A sunny delivery on a wintry day

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - It may be cold outside, but things are heating up at a local garden center thanks to a summer delivery on a wintry day.

Snow covers the ground, but summer came early at the North Dayton Garden Center .

A semi filled with a load of tropical plants crashed in in southern Kentucky over the weekend.   "They couldn't take it up into Canada."

So, the 2,500 tropical plants from Florida were unloaded at the Brandt Pike business instead.

"We have so many, I can't even name them all.  I'm so tired from unloading this truck," said Pete Kossoudji.

Owner Pete Kossoudji says the snow, ice and cool temperatures are not a problem.  "That's why we have a greenhouse."

He watched as volunteers carefully move the trees and bushes, placing them inside and out of the elements.

They'll be unwrapped, one by one.

The tropical plants arrived just ahead of the North Dayton Garden Center's 50th anniversary celebration.

The plants with be 50-percent through Sunday.