Today we decided to venture out in the rain to visit a local nursery in the Brunswick area, Skillins. I had read about their open house in the weekend edition of the paper, and it seemed like it would be fun to see what "Spring" looks like at a Maine garden center. The pamphlet we were given when we arrived told us of their 124!! year history as a greenhouse/nursery/garden center and gift store. We walked around through the flowers, Cash and I stopping to smell the sweet scent of all the flowers they had in their greenhouse. The best part, at least to Sara and I, was when Bob stood for a few minutes trying to figure out what a small tool was that was hanging from a basket. "A seed spreader?, "A watering tool?" , "What could this be....???" We finally stopped a gentlemen that was walking by, dressed in "Skillins Green", and asked him exactly what this small tool was used for..............He kind of looked at us funny, like where are you from????? California or something. Well actually, somewhere better, Nevada! Turns out the tool is used for tapping Maple Sugar trees. If only Sara had one a few weeks ago, she could have tapped all the maple trees that cover the back part of her property.

We left with a new plant for Sara, and some great new ideas for our own place. It doesn't seem to matter where you garden, whether there is acid soil or alkaline, huge rhododendrons ready to bloom, or sagebrush spreading their seeds....when it comes down to it, spring in the garden center is all the same. The sweet smell of fertilizer and compost filling the nostrils in every aisle, blooming flowers awakening the senses, and people wandering through the seed racks filled with all the promise of crops to come.

http://www.skillins.com/