Unbelievable Unexpected Customer Service

This is totally non-plant related, but I was so impressed with this experience I had to share it.
I had taken my son to the palisades mall last week. Some of you know that I tend to be fascinated by gadgets and gizmos. My son Dakota shares these same characteristics.

At the mall they had a new concept photobooth called a Pikabooth. The booth was larger than the old fashioned booth, but it was truly interactive. You can choose background colors, patterns, layouts and more with a touch screen. At the end you could customize your photos with digital pens and clip art.

So Dakota and I created a photosticker in the machine, but unfortunately a minor glitch stopped our photo from printing. I really figured, Ces't le Vie, the picture was gone for good. There was an email address on the machine so I figured, I had nothing to lose to send an email to see if I could get a refund, or better yet the photo.

I got a reply from the President of the company in an hour. (This was round 9pm on a Friday night!)
If you've ever lost any money in a vending machine before, you generally know that when something goes wrong, your money is gone for good. Not only did Mr Savatteri (his company is NYCphotobooth) rescue and mail my photo to me, he included the money that I originally spent. He went way over the top, and I know that Dakota and I will use the machine the next time we go to the mall.

My thanks goes to Mr Savatteri. Good Job for taking customer service to the next level!

NYC Photobooth also rents the machine out to parties (weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, and corporate events) So if you want a fun out of the box sort of idea, take a look at their website for more details. Or keep an eye out for the Picabooth, I think its a fun thing for kids.

New Arrival - Rose of Sharon Blush Satin

Just arrived yesterday, was the new Rose of Sharon from Proven Winners. This variety is called Blush Satin. Its flowers are white with a tinge of pink thrown in. They have a great dark color center. They are covered with buds and blooms looking for a home in your garden.

These new varieties are Deer Resistant. They are extremely winter hardy, and can take temperatures down to -20F. Once established they become extremely drought tolerant.
If you want a care-free flowering shrub for the garden, this should be one of the top choices.

Pretty Much PIcasso™

It's been awhile since I've gotten a chance to update the blog. There's been lots of travel, and not much of a chance to be online. I was out on the West Coast visiting other garden centers with Garden Centers of America™. I came home for the fourth, and my son Dakota broke his foot, and then I went to Ohio for the Ohio Florist Association 'Short Course.' (I'm currently at the airport waiting for the plane home.)
The Short Course is one of the few places to see the new annual varieties for next year. One of the first plants I noticed this year was this new Supertunia variety from Proven Winners™.
The variety is called Pretty Much Picasso™. It is a pinkish purple with a striking green edge. Since it is very different from most petunias on the market, I'm thinking that its going to be one of those flowers that is going to be either loved, or hated. Personally I thought it was really cool, and it will have a place in my garden next year.