able to coax them into revealing the secrets of their gardening success!

If you want to volunteer for one of these weekly profiles or would like to nominate a neighbor, please swing by the store or email me and I'll set it up!!

A lasting gift!

Indoor Succulent Planter $90
(incl. Milk Cactus, Plum Purdy, Jade Tree)

You know when you're friends buy a house and think it would be a great idea to throw a house-warming party? Yeah? Well it is a great idea!! Some people bring food or a bottle of wine, maybe even the breadmaker that was given to them as a wedding gift. :) Well, I think it's time to give something that could possibly live with them for a lifetime. A plant! I know that some people claim to have a "black thumb", but I'm sure we can find a plant that anyone can take care of, even if that means taking very little care of it.

So, the next time you are on your way to a house-warming party and you realize that you forgot to get a gift, come down to Envy and grab a beautiful potted plant. For your timing convenience, many of the plants are already potted. However, if you wish to make your gift a little more personal, we have a great selection of pots and plants that I can transplant on the spot.

Hope to see you soon!

Today's Update

OK. So the plant and tree sale is on. Starting today I can start taking some orders. All the details will be out with the email I'm sending. I know I keep saying that it's coming, but really it is. I talked with my tree wholesaler today, and they are working on my price list. As soon as I have that, I'm good to go! But as you know, we'll be offering 20% off all outdoor plants and trees during this sale. I'm going to do it both this weekend, and the weekend following!

On another note, I've received in some new pots. So come in a check them out!

Here's some exciting news for Envy. I spoke with Alison from NWsource.com today. She is doing a write up about Envy that will post, I believe, this Friday. I will be sure to add the link when it's up!

Enjoy these last summer days!! It's beautiful out! Gotta love Seattle!!

Fall Outdoor Pre-Order Sale - 20% off!

Fall is coming, which means cooler weather and the best time to tackle some landscaping projects and plant new trees!

While I don't stock a large selection of trees and outdoor plants, we can special order them for you and save you some money along the way. Over the next few weeks Envy will be offering you a chance to browse through outdoor catalogs and in-store samples to place an order at a 20% discount off what you would pay at a retail nursery. For all you math whizzes out there, that means you can get 5 plants for the price of 4! :)

I've been hard at work today creating a catalog that contains all the plants and trees that you can pre-order for your fall projects. Below is a list of the trees I can order for you - all are available in up to 14' heights! If you have your heart set on a tree that isn't on the list just let me know and I will track it down for you.

• Frasier Fir
• Amur Maple
• Vine Maple
• Armstrong Maple
• Himalayan birch
• Incense Cedar
• Eastern Redbud
• Blue Lawson Cypress
• Leyland Cypress
• Patmore Ash
• Sweetgum
• Weeping White Pine
• Contorted White Pine
• Weeping Scotch Pine
• Quaking Aspen
• Giant Sequoia
• Excelsa Cedar

So come by the store, call (206-588-2498) or email me (jay@envygrows.com) with questions or to get pricing on an order.

More to come...

Meet Foxy!

This is Foxy. She only works at the store part-time, but can teach you a thing or two about pulling weeds out of your garden! As long as it's all weeds, of course!

I'm just mad about saffron!

Everyone knows that saffron is pricey. Some say it's even the most expensive spice in the world. But why?

Saffron comes from a plant called crocus sativus. It blooms in the fall, and because we live in Seattle it doesn't bloom the same as the crocus I have here in the store. It takes a lot of crocus and hard work to make just a little saffron. The majority of saffron that we use today comes from Spain, Greece, and India. Here's where it gets interesting... saffron is the dried, orange-red stigmas found in the bloom. It takes several thousands of them to make just 1 ounce of saffron. So that explains why it's so spendy. Just food for thought. Pun intended. Paella anyone??

HEADS UP

FYI

You will all be receiving an email within the next couple days about a fall outdoor plant event we will be hosting Sept. 13th and 14th. Keep your calendars open. We will be doing a pre-order for trees and outdoor plants. I will have a list of available trees and sizes, along with prices. Also, suggestions for outdoor plants besides trees would be helpful. Details will be included with the email.

We will also have HomeGrown Organics here with us, another local company to the central area. Services available include:

• Hand-built raised beds
• Drip irrigation systems
• Rainwater catchment
• Sustainably minded landscaping

Thanks. And we hope to see you here!!

My 3 Most Exotic Plants

I've had these 3 plants shipped from Arizona. They are rare tropicals that are sure to draw attention! They are transplanted into new pots, and are ready for a new home.


Hylocereus - Full Sun - $73



Foqueria MacDougali (one of my favorites) - Full Sun
This plant has very sharp spikes up its stems, but also the very delicate, green leaves
$123


Crassula Hobbit - Full Sun (Part of the Jade Plant Family) $70

Remember, these are only 3 of the plants that I have to offer. Be sure to come in and see them all!

Are your plants happy?

Take a look at your plants. Do they have a nice shine? Are they standing tall and look healthy? If you said no to either of these questions you might want to take action. As far as the shine goes, it could be as easy as dusting the leaves with a wet towel. However, it might be something more. If your plants have been in the same pot for a long time, it may either be time to add some food (fertilizer), or it's time to transplant them. If you think you plant has gotten too large for it current pot, I would suggest a transplant into a larger pot. This is where I come in. I know it can be quite a messy project to do this, but trust me, your plant will thank you.

I would like to offer you all a transplant service. Bring your plant in to me and I will transplant it for you. The charge to do this is $5. You can either bring your own pot, or you can purchase a pot from us here at the store. We have a wide variety in many sizes.

I hope that some of you find this helpful, and I hope to see you soon.

Jay