They say there are only two things certain in life: death and taxes. For us in Western Washington, though, I’d like to add a third: June gloom. You can count on it like clockwork—summer likely won’t really arrive until our Fourth of July picnics are over. So what can you do in your yard this month to brighten your flowerbeds and your spirits? Annual flowers are great—nothing provides quite [...]
Check out this brand-new evergreen candytuft! Fittingly named 'Absolutely Amethyst,' this great new variety from Proven Winners is an attractive departure from traditional white varieties. With a later bloom time than white candytuft strains, it will add late spring or early summer color to your garden as well. Check out this beautiful new variety at Vander Giessen's today.
'Blue Lake' pole beans have long been the standard for pole beans in vegetable gardens. But in the last several years, 'Blue Lake' hasn't exactly performed. Maybe you've noticed: many of the beans tend to be flat, hollow "meatless" and stringy--essentially worthless for fresh eating or canning. So what to do? Give up on pole beans?No!The problem is, 'Blue Lake' has been around for so long, many of the plants [...]
Last summer I published a blog post about water-soluble fertilizers versus slow-release options and which type would work best for your plants. I spent a fair amount of page space writing about care for your annuals and hanging baskets--but what about the shrubs and trees in your yard? The truth is, most plants--especially flowering types--will benefit from regular (even if only once a year) feeding to keep them looking their [...]
Little by little, we’re finally seeing sunnier, warmer days. In fact, some of the weather over the last few weeks has been downright warm! Thankfully, this spring hasn’t been quite as cold and wet as last year, and (fingers crossed) long-range forecasts for summer indicate a nicer season ahead. If you’re a gardener, May and June are an exciting time as you decide what to plant and watch your [...]
Our second crop of Lynden Baskets is looking great! Pick one up today!
8 varieties of hosta available at Vander Giessen's!If you're looking for easy plants to use in a shade or morning-sun garden around your house, you've got to have some hostas. Available in dozens--no, make that hundreds--of colors, textures and sizes, hostas are a gardening genre of their own.In my backyard at home, I have a very shady area made possible by the large chestnut tree just over the fence in [...]
In bloom now: Bonanza Deep Orange Marigold (NEW this year!)
April is a great month to get your spring garden projects underway. Despite the continued cool, wet weather we’ve had in the last month, plants are waking up from dormancy and temperatures are warm enough to plant any shrubs, trees or perennials. Most spring-blooming plants look their best in sunny weather. Rain just has a way of making even the hardiest bloomers look soggy. Not so with bleeding hearts, however. [...]
