For unto us...

The Christmas season will soon be drawing to a close--Christmas Day is just a night's sleep away. Soon we will be packing up the ornaments and decorations, throwing away the crumbled shreds of wrapping paper, finishing off the last of the cookies and fudge and gearing up for a new year. The holiday festivities will be over and we'll resume our daily routines once again.

But what do we have to learn from Christmas? Yes, we can rattle off the regular "peace on earth" and "joy to the world" jargon, but how do we live out the real meaning of the season? Maybe it should start at home--let's put Christmas into action with the ones we love. Let's practice giving--not just presents, but our time. In a world so fast-paced as ours today, let's make an effort to spend more time with our loved ones. Time is a precious commodity--spend it wisely.

Let's also practice giving to our communities. Our economy is suffering at the present time; one way we can help ourselves is to help those around us. As a local, family-owned business, we rely on the support of our surrounding community. In the coming year, we will strive more than ever to support the ones who support us, and that, too, is a gift we can all give--community support.

And let's share the good news. Christmas truly is a time of joy, and once again we have so much to be thankful for. There is a lot of suffering in the world, but we can still give thanks for the many blessings given to us. Christ has come to us, not in the surrounding of a lavish palace or royal estate, but in a smelly, noisy stable in Bethlehem. At this time of year, let's humble ourselves and be thankful for our blessings, for Salvation has come to earth.

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given..." --Isaiah 9:6

Kneeling at the manger with you,
David

Cold weather is a-coming!

We're still eight days away from the Winter Solstice, but step outside today and you'll know that winter is here. As I write this, the temperature is hovering right at freezing; add in the windchill and it feels more like the upper teens or low 20s!

The good news is that we're supposed to have sun for the next few days; the bad news is that it's supposed to stay cold--well below freezing--for several days. Cold temperatures like these can be very hard on any potted plants that you still have outdoors, so here are a few tips for gardeners:

First, if you have any potted plants still outside (many people have potted topiaries by their front door or in front of their garage), take note of their exposure to the wind. Particularly if the plants are exposed to the northeast wind, you will want to consider relocating them to a more sheltered area.

Second, move any exposed plants into your garage for the duration of the freezing temperatures. Don't have a garage? Move your pots under your eaves or into a sheltered corner next to your house. Moving plants next to your house can increase the temperature by 10 degrees or more.

Third, mulch around the surface of your pots to provide some insulation. For added benefit, wrap pots with old blankets to further protect the roots from freezing.

Follow these steps and you'll minimize or prevent any winter damage to your plants caused by freezing temperatures. And when you're finished moving and insulating your plants, be sure to get a cup of hot chocolate for yourself--you'll need it to warm up!

The beginnings of Christmas

It's here--Christmas season! Lights are going up on peoples' homes, Christmas trees are starting to appear in front windows, and poinsettias are in full color. Have you put up your Christmas tree yet?

Maybe with the down economy, you're feeling the financial pinch and aren't sure if you'll put up a tree this year. That's understandable--it's time that we all examine our finances and find the areas that could use a little trimming back.

That said, decorating for Christmas might be just the thing you need to cheer you up. A freshly-cut Christmas tree from our display lot will fill your house with joy and the wonderful scent of fir. Want something that will last longer than four weeks? Try a live tree, and enjoy it in your yard for years to come!

If you're having family or friends over for Christmas this year, be sure to pick up your poinsettias to place inside the front door or on the kitchen table. No other flower says Christmas like the bright reds or pure white of poinsettias. Try burgundy or "Jingle Bells" for something fresh or unique!

So, as you start your Christmas decorating, take time to stop by Vander Giessen Nursery to see what you might use to add some life and color to your home!

Giving Thanks

In the retail industry, Christmas is in full swing. This is no less true in garden retailing. Christmas Trees and Poinsettias are already in demand, and Thanksgiving isn't even here yet. And while I understand that Thanksgiving is late this year and we're in a depressed economy where a splash of Christmas color might brighten a person's day, I wish that we could celebrate one holiday at a time.

This year, even with an uncertain economic future, we have much for which to give thanks. Here in the Northwest, we get to wake up each day to glorious snow-covered mountains--at least when it's sunny. And when it's not, we can still trust that they'll be there the next time the clouds lift. We can give thanks for fiery sunsets like the one I just watched. We can give thanks for families, friends, and a community to be a part of. There's plenty for which to be thankful.

And at Vander Giessen Nursery, we're thankful, too. You, our customers, have given us a good year, and we're thankful that we can start planning for another year of business. We've been around 70 years, so it's easy to take things for granted, but we're thankful to be entering our 71st season next spring.

Come Friday, the Christmas season can begin in earnest, and at Vander Giessen Nursery, we'll do our best to provide our customers with the Christmas trees, Poinsettias, and gift ideas they need. But for tonight and tomorrow, let's pause to give thanks for the many blessings given to us each and every day.

David

Burning Bush and Coral Bark Maple

Wait for it...

Spring is a wonderful time of year for gardeners. Greenhouses are filled with annuals and hanging baskets, azaleas and rhododendrons are covered in cheerful, vivid color, and shrubs and trees put out fresh growth or open their new leaves. Certainly, spring is a magical season.

Autumn, however, is also a beautiful time of year and the best time to experience the true colors of many plants. Take the Burning Bush for example. During spring and summer, this shrub has a humble, even homely appearance. Its rough, woody stems hold matte green leaves that give gardeners little to be excited about. In fact, at Vander Giessen's, the Burning Bush is relegated to the back of the nursery display yard--customers simply don't have any interest in the plant. But come autumn, the Burning Bush quickly gains popularity. With shorter days and colder temperatures, this plant undergoes a dramatic transformation, its leaves changing from dull green to an array of deep crimsons and fiery reds. Suddenly, customers take a keen liking to the Burning Bush, and it becomes the star of the show.

And it's not alone. Many other plants put on their best display this time of year. While perennials are withering and other shrubs are looking tired from a long growing season, some shrubs and trees are just putting out their best color. Lime Glow Barberry completes its transformation from lime green to deep salmon in fall. Grasses of all types open their plumes or seed heads. And who can forget the beautiful range of colors found in maples? Full size maples come in beautiful colors, but the smaller Japanese Maples have a wide array of color, too.

So, if you haven't been to your local nursery in a while, stop by today and check out the beautiful fall color. The season doesn't last long, so don't wait, or you might miss the show!

Fall rains

It's that time of year again. You know, the season between "Back to school" and "Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland." In some parts of the country, they call it Autumn, and tourists flock to see the fiery reds and yellows in the rolling hills and sip fresh apple cider. Here, we call it Dreary. At least, on many days.

But, don't let the fall rains get you down! While it's easy to want to forget your garden and curl up with a good book on the couch, did you know that right now is the best time of year to plant? Get your shrubs and trees in the ground now, and come spring, you'll have a healthy, established garden! And, as an added bonus, all of our nursery stock is on sale, so your gardening dollars will go up to twice as far as they would in spring or summer!

Grab your umbrella and car keys and head to your local nursery now for great plants at great prices. We're here to serve you--rain or shine!

Welcome

Thank you for visiting the Vander Giessen Nursery blog! We're new to this scene, so bear with us while we get rolling.

At Vander Giessen Nursery, we're committed to serving our customers, and that means listening to your requests. For the last several months, we've had many requests for a website, so we're proud to announce that our new website, www.vandergiessennursery.com will be rolling out soon! Send us your e-mail address, and you'll be among the first to know when the site is up. We promise, we'll never sell or share your e-mail address with an outside party.

Thanks again for visiting the blog, and we look forward to serving you!

David Vos
Vander Giessen Nursery
Lynden, WA