Looking outside today, you wouldn't know it's still winter. The fact is, we have a month of winter left to go before we can ring in a new season. But who cares what the calendar tells us--spring is on the way! Hopefully--and we've got our fingers crossed--the beautiful weather we've been enjoying as of late is a harbinger of things to come!
That said, we at Vander Giessen Nursery are proud to have opened our doors for our 72nd season at 9:00 yesterday morning. We currently have primroses, pansies, Jackson and Perkins roses and deciduous trees in stock. Now is a great time to browse our rose selection and pick out the latest and best varieties! Check out the rose page on our website (www.vandergiessennursery.com) under "Plants" to see what we have to offer this season.
Now is also the time to visit our nursery and place your order for custom-planted hanging baskets. If you know what you want, why take the chance that we might not have it available when you come to shop later in the spring? We're happy to let you browse our selection of basket stuffers and pick out the custom mix you want!
So stop by, browse our newly-arriving selection of plants, and start to plan for what you'll do in your garden this year. Spring is in the air!
February 17, 2009
January 12, 2009
It's coming!
Valued Customer, Thank you for your patronage of Vander Giessen Nursery in 2008. With your encouragement and requests, we expanded our product selection last season to include a wider and better selection of annuals and hanging baskets, as well as having more perennials and new varieties of shrubs and trees outdoors.
Spring 2009 is just around the corner, and we're busy working in our greenhouses, growing the high-quality bedding plants and hanging baskets you've come to expect; moreover, we're developing new color blends of Lynden Baskets and will be introducing other varieties of hanging baskets and basket stuffers never before seen in our greenhouses.
While we get started in our greenhouses, we will be closed to the public. If you have any questions or wish to speak with us about buying shrubs or trees, or if you would like to place a custom order for hanging baskets, please call the phone number below or e-mail us--we'll be happy to answer your questions or set up an appointment for you to visit the nursery!
Thanks again for your business in 2008 and we look forward to serving you once again in 2009--we'll be opening for business once again on February 16!
Phone: (360) 354-3097
E-mail: info@vandergiessennursery.com
December 24, 2008
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
David
December 13, 2008
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 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!
November 29, 2008
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!
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!
November 26, 2008
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
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
October 22, 2008
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