watering tips

6 Tips to Help Your Plants Survive Your Vacation

6 Tips to Help Your Plants Survive Your Vacation

It’s summertime and that means vacations. You’re a good plant parent and you want to make sure your plants are well taken care of but you don’t need to stay home all summer. I talked to the people who have years and years of knowledge gleaned from experience: the Swansons’ team. They offered their best tips for keeping your outdoor and indoor plants happy and healthy while you’re away.

How to Plant Trees & Shrubs

How to Plant Trees & Shrubs

Now that you’ve picked out some gorgeous plants to begin your escapade into the Mysterious World of Gardening, the first big question arises: “How do I properly plant these to give them a good, healthy start?” The steps described here focus on planting a tree or shrub but are essentially the same for anything being planted in the ground, including smaller perennials and annuals. 

Spring Lawn Care

Spring Lawn Care

After months of rainy and grey days, we are thrilled to see the sunshine once more (even if it’s just or a day or two here and there) and anticipating even more beautiful weather to come. While the call of the flower garden is strong, don’t forget to give your lawn some much needed TLC this spring as well. Taking time to care for your lawn will set you up for success later in the year. We would like to share a few tips to get your lawn ready for the upcoming season.

The Truth About "Drought-Tolerant" Plants

The Truth About "Drought-Tolerant" Plants

Drought tolerant* or low water use* are terms we use often in Northwest gardening. You see them on many of our plant signs and information sheets at Swansons. More so each year, as we recognize the importance of saving water in the face of our region's growing population and potential effects of climate change. Also, we see ever more examples of how beautiful a well-designed, drought-tolerant garden can be! However, this doesn’t mean these plants don’t need water. Read on to learn the truth about helping these plants thrive.