St. Paul Hotel Floral Expert Offers Up Gardening Tips

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The gorgeous English garden at the St. Paul Hotel is one of the most popular in the state, and this year it celebrates a milestone 20th anniversary.

WCCO's Edward Moody decided to ask their full-time horticulturalist Sarah Orvik how the rest of us can get our gardening started, even amid weather like we're seeing this week.

Orvik talked a bit about ivy and how it can add the perfect background for any home garden. She also mentioned that when it starts to warm up, it's probably safe to start planting your summer annuals around mid-May.

Orvik said that there are also some spring plants that actually perform well in cooler temperatures, such as violas and pansies. It's important to layer your plants and flowers to ensure maximum "beautifulness," as Moody put it.

You can get all the tips she had in the videos above and below.

Also, the hotel is doing something new for everyone. They compost their organic waste, and coming up on May 21, you can buy a 10-pound bag of their organic compost for $2. You'll be able to buy it right in front of the hotel on Market Street.

They're doing this in partnership with the Mulch store, and all proceeds will go toward planting flowers in Rice Park, right across the street from the hotel.