A Grower Perspective

There are some pretty negative opinions about junipers out there. Some people might hear the word “juniper” and run away, screaming. What these running, screaming people may not know is that the juniper family is a widely diverse group that includes ground covers, shrubs and trees of all kinds of color, growth habit and landscaping applications. They also might not know that there are some truly beautiful specimens in the juniper family, one of which is ‘Wichita Blue.’ With proper site selection, junipers can reward you with years of care-free beauty. The two most important items for site selection: full sun and well-drained soil. In the Pacific Northwest, this juniper needs full sun to thrive. It will tolerate light shade, and in hotter climates, it appreciates more shade. The other essential, well-drained soil, will ensure success with this juniper.

Comment (0) Read More...

A few weeks ago I was in Portland and although it was a brisk day in February a bit of sun was shining through; a good day to wander into the Lan Su Chinese Garden, my first visit into this walled sanctuary in an urban setting.  Many of the plants were very familiar: the winter jasmine was so lovely flowing over the rocks above the pond, many camellias were blooming, and the Edgeworthia was filling the air with a sweet fragrance.  The tree that attracted my husband’s attention was a well shaped Japanese Black Pine. (You can see our example above, pruned to resemble an ostrich) He asked me if I knew that tree and I said yes it was a common landscape tree and we had lots at the nursery.  I will bring one home to him and we can have it in our garden.  It is not a tree I’d necessarily choose.  There is no comparison to the right plant in the right situation.  What is common in one case can be the most outstanding thing in another. 

Comment (0) Read More...

 It's snowing here at the nursery! We are happy to see the plants covered in snow, it doesn't happen very often around here.  It's worth noting that the snow will protect the plants when the weather turns very cold tonight- they are predicting about 12 degrees. The snow will insulate them and should protect them from any freeze damage.

Comment (0)

We're getting lots of calls and drop-in visitors with questions about damaged/sickly plants in their landscape. Just a few moments ago, we had a gal drop by this morning with branches from a dead plant. Let us put your minds at ease: You did not kill your plant. It is not your fault. Remember, we had a very tough winter with three days of subfreezing temps. It was very hard on all but the hardiest of plants.

Comment (0) Read More...

Today is the ninth of February and I’ll bet you’re wondering right now what blueberries plants look like this time of year. Okay you weren’t actually thinking about that so I’ll tell you. They look beautiful. Some varieties are bare of leaves and the stems range in color from bright red to a rich green, some varieties maintain their leaves through out the year and the leaf color, for example, on the Vaccinium corybosum‘Sunshine Blue’ is verdigris, a bluish green with a blush of red. Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Legacy’ is also evergreen and the leaves on this bush are a bronzy green. Our native evergreen huckleberry, Vaccinium ovatum, as the name suggests is a glossy green year round, very adaptable, very useful (and tasty) garden plant. Some of the brighter twigged blueberries are Vaccinium corybosum ‘Duke’ and Vaccinium corybosum ‘Patriot’. Whether you are growing fields of blueberries or just a few varieties in your city garden you will enjoy their winter beauty.

Comment (0)