Vander Giessen's Garden Blog

Trusted Knowledge & Inspiration to Help Your Garden Thrive

Post-Christmas Holiday Closure

Please note our upcoming holiday closure and modified winter hours. Changes are as follows: December 24: 9:00-12:00 December 25-January 11: Closed Beginning January 12: Winter Hours — Open Monday-Friday 9:00-4:30 Thank you for your business once again in 2025. We are deeply grateful for the trust and support of our local community and look forward to helping you in your lawn and garden projects again in 2026!

2025-12-22T14:43:22-08:00December 21st, 2025|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Bring Joy to a Gardener This Christmas

For an avid gardener, the childlike thrill of Christmas might be more poignantly felt with the first sunny, warm Saturday in spring, picking a juicy, sweet strawberry in June, or harvesting a perfectly ripe tomato on a warm summer day. In any case, Christmas may not be the time of year gardeners think most about, well, gardening, but it is the perfect opportunity to build excitement and prepare for the [...]

2025-12-10T23:53:45-08:00December 10th, 2025|Gift Ideas, Pruning, Winter|0 Comments

2025 Christmas Open House!

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 [...]

2025-12-02T17:21:01-08:00December 1st, 2025|Uncategorized|0 Comments

With Hearts Filled with Thanks

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 [...]

2025-11-26T17:35:44-08:00November 26th, 2025|Uncategorized|0 Comments

A Change of Attitude in the Garden

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” [...]

2025-11-13T18:43:37-08:00November 13th, 2025|Bulbs, Fall, Fertilizer, Lawn Care, Plant Care, Winter|0 Comments

Your Successful Spring Garden Begins in Autumn

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 [...]

2025-10-11T16:11:14-08:00October 11th, 2025|Bulbs, Fall, Fertilizer, Lawn Care, Plant Care, Planting, Shrubs, Trees, Winter|0 Comments

Fall Planting for Year-Round Garden Color

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 [...]

2025-09-17T20:21:20-08:00September 17th, 2025|Design, Fall, Planting, Shrubs, Trees|0 Comments

Fall Has Arrived at the Nursery

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 [...]

2025-11-01T16:31:53-08:00September 15th, 2025|Fall|0 Comments

Fall Plant Sale: 50% off Shrubs, Trees & Perennials!

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 [...]

2025-10-21T16:12:42-08:00September 4th, 2025|Sale|2 Comments

Gardening is A Fantastic Word

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 [...]

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