Gardening in the PNW with lots of shade: we mostly love living among the trees. We recognize the importance of preserving and restoring our diminishing urban canopy. But trying to grow colorful flowers, fruits or vegetables under trees can be a challenge. And increasing urbanization brings taller buildings and more shade at ground level. This blog post will help illuminate the types of shade you may be dealing with, discuss other design considerations, and offer sample shade garden designs and plant lists.
For many of us, the choice of which tomatoes to grow can be daunting. We've boiled down the tomato decision process into a few helpful questions and our suggestions: a secret (tomato) sauce, if you will, of how to make the right choice for your individual tomato needs. At the end of this post are a handy infographic and a link to our tomato variety list.
Colorful spring containers celebrate the start of the gardening season and creating them is fun and easy if you know which plants to choose. Look for these great gems to create a new spring container or refresh an existing pot.
Spring gardening is in full swing and we’ve teamed up with our friends at Dunn Lumber to bring you a great DIY building and gardening project you can do at home - no backyard needed! Kirsten will teach you how to make two wooden planter boxes. I’ll help you decide what to plant in them and show you how, step by step!
One of the first activities I want to do outside in early spring is to plant my early spring vegetable garden. There’s nothing like the smooth, clean surface of prepped garden beds, the soil still pristine and just waiting to nurture rows of bright green spring vegetables, carefully planted in perfect rows. It’s like a fresh school notebook - full of promise. But what to plant? Here are a few of my favorite vegetables to plant in spring, with tips on when and how to plant them.
When planting for late-summer blooms, look no further than the hardy Fuchsia. For those with mixed garden conditions - some sun, some shade, some of everything in between - hardy Fuchsias are excellent for providing a continual source of color from late June until the first frosts of late October and November.
Do you have Swan Dollars lying around? Gather them all up and make a trip to Swansons, because you can use them for up to half of your purchase until July 31st, even on sale items! We decided to put together a short list of items, including plants and other merchandise, that we love and are spending our Swan Dollars on this July. We hope it inspires your Swan Dollar purchases!
Plant names can be influenced by fashion, locations, people, and not surprisingly, our love for food. What better way to celebrate the summer season than by adding some plants with delightfully ‘delicious’ food-themed names to your garden. Not only will these plants add a bit of whimsy, they are also a great conversation starter! As a note, the plants mentioned in this blog are meant for admiring and not intended for eating. Enjoy!
Summer has arrived and the garden is in high gear. It’s beginning to feel like the time to enjoy the fruits of our labor (literally and figuratively). Our top picks for July are plants that come into their own at the height of summer, offering bright colors, beautiful blooms, a tropical vibe, and often, intoxicating aromas. Let the sun shine, the garden grow, and the gardener relax and enjoy!
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