June 2012

Vol 2, Issue 2

 

 

Garden Notes

  Garden Notes Logo Bird

Alliums in May

Greetings from Christianson's Nursery!

  


 
"In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them."

 - Aldo Leopold (American ecologist, 1887-1948)

 

As Mother Nature choreographs her annual 'bursting of buds' extravaganza this month, a similar 'opening up' and springing to life seems to be happening with us. Windows are open, outdoor furniture is back in use, and the buzzing of lawn mowers and swishing of sprinklers can be heard from morning to night. That euphoric 'school is out' energy fills the air, our hibernation days are over, and we're up and going! Vacations, reunions, graduations, anniversaries, festivals, and summer projects ~ so much to do, so little time!

 

The same phenomenon is happening here at the Nursery. So many things to talk about, so little newsletter space. For instance, our Ninth Annual Rose Festival is coming up on June 23. There's much to love about this event and this year we are delighted to welcome Ciscoe Morris and Marianne Binetti as they co-present "My Plant Is Better Than Your Plant" (details below). We also have a great lineup of classes and garden walks planned, starting this first weekend of June and running all through the summer.  Details for all our classes and events are provided below and on our website.   

 

Before you dash off, be sure to check out Ani Gurnee's 'The Garden in June' article (below). It's full of great information this month. And our new 'Fresh Ideas' column offers a wonderful tip on how you can save time and energy when watering/feeding plants.

 

Okay, enough said. In the words of the late, great Maurice Sendak (1929 - 2012), "Let the wild rumpus begin!"

 

Happy June!  

  

 Eve Boe, Garden Notes Editor   

 

P.S. Since we're on the subject of 'bursting buds', here's a little video that shows time-lapsed photography of flowers blooming (click the little arrow in the bottom left corner to start the show and turn up your volume if you can). It's incredible what Mother Nature can concoct in those tiny little buds.   Enjoy!    

 

Ninth Annual Rose Festival ~ June 23 

 

 


Join us for a 'Rosy Day Out' on Saturday, June 23rd, as we celebrate our Ninth Annual Rose Festival!  Here are just a few of the featured events:  


Plant Clinic: 
10:30 am - 1 pm
 
Rose experts from the
Tri-Valley Rose Society will be available to answer all your questions about rose varieties and rose care.  


Rose Display: 
10:30 am - 5 pm

The Tri-Valley Rose Society is once again hosting a Rose Display in our Schoolhouse.  Amateurs and experts alike are invited to submit their roses to be voted on in the following categories:  (1) Best in Show, (2) Best Fragrant Rose, and (3) Best Floral Display incorporating perennials with roses. Entries can be submitted between 9 am - 10:30 am on the day of the festival.  
 

 

Presentations:
1 pm - 2 pm
Robyn Swesey and Larry Sawyer from the Tri-Valley Rose Society will be presenting 'Tips and Tricks of the Rosarians.'

2:30 pm - whenever they are done
Guest Speakers Ciscoe Morris and Marianne Binetti will be presenting 'My Plant is Better Than Your Plant.' Join the fun as Marianne and Ciscoe compete to wow you with their favorite roses and companion plants.

A Rose Ice Cream Social will be held in the Schoolhouse Garden
following Ciscoe and Marianne's presentation
In This Issue
The Garden in June
Fresh Ideas
The Language of Flowers
New Arrivals and Specials
Classes and Events Calendar
Closing Thought
Quick Links

 

Garden Notes - May 

 

Garden Notes - April  

 

Garden Notes - Archives 

  


Garden Gazette - June-July-August
 

 

Garden Gazette - April-May 

   

Garden Gazette - Feb-March  

 


Christianson's Nursery
 

 

La Conner Flats 

 

La Conner Chamber of Commerce  

 

Where to find us

 

 Basic Logo

15806 Best Road
Mount Vernon, WA  98273

 
360-466-3821
1-800-585-8200
 
Open Daily 9 am - 6 pm



Voted 'Best Greenhouse and Nursery' in Skagit Publishing's People's Choice Awards for 2011 

 

 

NW Flower & Garden Show

"People's Choice Award 2011"



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The Garden in June...with Ani Gurnee

 

Sitting at the window, looking out across the patio garden, the first light rain is falling, following many days of sun. The sweet vibrant lushness of color and texture is almost surreal. How can such beauty and intricacy be ours to behold? It is late May as I write, and this morning the very first precocious blooms opened on the roses. The bushes are covered with masses of buds, and in a week or so they will explode to dominate the garden with their otherworldly pinks, reds, oranges, and their ethereal fragrance. June is all about roses! 

 

The huge oriental poppies, likewise, are just about to unfurl. Every year I yearn toward that first deep hallucinatory red of 'Turkenlouis' flaring luminous against the rich fusion of bronze, red, and plum-tones of the 'Royal Velvet' smoke tree. It takes the breath away!  June is all about color!

 

June is also about movement. Movement for its own sake! The sensation of newly-bared limbs moving through the warm air. The delicious sweeping choreography of the gardening day: bending, arching, stretching, pivoting with the pure delight of being alive.   

  • Roses. As a designer, seeking people's inner responses to garden potentials, roses seem to always elicit exaggerated reactions. Either people love them or they don't want anything to do with them. This latter most often seems due to past frustrations with disease, blackspot, aphids, ungainly habit, thorny tangles and the difficulty of weed control. If I could just give one tip for starters, it would be this: Take a good look at each bush (talking now about English and modern shrub roses). At this time of year you will see the foliage at its best and at what height the flowers bloom. Take a pair of good loppers that allow you to reach right into the heart of the plant and address the canes without even getting near the thorns. Prune out all the sick, dead and misshapen growth. Next cut out all the skinny gangly lax stems that congest the lower part of the bush, even if they have flowers. If you keep the whole plant more airy and open with minimal stems and no foliage within 2 feet of the ground it will be more graceful, healthy and no harder to manage than any other plant.    
  • Rhododendrons and Azaleas. Right after bloom is the best time for light pruning and shaping of Rhododendrons and azaleas, before the buds of next year's flowers begin to form. Not many people bother any more with dead-heading the spent blooms, but if it is something you have time for and you believe it makes a difference, remember to do it promptly after the blooms fade. By the time it turns brown and the seeds within have matured, their removal will no longer be effectual.    
  • Clematis. Spring-blooming Clematis montanas can also be pruned hard now. Especially if they have outgrown their trellis space, or if the trellis needs to be re-set or rebuilt, it will give the vine time to regrow through the summer and be ready to bloom next spring.  On Saturday, June 2, at 1 pm I will be at the nursery to tour the vines and to give pointers about management and trellising requirements. Come if you have some vine questions on your mind.  
  • Rhubarb.  Make sure all flower stalks are snapped off as soon as they emerge, as they will divert the plant's energy from leaf production...unless you love the flowers, as I do, and don't care about more rhubarb after a certain point.    

Get the chairs out. The barbeque. The hammock. Life is short!

 

Ani
Ani Gurnee

 

 

Ani Gurnee is a popular and greatly-adored guest speaker at the Nursery.  Ani is the owner of Aulos Design and she can be reached at 360-445-2028.

 

  

Fresh Ideas

An Easier Way to Feed Your Plants
Dip your watering can into
pre-mixed plant food solution
 


Here's a simple thing I've been doing for several years to make it much easier to use liquid feed regularly in the garden:
 
Using a large plastic garbage can, I mix up a big batch of "blue goo" by dissolving granular 20-20-20 plant food in water (you could use whatever fertilizer formulation you prefer).  Then all I need to do when I want to give my plants a little boost is dip a watering can into the premixed liquid to fill it, and I'm on my way to the garden!  
 


This is SO much easier and less frustrating than mixing one watering can at a time, especially for those of us who have a lot of plants to feed.  I have several of these "fertilizer cans" stationed throughout my gardens to save time and steps.

 

 

 

This fresh idea came from local gardener and long-time customer, Marianna Metke. If YOU have a favorite gardening tip or fresh idea you'd like to share with Garden Notes readers, please email your submission to  eve.christiansons@gmail.com and put 'Fresh Ideas' in the subject line of your email.  You are also welcome to send your submissions to us via regular mail at:  Christianson's Nursery - Attn Eve Boe, 15806 Best Road, Mount Vernon, WA, 98273.  Be sure to include your contact information (name, address, phone and/or email address) and please print clearly.   

 

If your submission is selected for publication, you will receive a $20 gift certificate to Christianson's.  We look forward to hearing from you!

 

The Language of Flowers

Our featured flower for May ~ the rose!


Jude the Obscure
'Jude the Obscure'
Amazingly fragrant and a favorite of
Toni Christianson

Perhaps more than any other flower, the rose stands alone in its abundant history and symbolism. Used for hundreds of years to convey messages without words, roses have long been a symbol of confidentiality. The Latin expression sub rosa (literally "under the rose") means something told in secret.

 

The rose has many diverse meanings based on the color and the number of flowers given. For example: 
  • Red - Love, respect
  • Deep pink - Gratitude, appreciation
  • Light pink - Admiration, sympathy
  • White - Reverence, humility
  • Yellow - Joy, gladness
  • Orange - Enthusiasm, desire
  • Red and yellow blends - Gaiety, joviality
  • Pale blended tones - Sociability, friendship

In addition to the color, the number of roses you give conveys various meanings.  For example:

   1 rose:  Love at first sight - you are "the one"
 2 roses:  Mutual love and feelings
 3 roses:  Also says "I Love You"
 7 roses:  Together for ever (perfect for a married couple)
10 roses:  Represents perfection
12 roses:  The standard for "be mine" (often given on Valentines day)
13 roses:  A sign of enduring friendship
15 roses:  I'm sorry 

 

To learn more about the history, symbolism, and folklore of roses, visit these sites:
New Arrivals and  Specials
 
 
         
NEW ARRIVALS 

 
Coneflowers of all colors!
 Delphiniums  
Shade-loving Perennials
Peonies
 Astilbes and Hostas 
 
 and one of John Christianson's favorite new arrivals...

Trochodendron aralioides 

a flowering, broadleaf evergreen tree also referred to as the "Wheel Tree"
 

click here to see images



JUNE  SPECIALS 

 
June 1 - 10

Vines - 20% off 

Vigorous growing clematis, honeysuckle, jasmine, wisteria,
akebia, kiwi, and more!  (1  to 5 gallon sizes)  

 

June 11 - 17

Japanese Maples - 20% off 

Upright and laceleaf varieties from 1 gallon to 7' tall

 

June 11 - 24

Perennials - 20% off 

Our best selection of perennials ever: thousands of plants for sun or shade

(4-inch, quarts and 1-gallon sizes)

 

June 25 - July 1 

"Lemon" Sale - 50% to 70% off 

Ugly plants with beautiful futures: nursery seconds at greatly reduced prices,

includes perennials, shrubs and trees priced to sell    

 

June 29 - July 4

Annuals - 40% off 

Hanging baskets, geraniums, impatiens, petunias, fuchsias, lobelia and more

(annuals in packs, 2-inch and 4-inch pots)

 

Classes and Events Calendar  


Saturday, June 2
Clematis 'Nelly Moser'

Nursery Walk with Ani Gurnee
1 pm - 2 pm   
 
(reservations required - complimentary)  
Join Ani Gurnee for her first nursery walk of the season. In this walk, Ani will be highlighting vines, including how to select the right vine for the right place and tips on effective trellising techniques.  
 
 

Sunday, June 3  
Great Garden Gatherings
1 - 2 pm   (reservations required - complimentary) 
Perk up your patio and backyard with instant- impact plants and lots of little touches to dress up your summertime soirees. Our entertaining Christianson's Nursery's team of Cheryl Bonsen and Andrew Pickens will get you thinking outside the box for outdoor entertaining: scented geraniums wafting in the air ... mini-topiaries on the picnic table ... bold color combos to surprise and delight.
  

Saturday, June 9  
June Bloom Walk with John Christianson
1 pm   (reservations requested - complimentary)
Join us in the garden as John Christianson shows us the flowering trees, late-season rhododendrons and early roses at the 11-acre English Garden of La Conner Flats, adjacent to our Nursery. The walk begins in our Schoolhouse Garden; from there you will stroll with John to discover the highlights of the season. 

Following the 'June Bloom Walk' on June 9, plan to have Tea at the Granary at La Conner Flats. This tea features sandwiches, scones, fruit and dessert. Call 425-765-0046 for reservations ($16 per person).

Sunday, June 10
Kiwis and Figs for Western Washington
1 - 3 pm   (reservations required - $5 class fee) 
Add to your homegrown harvest with kiwis and figs that do well in the maritime Northwest. Growing tips and help on choosing varieties will be discussed by "Kiwibob" Bob Glanzman, owner of The Puget Sound Kiwi Company, and Hildegard Hendrickson, charter member of the Seattle chapter of the Western Cascade Fruit Society.  How soon can you expect to pick fruit from a new plant?  Which varieties need help with microclimate protection? And what's with some of the bizarre botany (hint: males and females and wasps)?  
 
Saturday, June 16
Exquisite Japanese Maples  
11 am - noon    (reservations required - $5 class fee)
Expert in Japanese maples and passionate collector Charlie Morgan is ready to help you choose and care for this spectacular group of trees. "Bring your questions!" he urges, and promises straight answers about the pros and cons of different selections, with an emphasis on how to keep your maples healthy. Charlie is owner of Amazing Maples of Mukilteo. And as a bonus, Christianson's has its huge assortment of Japanese maples on sale through Father's Day weekend!

Saturday, June 23  
Ninth Annual Rose Festival:  A Rosy Day Out
Guest Speakers: Ciscoe Morris and Marianne Binetti
   

Rose Display, Plant Clinic, Presentations, Rose Ice Cream Social, and more!  Visit our website for more details and the full Schedule of Events.     

 

Reminder...the Fifth Annual Skagit Symphony 'Gardens of Note' Garden Tour takes place on Sunday, June 24, from 10 am to 5 pm.  Immerse yourself in a weekend of flowers and music, starting with our Rose Festival on Saturday and the 'Gardens of Note' tour on Sunday.  For details, visit www.skagitsymphony.com.


Saturday, June 30
Tough Little Jewels:  The Hardy Fuchsias  
11 am - noon    (reservations required - $5 class fee)
Your perennial garden can sparkle with sprays of hot pinks, cool blues and romantic pastels from May or June until frost with hardy fuchsias. Just familiar with the "fuchsia basket fuchsia" that appreciates a spot in the shade? Give your hardy fuchsia its glory in the sun! Fuchsia specialist Kevin Jones, owner of Jordan Nursery Greenhouses in Stanwood, will dazzle you with a slide show of varieties (there are more than 300 hardy in the Northwest) and information on growing these hummingbird magnets with ease.

 
Closing Thought...
  
Schoolhouse garden on a June evening

"If a June night could talk, it would probably
boast that it invented romance." 
 
 - Bern Williams
 
Garden Notes Editor:
Eve Boe, Public Relations
Christianson's Nursery & Greenhouse
360-466-3821