It pains me to see customers spending hundreds of dollars on new plants and simultaneously refusing to spend a few more on a bag or two of compost and a box of starter fertilizer. These two items are not unnecessary “add-ons” that the retailer is just trying to add to the sale, they are critical components of a successful transplanting process - or as I like to refer to them as “plant insurance”. Unless you have phenomenal soil, you should always add compost and starter fertilizers when you are planting new plants. Here is why…
Whenever I ponder summer blooming shrubs, two have been and always will be at the front of my mind… Roses and Hydrangeas – as nothing will beat either of these for length of flowering time, all the way until frost… There is never anything wrong with more of either, but what else can I choose that will add some seasonal interest to the summer garden?…
The Fuchsia flower is somewhat unique in the world of gardening, sporting a pronounced corolla and often contrasting sepal color, all in a pendent-type flower. Over the eons, these are plants that have evolved right alongside their pollinating partners, the hummingbirds. They provide rich nectar for our winged friends, but also…
The Golfing Gardener
Trevor Cameron
As we head into the glorious months of summer in the PNW, it is the perfect time to consider what needs a little summer pruning in the landscape. Not everything will, so please do not think that your whole yard needs to be done. It is of course your garden and not mine, so…