Being an observer in the garden during October brings on a sense of calm and knowing that the main growing season is ending and our garden is going to rest. And, although the weather may be pleasant during the day, we can feel the cold nights creeping into our bones. There are still many…
Thank you Skagit County for voting Christianson’s Nursery Best Greenhouse/Nursery for 2019! We are grateful you love what we do.
Fall is an advantageous time to plant beautiful hardy bulbs, trees (such as Sumac for gorgeous fall foliage), shrubs, roses, and perennials. Plant now to establish root systems and let the upcoming rains assist with the watering. One of our favorite and best-selling shrubs during Fall is Callicarpa bodinieri, commonly known as Beautyberry. A rounded, deciduous shrub, Beautyberry…
As the warm weather begins, we are noticing leaves on the water lilies, well-known for their distinctive lily pads as well as their showy flowers, are growing bigger. This growth not only adds elegance to your water feature but aids the protection of goldfish. Like other perennials, water plants need lots of light, appropriate soil…
As the long days of summer quickly approach and we begin to spend more time outside enjoying suppers on the patio and relaxing fireside conversations, we are also noticing the arrival of uninvited guests; mosquitoes, flies, and moths, to name just a few. Of course, the presence of insects is a natural and essential aspect…
On June 10, after a long and very full life, our beloved Nursery cat, Bamboo, passed away. He made a gallant effort to overcome a progressive neurological disorder of unknown origin but sadly, after about six weeks of kitty hospice care from our devoted staff, he died peacefully and was surrounded by love right up…
Initially thought to be a Sonoran saguaro (found in northern Mexico and southern United States regions), the cactus you see in front of you is a completely different plant. Trichocereus terscheckii, is a southernmost growing columnar cactus originally from South America. Cold-hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, it prefers an arid and cooler climate. It will…
The line above from the poem, “The Old Vicarage, Grantchester” by Rupert Brooke, often comes back to me when driving around Skagit Valley during the month of April. Tulips don’t wander into pathways or ditches or roadway medians. They stay in perfect rows of luminous color with perfect cup-shaped flowers. Even the newly developed doubles…
A wealth of dahlia resources at your fingertips! Download the 2019 Northwest Dahlia Show Schedule below provided by John and Kathy Willson at the “Starting, Planting, and Staking Dahlias Made Easy” class today, former owners of Swede Hill Dahlia Farm. Dahlia Show Schedule 2019
Thank you to all who expressed a desire for Sheila Pera and Jane Brandt’s (Skagit Audubon Society) presentation notes last week’s “Designing a Four-Season Hummingbird Garden” class. As promised, they are posted below. We are offering this class again (as per customer requests) on Saturday, March 25 at 10:30 am. Call the Garden Store to…
Winter’s barren branches represent a promise of spring to some. The knowing that those dormant twigs can bring such simple beauty indoors is satisfying. Forcing early-blooming branches is quite simple, provided you start with the correct naturally early-blooming tree or shrub. The following are all excellent examples that can be forced to bloom indoors: Flowering…
Roses are easy to grow, long-lived, and remarkably tolerant. With a little extra care and attention, the more healthy and disease-resistant your roses will be. When planting roses, make sure you place them in a sunny spot that gets a minimum of four hours sun and space them about 3-4 feet away from other plants.…