Photo courtesy to Casey’s Garden Shop Facebook page
BLOOMINGTON, Ill.- This local garden shop is putting the “bloom” back Bloomington by implementing a full e-commerce site since the modified Stay-At-Home order was put into place.
Opening today, May 1, Casey’s Garden shop has relocated to a greenhouse up the street to do their curbside pick-ups out of.
“We can reopen for customers to walk around and shop,” said Horticulturist Kelsey Grindle. “Everyone will be wearing a mask, we placed markers on the ground to create a flow for traffic, trying to limit carts being taken into the store, wiping down each cart after use.”
The shop has also placed a shield in front of each register to protect themselves and the customers.
“It’s good most of our shopping experience it done outside for people,” said Grindle.
According to the World Health Organization approximately 415 and 350 million people presently suffer from diabetes and depression, and both are costly to national health care budgets.
But what is an inexpensive therapy?
“Gardening is an awesome therapeutic activity for every age,” said Grindle. “We have activity kits for parents to do with their kiddos. Seeing an increase in The community wanting to create their own veggie gardens at home. I know gardening relaxes me, just being outside in the fresh air, listening to the birds.”
According to Mental Health America, we experienced a 19 percent increase in screening for clinical anxiety in the first weeks of February, and a 12 percent increase in the first two weeks of March of this year due to COVID-19.
Experiencing anxiety and sadness? Grindle has a flower that brings her joy and recommends it to her customers during this unprecedented time.
“The flower that brings me the most joy year after year is Monarda aka Bee Balm: the flower is unique, it attracts both bees and butterflies, the leaves are fragrant, and can be used for different medicinal purposes,” said Grindle.
The shop has created an online space where customers can order curbside pick-up.