It's that time of year once again--our Christmas open house at Vander Giessen's! For many of the 87 years we've been in business, we've hosted an open house to kick off the Christmas season and we're excited to celebrate this annual tradition again with you this year. Join us this Saturday, December 6 from 10:00-3:00 for time spent visiting with family and friends enjoying delicious homemade goodies while you [...]
The world in which we live is so self-absorbed, so consumer-driven, and so unfocused on others that the concept of gratitude is almost lost in daily life. While it's no replacement for a day in, day out lifestyle of gratitude, Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity for us to slam on the brakes of "me, me, me" and simply pause to reflect on the abundant blessings we all share. On [...]
A piece I read in a magazine the other day encouraged me to change my attitude about the things on my to-do list—to see the work not as a chore but as an opportunity and a blessing. As we look at our final gardening tasks for the season, let’s “switch the O to an E”: focus not on the things we’ve “got” to do, but on the things we “get” [...]
Josephine Neuse is credited with saying that contrary to those who say that gardening begins in spring, “gardening begins in January with a dream.” While I appreciate the sentiment—and often dream of spring in the cold, dark days of winter—I would argue that for many aspects of gardening, the adventure begins in autumn. With mild temperatures, blue skies, and that crisp fall morning air, this “second spring” is the perfect [...]
After a warm end to August, September has brought with it a marked shift in the weather, with clouds, morning fog, and cooler daytime temperatures bringing the first signs of autumn. As you shift into new routines and schedules, now is also the time to change gears in the garden—fall planting season is here! With a new season underway, here are a few tips to maximize the beauty and success [...]
While supplies last, our entire selection of fall flowers, pumpkins, and cornstalk bundles is now on sale! Hurry in to pick out the perfect plants and pumpkins to decorate your porch for autumn--supplies are selling quickly! Fall has arrived at the nursery! We're fully stocked with pumpkins, corn stalks, fall flowers and more for making your front porch look its best this season. With the weather shifting from summer to [...]
Autumn in the Pacific Northwest is perfect for planting--soil warmed by summer's heat encourages rapid root development while shorter daylight hours and the arrival of cooler weather minimize stress on plants as they root out and get established. No matter what you want to plant, autumn's cooler, wetter weather make for easy transplant for your shrubs, trees, and perennials--and with regular rains arriving, you won't have to worry about [...]
Years ago, one of my friends commented on what a wonderful verb “gardening” is. I couldn’t agree more—for those of us who love the smell of freshly cultivated dirt, the warmth of the sun on our skin, and the taste of a freshly-picked carrot, gardening is a fantastic word. As your gardening efforts come to fruition in these summer months, here are a few things to tend to in late [...]
If I had to pick one plant that's guaranteed to stop people in their tracks--slack-jawed with wonder at its beauty--that plant would have to be perennial hibiscus. Each year in late summer these hardy perennials put on a show with hundreds of dinnerplate-sized blooms in bright, head-turning colors. At Vander Giessen Nursery, we've grown and carried perennial hibiscus for more than 10 years, and our experience has enabled us [...]
Every well-designed garden space includes a variety of different plants, beginning with trees. With an incredible variety of textures, sizes, and leaf shapes and colors, Japanese maples are one of our go-to plants for adding structure--the so-called "bones"--a landscape needs. Whether you have a sprawling acreage with wide, flowing garden beds or garden on a small city lot with neighbors just feet away from your back patio, there are [...]
