Is it just me getting old or is Christmas getting earlier evey year.

And are Garden Centres now just retail outlets for seasonal goodies?

Every year shops display their Christmas wears for all to see earlier and earlier. They put up their decorations, it seems like just after Easter.

Go to a Garden Center for something to do with gardening and what do you find. Millions of Christmas trees, no roots so you can't plant them, rows of shelves full of Christmas decorations, stacks of tacky so called Christmas presents.

But not a seed tray, pot or compost in sight.

And to top it all, piped Christmas carols and hymns, you know the ones you really hate but are humming to youeself days after. Aggggggghhhh!!!

Yup, I think its just me - getting old and sad.

All the best
Gardenjunkie

Gardenjunkie wrote:
Is it just me getting old or is Christmas getting earlier evey year.

And are Garden Centres now just retail outlets for seasonal goodies?

Every year shops display their Christmas wears for all to see earlier
and earlier. They put up their decorations, it seems like just after
Easter.

Go to a Garden Center for something to do with gardening and what do
you find. Millions of Christmas trees, no roots so you can't plant
them, rows of shelves full of Christmas decorations, stacks of tacky so
called Christmas presents.

But not a seed tray, pot or compost in sight.

And to top it all, piped Christmas carols and hymns, you know the ones
you really hate but are humming to youeself days after.
Aggggggghhhh!!!

Yup, I think its just me - getting old and sad.

All the best
Gardenjunkie

One good thing, IMO, is that one can get some plants that can be
hard to find. I just found some cranberry bushes in 1-qt
containers. Since they were on the list of plants I want, I got
them all.

Also, little hollies. The problem with them is that there are
only females for the obvious reason.

I was kid-of hacked off when I was told that the little trees
(junipers--for that matter, most of these things need labels)
could not be planted outside. So what is the point of getting a
living tree if that is the case?

But yeah. I have been prowling the nurseries looking for normal
things, and there is almost nothing right now.

--
Jean B.

Gardenjunkie writes:

Is it just me getting old or is Christmas getting earlier evey year.

It's not just you.

And are Garden Centres now just retail outlets for seasonal goodies?

Every year shops display their Christmas wears for all to see earlier
and earlier. They put up their decorations, it seems like just after
Easter.

Go to a Garden Center for something to do with gardening and what do
you find. Millions of Christmas trees, no roots so you can't plant
them, rows of shelves full of Christmas decorations, stacks of tacky so
called Christmas presents.

But not a seed tray, pot or compost in sight.

And to top it all, piped Christmas carols and hymns, you know the ones
you really hate but are humming to youeself days after.
Aggggggghhhh!!!

Yup, I think its just me - getting old and sad.

I think it's people in sales. I don't know what it is with them, but
they compulsively push their products beyond all reason.

My pet peeve is TV. They now run commericails for their other shows
almost non-stop, right on the screen as another show is in progress.
The commerical breaks weren't enough.

This year we had Christmas stuff on the shelves in our supermarket
before Halloween.

On Nov 28, 11:27*am, wrote:
Gardenjunkie writes:
Is it just me getting old or is Christmas getting earlier evey year.

It's not just you.



And are Garden Centres now just retail outlets for seasonal goodies?

Every year shops display their Christmas wears for all to see earlier
and earlier. They put up their decorations, it seems like just after
Easter.

Go to a Garden Center for something to do with gardening and what do
you find. Millions of Christmas trees, no roots so you can't plant
them, rows of shelves full of Christmas decorations, stacks of tacky so
called Christmas presents.

But not a seed tray, pot or compost in sight.

And to top it all, piped Christmas carols and hymns, you know the ones
you really hate but are humming to youeself days after.
Aggggggghhhh!!!

Yup, I think its just me - getting old and sad.

I think it's people in sales. *I don't know what it is with them, but
they compulsively push their products beyond all reason.

My pet peeve is TV. *They now run commericails for their other shows
almost non-stop, right on the screen as another show is in progress.
The commerical breaks weren't enough.

This year we had Christmas stuff on the shelves in our supermarket
before Halloween.

I agree with all of you as I peek over the fence. It's the higher
folks up in sales who have learned through all the time that has
passed in the last few decades, that pushing things earlier might mean
more sales for them. (for example, where I grew up, in Nashville, we
had a few smart department stores who decided to have a small
"Christmas in July" sale downtown where all the department stores used
to be, for that small amount of people who actually did their
Christmas shopping that early to get it out of the way. And then they
had what they used to advertise city wide as NEVD (Nashville Extra
Value Days) when ALL of the stores had HUGE savings because kids USED
to return to school the day after Labor day, so the week or two before
that, the whole city had that sale going on. it was as crazy with
frenzied mom's as Black Friday was yesterday. I remember my own mom
getting out the layaway clothes she'd been putting back during summer
for my newer school attire. Shoes were purchased strictly during NEVD
because of the huge savings mom could get. (and some department
stores like Harvey's and J.C. Penny's and Little Sisters knocked off
additional percentage of the layaway amount left to get mom's to get
their stuff out sooner) Mom usually got my shoes at a place called
the Family Bootery.LOL
But me English husband noticed this year in one of the box stores that
we frequented too often for home repair things needed, that they had
really neat Halloween displays, around AUGUST!!! I remember he asked
me if it was October already, why was it so bloody HOT?? I also
noticed Christmas decorations going up and onto the shelves here in
some places the second week of September.......it saddened me
tremendously. Takes all the enjoyment of the season out for me
personally let alone this long warm weather we've been having that has
caused a lot of the local trees to not turn their leaves as quickly as
others have here where we are now.
And your pet peeve is MY pet peeve as well. I not only hate the
CONTINUAL advertisements on up and coming programs, next month's
programs, next weeks update on whatever, or even a sister channel's
programming, but it's now all lumped into the whole visual thing so
that I'm trying to see the actual program while trying to ignore the
station's icon, the ad's running to the left of the screen, and the
minuscule amount of actual program that they run before 10 minutes
later it's another bloody commercial, but not one or two or even three
commercials, but as many mini commercials and ads as they can!
William Shatner did a brilliant song about that....I can't get behind
that" off his album he did with Ben Folds. Awesome CD.

It's not as bad on just regular T.V. it seems worse on cable and
satellite programming. I counted nine commercials at the half hour
mark on an "hour" program one night. sigh..........

back behind the bushes with me! Hope everyone had a very nice roast
beast day for those who celebrate it. Garden note for those waiting
for a gardening subject to pop out.....my holly bush has red berries
on it.....there are still mum's blooming and my Black and Blue salvia
still has flowers as well. Some glazed pots of sedums are blooming
all over themselves but no bumblies to pollinate and enjoy the late
bounty. All the California poppy seeds I sowed have germinated and
have their fourth set of ferny leaves. Hens and chicks haven't
hunkered down for winter, and as of now, November 28th, I still
haven't brought inside the few cacti and succulents and tender African
plants I have remaining for winter. They're sitting in their holding
area sulking after the unexpected frost we got night before last (they
were covered in several sheets......but cold concrete is still cold
concrete regardless of sheltering by a roof and part of a house from
just being totally exposed. (a covered car porch of sorts next to the
actual house).

madgardener gardening in zone 7 Sunset zone unknown yet ducking
behind a crape myrtle

Madgarnener, I love you. That's all I want to say...I love you
and your wonderful rant.

Donna
in WA


"madgardener" wrote in message
...
On Nov 28, 11:27 am, wrote:
Gardenjunkie writes:
Is it just me getting old or is Christmas getting earlier evey year.

It's not just you.



And are Garden Centres now just retail outlets for seasonal goodies?

Every year shops display their Christmas wears for all to see earlier
and earlier. They put up their decorations, it seems like just after
Easter.

Go to a Garden Center for something to do with gardening and what do
you find. Millions of Christmas trees, no roots so you can't plant
them, rows of shelves full of Christmas decorations, stacks of tacky so
called Christmas presents.

But not a seed tray, pot or compost in sight.

And to top it all, piped Christmas carols and hymns, you know the ones
you really hate but are humming to youeself days after.
Aggggggghhhh!!!

Yup, I think its just me - getting old and sad.

I think it's people in sales. I don't know what it is with them, but
they compulsively push their products beyond all reason.

My pet peeve is TV. They now run commericails for their other shows
almost non-stop, right on the screen as another show is in progress.
The commerical breaks weren't enough.

This year we had Christmas stuff on the shelves in our supermarket
before Halloween.

I agree with all of you as I peek over the fence. It's the higher
folks up in sales who have learned through all the time that has
passed in the last few decades, that pushing things earlier might mean
more sales for them. (for example, where I grew up, in Nashville, we
had a few smart department stores who decided to have a small
"Christmas in July" sale downtown where all the department stores used
to be, for that small amount of people who actually did their
Christmas shopping that early to get it out of the way. And then they
had what they used to advertise city wide as NEVD (Nashville Extra
Value Days) when ALL of the stores had HUGE savings because kids USED
to return to school the day after Labor day, so the week or two before
that, the whole city had that sale going on. it was as crazy with
frenzied mom's as Black Friday was yesterday. I remember my own mom
getting out the layaway clothes she'd been putting back during summer
for my newer school attire. Shoes were purchased strictly during NEVD
because of the huge savings mom could get. (and some department
stores like Harvey's and J.C. Penny's and Little Sisters knocked off
additional percentage of the layaway amount left to get mom's to get
their stuff out sooner) Mom usually got my shoes at a place called
the Family Bootery.LOL
But me English husband noticed this year in one of the box stores that
we frequented too often for home repair things needed, that they had
really neat Halloween displays, around AUGUST!!! I remember he asked
me if it was October already, why was it so bloody HOT?? I also
noticed Christmas decorations going up and onto the shelves here in
some places the second week of September.......it saddened me
tremendously. Takes all the enjoyment of the season out for me
personally let alone this long warm weather we've been having that has
caused a lot of the local trees to not turn their leaves as quickly as
others have here where we are now.
And your pet peeve is MY pet peeve as well. I not only hate the
CONTINUAL advertisements on up and coming programs, next month's
programs, next weeks update on whatever, or even a sister channel's
programming, but it's now all lumped into the whole visual thing so
that I'm trying to see the actual program while trying to ignore the
station's icon, the ad's running to the left of the screen, and the
minuscule amount of actual program that they run before 10 minutes
later it's another bloody commercial, but not one or two or even three
commercials, but as many mini commercials and ads as they can!
William Shatner did a brilliant song about that....I can't get behind
that" off his album he did with Ben Folds. Awesome CD.

It's not as bad on just regular T.V. it seems worse on cable and
satellite programming. I counted nine commercials at the half hour
mark on an "hour" program one night. sigh..........

back behind the bushes with me! Hope everyone had a very nice roast
beast day for those who celebrate it. Garden note for those waiting
for a gardening subject to pop out.....my holly bush has red berries
on it.....there are still mum's blooming and my Black and Blue salvia
still has flowers as well. Some glazed pots of sedums are blooming
all over themselves but no bumblies to pollinate and enjoy the late
bounty. All the California poppy seeds I sowed have germinated and
have their fourth set of ferny leaves. Hens and chicks haven't
hunkered down for winter, and as of now, November 28th, I still
haven't brought inside the few cacti and succulents and tender African
plants I have remaining for winter. They're sitting in their holding
area sulking after the unexpected frost we got night before last (they
were covered in several sheets......but cold concrete is still cold
concrete regardless of sheltering by a roof and part of a house from
just being totally exposed. (a covered car porch of sorts next to the
actual house).

madgardener gardening in zone 7 Sunset zone unknown yet ducking
behind a crape myrtle

madgardener writes:
my holly bush has red berries
on it.....there are still mum's blooming and my Black and Blue salvia
still has flowers as well. Some glazed pots of sedums are blooming
all over themselves but no bumblies to pollinate and enjoy the late
bounty. All the California poppy seeds I sowed have germinated and
have their fourth set of ferny leaves. Hens and chicks haven't
hunkered down for winter, and as of now, November 28th, I still
haven't brought inside the few cacti and succulents and tender African
plants I have remaining for winter. They're sitting in their holding
area sulking after the unexpected frost we got night before last (they
were covered in several sheets......but cold concrete is still cold
concrete regardless of sheltering by a roof and part of a house from
just being totally exposed. (a covered car porch of sorts next to the
actual house).

madgardener gardening in zone 7 Sunset zone unknown yet ducking
behind a crape myrtle

Here in NJ, the hollys have red berries but all the other leaves are
on the ground.

1 day before Thanksgiving we had open flowers on the Christmas Cactus.

See, even the Christmas Cactus is rushing the season.

This fall, I found 4 holly tree volunteers all in one spot. I dug them
up and moved them to a more protected spot.

I've been putting Holly seeds in the ground over the last few years with
no success so far. Still wondering why I found 4 at once, they were
growing under a Dog Wood where I had some cedar mulch.

"Gardenjunkie" wrote in message
...

And are Garden Centres now just retail outlets for seasonal goodies?

Go to a Garden Center for something to do with gardening and what do
you find. Millions of Christmas trees, no roots so you can't plant
them, rows of shelves full of Christmas decorations, stacks of tacky so
called Christmas presents.

My local garden centre looks nothing like that. No decorations, no trees no
sign of Christmas.

But not a seed tray, pot or compost in sight.

All those things are exactly where they should be in the ones I've been to.
Perhaps you just live in the wrong hemisphere?

Here it's peak planting time so there are seeds and seedlings in abundance,
bags of fertilser of all varieties to be chosen from, pots and potting mixes
ans plants, plants and more plants. All gardeners are busy planting and
gardening and by doing that we keep the garden centres focussed on what they
should be doing which is garden related stuff.

On Nov 28, 9:04*pm, "Lelandite" wrote:
Madgarnener, I love you. *That's all I want to say...I love you
and your wonderful rant.

Donna
in WA

"madgardener" wrote in message
snipped for room (sounds of pruners, whacking and secaturs (me Englishman's word for hand pruners g) tearing out
the excess wordage
madgardener gardening in zone 7 Sunset zone unknown yet *ducking
behind a crape myrtle

Thanks Donna......(dragging toe in dirt) it's nice to comment on
something that I feel about here after such a long absence.
by the way, for garden junkie down below........it might be peak
season over there in the UK where you're gardening, and your nurseries
aren't overstocked
with the seasonal schlock like we are here in the "colonies" but
honey, over here, we're saturated with excesses of commercialism to
the point of it sometimes
feeling like it defeats the reason for the gathering and celebrations.
And I'm not saying the religious aspect of it either. It's a time
when we have a good reason
to just be better than we have been to each other. not like we NEED a
reason......personally? I'm a gardener, so I do just fine by my
little corner of the world
in the things that I do daily. I compost, I don't mindlessly kill
insects unless it's absolutely necessary, I don't use hardly any
pesticide, (sometimes you HAVE to
use something for those damn ticks that drop outa the trees onto you!
and we won't start on the skeeters that eat me poor Englishman like
prime sirloin) I'm sure
if some of the better stocked nurseries in some area's were to be
scoured, you'd find garden things. I know there is an absolutely
incredible nursery over in Knoxville, Tennessee that has anything a
gardener would love to give someone else who gardens as really cool
gifts, but I can't quite get there at this time and I tend to agree
with the above comment. The local box stores aren't stocked with much
for us gardeners. Oh SURE there's the usual poinsettia's, non-hardy
evergreen trees and rosemary topiaries, and amaryllis by the pots
full, all waiting for some amateur gardener to get for Christmas to
try and get to live past the first week when they get it. I am
curious when they went ape over those puffed up electric displays?
I've seen houses around here that you can't see the house for the
inflated displays...........and one neighbor's window had their
Christmas tree up, lights on and shining like a beacon since three
weeks before turkey day.....I mean, sheesh!! we're just kvetching
about the general over kill of the season.
now before I get flamed for talking further, I will slip back behind
my holly and boxwood's. (the crape myrtle has lost all it's leaves
and I'm very conspicuous! At least
the boxwoods and Holly have foliage.....LOL) thanks Donna for the
endearment. I love you too honey. I will holler every now and then
when I see something worth spouting
about, and I'm sure there will be rambles as house plants and such
meander through my life where I am now. Good to be back after such a
long absence. g
maddie gardening in zone 7 (maybe even warmer?) and unknown Sunset
zone (gotta find my Sunset book first)

On 11/28/09 6:00 AM, in article ,
"Gardenjunkie" wrote:

Is it just me getting old or is Christmas getting earlier evey year.

And are Garden Centres now just retail outlets for seasonal goodies?

Every year shops display their Christmas wears for all to see earlier
and earlier. They put up their decorations, it seems like just after
Easter.

Go to a Garden Center for something to do with gardening and what do
you find. Millions of Christmas trees, no roots so you can't plant
them, rows of shelves full of Christmas decorations, stacks of tacky so
called Christmas presents.

But not a seed tray, pot or compost in sight.

And to top it all, piped Christmas carols and hymns, you know the ones
you really hate but are humming to youeself days after.
Aggggggghhhh!!!

Yup, I think its just me - getting old and sad.

All the best
Gardenjunkie



Yes to all of the above.

I could not have put it better myself madgardener.

I scoured my local garden center in Homebase today. Guess what they had? Half a dozen skimmia and a couple of sad looking cyclaman.

And oh yes, about 500 hundred Christmas trees.

Oh and another thing. What about all these blasted phone calls. The lastest one was 7 this evening (Sunday). "Do I want to consolidate all my debts" - No I ******* well don't! (Sorry for the language)

But come on, phone calls all hours of the day and night, insurance, kitchens, phones, savings, borrowing. Aggggggghhhhhh.

I'm really winding myself up now. Need a cuppa and a slice of fruit cake.

All the best
Gardenjunkie
SE England

I was kind-of hacked off when I was told that the little trees
(junipers--for that matter, most of these things need labels)
could not be planted outside. * So what is the point of getting a
living tree if that is the case?
--
Jean B.
The garden centers keep perpetuating this myth that junipers can be
grown indoors. Bonsai wannabes purchase them by the thousands, then
when the tree dies, they think they can't grow bonsai. Meanwhile, the
wholesalers are raking in the money & the garden center employees
don't know the difference. I assure you, junipers cannot be grown
indoors, except under very specialized conditions for a limited amount
of time.
Iris

On Nov 29, 3:04*pm, Gardenjunkie Gardenjunkie.
wrote:
'madgardener Wrote:



*Thanks Donna......(dragging toe in dirt) *it's nice to comment on
something that I feel about here after such a long absence.
by the way, for garden junkie down below........it might be peak
season over there in the UK where you're gardening, and your nurseries
aren't overstocked
with the seasonal schlock like we are here in the "colonies" but
honey, over here, we're saturated with excesses of commercialism to
the point of it sometimes
feeling like it defeats the reason for the gathering and celebrations.
And I'm not saying the religious aspect of it either. *It's a time
when we have a good reason
to just be better than we have been to each other. not like we NEED a
reason......personally? *I'm a gardener, so I do just fine by my
little corner of the world
in the things that I do daily. I compost, I don't mindlessly kill
insects unless it's absolutely necessary, I don't use hardly any
pesticide, (sometimes you HAVE to
use something for those damn ticks that drop outa the trees onto you!
and we won't start on the skeeters that eat me poor Englishman like
prime sirloin) I'm sure
if some of the better stocked nurseries in some area's were to be
scoured, you'd find garden things. I know there is an absolutely
incredible nursery over in Knoxville, Tennessee that has anything a
gardener would love to give someone else who gardens as really cool
gifts, but I can't quite get there at this time and I tend to agree
with the above comment. *The local box stores aren't stocked with much
for us gardeners. *Oh SURE there's the usual poinsettia's, non-hardy
evergreen trees and rosemary topiaries, and amaryllis by the pots
full, all waiting for some amateur gardener to get for Christmas to
try and get to live past the first week when they get it. *I am
curious when they went ape over those puffed up electric displays?
I've seen houses around here that you can't see the house for the
inflated displays...........and one neighbor's window had their
Christmas tree up, lights on and shining like a beacon since three
weeks before turkey day.....I mean, sheesh!! we're just kvetching
about the general over kill of the season.
now before I get flamed for talking further, I will slip back behind
my holly and boxwood's. *(the crape myrtle has lost all it's leaves
and I'm very conspicuous! *At least
the boxwoods and Holly have foliage.....LOL) *thanks Donna for the
endearment. I love you too honey. *I will holler every now and then
when I see something worth spouting
about, and I'm sure there will be rambles as house plants and such
meander through my life where I am now. *Good to be back after such a
long absence. *g
maddie gardening in zone 7 (maybe even warmer?) and unknown Sunset
zone (gotta find my Sunset book first)

I could not have put it better myself madgardener.

I scoured my local garden center in Homebase today. Guess what they
had? Half a dozen skimmia and a couple of sad looking cyclaman.

And oh yes, about 500 hundred Christmas trees.

Oh and another thing. What about all these blasted phone calls. The
lastest one was 7 this evening (Sunday). "Do I want to consolidate all
my debts" - No I ******* well don't! (Sorry for the language)

But come on, phone calls all hours of the day and night, insurance,
kitchens, phones, savings, borrowing. Aggggggghhhhhh.

I'm really winding myself up now. Need a cuppa and a slice of fruit
cake.

All the best
Gardenjunkie
SE England

--
Gardenjunkie
well before you wind yerself up (and I'm about to make myself a
cuppa......love it hot with half and half and a tiny bit of sugar, and
since being with my sweet Englishman, I love lap sang shu song
(spelling is outrageous sorry). I need to get a care package from his
family for Euthymol toothpaste, Lap Sang (a good half pound would be
nice) and that marmalade package that makes four pounds of marmalade
when you add the sugar and cook it and jar it yourself! (LOL) over
here we have what the phone company describes as "do not call lists"
when you first get new service you ask them to unlist your number and
put you on the do not call list. But it takes thirty days before it
completely takes effect. My hubby was documenting the phone calls of
solicitors for everything which started literally the same night our
service was turned on! We hadn't given out our number to family let
alone given it out to someone who would have passed it around or sold
it.........but over here, when you answer a call and see that it's
someone asking for donations or contributions or looking for someone
else who owes money (not us) we can by law say "thank you no, and
please take this phone number off your call list or I will report it
to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and believe me, if they
have the ******** to call back, they will be FINED $500 per call!
Awesome isn't it? we had someone to call back after saying the
sentence that means business. most of these people are recording for
training purposes anyway, so they can't just say "oh I didn't hear
what you said about not calling" and it gave him great satisfaction
to see them return the call and he reported them to the FCC and to the
phone company. You can actually find certain numbers listed as
nuisance numbers on the internet and report them.

thanks. it's a common factor with a lot of us serious gardeners with
some things .and something else I noticed after having been on this
newsgroup now for well over 15 years.......there is always a time when
the kids are home and nothing to do...or bored or want to stir the
pot........I can always tell if there's a troll now or even someone
just wanting to get responses by one or two questions.....and I saw
one of them listed the other day. granted, it was worded differently,
but it was the same nevertheless........it's the dog shit question in
someone's garden or yard. the other one is about cats........if you
want to get people on a rant, start talking about dog crap in the
gardens or yards, or cats and their feces or getting
birds.............now since I know that I WILL get flamed if I keep
this conversational thread up, I will duck behind the cold soaking wet
boxwoods and lurk again. stay warm!
madgardener in zone 7b who is only NOW starting to bring in a few
cactus and succulents and tender African bulbs and plants inside
before we really get a hard freeze!! (heck it's almost DECEMBER for
crying out loud! I've NEVER let it go this long before!) and I agree
Iris about the "juniper bonsai" people don't realize that juniper's
trimmed to be bonsai need to be outside, not inside........if they had
them in little bonsai pots and sitting on their deck or picnic table,
it'd be fine, but it's the same with my first mistake of bringing in a
pot of hens and chicks (sempervivums) they were beautiful for a week
and then turned up their noses, shot me the finger and croaked.....now
tender echiveria's that look like sempervivums are a different story.
if you can leave them alone and barely water them and keep them at 45°
until spring and freezy frosty weather is past, you've done well.
whole different animal

Your absolutely right. Christmas is getting eralier every year. I am based in the UK and at this very moment it has just begun to snow. I have so much gardening I need to do this week and I wont be able to get any of it done if this snow lies. Your right though. Its the 1st of December tomorrow but everywhere I go now all I see is Christmas decorations and all I hear is Christmas music. Im starting to get into the Christmas spirit now.

When I first tapped into this post the computer didnt show your full thread. Now I have read it I am a bit upset by your comments. Not all garden centres sell tacky decorations or trees with no roots. There are certain establishements and good garden centres all over the UK that sell seed trays, pots and compost as well as fantastic Christmas stock. Garden Centres have to stock Christmas items. It is as simple as that. They have to put on Christmas displays. If they dont then they lose customers. It is as simple as that. We would never subject our customers to tacky music and most UK garden centre owners would say the same. It is comments like this that destroy the reputaion of good garden centres and send people to other (unmentionable)large retail outlets that do sell cheap tacky products and undercut good honest retailers.
I also have to raise the issue you have with piped music in garden centres. What is wrong with festive music playing whilst you shop? As long as it is not being played too loudly or being repeated over and over again I would prefer this to endless adverts for products in the garden centre. Are you anti Christmas altogether or just anti Garden Centres? We are in the middle of a recession and Garden Centres are being effected as much as everyone, if not more so. Garden Centres like ourselves have worked hard not to display tacky Christmas stiock and have spent a lot of time ensuring our customers experience is enhanced not disrupted. We have had nothing but wonderful comments.
I agree that some garden centres start too early with the Christmas sales, but you can not tar everyone with the same brush

Sorry if I upset you, or anyone else for that matter, that was not my intention.

Its just the way I see things and I have to say most of my friends are in agreement.

I guess you have a vested interest in Garden Centers and possibly a biased view, which I do not have a problem with. You have the same rights as I have to say it as you see it.

My defination of a Gareden Center is in the title "Garden Center".

Now gardening to me doe's not include Christmas decorations, gifts, cards, Christmas trees, etc., etc.

The worst point about the gifts Garden Centers display is they have absolutely nothing to do with gardening.

So I rest my case and stick to my guns.

I hope this has not upset you.

All the best
Gardenjunkie
S. E. England