Recently, I overheard someone say that in gardening, “every year is a rebuilding year.” Not that our gardening endeavors each year are for naught, but as spring rolls around and we begin a new season of gardening, it’s time to start fresh with yard care, discover new plants for the garden and take steps to keep your landscape thriving. As you begin the process of “rebuilding” this spring, here are [...]
It's been a busy winter, but after 5 long months of construction, we're pleased to say that our new garden center is open for business! While we are still wrapping up some of the smaller projects around the nursery, the new facility is nearly complete, and we're eager to welcome you.With wider aisles, better ventilation and all of our annuals under one roof, our new greenhouse was designed with our [...]
They're the quintessential flower of winter, and they're now in-stock at the nursery: hellebores! This great shade-loving perennial has undergone a wonderful renaissance in recent years, and today's hellebores are showier, more compact, more floriferous (i.e. bloom more!) and more colorful than any from just 10 years ago.Hellebores are a durable, easy-to-maintain perennial great for shade to part sun, and we've just received our first shipment of 5 of our [...]
<!-- Working in a nursery, it’s one of most common questions I’m asked by customers: “How do I deal with ____ soil?” The question is asked because they have a problem on either end of the spectrum of soil types: sand or clay. In our area, chances are pretty good you have one of these two types of soil, and knowing how to properly deal [...]
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we never really experience the “dead of winter.” Unlike large swaths of the country, our lawns never turn completely brown and evergreen shrubs and trees keep our yards somewhat colorful. But as we go through the more barren months, you may be wishing for more life outdoors. Caring for wild birds is a great complement to gardening. Especially during the winter [...]
Here in the Pacific Northwest, our seasons can typically be described quite simply: mild. That said, in the last two weeks our area has seen some of the coldest weather in three years, so if you’re wondering what steps you can take to protect your plants from winter damage, here are a few tips. First off, let me preface this by noting that while this most recent cold weather is [...]
It's that time of year again--the Christmas Open House at Vander Giessen's! Visit us this Saturday, December 7 for hot, fresh olie bollen made with our secret family recipe--people tell us they're the best around--as well as coffee, apple cider and hot cocoa. While you're here, be sure to check out our beautiful selection of poinsettias, handmade wreaths, cedar garland and Christmas trees. Also, don't miss out on our 2014 [...]
Just a quick note to all who may be eager for the Christmas season--Despite the construction project on our new garden center, we will be carrying our full selection of Christmas trees and decor for the holiday season! Our supply of Christmas trees, wreaths and garland will be arriving on Monday, November 25; poinsettias will be here on Wednesday the 27th. Please feel free to stop in anytime throughout the [...]
As we ease into winter, another season of gardening draws to a close. Before you store your gardening gloves and forget what dirt under your fingernails looks like, take a few minutes this month to wrap up some simple garden tasks to finish the year strong. Last month I wrote about steps you can take this fall for a healthy lawn through winter and into next spring. If you didn’t [...]
As we get into autumn, leaves begin to fall, temperatures drop and all things green begin to go dormant.While you may be tired of lawn care—believe me, even the most enthusiastic gardeners do!—this season is an important time to take several key steps to ensure a beautiful lawn next spring. The first step is to prevent night crawler damage. While useful in aerating your soil and a part of the [...]
