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…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist When I was growing up, my Mom was always spending her free time in the garden. How she managed to have free time as a single working mother of two I’ll never understand. But, she did. Now I understand that spending time in the garden was the best way…
April is such an industrious month! Birds are busy building nests, bees are out and about pollinating and building up their colonies, and slugs are on the warpath once again. It’s all happening in tune with the drone of the gardener’s lawn mowers and the creak of sore backs bent low over the garden beds. …
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist Over the winter I took advantage of the “off” season by taking a few classes (actually, a lot of classes!) in hopes of honing my skills as a gardener and exposing myself to new ideas. They ranged from raising goats to keeping honey bees, and from identifying garden pests…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist In February, I am all optimism! Spring is not far off, and I look forward to it as though I am anticipating a long awaited party. (Or for the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl-GO HAWKS!) I see spring in the green tips of daffodils pushing up from…
By Rachel Anderson, Certified Professional Horticulturalist Most people try pretty hard to not go outside in the winter around here. I can’t blame them too much; after all, it’s usually wet, cold, dark, blustery, or any combination of said winter weather (sometimes it’s all at the same time and then some!) However, I’ve really…