When our son was three, he used to get excited when he would hear a “fever bird”—chickadee, to the rest of us—singing its spring melody. With a call that to the anticipating ear does sound like a sweetly-spoken “fee-ver,” the chickadee’s song reminds me now each spring of the excitement I feel as the new season arrives. As spring begins, let’s consider a few of the tasks to get started [...]
As the state flower of Washington, rhododendrons hold a special place in our heart here at Vander Giessen's. With their love of our mild, wet winters, evergreen foliage, and showstopping blooms in spring, rhododendrons are a must-have for any Pacific Northwest garden. And while many gardeners have unpleasant memories of overgrown, ugly rhododendrons in their yards as kids, many of today's varieties--and the vast majority of the selections we [...]
Fruit trees have arrived for 2025! For a limited time only, our entire selection of bare root fruit trees is $10 off regular pricing. Take advantage of perfect weather for transplanting trees coupled with great savings and pick out the fruit trees to bring a fresh harvest to your yard for years to come. Spring is here, and along with it comes the perfect time to plant fruit [...]
As the snow of the last two weeks begins to melt and we slowly return to a normal weather pattern for February with rain and milder temperatures, it’s time to start thinking about early spring. Indeed, prior to the recent cold snap, the early signs of a new season were beginning to appear, and as the days get markedly longer and the ground begins to thaw, spring will be here [...]
January in the Pacific Northwest can present a challenge for gardeners caught in the “almost, but not yet.” As is often the case, we’re sitting square in the middle of a mild stretch of weather—not spring-warm, but not winter-cold, either. Lest we forget, though, winter in western Washington often arrives later in the season—so often, February brings cold and snow. As you anticipate the coming season, here are a [...]
Please note our upcoming holiday closure and modified winter hours. Changes are as follows: December 24: 9:00-12:00 December 25-January 12: Closed Beginning January 13: Winter Hours — Open Monday-Friday 9:00-4:30 Thank you for your business once again in 2024. 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 2025!
By and large, gardening is a forgiving hobby. Plant something too close to another plant? You can often dig it up and transplant it into a larger space. Prune a shrub wrong? Don’t worry, it will grow back. And maybe worst: put Roundup in your sprayer instead of lawn weed killer? Well, you can always reseed. The fact is, gardens are by nature works in progress; nothing is ever complete, [...]
Thank you to everyone who came out for our Christmas Open House! We enjoyed seeing so many faces--familiar and new--and were honored to be a part of your holiday celebrations. Have a wonderful Christmas season! It's that time of year once again--our Christmas open house at Vander Giessen's! For many of the 86 years we've been in business, we've hosted an open house to kick off the Christmas [...]
In today's fast, self-focused world, even the best of us often forget to say thank you. Gratitude is a long-since forgotten virtue in modern society--and if you need any convincing of that, just look at how Thanksgiving has been sidelined for the more commercialized holidays that flank it on the calendar, Halloween and Christmas. If anything, Thanksgiving is only recognized for the turkey and football, with little thought given [...]
As the last of autumn’s beauty succumbs to the effects of time and weather, we’re reminded that once again, the seasons are changing. With short, dark November days upon us, it’s time to wrap up the work around the yard and put your garden beds to sleep for the winter. In the short hours of daylight we have to work with this time of year, here are a few things [...]
