On Saturday, January 12th I was presented with the “Young Member of the Year” award from WSNLA (The Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association). When the award was given, the presenter said that I received this award due to my outstanding volunteer contributions to the association and my exemplary representation as certified professional horticulturist in [...]

Sunday I had a brief, one hour window to work in my own garden. The sun was out, and it was relatively warm. Alas! I had so many pressing priorities that I couldn’t get out in the garden until late in the day. And, when I did get out there, my 3-year old friend Anna [...]

The flower seed and bare root catalogs are starting to flood into my mailbox. This is a good reminder that now is the time to sort through any existing seed packets you already have, start ordering any new seeds you want, and plan your spring planting schedule.
It may be cold, even snowy, in your winter [...]

As I walked from my driveway into my back door, I received a two-fold reward for my efforts in building winter interest into my garden.
First, I heard the distinctive chirp of a hummingbird. I couldn’t find him with my eyes, but was in my garden. I have lured him with my plantings and my lack [...]

I have a bad kitty. I used to have lots of indoor plants, but not anymore. Bad kitty chomps on them. The plants I do have indoors are now placed up high, out of his reach. Or they are plants he’s tried and learned he doesn’t like.
 He has one favorite that I’m constantly moving to [...]

Over the last year I’ve noticed a significant number of Douglas Fir trees (Pseudotsuga menziesii) declining rapidly in my neighborhood. They are showing signs of apical dieback, which rapidly progresses from the tip of the tree downward. All of the trees that I am noticing are

On private property so I can’t easily access the roots, [...]

Although the temperatures in the greater Seattle area are hovering somewhere above freezing but below 50 degrees, weeds are still quietly establishing themselves in gardens throughout the area. If you can get out there and remove them now, Spring garden care will be much easier as your weed population will be significantly reduced.

Grass weeds are [...]