By March of any given year, Thomsens clientele and Minnesotans in general have endured 5 months of harsh cold, snow and life without the beauty and serenity of lush gardens and extravagant floral color. In 2009, Thomsens introduced the perfect remedy to these seasonal doldrums – the Spring Basket Planting Party.

Our Spring Basket Planting Party is a secret oasis for that long overdue girl’s day out. The Party begins with the opportunity to learn about mix container design from the experts, and continues as you marvel over the limitless choices of annual plants to use in your own creation. Bidding farewell to dirty hands and your labor of love, we take over the growing and care until Mother Nature has lifted her wintry burden from Central Minnesota. The party doesn’t end there – sip a glass of champagne and enjoy a massage while continuing to absorb the instant green-ification of our environment. All are included in this experience.

Thomsen’s Spring Basket Planting Party features a 14 inch container, which can serve as either a hanging basket or patio pot.  This size container requires a maximum of seven plants, with the right combination of Thrillers, Fillers & Spillers. Basket templates, expert instructions, and hands on assistance assure you will have an enjoyable and successful design experience. You can choose to design and plant one or more containers, depending on your particular requirement.

Thrillers – plants that stand out and make a statement in your container.
Fillers – plants that will fill spaces within your container.
Spillers – plants that spill over and trail the sides of your container.

To ensure the most fulfilling experience, reservations are required. Our 2012 Party has three days for you to choose from: Friday March 23rd, Saturday March 24th and Sunday March 25th. Party hours are 2 – 6pm on Friday and 10-2 on Sat & Sun. Word of mouth is spreading quickly, so call your friends and the greenhouse to guarantee your place.

Baskets will be available for pick up May 1st – May 15th. We recommend calling the greenhouse before coming, as weather conditions will affect the growth rate of your creation. Also, we encourage you to come out to visit your young creation as it develops into a beautiful blossoming masterpiece.

Before you arrive, consider a few aspects of container design:
Will the container be in a sun or shade exposure?
How much maintenance throughout the season will you give your container?
Do you have a particular color scheme to follow?

Caring for your container once you get it home:
Watering – It is very important to not over water in cool, wet weather. In hot, windy weather, you may have to water once a day.
Fertilizing – We recommend fertilizing at least once a month with a water-soluble plant fertilizer to maintain great looking foliage and continued blooms.
Deadheading – Most plants benefit from removing the spent blossoms. It is also good to trim your plants to keep them thick and full in your baskets.