One tried and true shrub for our local gardens are Azaleas - spring flowering beauties that can be utilized in many locations the landscape. These plants are brothers and sisters to Rhododendrons, offering us spectacular flowers on smaller growing plants that thrive in similar conditions. There are hundreds of options out there, including…
The State of Zone Denial
These Late-Blooming Shrubs Are Worth Waiting For!
August can feel like a long time to wait for a some plants to finally put forth flowers, all while the rest of the garden might be blooming its head off. On the other hand, by the time we get to August, our gardens can conceivably start to look kind of tired and bedraggled, and having a few plants that are just coming into bloom can be a very good thing. I have often said that in the Pacific Northwest you can find a plant blooming every day of the year…
Get Some Color In Your Garden, For Pete's Sake
May is high season in the garden center, when all levels of gardeners venture out for their annual spring ritual of adding some color to their yards. Whatever level of gardener we might happen to be, I think it is safe to say that we all get the same rush of endorphins whenever we interject colorful plants into our gardens. It is a feel-good kind of activity…
3 New “Pee Gee” Hydrangeas To Salivate Over
This happens to me every spring and it drives me crazy… I am perfectly happy with the plants I have in my garden until I see the “new and improved” versions out on the market. They all have these fancy new features that make them irresistible, and all of a sudden, my established plants start looking dull and underperforming. It’s not their fault mind you…
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…
Happy April Fool's Day
It was exactly 18 years ago, on April 1, 2004, when I was sitting at my computer straining my brain to come up with a timely subject upon which to pontificate. It occurred to me that my column was going to appear exactly on the first of April - a day that traditionally has been set aside for enjoying a practical joke or two…
The Dreaded November To-Do List
Fall & Winter Can Be Colorful Seasons Too!
I just had the opportunity to sit through a class on plants for fall and winter interest… and it brought back home to me that there is no excuse for a drab garden in the fall, or even the winter, considering that there is a multitude of plants to choose from that will brighten our gardens over the next 5 to 6 months…
As we head into the peak spring season and the temperatures continue to rise, more and more of our landscapes are popping with spring color. Another shrub all gardens should contain is a deciduous Azalea. Us gardeners have plenty of evergreen options to help with our Azalea and Rhododendron addictions, but a deciduous Azalea specimen offers…