Category: Plants

  • 15 houseplants that will improve your indoor air quality

    For all of its exploration of the galaxy, the space program has accrued many benefits right here on earth. Thanks to NASA, we know that houseplants can purify the air in our homes and workplaces. NASA originally focused on finding ways to purify the air in orbiting space stations. A 1973 space mission identified 107…

  • Shedding holiday light on the mystery that is mistletoe

    Oh, ho the mistletoe Hung where you can see Somebody waits for you Kiss her once for me  –“A Holly Jolly Christmas”  Even if you’ve never seen mistletoe, much less smooched beneath it, it may have been a part of your holiday tradition since childhood. That’s because the 1964 Christmas special, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”…

  • Lancaster County-grown poinsettias are arriving at Royer’s stores

    It’s two weeks before Thanksgiving, but Christmas is in full bloom at Esbenshade’s Greenhouses Inc. just north of Lititz. In one vast expanse of the so-called Gilbert greenhouse, the floor is a carpet of red poinsettias. A visitor asks Roger Esbenshade, president of the family-owned company, how many there are in this one area. “Probably…

  • Made in the shade: controlling water and sunlight to improve plant quality

    To understand how flower growing has changed in the past four decades, consider 1, 7 and 9. Those numbers identify the three remaining greenhouses at Royer’s corporate complex in Lebanon. As the breaks in number sequencing suggest, Royer’s had more greenhouses back when we grew our own flowers – nine total at the corporate complex…

  • Highlights from our fall catalog

    Every year, we introduce a fall catalog that contains approximately 20 percent new products. We asked Geoff Royer, Royer’s area manager and a member of the product development team, to describe how some of the new arrangements came about. Here’s what he told us: 3617 One of the tasks of the product development team was…

  • Oh, Atlanta, we hear you calling

    We don’t procrastinate when it comes to holiday shopping. In fact, no sooner is one Christmas in the rearview mirror than we start planning for the next one. It’s not that we’re eager for the passage of time. Rather, we’re beckoned by AmericasMart in Atlanta, which describes itself as the nation’s leading gift, home furnishings…

  • Plants and pets: know the facts to keep dogs and cats healthy

    No plant says Christmas quite like the poinsettia. But nary a holiday season goes by without poinsettias being negatively associated with pet health. Yet the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says poinsettias “may be the most misrepresented plant when it comes to toxicity. Since 1919 poinsettias have been called lethal if ingested…

  • Terrariums back on the job — and perfect for the office

    Entire TV shows these days are dedicated to tiny houses, so perhaps it should come as little surprise that mini-gardens are popular again. Royer’s recently reintroduced terrariums to its product lineup. They are individually crafted in our dish garden department in Lebanon and come in rope; dome (small, medium and large); and greenhouse versions. “You…

  • Magnetic ceramic pot + hardy plant = minimal care

    Talk about having magnetic personality. LiveTrends Design Group has come out with what the Florida-based company calls “magnetic living art,” pairing non-scratching magnetic ceramic pots with hardy plants that require minimal care. “Water once a month and display anywhere,” according to LiveTrends. How about sticking one on your refrigerator at home or on a filing…

  • Introducing your rewards program: Petal Perks

    Research shows the emotional and behavioral benefits associated with flowers and plants. Having them around your home or office is a great way to keep your spirits bright as daylight dwindles. You’ll get another lift from our new customer rewards program: Petal Perks. We included Petal Perks cards in our fall catalog. If you didn’t…