It's that time of year and we invite you to experience the fall harvest season here, where the only thing more beautiful than the fall foliage is the sea of orange created by our great selection of pumpkins.

We have a wide selection of pumpkins for eating or carving in every size, from traditional orange pumpkins to distinctive white pumpkins. We even have ceramic pumpkins in stock, too!

We also carry ornamental gourds. Looking for something smaller? We have mini pumpkins and mini gourds perfect for a festive touch to a table or windowsill. Would you prefer a hassle-free alternative? We create custom table decorations, too.

And don't forget our other fall décor to dress up your home up inside and out. Decorate your mailbox with festive mailbox covers and flags; decorate your front door with custom autumn wreaths including corn wreaths. We have them all.

And what autumn vignette would be complete without vibrant mums? We have a great selection of chrysanthemums to choose from in strock right now.

So what are you waiting for? Come visit us today and don't forget to bring the kids. We are the best place to find all of your fall decoration needs.

"If you would be happy for a lifetime, grow chrysanthemums."
Chinese Proverb

The chrysanthemum was first cultivated in China as a flowering herb and is described in writings as early as the 15th Century B.C. In fact, Chinese pottery depicted the chrysanthemum much as we know it today.

As an herb, it was believed to have the power of life. Legend has it that the boiled roots were used as a headache remedy; young sprouts and petals were eaten in salads; and leaves were brewed for a festive drink. The ancient Chinese name for chrysanthemum is "Chu." The Chinese city of Chu-Hsien (which means Chrysanthemum City) was named in honor of the flower.

Around the 8th century A.D., the chrysanthemum appeared in Japan. So taken were the Japanese with this flower that they adopted a single-flowered chrysanthemum as the crest and the official seal of the Emperor. The chrysanthemum in the crest is a 16-floret variety called "Ichimonjiginu."

Family seals for many prominent Japanese families also contain some type of chrysanthemum. This is called a Kikumon--"Kiku" means chrysanthemum and "Mon" means crest. In Japan, the highest Order of Chivalry is the Imperial Order of the Chrysanthemum. Japan also has a National Chrysanthemum Day, which is called the Festival of Happiness.

The chrysanthemum was first introduced into the Western world during the 17th Century. In 1753, Karl Linnaeus, the renowned Swedish botanist and founder of that branch of taxonomy dealing with plants, including the science of classification and identification, combined the Greek words chrysos (gold) with anthemon (flower). Experts say this is probably an accurate description of the ancient species, as it also points out the mum's need for sunlight.

The earliest illustrations of mums show them as small, yellow, daisy-like flowers.

Source: National Chrysanthemum Society, USA
For more on the history of chrysanthemums, click here.

George's Market and Nursery has a great selection of mums in stock right now. Choose your mums now while color and variety selection is at its best!

Autumn is a good time to prepare your lawn for the year ahead, and the best time to tackle any long-term improvements. Tasks such as raking out lawn debris, eradicating moss, feeding, and aerating will improve the quality of your lawn greatly if carried out on a yearly basis.

Under some conditions, grass clippings and debris can form a thick "thatch" on the surface of your lawn. This affects growth of the grass and should be removed with a lawn rake. Raking also removes moss.

If grass growth is poor, aerate the lawn. You can do this by pushing the prongs of a fork about 15 cm (6 in) into the ground. Brush a soil improver into the holes made by the fork. Use sand or a mixture of fine soil and sand if the ground is poorly drained. Alternatively, use peat, a peat-substitute or very fine, well-rotted compost if the ground is sandy. Reseed as necessary; fall is an excellent time for reseeding.

If your lawn is in poor condition and needs reviving, apply an autumn lawn feed. It is essential that you use one formulated for autumn use, as spring and summer feeds will contain too much nitrogen. If the grass contains a lot of moss, apply a moss killer. Use one recommended for autumn use; the mixture known as lawn sand, sometimes used to kill moss, contains too much nitrogen.

You can (and should) tidy an uneven edge whenever it's necessary, but doing a full job of it in autumn will relieve the pressure at busier times of the year. Hold a half-moon edger against a board held in position with your feet.