Click here to view the ’2011 Year in Pictures’ photo album

Marianne Binetti and John Christianson at our 2011 Winter Festival

annuals • annual baskets • indoor plants

our plant guarantee

Additionally we carry an extensive collection of fruit trees and fruiting shrubs suitable to our climate. They are offered in late winter as bare root plants and throughout the year as containerized plants. And, with the popularity of blueberries rising as it has, we are carrying dozens of varieties year round.

Let us know if there are plants you have not been able to find. We just may have them and, if not, John really enjoys the challenge of finding unusual plants for customers. So leave your name, number and the name of the plant you are searching for in our notebook in the Garden Store and maybe John can find it.

Harlow Carr

Click here to go to our 2012 Rose List Page
or download the PDF of our 2012 Rose List

*Supplies are limited-call ahead for specific varieties. (360) 466-3821 or 1-800-585-8200

We carry over 600 varieties of roses with diversified groups of top rated roses for our climate. The groups include hybrid teas, grandifloras, floribundas, David Austin English Roses, climbing, rugosa, old garden roses and ground-cover roses. We have multiple reference books for your research if you are in need of help while choosing rose plants and our knowledgeable staff can always offer assistance on choices and care. Our rose list with its legend is a quick reference for customers wanting a particular color, a particular group such as hybrid teas, or only fragrant roses.

Because roses are our passion, we love to fill the Garden Store and Primrose with roses from our display garden during the spring and summer months. We also look forward to our annual Rose Festival in June where we showcase the display garden around our Schoolhouse and offer classes and clinics on rose varieties and rose care. The weather is usually cooperative and guests often picnic out on the Schoolhouse lawn. The Schoolhouse is filled with cut roses from the Tri-Valley Rose Society and it is here you can see and smell many of the most popular roses first hand. This offers a rare opportunity for those who are considering planting a rose garden. There is nothing better than seeing the real flower rather than viewing it in a picture.

Rose Care and Culture
Roses prefer full sun (6 hours or more) and well-drained soil. When planting your rose dig a hole 18″ deep and 24″ in diameter. Mix your native soil with 50% composted organic matter such as mushroom compost or composted manure. Add bone meal to encourage root growth. If you have a dog that loves to dig skip the bone meal. Plant the rose in the plantable fiber pot if it is leafed out and in active growth. Taking it out of the pot will disturb delicate roots and may put the plant into shock. Before settling the fiber pot into the hole, slit the pot vertically from just below the top to the bottom on all four sides. Set the pot in the prepared planting hole so the soil level in the pot is the same as the surrounding soil. Back fill the prepared soil around the pot and tamp down. Cut off the top of the pot that is above ground level. Forgetting to do this will cause the fiber material that is above the ground to wick water away from the rose which means the rose will need to be watered more often. Water in well, soaking the entire planting hole. Deep water once a week during the active growing season.

 We recommend feeding in April, June and August with an organic fertilizer such as Whitney Farms Rose Food and/or alfalfa meal.

The best defense against rose diseases is a healthy rose. Diseases can be controlled with healthy soil and appropriate watering and fertilizing practices. Picking off diseased leaves and raking fallen leaves when you notice them goes a long way toward growing healthy plants and blossoms. Raking rose leaves in the fall also keeps rose diseases from over wintering and infecting your roses in the spring. Avoid planting roses with a history of black spot and mildew. If you insist on growing a rose with a history of disease plan on spending more time keeping it healthy by monitoring and removing diseased leaves. These leaves should not go into your compost pile but should be burned or placed in garbage bags and sent to the dump. We have several roses in our home garden worthy of this extra effort. We would not be without an Anna Pavlova or Jude the Obscure not only because of their beauty but because of their fragrance. One Anna will fill a room with old rose fragrance while Jude does the same but with a fruity/rose scent. Insect pests that appear (most often aphids) may be controlled organically with predators, a soapy solution (Safers) or a strong blast from your hose. Powdery mildew and blackspot can be controlled with Neam oil, copper spray or sulfur spray. These products are organic and will not harm the environment.

Lightly prune tall roses in November to prevent snow or wind breakage, with the primary pruning done in March. Most modern roses may be severely pruned, to a height of 6″ to 18″. This encourages new growth and more flowers. Old roses, English roses and climbing roses prefer a more minimalist pruning, removing just the least productive old wood and damaged or diseased wood.

In late October or early November apply an organic mulch (composted manure or mushroom compost) 8″ to 12″ up the canes. This will protect against winter injury but must be pulled away and spread out in March when you prune your roses.

The above are ‘best rose practices’ and since we are hit and miss at our home I need to say that roses are not as difficult to grow as this information would lead you to believe. If you are not growing for show but for your own enjoyment roses are fairly easy care. The most important practices being feeding in early spring and removing diseased leaves. We are not fanatical about removing the leaves but we do when we see them. Because we are not offended by an occasional spot on a leaf we are fairly casual about our roses. The pleasure of having roses definitely outweighs any negatives.

ENJOY YOUR ROSES!

Using floating row covers, timely planting, and an appreciation of our maritime Northwest climate,  Guest Speaker Peter Heffelfinger will help you get a good start on summer crops and get you thinking about the long-season crops for winter harvest (ex. kales, leeks, root crops, and brassicas). With later sowings for fall and winter greens, your garden will become a year-round outdoor ‘store’ offering just what you like to eat, fresh-picked from your own garden. A long-time Master Gardener, Peter Heffelfinger is involved with the ‘Eat Your Yard’ group in Anacortes and has maintained a large four-season garden near Campbell Lake on Fidalgo Island for over 25 years.

For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821

Designing Baskets for Sun and Shade
Friday, May 18
6 – 7:30 pm
reservations required but class is complimentary  (class limit: 12)

Learn how to create sun or shade baskets using just the right combination of colors, textures, and shapes in this hanging basket design class. Our guest speakers, Kathy Hirdler, of Floribunda Designs, and Lily Hirdler, from Christianson’s Nursery, will help you design and create a memorable planting to last through the season. You can purchase a basket or container at the nursery or bring your own.  Soil and fertilizer are provided but remember to bring your gloves.

For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821

Creating ‘Kitchen Garden’ Containers
Friday, May 25
6 – 7:30 pm
reservations required but class is complimentary  (class limit: 12)

Growing edible plantings is fun and rewarding, and this class will help you create a ‘kitchen garden’ in a container (a great option if a full veggie garden isn’t practical). Christianson’s carries many varieties of edible flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs that can be grown successfully in containers, together or alone.  In this fun new class, Kathy Hirdler of Floribunda Designs, and Christianson’s Lily Hirdler will show you what edibles do well in containers and how to best combine them for both food and summer display.  You can purchase a basket or container at the nursery or bring your own.  Soil and fertilizer are provided but remember to bring your gloves.

For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821

Nursery Walk with Ani Gurnee
Saturday, June 2
1 – 2 pm
reservations required but tour is complimentary

Ani Gurnee from Aulos Design will lead you on a tour of our grounds and greenhouses, pointing out the hottest new arrivals and the plants that she has seen perform the best as time-tested winners. Bring your questions and be prepared to be informed and inspired for new ideas in the garden.

For tour reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821

Great Garden Gatherings
Sunday, June 3
1 – 2 pm
reservations required but class is complimentary

Expert in Japanese maples and passionate collector Charlie Morgan is ready to help you choose and care for this spectacular group of trees. “Bring your questions!” he urges, and promises straight answers about the pros and cons of different selections, with an emphasis on how to keep your maples healthy. Charlie is owner of Amazing Maples of Mukilteo. And as a bonus, Christianson’s has its huge assortment of Japanese maples on sale through Father’s Day weekend!

For class reservations, please call us at 1-800-585-8200 or 360-466-3821

Tough Little Jewels:  The Hardy Fuchsias
Saturday, June 30
11 am – noon
reservations required ($5 class fee)