In less than two weeks it will be Mother's Day. Have you thought about what you want to get your mom this year? Maybe a bouquet is your usual gift. This year, make your gift dollars go farther--buy her a growing gift! We have plenty of gift ideas at the nursery, and for over 70 years, we've been warming the hearts of mothers just like yours! Here are a few ideas:
-Lynden baskets (which we'll hold for you until Mother's Day weekend--free!)
-Jackson & Perkins roses
-Flowering shrubs
-Gift certificates
-Garden tools
We have many more ideas in-store, and we'll be happy to help you pick out the perfect gift for your mom. Mother's Day is almost here--make mom feel loved with a gift from Vander Giessen Nursery!
April 28, 2009
April 24, 2009
Primetime
It doesn't get a lot better than this! This time of year, Vander Giessen Nursery is bursting with color, from our fully-stocked greenhouses packed with color to the many flowering shrubs and trees coming into bloom in the nursery display yard. This truly is a magical time of year.
Spring is here--yes, we're still getting some cool evening temperatures, so we recommend that you wait another week to put your annuals out--but now is a great time to browse the nursery and pick out some shrubs to bring color to your garden.
Speaking of color for your garden, if you haven't had a chance, take a few minutes to read the "Early spring color for your garden" post (below). Tired of having a blah landscape? Give it a dose of spring with some of the suggestions listed.
So stop by the nursery--even if you only have time to quickly walk through. You'll love what you see!
Spring is here--yes, we're still getting some cool evening temperatures, so we recommend that you wait another week to put your annuals out--but now is a great time to browse the nursery and pick out some shrubs to bring color to your garden.
Speaking of color for your garden, if you haven't had a chance, take a few minutes to read the "Early spring color for your garden" post (below). Tired of having a blah landscape? Give it a dose of spring with some of the suggestions listed.
So stop by the nursery--even if you only have time to quickly walk through. You'll love what you see!
April 17, 2009
Early spring color for your garden
(Originally published in the April 8 Lynden Tribune.)
Spring is a magical time of year for gardeners. The cold, dark days of winter fade and warmer weather gradually returns. With the warmth comes a profusion of color, and the breathtaking transformation to spring begins in the Pacific Northwest.
As I write, the calendar shows that we officially began spring nearly two weeks ago; this year, however, spring is coming much later than in recent years. Though we had a very pleasant—and even warm—start to the year, the last month brought many days of cold, wet weather. That said, the early-blooming shrubs and trees that often flower in mid-March are just beginning to show their color.
So, as a gardener, what can you look for to brighten up your garden at this time of year? First, let’s go over a few flowering trees. Around Whatcom County this time of year, you’ll see many flowering cherry and plum trees. One garden favorite for many is the ‘Thundercloud’ flowering plum. This small- to mid-sized tree is a great garden accent or focal point with its beautiful pink flowers in early spring. Later, when it leafs out, it has deep purple foliage that lasts all summer long.
Dogwood, another popular flowering tree, blooms later in spring and comes in various shades of pink and white. For small gardens, kousa dogwoods—available in pink or white—provide abundant color in a compact form.
For people who want a wider array of color in their flowerbeds, flowering shrubs come in just about every color of the rainbow. Late in winter, many varieties of heather begin to bloom, heralding the coming arrival of spring. ‘Mediterranean Pink’ heather blooms in a carpet of soft pink flowers and is a seasonal favorite for many gardeners. Another harbinger of spring is forsythia; this deciduous shrub catches the eye with a profusion of golden yellow blooms that cover the stems. Still another early-blooming shrub is pieris, which comes in various pinks and white. While pieris certainly offers color with spring flowers, most varieties provide colorful foliage throughout late spring and well into summer as the new growth comes on in shades of bright red and bronze.
For visitors to the Pacific Northwest from warmer, drier climates, rhododendrons are a showstopper. While many of us yawn at the mention of another “rhody,” there are many beautiful varieties available for today’s gardeners. A few personal favorites are ‘Hotei,’ with yellow blooms, ‘Aloha,’ a rhododendron that blooms with mottled pink and white flowers and stays compact, and ‘Vulcan,’ with its deep crimson red clusters of flowers.
The smaller cousins of rhododendrons, azaleas provide an equally beautiful and diverse array of color in spring. ‘Hino Crimson’ has striking red flowers set above glossy green leaves and scarlet-tinged stems. ‘Mothers Day’ traditionally blooms on and around its namesake holiday and has purple-tinged foliage to provide interest year-round. For gardeners who wish to have orange or yellow azaleas, deciduous exbury azaleas have bloom clusters similar to rhododendrons and flower with eye-catching vividness.
Soon, temperatures will warm, and with the chance of frost behind us, it will be safe to plant your annuals and put hanging baskets outside—then you’ll be able to enjoy the full array of colors in your garden. In the meantime, stop at your local nursery to browse the fresh selection of spring-flowering shrubs and trees, and take a walk through the greenhouses to begin planning your flower garden. And remember, spring is coming—plant now to make it colorful and a season to enjoy for years to come!
Spring is a magical time of year for gardeners. The cold, dark days of winter fade and warmer weather gradually returns. With the warmth comes a profusion of color, and the breathtaking transformation to spring begins in the Pacific Northwest.
As I write, the calendar shows that we officially began spring nearly two weeks ago; this year, however, spring is coming much later than in recent years. Though we had a very pleasant—and even warm—start to the year, the last month brought many days of cold, wet weather. That said, the early-blooming shrubs and trees that often flower in mid-March are just beginning to show their color.
So, as a gardener, what can you look for to brighten up your garden at this time of year? First, let’s go over a few flowering trees. Around Whatcom County this time of year, you’ll see many flowering cherry and plum trees. One garden favorite for many is the ‘Thundercloud’ flowering plum. This small- to mid-sized tree is a great garden accent or focal point with its beautiful pink flowers in early spring. Later, when it leafs out, it has deep purple foliage that lasts all summer long.
Dogwood, another popular flowering tree, blooms later in spring and comes in various shades of pink and white. For small gardens, kousa dogwoods—available in pink or white—provide abundant color in a compact form.
For people who want a wider array of color in their flowerbeds, flowering shrubs come in just about every color of the rainbow. Late in winter, many varieties of heather begin to bloom, heralding the coming arrival of spring. ‘Mediterranean Pink’ heather blooms in a carpet of soft pink flowers and is a seasonal favorite for many gardeners. Another harbinger of spring is forsythia; this deciduous shrub catches the eye with a profusion of golden yellow blooms that cover the stems. Still another early-blooming shrub is pieris, which comes in various pinks and white. While pieris certainly offers color with spring flowers, most varieties provide colorful foliage throughout late spring and well into summer as the new growth comes on in shades of bright red and bronze.
For visitors to the Pacific Northwest from warmer, drier climates, rhododendrons are a showstopper. While many of us yawn at the mention of another “rhody,” there are many beautiful varieties available for today’s gardeners. A few personal favorites are ‘Hotei,’ with yellow blooms, ‘Aloha,’ a rhododendron that blooms with mottled pink and white flowers and stays compact, and ‘Vulcan,’ with its deep crimson red clusters of flowers.
The smaller cousins of rhododendrons, azaleas provide an equally beautiful and diverse array of color in spring. ‘Hino Crimson’ has striking red flowers set above glossy green leaves and scarlet-tinged stems. ‘Mothers Day’ traditionally blooms on and around its namesake holiday and has purple-tinged foliage to provide interest year-round. For gardeners who wish to have orange or yellow azaleas, deciduous exbury azaleas have bloom clusters similar to rhododendrons and flower with eye-catching vividness.
Soon, temperatures will warm, and with the chance of frost behind us, it will be safe to plant your annuals and put hanging baskets outside—then you’ll be able to enjoy the full array of colors in your garden. In the meantime, stop at your local nursery to browse the fresh selection of spring-flowering shrubs and trees, and take a walk through the greenhouses to begin planning your flower garden. And remember, spring is coming—plant now to make it colorful and a season to enjoy for years to come!
April 2, 2009
Listen to the corn grow!
In the Midwest, where I went to college, they say you can actually hear the corn growing in the summer. I believe it--the growing season they have there is shorter and more intense than here in the Pacific Northwest, so the corn has to grow at breakneck speed in order to be mature by harvest.
In our greenhouses right now, the hanging baskets, bedding plants and basket stuffers are growing just as fast as the Iowa cornfields in July. Now, you may not be able to hear the plants growing--although I haven't tried (so maybe you can!)--but you can certainly see the difference from day to day. It's really an exciting time of year, seeing the fresh green foliage and the first blooms of the season.
It's still too early to put any annuals outside, but if the dreary, cold rain is getting to you, stop by the nursery. You're more than welcome to walk through our greenhouses and enjoy a taste of spring! And don't be surprised if you can hear the plants growing--it's just that time of year.
In our greenhouses right now, the hanging baskets, bedding plants and basket stuffers are growing just as fast as the Iowa cornfields in July. Now, you may not be able to hear the plants growing--although I haven't tried (so maybe you can!)--but you can certainly see the difference from day to day. It's really an exciting time of year, seeing the fresh green foliage and the first blooms of the season.
It's still too early to put any annuals outside, but if the dreary, cold rain is getting to you, stop by the nursery. You're more than welcome to walk through our greenhouses and enjoy a taste of spring! And don't be surprised if you can hear the plants growing--it's just that time of year.
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