our animal buddies
welcome to our little zoo…
Have you met The Gardener’s Center rescued animal crew? Whether you’re new to shopping with us at The Gardener’s Center or have been visiting with us for years, you’ve probably immediately noticed…
We love plants. We love plant people. And we LOVE animals of all kinds!
Our animal friends are a very important part of The Gardener’s Center family. All of them are either rescues or have been rehomed to us by folks who were no longer able to care for them. The entire staff loves them all and we are very happy to provide each a great place to call home.
Meet Reishi
Our leader and Gardener’s owner, Kris, adopted Reishi from Lucky Dog Refuge in Stamford in November of 2022.
Reishi is a lab mix and his entire litter was named after mushrooms. Kris loved the name, so Reishi it is!
Reishi lives at home with Kris, but he visits us here at the store regularly throughout the week. He’s a big boy with a seemingly endless supply of energy. We’re sure he will be spending more and more time with us as he, ahem, matures.
If he’s here the next time you stop by, ask to see his spin trick!
Meet Frankie
Frankie has been with us since 2010. We believe he is around 17 years old, but not 100% on that as he was already an adult when we took him in.
Frankie isn’t the snuggliest cat in the world — he maintains an aloof disposition most of the time. We think he just likes to maintain a tough guy persona, but we all know he’s a big softie. He does enjoy a good scratch behind the ears from staff, especially while mooching for bits of their lunches.
Frankie has free range of the store, both inside and out. When the weather is nice you’ll most likely find him lounging in the nursery. If we have catnip in stock, you may find him passed out ON TOP OF IT. Frankie spends his nights inside the store.
Meet Blue & Stella
The newest feline members of our family are sisters Blue and Stella. They also came to us through Lucky Dog Refuge in Stamford in February of 2023. Their names are a nod to The Grateful Dead song, Stella Blue.
Like many siblings, their personalities couldn’t be any more different. Stella (the black kitty) is a snuggle bug and her disposition is a bit reserved. She is never first in line to eat and rarely gets into trouble. She is a very polite kitty.
Her sister Blue (the grey one), on the other hand, is a bit of a trouble maker! She loves to climb. If something falls, breaks or crashes, Blue more than likely had something to do with it. She is always first in line to eat.
These girls are strictly indoor cats, so if you’d like to see them, head inside the store.
Meet Bentley
Bentley is a blue-fronted Amazon parrot and he turns 24 this year. Blue-fronts typically live for 40 to 60 years, so he is still a relatively young guy. He’s been here at the store with us for almost 15 years.
The two most common questions we get asked about Bentley are, “Does he talk?” and “Does he bite?” The answer to both questions is a resounding, yes!
Bentley is a good talker, although his vocabulary centers around the words “hello” and “hi.” He also has a hearty laugh he lets fly from time to time. For whatever reason, Bentley is most likely to talk to children. He loves kids! The smaller the child, the more likely Benny is to chat. However, he does bite, so no fingers on or inside the cage!
Bentley’s primary diet consists of seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables. He does have a bit of a sweet tooth though, with glazed donuts being a favorite. 😉
Meet Pepper & Jack
Bentley’s next-door neighbors are our cockatiels Pepper and Jack. These guys typically live 16 to 25 years in captivity. Pepper has been with us for 15 years.
Pepper had lived solo in his cage for most of his life so we weren’t initially sure how he would take to the sudden introduction of Jack, but they surprised us all and became fast friends!
These two don’t talk, but they are very proficient at mimicking sounds, particularly whistling. Jack does a pretty epic freestyle version of “If you’re happy and you know it” when the mood strikes him. They both love attention from people and are very engaging, so stop by and say hi to these boys the next time you’re in the store.
Meet Our Pond Pals
Truth be told, our koi pond only contains one koi. He (or she) is the white fish that is WAY bigger than all of the others. Affectionately known as “Great White” or “Big Whitey” to the staff, that fish has been on the property for at least 21 years.
All of the other fish in the pond are comets or goldfish. Most of these fish made their way to us after they’d outgrown their fish bowls in previous homes. It’s a pretty regular occurrence for a young child to show up at the store with a fish in a bowl to be released in the pond to join his new friends.
All of the fish remain in the pond year round as they have no problem at all with our cold winter temperatures. A small heater is added to the pond during the coldest part of the winter to maintain an opening in the ice so that oxygen can enter the water and CO2 can exit. The fish do not eat during the winter months. During the summer the pond is also home to many frogs and dragonflies.
