By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist I have become fond of the verse, Earth laughs in flowers. The verse is taken from several lines in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem Hamatreya and when the lines are read in its entirety it has a less cheerful meaning than the brief verse signifies. This part of the stanza reads:…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturist Hang on to your hats everyone! Spring has officially begun and the fever is running high. I realize that it has been feeling like Spring for over a month now, but for me there’s something about April that’s really inspiring. Maybe it’s the chirps and whistles heralding the return of…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist While I was at the Flower and Garden show last month, I came across the coolest seed company. They’re called the Hudson Valley Seed Library out of New York, and they specialize in organic, open pollinated, heirloom vegetable and flower seeds. While all that is very good, the thing…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturist I realize it’s winter, but it doesn’t feel like it. I think I have spring fever, but it’s only February. Our winters are very misleading. There are Crocus and Iris reticulata in full bloom, winking and smiling coyly, whispering sweet nothings to me when I pass by. It’s all I…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a festive and joyous holiday! I am pretty glad when the holidays are over because it means a gradual return to longer days, even though winter has only just begun. Despite that fact, I am really excited to get out…
by Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturist There’s not too much to do in the garden in December, which is a good thing because I know we all get so busy with the holidays quickly approaching. I, however, still haven’t gotten all of my fall clean-up chores done, and now and then I’ll glance out the…
By Rachel Anderson Certified Professional Horticulturist Do not despair for lack of flowers in your garden at this time of year! In the Pacific Northwest our mostly temperate climate allows us to grow many plants that bloom in the fall through winter and on into spring. With careful planning and plant selection, your garden can…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist Somebody flipped the switch. One day it’s warm and sunny with blue sky as far as the eye can see. The next day, the sky is filled with broody clouds and a stiff breeze is causing the newly fallen leaves to dryly scuttle across the pavement. Oh yeah, and…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist Well, the firewood is stacked nice and cozy in the new wood shed, my pantry shelves are lined with all manner of jams and pickles and the garden is winding down after a long season. I can’t help but look around at all of this abundance and beauty that…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturist One of the most fun and entertaining parts of gardening for me, is having the opportunity to slow down from the busy pace of everyday life, taking the time to be observant and allowing my curiosity to ask questions and follow up to find the answers. For instance, the…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist Well gardening friends, I have good news and I have bad news. Let’s dispense with the bad news first. I am leaving Christianson’s Nursery after 13 years. I like gardening so much that I’ve decided to do it for a living! Just to give you an idea of…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist I don’t know about you, but when it comes to tent caterpillars, I’ve had just about enough. They’re everywhere-in my boots, crawling up the side of the house, swimming in the dog’s water bowl and oh yeah, munching triumphantly on nearly every leafy plant in my garden! I’ve stepped…