General Gardening
Ben Smith
Compost and Fertilizer - A Boring But Necessary ...

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…

Compost and Fertilizer - A Boring But Necessary Topic
Summer Gardening
Ben Smith
The Secrets Of Proper Summer Watering

Summer watering is inevitable in the northwest if we want to keep our landscapes green and healthy…

The Secrets Of Proper Summer Watering

Hydrangeas

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Perfect Panicle Hydrangeas

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Perfect Panicle Hydrangeas

As this glorious PNW summer weather continues, let us continue delving into the world of Hydrangeas.  It is time for episode three, the grand finale of the Hydrangea trilogy… at least for the year 2025.  In the last couple of weeks we have talked Hydrangeas for partial shade (Big-Leaf or Hydrangea macrophylla cvs) and others for a bit more sun like Oakleaf types (Hydrangea quercifolia cvs) and Smooth types (Hydrangea arborescens cvs).  Now we get to talk about one of the most useful species for sunny gardens, Hydrangea paniculata, or what we call Panicle Hydrangeas…

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Inspiring Big-Leaved Hydrangeas

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Inspiring Big-Leaved Hydrangeas

I think all gardeners crave color and flower power that brings smiles to faces throughout their landscape.  When we talk about options for summer-blooming shrubs, Roses and Hydrangeas stand above all others for both choice and longevity.  Roses are for full sun, while depending on the variety, Hydrangeas can be for sun, partial sun or shade.  I seem to write about…

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Happy Mother's Day

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Happy Mother's Day

As we head into May it is time for an extra special holiday, Mother’s Day - the day we celebrate Moms everywhere.  This day was set aside to honor perhaps the most important person in each of our lives in 1914, after years of…

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…

It's Time To Prune The Hydrangeas

It's Time To Prune The Hydrangeas

Of all the classes that we offer here at the nursery, pruning is always the most popular. And, of all the different types of plants that need to be pruned, hydrangeas are probably the most confusing. Hopefully, I can help clear the air on how to properly prune these extremely popular shrubs….

Latest post from “The Golfing Gardener”:

The Golfing Gardener

Trevor Cameron

Featured
Planting In Dry Shade
Planting In Dry Shade

Over the course of each and every season, a myriad of gardening questions are thrown my way.  I am always happy to answer them all because that it is what I truly enjoy – helping in any way I can, attempting to steer each unique gardener towards unbridled success.  There are no black thumbs after all, just duller green ones that require some polishing to bring out the hidden shine.  One consistently common issue that many gardeners inquire about is…

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