After a warm end to August, September has brought with it a marked shift in the weather, with clouds, morning fog, and cooler daytime temperatures bringing the first signs of autumn. As you shift into new routines and schedules, now is also the time to change gears in the garden—fall planting season is here! With a new season underway, here are a few tips to maximize the beauty and success [...]
Fall has arrived at the nursery! We're fully stocked with pumpkins, corn stalks, fall flowers and more for making your front porch look its best this season. With the weather shifting from summer to fall, now is the time to refresh your front porch for a new season, so stop in for some inspiration and pick up the plants, pumpkins and decor you'll need to make your home festive [...]
Early autumn in the Pacific Northwest is perfect for planting--soil warmed by summer's heat encourages rapid root development while shorter daylight hours and the arrival of cooler weather minimize stress on plants as they root out and get established. No matter what you want to plant, autumn's cooler, wetter weather make for easy transplant for your shrubs, trees, and perennials--and with regular rains arriving later this fall, you soon [...]
Years ago, one of my friends commented on what a wonderful verb “gardening” is. I couldn’t agree more—for those of us who love the smell of freshly cultivated dirt, the warmth of the sun on our skin, and the taste of a freshly-picked carrot, gardening is a fantastic word. As your gardening efforts come to fruition in these summer months, here are a few things to tend to in late [...]
If I had to pick one plant that's guaranteed to stop people in their tracks--slack-jawed with wonder at its beauty--that plant would have to be perennial hibiscus. Each year in late summer these hardy perennials put on a show with hundreds of dinnerplate-sized blooms in bright, head-turning colors. At Vander Giessen Nursery, we've grown and carried perennial hibiscus for more than 10 years, and our experience has enabled us [...]
Every well-designed garden space includes a variety of different plants, beginning with trees. With an incredible variety of textures, sizes, and leaf shapes and colors, Japanese maples are one of our go-to plants for adding structure--the so-called "bones"--a landscape needs. Whether you have a sprawling acreage with wide, flowing garden beds or garden on a small city lot with neighbors just feet away from your back patio, there are [...]
Warm days, blue skies, and the joyful shrieks of kids splashing in the pool or running through a sprinkler—this is summer in the Pacific Northwest. As you enjoy long evenings spent on the deck or out in the garden, summer is a time to watch your spring plantings grow and thrive. While you tend to your plants this month, here are a few key tips to ensure success in your [...]
Summer is here, and now is the time to finish planting the pots, hanging baskets and flowerbeds around your house. To help your gardening budget go further, nearly all of our annuals in the greenhouse are now on sale Buy 1, Get 2 FREE! Included in our sale are the following items: 4.5" Basket Stuffers 6-Pack Annuals 4" Premium Annuals 6" Regal Geraniums 6" Papyrus 6" Black-Eyed Susan Vines [...]
With school buses making their final rounds for the school year and last weekend’s short heat wave, my mindset is shifting to enjoying summer in the Pacific Northwest. Our region boasts some of the most gorgeous scenery and comfortable climate you’ll find anywhere in the summer, but one thing it’s not: the tropics. Whether you’re staying home this summer and want to make the most of your backyard spaces or [...]
My Grandma Vos—long-time owner of Vander Giessen's and gardener par excellence—often advised her customers that “God’s colors don’t clash” when picking out flowers. Her point in offering such advice was to encourage customers to plant what looked good to them; after all, gardening is meant to be fun, so why stress over what plants “work”? Whether you like bold, saturated colors in your containers or prefer the muted elegance [...]
