Yesterday a customer sampled some fresh cilantro as she purchased an herb starter plant--she was amazed at how much better it tasted than store-bought cilantro. Whether you've never grown a vegetable garden or are a veteran gardener, at Vander Giessen's we're here to help you out with growing your own food and discover the difference that fresh truly makes. Through spring we're fully stocked with vegetable starts, seeds and herb [...]
They’re the Thanksgiving turkey of Mother’s Day—flowers. Whether you’re getting started with planting flowers for yourself or plan to give them as a gift for Mother’s Day (which, men, is this coming weekend!), it’s time to get underway with gardening. As you get started with planting flowers or setting out planters and hanging baskets, here are a few tips and great new plants to keep in mind. When planting, [...]
Mother's Day is just around the corner--are you ready? At Vander Giessen's, we are! We've got lots of great gift ideas in store for you to pick up, including (but certainly not limited to):-Lynden Baskets--our famous hanging flower baskets you see in and around downtown Lynden-Mixed patio planters-Fountains-Budded rose bushes-Women's rose tender gloves-Budded peonies -Bird feeders & houses-Gift certificates -FertilizerYes, you read that right--fertilizer! We agree with a customer who [...]
Last month, I wrote about some of my favorite dwarf conifers for growing in containers--you can read that post here. If you've ever struggled with knowing what to do with your pots in the winter or don't like having to change out your plants each season, growing small evergreen shrubs in your containers may be for you.This month, I've got another list of more of my favorite dwarf conifers for [...]
As we slog through the days of "April Showers" it's easy to get a little giddy when the sun comes out. After all, it's almost time to plant, so why not get started and put out your geraniums, petunias and impatiens...right? Well, you may be eager to push spring along and get your planting done, but unless you want to replace all your flowers in a couple weeks, it's best [...]
It’s that time of year again—the primroses you put out on your front porch in February are beginning to fade, but it’s still too early to get planting your summer annuals. In this “in-between” season, now is your best opportunity to enrich the soil of your flowerbeds, fertilize shrubs, and add compost to your vegetable garden for the season ahead. If you’re wondering what’s best for you, here are [...]
Add year-round interest with dwarf conifers!When it comes to container gardening, most people think of spring and summer annuals--and with good reason. Nothing adds quite the splash of color to a pot like trailing million bells or brightly-colored impatiens. Unfortunately, though, annuals alone in a pot are a fleeting pleasure--come winter, your pots stand empty.If you've struggled with the "what-to-do-with-my-pots-in-winter" conundrum, have you ever considered dressing them up with some [...]
Simply put, I love new plants. Whether it’s a different flower color, dwarf version of a classic favorite or a hybrid that’s produced some other interesting characteristic, new plants are just fun. With spring weather upon us (it may not be all sun, but it is spring!), it’s time to get outside. And what’s more fun to look forward to in the garden than new plants? As you get started [...]
We're blessed to have enjoyable, hardworking employees at the nursery--and we're blessed to get to work with such beautiful plants each year. Today was exciting--our small crew planted nearly 4000 geraniums, 500 gerberas and 500 New Guinea impatiens...and that's just the start. We believe quality plants deserve the best care from the start, so we grow all of our own annuals in our own greenhouses. And on a day like [...]
Remember the long-range weather forecasts last fall? Some said to expect a colder, wetter winter than normal. Others made predictions entirely to the other end of the spectrum. As it’s turned out—at least thus far—our winter has been quite mild, with only a couple of dustings of snow and just a week where the temperatures dipped into the 20s. And with the mild weather comes just one thing: an [...]
