Spring

Take Time To Enjoy The Season

Take Time To Enjoy The Season

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…

Lawn Alternatives To Consider (Or Not)

Lawn Alternatives To Consider (Or Not)

April is typically the best month in our region to overhaul our bedraggled lawns after a long, dark and wet winter.  By this time of year, the moss has made huge strides and the dandelions are in full bloom.  Keeping a healthy and attractive lawn doesn’t have to be an enormous amount of work, nor does it have to be…

A June Standout - Korean Dogwoods And Their Hybrids

Starting in late March our native dogwood tree, Cornus nutallii, starts bloomin and then in the month of May we can observe the eastern dogwood tree, Cornus florida. Finally, in the month of June the Korean dogwoods, Cornus kousa, come into bloom. They are a slightly larger tree with more of a rounded form and can also bloom in either white or shades of pink…

Last Chance To Prune Spring Flowering Shrubs And Perennials

As we move through the end of May it becomes imperative that any pruning (think shaping and also about next year’s flower production) of spring flowering shrubs, like Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Lilacs, and Forsythias, needs to be done NOW. The rule is simple: “Prune after bloom”…

Westcountry Lupines Are To Die For

Westcountry Lupines Are To Die For

I think it is safe to say that most northwest gardeners (or even non-gardeners) a familiar with lupines - those plants we see along the freeway in late May and early June with their spikes of blue flowers. They are native all-over North America and are one of the first plants to…

Why Am I Still Wearing A Turtleneck?

Why Am I Still Wearing A Turtleneck?

It was 17 years ago in early June when I wrote a column entitled “Are you cranky too?”. It started out like this: “WARNING: Nothing in this week’s column is of horticultural value. The reason is because I am in a totally cranky mood. You might be feeling the same too…

All Hail To The Lowly "Pigsqueak"

All Hail To The Lowly "Pigsqueak"

Over my lifetime as a horticulturist, I have found myself enamored with different genera of plants to the point that I have gone out of my way to collect as many variations of the same genus, simply because I thought they were “really cool”. The genus “Bergenia” is a typical example and for me it all started when I was quite young…

Believe It Or Not, Rhodies Can Be Yellow And Orange Too

April and May are high season for enjoying the gorgeous blooms of rhododendrons. They come in many colors and sizes, and for the most part, are easy to grow. While some varieties bloom as early as February, and a few others hold off until June, this is the time when the bulk of them come into their glory…

Introducing 'Ruby Gold' Bleeding Heart

Introducing 'Ruby Gold' Bleeding Heart

All I can say is “Wow” when it comes to this new Bleeding Heart that is now available to gardeners in the Pacific Northwest. But first, a little background on Bleeding Hearts in general…

Do You Have Spring Fever?

Do You Have Spring Fever?

Something special happened in the garden this last week. We experienced the vernal equinox, a time when we receive exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night… Once we hit this spot, when our day lengths start to exceed our night lengths, we can expect to experience magical things happening in the garden…