Pet-Friendly Indoor Plants

Pet-Friendly Indoor Plants

We dove into oxygenating our indoor spaces with houseplants a couple of weeks ago, and now let’s continue our indoor discussion by investigate some superior pet-friendly options.  As the weather continues to cool and the wind and rain ramp up, it becomes easier and easier to garden indoors and work outside a bit less.  Many of us have…

The Elegant Versatility of Evergreens

The Elegant Versatility of Evergreens

I often tell gardeners in our region to rediscover their “Evergreen State”, which (in a play on words) simply means to show some gardening style with the structure, texture and color of conifers.  Around here nature has the many shades of green covered, but how about some bold blues and bright yellows?  When all of the deciduous shrubs and trees have…

The Japanese Maple - A Tree For All Seasons

The Japanese Maple - A Tree For All Seasons

I often refer to myself as a “plant enabler”, a sort of legal dealer that tries his best to hook his customers up with the best plants for their landscapes.  Plants are easy to get addicted to, believe me, and running a garden center means you are surrounded on a daily basis by treasures that beckon you to take them home, plant them, and watch them flourish - even if you are out of room, just ask my poor wife.  If I jump in a time machine to some 30 years ago, I can see…

Purify Your Indoor Spaces

Purify Your Indoor Spaces

The annual human autumn migration from outdoor activities to more indoor focused tasks has commenced, so let us shift gears this week and delve into some houseplants.  I spend plenty of time, like I am sure many of you do as well, outdoors in the yard year around.  However, there are those days when...

Winter Interest with Evergreen Perennials

Winter Interest with Evergreen Perennials

First off, let me apologize for using the word “winter” in the title as I sincerely hope that our actual “winter” is still many weeks away.  Having said that, as we head towards the holiday season, it is an ideal time for gardeners to look forward just a bit.  Frost will be coming soon, and Mother Nature will require...

The Fabulous Fall Color Season

The Fabulous Fall Color Season

In our PNW climate, there is so much to appreciate about the fall season.  Gardeners are in the midst of harvesting their summer bounties of edibles and getting their gardens ready for the coming winter, all the while pondering where to move this plant, when to divide that one, and where to add something new.  As we have been discussing the last few weeks...

Fall Is For Planting!

Fall Is For Planting!

My favorite time of year is upon us, and Mother Nature is about to brighten all of our lives with the stunning colors of the fall season.  The nights are getting longer but the temperatures are still warm and pleasant, and the rains (sorry to remind you!) are coming soon...

Ornamental Grasses: Plumage and Fall Color

Ornamental Grasses: Plumage and Fall Color

Ornamental grasses provide many desirable qualities to our home landscapes and containers, especially in the fall season.  They add wonderful texture, color and structure, and when the breeze blows they also add motion and sound to any garden.  There are essentially two types...