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
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Not Your Grandma’s Butterfly Bushes

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Not Your Grandma’s Butterfly Bushes

As we inch towards the onset of summer, with the solstice on the horizon, June is another month full of garden temptations and color for our landscapes.  It is also pollinator month, and I urge everyone to do all that they can for our local pollinating friends.  We all need to welcome…

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A Touch of the Tropics, The Sequel

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A Touch of the Tropics, The Sequel

We began our travels down the road to annuals last week, so I am not making any U-turns just yet as this week we will continue to talk color and tropical plants.  The vast majority of our landscapes are filled with…

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Lotsa Hosta

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Lotsa Hosta

Spring is always a great time to talk plants, and this week Hostas (or what some call Plantain Lilies) are on the top of my mind.  This time of year local garden centers provide plant enthusiasts with a slew of options, big or small, with varying textures, variegation and flowers.  Now, I am always honest and will freely…

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The Nostalgia of Lilacs

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The Nostalgia of Lilacs

The legendary nostalgia of Lilacs has graced garden across the world for hundreds of years.  When I say the word “Lilac” I think most gardeners can close their eyes and picture the flower, and perhaps more importantly imagine the intoxicating fragrance that they fill the air with each spring.  We now have…

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The Golfing Gardener

Trevor Cameron

Featured
The Living Christmas Tree
The Living Christmas Tree

I often chuckle each November (and now even in October) as I am berated with the daily Christmas advertisements, seemingly earlier and earlier each year.  On my phone, on the TV, in the papers, on the radio stations, via email – literally everywhere.  So here I am (my sincere apologies), talking about Christmas in November!  Please find some…

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