This is the time of year when it often feels like it is all happening at once. It can be overwhelming to say the least. Yet, here I am asking you to slow down and smell the proverbial roses…
Lessons From The Garden
I am feeling a bit philosophical today, so bear with me. Last week I finally bit the bullet and got into the garden for my spring cleanup. I had purposely left everything in the fall to die back naturally, as normally happens in nature. In retrospect, I think it was a good idea as it provided lots of visual interest throughout the entire winter. But alas, the time has come to remove the dead and rotting foliage from my perennials and evaluate just exactly what survived and what needed to be replaced. Here is what I learned…
Making ‘Sense’ Of ‘Scents’
As a garden center owner for over three decades, I have seen all types of gardeners come in to shop for plants, and without exception, regardless of their level of skill, there is one common habit they all exhibit. Show them a pretty flower and they will immediately plunge their schnozzola right into the heart of it to see if it has fragrance - we have all done it, myself included…
It's Show Time!
This week marks the beginning of the 33rd annual Northwest Flower and Garden Festival which will run February 15th to the 19th at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle (it should be the 34th but Covid shut it down in 2021). This is a world class production that is sure to get you in the mood for the upcoming gardening season. Every year I come away with some new ideas, a few new plant purchases, and an overall renewed excitement for gardening. If you have yet to partake in this event, then you really should consider going this year…
Recess Is Over, It’s Time For Action
After this last hard freeze, I am hoping that the worst is behind us and we can confidently get out into the garden and whip things back into shape. While I realize February is still technically winter, it is also the beginning of spring for north westerners, and there is much to do before the actual spring season arrives. Here are some timely tasks to consider…
Gardening Classes Are Back In-House
A Few Tips For A Better Garden In 2023
I know a few of you might find it incredibly hard to believe, but I actually spend a considerable amount of time researching my columns rather than just making s#%t up. In truth, it is probably a combination of both. We live in the information age where knowledge is all around us, literally at our finger tips. The challenge of course is…
Something Coming And Something Going
Regenerative Gardening: Saving The Planet One Garden At A Time
Have you heard of “regenerative agriculture”? I hadn’t until recently, but after a bit of research, I realized that this “new” movement is at its base just an expansion of organic gardening and farming principles that can be adapted from commercial agriculture to our very own backyards. Here are some components of this style of gardening that we should all take to heart…
My hope from last week is that I got everyone’s pruning juices flowing. This week I will attempt to build on that momentum and get into some more specifics. If you got outside in this wonderfully cold and sunny weather and started your personal pruning battle plan, pat yourself on the back! You have earned a gold star and embarked on a journey to pruning success. If you haven’t, don’t worry, there is still time…