My wife and I were sitting in our hotel restaurant in downtown Cleveland. My conference wasn’t starting for another few hours, so we had time to sit down for a late breakfast and enjoy the rest of the morning to ourselves. Within minutes of being seated, we were greeted by our server and, in quick order, hot coffee was being poured.
A quick conversation revealed our server was from the area and had been working in the service industry for a number of years. She told us she worked at the hotel restaurant during the day and then at a nearby casino during the night. And somewhere in there she managed to get some sleep!
She was fun to talk to, had lots of questions for us about our stay and the conference we were attending. It was a garden center conference, and that stirred up more conversation.
She stopped and checked in on us frequently; my coffee cup never got cold, and our water glasses never ran dry.
It didn’t feel like much time had gone by when she came over to our table and apologized for the wait for the food. Neither Kim nor I felt like the wait had been excessive, but once she mentioned it, we did realize it had been a while since we had ordered.
Our server said she was going to check on things and see what was going on, and a few minutes later, she appeared with our food. As she set it down in front of us, she apologized again for the delay, commenting that it shouldn’t have taken so long. Once again, we told her we were good. She apologized one more time, then left us to eat and enjoy.
The food was good, and once our plates were clean and my last cup of coffee was finished, we asked for our bill. A few minutes later our server returned to the table, took our plates, and left our bill. When I opened it up, instead of a bill, there was a handwritten note on a piece of receipt paper that said, “Sorry for the wait. I comped the bill. Have a wonderful day.”
I was blown away.
My wife saw the confused look on my face and asked if there was something wrong with the bill. I closed it back up and slid it over to her to read. She was blown away too.
We both looked at each other, totally shocked.
When we saw our server again, we thanked her but told her comping the meal was not necessary. To be honest, we really didn’t feel like we had waited that long. But she wasn’t going to back down! She insisted it took the kitchen too long to get our meals ready, and that just wasn’t right. She was NOT going to charge us...end of story!
We didn’t have to pay for our meal, but I assure you...she got a really big tip!
Cameron Rees, General Manager
That story doesn’t have anything to do with fall or gardening, but it does shine a light on customer service, and that’s something we feel pretty strongly about here at Skinner. Hopefully that comes through when you’re here at the store or talking with us by phone.
We appreciate your taking the time to come out and see us, and hopefully we’re doing our part to show that to you. We try our best to keep the store full of great plants and quality gardening products, and our goal is always to provide you with the best assistance we can when you’re here.
And if we fall short on that, please let us know.
Thanks again for your business, and remember, if you need help, just let us know.
Thanks!
—Cameron Rees
“THYMELY'' ADVICE: LAST CHANCE FOR FALL LAWN SEEDING
Cool weather is here! Weather has been unpredictable this year, so many of us started seeding a little later than normal. But now is the perfect time to finish up that fall lawn seeding.
Once you have chosen a grass seed and prepped your lawn, you are ready to spread grass seed. We also suggest getting a really good fertilizer specifically for grass seed.
This will be put down at the same time as the grass seed and will help give the root growth and overall germination of the seed a better chance. Our recommendation is Fertilome New Lawn Fertilizer.
Once you’ve completed your seeding, remember it’s always a good idea to top dress the seed for better protection and germination. Something like topsoil, compost, or straw will do.
Then…
Water, Water, Water!!!! Watering is very important; not just when, but how much water determines how successful you are when seeding. As we get into cooler nights, you will notice that they don’t seem to dry out as fast, so watering will be a little less.
While the fall seeding window may be closing soon, don’t forget that you can always dormant seed for that beautiful green grass in the spring. Dormant means just as it sounds; during the winter, all grass goes into a slumber. This is the dormant season. You can put grass seed down on your lawn and leave it be, and basically let Mother Nature do her thing and water the grass seed during the winter. Germination and growth will start early in the spring.
That’s about it. I’m sure you’re thinking, “I got this!” and if you are, that’s great. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, stop in today and ask any one of our friendly staff to help. As always, we are here to help, and HAPPY PLANTING!
—Melissa Anderson
PLANT fall cOLOR NOW!
We’re just starting to see the first hints of it... Fall color!
As the cool weather continues to press in, leaves will be changing, and those fall colors are what so many of us look forward to.
So, which ones are your favorites?
It can be hard to pick! Bright reds, fiery oranges, golden-yellows, even rusty-browns... they’re all stunning. But you can’t enjoy that color in your own yard if you don’t plant it, and right now is a perfect time.
This time of the year really is the “perfect storm” for planting...warm soil, cool temps and rain. And we’ll be able to take advantage of those ideal planting conditions for the next couple of months.
Most people are surprised when I tell them October and November are the perfect months for planting most things, especially trees.
The misconception I commonly run into is that as the outside world around us starts to wind down and the growing season comes to a close, the planting season is also winding down. Nothing could be farther from the truth!
Our planting season continues until the ground is too frozen to dig in. That’s a long way away, so take advantage of ideal planting conditions!
Trees planted in October, November or even December are in a much better place than trees planted next spring when it comes to dealing with the heat and dry conditions next summer will surely bring. That’s always the concern. Winters are easy to get through, but summers...they’re tough!
But what do you plant?
That’s always a tough question. There are obvious considerations taken into account...things like soil conditions, size limitations, but then you get to have some fun!
You get to choose things like flowers and fruits and, of course, the big one right now, fall color!
Here are some great choices to help you narrow it down.
Red Maple – The name says it all...red. This species of maple is well-known for its red fall color. However, keep in mind that fall color is heavily influenced by things like weather and site conditions, so the same tree will vary from year to year or even from one yard to the next, but in general, expect fall colors ranging from orange-red to bright red to burgundy-red. Popular selections include ‘Red Sunset’, ‘October Glory’, ‘Redpointe’, ‘Brandywine ’, and ‘Sun Valley’.
Red Maple Hybrids – These are popular hybrids between Red Maple and Silver Maple. They combine the great fall color of the Red Maple with the exceptional vigor and durability of the Silver Maple. ‘Autumn Blaze’ is the best known of these, but ‘Matador’ is another exceptional selection.
Ginkgo – This tree dates back to prehistoric times and is truly one of a kind. It has distinctly fan-shaped foliage that turns brilliant golden-yellow in the fall. The types we plant as landscape trees are male forms, so therefore seedless, which is a good thing. The fruits on the female tree are soft, messy, and smell like fresh dog poop! Look for male forms like ‘Autumn Gold’ or ‘Presidential Gold’.
Black Gum – Don’t confuse this one with Sweetgum! Although both have “gum” in their name, they are not related! Black Gum is an upright, pyramidal tree, and although they do produce fruits, they are tiny, smaller than a pencil eraser...they’re harmless. Color in the fall is stunning, ranging from fiery red to red-orange to deeper red-burgundy. Popular selections include ‘Forest Fire’, ‘Green Gable’ and ‘Afterburner’.
Tuliptree – Also known as Tulip Poplar. This is a fast-growing North American native, producing yellow-green and orange tulip-shaped flowers in the spring, not to be confused with Magnolia, which also produces spring flowers. Fall color is a brilliant, golden-yellow.
Amur Maple – This is a smaller maple species, maturing in the 15-20’ range. It typically has a multi-stemmed habit and has leaves much smaller than its larger cousins. Fall color typically lands in the fiery orange to red-orange range. ‘Flame’ is one of the best selections.
Serviceberry – This is another smaller selection, maturing in the 15-25’ range. It also tends to be found growing with a multi-stemmed habit but is also frequently pruned to a single trunk and staked straight. Fall color can be orange to red-orange. ‘Autumn Brilliance’ is by far the popular selection.
Sugar Maple – This is the one that makes New England famous for fall color. Fiery orange is the best way to describe its fall color. Stick with summer heat and drought-hardy forms like ‘Fall Fiesta’, ‘John Pair’, and ‘Flashfire’.
That’s a quick look at some of the most popular choices, but there are plenty more out there to choose from. If you’d like to go down that rabbit hole, stop on in and we’ll talk fall color!
Good luck making your choice!
—Cameron Rees
SKINNER BUCK$ REDEMPTION PERIOD IS UNDERWAY!
It’s time for Skinner Buck$!
Our Fall Skinner Buck$ Redemption Period officially started Monday, October 5, and runs through Sunday, November 8. Bring your 2026 Skinner Bucks back in during this time and spend them just like money, saving up to 50% off your purchase!
If you aren’t already aware, Skinner Buck$ are our way of saying thank you for choosing Skinner. You can receive Skinner Buck$ any time you make a purchase at the store. We have 3 Redemption Periods throughout the year for you to cash them in. The back of your Buck$ will list the Redemption Periods and Expiration Date for those Buck$.
It’s that simple! Start any time!
WHAT’S NEW?… IN STOCK NOW!
Dream it
〰️
plant it
〰️
Dream it 〰️ plant it 〰️
MORE NEWS, eVENTS & aNNOUNCEMENTS
WINTER PORCH POT WORKSHOPS: Our workshops fill up pretty fast, so it's good to get registered early; registration is required. These sessions are great for bringing some friends, family, or neighbors together for a fun activity, or doing it solo with a cheerful group at the store. Bring your coffee and your creative spirit, or we'll have some examples and inspiration for you when you get here, and guidance throughout. You'll end up with a versatile winter arrangement for the porch, the fireplace hearth, or a table or buffet centerpiece. Check the flyer for all the details and give us a call or email to get registered.
