June is National Rose Month, so today I’d like to address one of America’s most-loved and commonly misunderstood flowering plants. For decades, roses have had a bad reputation as being difficult to grow. In the past, it was true—being a “rose gardener” required plenteous time to dedicate to spraying, fertilizing and pruning. Today, however, you can have a beautiful rose garden with minimal effort. Really, it’s true! Whether you’re [...]
In the garden industry, a major trend over the last several years has been toward container gardening. We’ve all seen the pots of flowers sitting next to a neighbor’s front door or large planters overflowing with color in front of businesses or churches. If you’re like a good percentage of gardeners today, you have “patio pots” or other similar planters you use around your house, too. This spring, as you [...]
In the world of gardening, this is the time of year I like most. Each morning I walk through the greenhouses at our nursery and marvel at how fast everything is growing. The longer days and warmer temperatures throw annuals into overdrive—one day, a greenhouse of Lynden baskets may be merely budded; the next, it’s full of color. In the last couple weeks, cooler, wetter weather may have dampened your [...]
I like to consider myself an optimist. To me, the glass is half full, and a typical gray day in Washington is partly sunny, not mostly cloudy. The warm weather this winter, however, leaves me cautious. While I’d like to believe that spring is here to stay, history has proven otherwise. So, as a gardener, what can you start working on outside that will satiate your desire to work in [...]
On Tuesday, November 17, 2009, my grandfather John Vos, long-time owner of Vander Giessen Nursery, passed away suddenly. For many years, John, along with his wife Ada and brother-in-law Lawrence, operated Vander Giessen Nursery. In the Lynden community and beyond, John was well-known for his commercial spraying, barn whitewashing and other services.After retiring from the nursery in 2003 at age 82, John--and Ada--continued to frequent the nursery, where they enjoyed [...]
Have a look at this picture. When do you suppose it was taken? July? August? September? Have your final answer? Okay, try this--I took this picture this morning. That's right, November 5. This basket has been in bloom for almost 6 months! Now, here's why I bring this up today: many people buy their hanging baskets from the hardware or grocery store, and while they may look nice at first, [...]
Yesterday I had the task of raking the leaves that had begun to pile up in my yard. I have a feeling I'm not the only one doing that this time of year! After last week's wind storm, I imagine many people have piles of leaves on their lawn and in their flower beds. As we prepare for winter, now is the time to start working on your fall checklist. [...]
This image has not been doctored in any way--this is the true fall color of this Japanese Maple!Acer palmatum "Viridis"
Autumn is a beautiful season at Vander Giessen Nursery. Visit us today to browse our selection of perennials, shrubs, trees and fall flowers to add an additional season of color to your garden! Sugar Maple and Japanese MapleLime Glow BarberryFall flowers Dwarf Burning BushCotoneaster Dammeri
After a beautiful summer and a sunny, warm start to autumn, it's that time again--with the rain falling and temperatures dropping, autumn is truly here. Yesterday, I read that the road to Artist Point has been closed for the season, and with that closure, we can say goodbye to summer and hello to a new season. This time of year, I often hear customers say, "Is it too late to [...]
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