Christmas Gift Buying Made Easy

By Ava Green

The Eising Holiday Gift Guide has become a popular tradition, and this year, I asked staff members to share their favourite gifts. We have some great picks to brighten anyone’s holidays: family, friends, teachers, hosts/hostesses, the cat sitter, the dog sitter - anyone you would like to wish a Merry Christmas to!

Everlasting Decorations

What looks good every year? Everlasting decorations! Kirsten’s favourites are natural wreaths with just a bit of an embellishment. Elegant, timeless and oh-so-festive!

An ornament from our Giving Tree is Arlene’s choice because she can gift the beautiful glass cardinal, and the proceeds go to the local toy drive. Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving!

We also have lots of beautiful everlasting garlands, and Lindsey’s favourites: holiday-themed decorative containers to choose from. These festive plant pots transform any houseplant into a Christmasy gift or are perfect for holding other treasures if you’re creating a gift basket. 

Fresh Greenery

There’s an entire team of decorators, no…creators, no….elves, no…very talented staff members who spend the holiday season making the most beautiful urns, planters, and fresh greenery centrepieces. Donna and I are holding two of our favourites. Mary stopped making festive urns just long enough for this photo to be taken! She really pours her heart into it.

Tropicals, Holiday Plants, and Bulbs

As always, Courtney has a phenomenal selection of tropical plants to choose from. Do not ask her which one is her favourite. Trust me. Too many to count.

Ely is hoping for some gardening tools under the tree this year, and what gardener couldn’t use an array of trowels?!

Lori is ready for a party with her favourite hostess gifts - Amaryllis bulbs. Apparently, the Grinch likes plants, too. Who knew? Cindy Lou Who, possibly, and Lori.

Sassy Fashion

Donna is wearing and holding some of her favourite clothes, jewelry, accessories, and products from Sassyfras Boutique inside Eising Greenhouse. Yes, she has many favourites. In her defence, who can pick just one thing from Sassyfras?! Not us.

For Your Favourite People!

Finally, this is THE most flexible item in the guide, our Eisings gift card. It can also be the perfect solution for the person who has everything already and is hard to buy for. Why is this Lucas’s favourite?  Eising gift cards can be used for plants, landscaping, trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, seeds, tropicals, decor, pots, garden tools, and any other items sold in the greenhouse. And that’s not all! Gift cards can also be used for anything in Sassyfras Boutique. So many options!

Good Tidings To All!

During this season of abundance, Henry and all of us at Eisings hope you get all of your favourite things, but mostly we wish you a safe and happy holiday season! ✨

How to Stay Warm and Stylish

By Ava Green

Colder temperatures are around the corner, and some of us are not looking forward to it! Whether you love winter or not, Sassyfras Boutique inside Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre has the cozy, stylish clothes you need to look your best and stay warm all season long. 

Begin with Layers

Fall, winter, and spring can all bring unpredictable weather to our corner of southern Ontario, so layering is key. Winter is an especially good time to follow the 3-layer rule:

• A base layer keeps you dry
• A mid-layer adds warmth
• An outer layer protects from the elements

Build Your Cold-Weather Capsule Wardrobe

Creating a winter capsule wardrobe makes dressing warm and stylish easy and stress-free. Here are a few ideas to get started:

Base Layer: 

Start with a basic tee, a long-sleeve mock neck, or a long-sleeve crew neck top. Choose natural fabrics that wick moisture and keep you dry. 

Tights or leggings make a great foundation under dresses or pants for added warmth. 

Mid Layer:

For warmth, add a sweatshirt, a crewneck sweater, a v-neck sweater, or a turtleneck. 

If you’re stopping at two layers, choose a chunky knit or oversized sweater for a cozy statement look.

On top of your tights or leggings, try a faux-suede skirt, faux-leather pants, wide-leg trousers, jeans, or a dress, maybe even a comfy sweater dress. 

Outer Layer:

Top it all off with an eye-catching outer layer! Try a bomber jacket, blazer, faux-fur jacket, puffer vest or jacket, or a trendy coatigan for warmth and style.

Accessorize to Elevate Your Look

What makes an outfit really stand out? The accessories! At Sassyfras, you’ll find everything you need to complete your winter look.

From belts (perfect for cinching a blazer or dress) to trendy handbags, classic tote bags, sunglasses, and a wide selection of everyday jewellery, including locally made, one-of-a-kind pieces. You’ll find the perfect finishing touches that reflect your personal style.

Mix, Match and Stay Cozy

Once you’ve built your base, mid, and outer layers, the fun begins! Mix and match your pieces to create new combinations that make winter dressing simple, cozy, and chic. 

With just a few well-chosen items from Sassyfras, you’ll be ready to step out in style, no matter how cold it gets! ❄️

By: Ava Green

As temperatures begin to cool down, autumn colours set in and surround us with the beauty that is fall in southern Ontario. Suddenly summer is gone and it’s time to think about creating a cozy atmosphere inside and outside that is inspired by the world around us.

Autumn Outside

Whether you gather items from the garden or from the garden centre for a display, there are lots of natural materials all around us to draw from. Take some plumes from ornamental grasses and put them in decorative buckets. Add branches with colourful leaves or dried seed pods, and pumpkins or mums for a pop of colour. A bland background becomes the perfect backdrop.

Looking for something to grow? Create fall planters with sunflowers, ornamental kale, ornamental peppers, live grasses, and, of course, fall mums.

We offer beautifully festive arrangements with a variety of ornamental fall plants, as well as individual plants to decorate an outdoor table, or as a planter creating a warm welcome on your front porch (watch here: Jeanine create a fall planter on our IG).

Eising’s popular Porch Packages make it easy to decorate the entryway to your home. But don’t wait, they sell out quickly!

Autumn Inside

When there are fall colours outside, autumn displays inside create continuity that will carry your indoor decorating right into the holiday season in December.

Displays that are vibrant, warm, rustic or whimsical are fun and easy to make. Here are some basic design principles that will help you get started, along with examples we’ve created using items in the Eisng shop.

The Rule of Odds

Using an odd number of items (3, 5 or 7) is always more appealing. Why? For some reason, odd numbers are just more harmonious for us to take in. Designers and photographers call it the rule of odds.

Pick a Theme

Pick a theme like a common colour, a shape, a design or motif. Look for containers or items you can include that fit in with your theme. 

Like the arrangements we offer at Eising Garden Centre, include the following in your designs:

• a thriller like a beautiful vase or container, a tropical plant, or fresh or dried flowers
• a spiller like a plant, dried or silk leaves or moss around the base of containers 
• and a filler like foliage plants, fruit, candy, mini pumpkins and gourds, or moss 

Size and Scale

Scale is important! Keep the display short if it’s for the centre of a dining table so that guests can see each other across the table! Create taller displays if you’re decorating a corner table or a mantlepiece.

Light it Up

Adding light, including flameless candles or fairy lights, instantly brings warmth to any display.

Aromatics

Include scent: using plants like eucalyptus, or fruit like apples or oranges, and spices like whole cloves and cinnamon sticks all add a homey touch.

We would love to see what you create and hope this has sparked your creativity. Don’t forget to tag @Eising Greenhouses & Garden Centre on your Instagram and Facebook posts when you share your decorations online - we would love to see them!

By: Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer

The classic fall-blooming Chrysanthemum varieties of burnt amber, golden yellow, and deep burgundy blooms have been enormously popular for years, and as each new fall season rolls around, there always seems to be new varietal introductions – like multicoloured pinks with the hues of sunrises - to enhance your front porch display of pumpkins, corn stalks, and gourds.

   These robust plants will produce blooms for weeks, even in the coolest of autumn weather. Their hardiness even offers versatility when it comes to their display; some gardeners prefer less labour-intensive groundskeeping and leave them in their original store pots, whereas others prefer to transplant these flowers into larger planters, window boxes, or into flowerbeds to add an easy seasonal flair.

While resilient, these plants still need some TLC. Try these tips to keep your Mums looking fresh throughout the fall.

• Choose green plants with tightly closed buds. This way when your Mums do bloom, you will be able to keep those colourful displays for much longer.
• The Mums' foliage should have a deep green colour and lots of growth at the garden centre.
• Also, make sure the soil in the container is moist when purchasing your plant, as dried out Mums may have already suffered damage.
• You'll find out in short order that your potted Mums are very thirsty plants! Water them daily and make sure the soil remains moist. A shot of liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water once a week would be great as well.

Over-Wintering Mums

Modern Mum breeding is aimed primarily at creating plants that look good in their pots at their point of purchase, sacrificing the plant’s hardiness and performance for future years - meaning when home gardeners try to overwinter these big potted plants, they are not usually successful.

   All Mum plants at garden centres are hardy, meaning that they are perennials in most climates. However, if these plants are put in the ground from August on, most won't make it through winter. The reason is that Mums planted late in the season are near, or at, the flowering stage, when their energy is focused into blooming, and they won't grow roots to sustain plants through the winter. This is why Mums should be planted in the spring if you want a perennial plant that has a spectacular autumn show!

   If you really adore your fall purchase though, you can try to over-winter your Chrysanthemums in the basement or a dark, cold closet, after the first frost. Water well and place in an area where it is totally dark and 0°C to 10°C. The plants will hibernate for the winter if you keep their roots damp. Check the pots weekly.

   In the spring, gradually acclimate your Mum plants to light and plant them out in the garden after the last killing frost, remembering to pinch them twice prior to the first of August for a full, lush plant.

   We hope this helps you to enjoy your Mums just a little bit longer! Use our Plant Finder to search for a sample of our Mum selection by your preferred colour. You can find many Mum varieties and more information at Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre, please stop in for a visit this autumn!

There is something about a beautiful cozy sweater that makes cooler weather way more bearable! Layering a new sweater with clothing staples already in the closet can also breathe new life into your wardrobe, and elevate it for the changing season. It can make everything you’re wearing feel fresh again!

Year Round Sweaters

Sweaters are a great way to stay warm and fashionable all year round, especially when you invest in one made from the right stuff. At Sassyfras in Eising Garden Centre, we have Men’s and Women’s sweaters in natural fabrics like cotton, and bamboo which are great choices for several reasons:

• Natural fibres allow your skin to breathe and are less likely to cause overheating. If you’re part of the Hot Stuff club, aka menopausal, that kind of comfort is a definite plus!
• They can be warm without being too bulky.
• These materials tend to be more durable and long-lasting. They are biodegradable and more sustainable than synthetic alternatives.

Sweater Pairings

From a chunky knit to a lightweight turtleneck, there’s a sweater to go with every style and shape.

With flowy pants, a more fitted sweater that’s tucked in or cropped can balance out the silhouette of wide-leg trousers or palazzo pants.

Form-fitting slacks like leggings look great with chunky, or slightly oversized longer sweaters, tunics or cardigans.

For men, choose a casual sweater to wear with jeans or cotton pants. If you’re dressing up, try a fine-knit sweater with dress pants for a more formal outfit.

Overall, sweaters are a great way to add interest with some pattern or texture!

Layering Made Easy

If there’s a perfect outfit for days that start out cold and get warmer, or vice versa, it’s one that’s layered. While it’s easy to grab a coat and head out the door, taking a few minutes to consider the layers you’re using can make all the difference!

1. Start with a simple cotton or viscose top, a long-sleeved t-shirt, or a collared shirt. This provides some insulation and is great for moisture-wicking.
2. Add a beautiful sweater. A chunky knit, a cardigan, or a pullover. If it’s made from natural fibres, this will provide excellent warmth while still being breathable!
3. On cooler days, add a stylish outer layer like a puffy vest, a coat or a jacket. This layer can provide more warmth or water protection plus add an extra element to your outfit.

Accessories Bring It All Together

While you’re in Sassyfras doing your sweater shopping, it’s the perfect time to look for an accessory to bring your look together and make a statement! Here are some ideas to make the most of your outfit:

• For added warmth or a pop of colour or pattern, scarves make excellent accessories for sweaters.
• A stylish bag that matches the overall look and colours can bring together the theme of your sweater outfit.
• Adding a necklace can make a bold statement or instantly dress up a plain sweater.
• Earrings can add a touch of glamour, colour or fun to your sweater ensemble.
• Consider the often-forgotten hat! They can make your outfit more chic, and also keep you warm.
• Mittens or gloves can be both cozy and stylish.
• Colour-coordinated, patterned or contrasting tights are the perfect match with a sweater dress.
• Add a belt to a tunic, sweater dress or cardigan to change the silhouette or shape of your outfit.

Most importantly, experiment and try new things, have fun and find a look that is right for you!

Fall, also known as Pumpkin Spice Season, is well underway.  The leaves are changing colour and we’re saying so long to another garden season.  But wait!  There’s still plenty of enjoyment to be had from your hard-working garden.  Temperatures may be falling, but Autumn is the perfect time to squeeze in a few more plants, and to slow down and connect with family, friends, and neighbours by hosting a backyard party.

Autumn Entertaining Ideas

This is a list of our favourite ideas to inspire your outdoor party plans and keep us in mind if you’re looking for decorations like pumpkins, gourds and flowers for your next event. Eising Porch Packages make decorating fun and easy!

Outdoor Movie or Game Night

Bring the patio furniture close to the house to protect everyone from a fall breeze, grab the basket of blankets or throws, warm some cider, and pop the popcorn. There’s nothing like a beautiful Autumn evening, now that the bugs are gone, to enjoy a night under the stars watching a great movie, your favourite team sport, or cracking open a fun board game.

Candy Apples Extravaganza

Create a self-serve candy apple bar with slices of apples on wooden skewers, bowls of dips like caramel, chocolate, hazelnut spread, and almond butter, and small bowls of toppings like mini marshmallows, sprinkles, and chocolate chips.

Harvest Abundance

Fall is the perfect time to enjoy a potluck featuring everything in season, or preserved from the garden.  Sweet potatoes, squash, and yes, even Pumpkin Spice. Decorate the table with seasonal fruit, flowers, potted fall plants from Eising Greenhouses  and fairy lights to add to the ambience. Maybe even a grazing board packed with favourite snacks.

Wreath or Garland Making Party

Looking to layer your Fall décor on the front door or a fireplace but don’t have a wreath or garland? Pick out a design with friends, and have everyone contribute one item for everyone to use. Forage for items in your yard, or buy them, then get together and create! 

Backyard Bonfire

If you’re lucky enough to have a fire pit, or chiminea, Fall is the perfect time to host a backyard bonfire on a cool night. Marshmallows and hot chocolate will make it super cozy!

Oktoberfest Party

You may not want to hire the polka band, but soft pretzels, sausage, and local apple cider should definitely be on the menu. Fill a galvanized tub with ice, and add mason jars with premade drinks to make hosting a breeze.

Pumpkin Painting Party

All you’ll need is a pile of pumpkins and gourds, an inexpensive tablecloth,  paint supplies, and some inspiration. It’s a canvas that can be painted over and over, so don’t be afraid to get creative.  Kids love this, but so do adults!

Whatever you’re planning, we hope that you enjoy the season. You know where to find us: 814 Cockshutt Road in Simcoe, ON

P.S. Autumn is also the perfect time to plant perennials, shrubs and trees - stop by and peruse the garden centre to find some great last minute garden additions! 

As Summer winds down, you may find the plants that have been producing blooms for months are now slowing down, and it’s time to add a touch of fall to your gardens and décor.

Wondering where to begin?  We’re looking to nature for inspiration, and sharing our favourite ideas and tips to create your own cozy sanctuary, inside or outside.

4 Easy Steps for Fall Decorating

1) Switch It Up

Remove summer annuals and planters that are looking tired in the garden, and replace them with plants that will carry you through the fall, and cooler weather.  At Eising Garden Centre you’ll find ornamental peppers and kale, amaranth, and of course, chrysanthemums. Or, try out our very popular Porch Packages which will be available beginning September 9, 2023. Choose all the plants and pumpkins you love from the Porch Package list and create a fall mood anywhere in one swoop! Just pick it, drop it, and you’re done. How’s that for making decorating fun, fast, and easy?

2) Mimic Nature's Colours

Take your cue from what’s in the garden now. Warming colours found in nature are a sure sign of Autumn and can warm an indoor space too. Try popular muted shades of orange, moss green, coffee, turmeric, and rust.  If your style is monochromatic, and you have a display of white flowers, try adding one bright orange chrysanthemum.

3) Layer Textures - Here's How

Is there anything more inviting than a chunky knit throw on a cool autumn day?  Adding throws that are knit, or made of rich fabrics is the first step in creating a cozy sanctuary.  If you’re heading to the backyard for a gathering, bring along a basket of throws for guests. Along with a throw, add some pillows in seasonal colours and prints, like a bold plaid.  If your sitting area is neutral, or muted shades, try adding a pop of colour with a pillow to brighten things up.

Last but not least - flowers and plants bring an indoor space to life! Buy a wreath or garland, or make one, using dried hydrangea, boxwood, cedar, or any garden material that looks good right now. Adding a vase or container with dried pampas grass, and dried hydrangea or fresh flowers will enhance the natural theme and layers that you’re creating.

Layering also works for fall fashion.  It’s practical, with daytime temperatures fluctuating, but layering is what creates a great fall look. Jeans and a cozy top, layered with a shacket is perfect for Fall weather.

4) Light and Scent

Two essential and often overlooked aspects when decorating are embellished lighting, and warm, inviting scents. Fairy lights, a glass lantern and votive candle, paper lanterns, a string of bulbs, and a really beautiful candle all go a long way to adding that final bit of magic to your sanctuary.  Stick with warming, woodsy scents in your dried arrangement by adding a drop of essential oil, or when using candles. 

Another great way to add beautiful scents is to make, or warm up a delicious baked treat!  Family and friends are sure to gather when the smell of an apple pie wafts from the kitchen.  Now that everything is looking so festive, why not have a party? Coming up soon, we’ll share some fun fall activities to enjoy in the backyard or the living room.