Lenten Rose and Christmas Rose are both names for a miraculous plant called the Hellebore. This plant has much to offer, asking for very little in return, and its uncommon bloom time during the winter months makes it an indispensable component to a year-round garden. The blooms offer a wide variety of hues, from crisp […]
Here comes another cold snap for the Puget Sound! Here are some quick tips for protecting your less-hardy plants from cold damage. Especially a good idea when temperatures dip into the 20s for several days.
Urban Earth Plant Club MembershipNothing says, “I love you” more than a years worth of plants! As a member of our plant club, they’ll receive a new plant each month, a box of goodies with each new season, $1 back on every $10 they spend at the shop, plus a direct line to our plant […]
Indoor Gardening with Kids Much has been written on the benefits of teaching kids to garden. They learn an appreciation for nature and its processes, for science and observation, for cause and effect … and they gain patience, delicacy, and an understanding of the true value of plants both as commodity and for their intrinsic […]
Have you heard that you need to “sweeten” your soil, that you should check your soil pH, or that your soil might be too acidic? Many gardeners have heard about soil acidity or soil pH, but not many of us really understand what it means. It’s an important topic. No matter what else you do,… […]
As an independent designer I’m in the fortunate position of being able to design gardens that will be professionally installed by my recommended contractors*, by the homeowners themselves, or even by another preferred and local-to-the-site contractor. (*I never accept a referral fee so my recommendation is based on the fact that they always do outstanding…
After my garden goes to sleep in the fall I look forward to the approach of winter. Tucked among the ferns are some of my favorite winter blooming perennials: hellebores. I love seeing the evergreen leaves throughout the year and excitedly wait for flowers to emerge during a season when there is little else in […]
If you’re anything like us, you’d much prefer a new house plant or a plant to add to your garden (ok, and maybe some chocolate, too) for Valentine’s Day. We’ve made a fun reference guide of 5 house plants and 5 garden plants if you’re looking for that perfect plant for that special someone! Garden… […]
February is “bare-root” season at Swansons and this means now is the best time to find an extensive selection of fruit trees and berries at a great price. Many of the varieties of fruit trees and berries that we have in stock now won’t be available later in the year!
Outside my patio sliding door, in several pots on my south-facing, full sun deck, is a selection of herbs including parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme… These four herbs, along with several others also on my deck, are cold hardy and easy to grow year-round in our maritime climate…
