Eve Boe, Garden Notes Editor    

In the ornamental garden:

'Peppermint Ice' Hellebore

• If your heart is missing the sight of flowers in your garden, don't despair!  We are fortunate to live in a climate that allows for many winter blooming shrubs and perennials.  Look for Camellias, Witchhazel, Sarcococca, Viburnum b. 'Dawn', Mahonia, Garrya, and Hellebores to name a few.  Why, you could plant an entire section of your garden with winter flowers in mind!
• As you're looking around your garden this time of year, pay special attention to areas that maybe need something evergreen to break up the monotony of bare twigs and dormant perennials.  Remember that it doesn't have to be a conifer.  There are loads of evergreen broadleaf shrubs and even a few perennials that are easy to squeeze in whether you have sun or shade.  
• Speaking of Hellebores, we have an enormous selection in stock at the nursery right now, including a few nigers that are already in bloom!  The pure white flowers of 'Jacob' and 'Joseph Lemper' make lovely hostess gifts for the holidays and they can be planted right into the garden when the festivities are over.  They will flower year after year at a time when flowers are most welcome.  Hellebores are an evergreen perennial that grow in shade to part shade, and if you plan it right you can have winter flowers from December through March!
• If you're planning to get a living Christmas tree this year, make sure that it's not in the house for longer than 10 days.  Water it well before you bring it in and then at least once while it's in the house.  Put a saucer underneath it to catch any water that drains out the bottom of the pot.  When the time comes to put it back outdoors, place it in a protected area for a week or so (depending on the weather) to get it used to being out in the cold again.
• If you haven't planted those tulips or daffodils that you bought earlier, this is just a friendly reminder-do it!  There's nothing worse than coming across a bag of forgotton bulbs come April or May.
• To prevent your paperwhites from getting too tall and floppy, give them a drink.  Of alcohol that is.  Research has shown that a 5% alcohol/water solution stunts the growth of potted paperwhites.  Use only distilled alcohol like gin, vodka, or tequila, or rubbing alcohol can also be used.  Don't use beer or wine as the sugers can damage the plants.  Use a 1:7 ratio alcohol to water if you're going to use distilled.  Use a 1:10 ratio if you're using rubbing alcohol.  This trick only seems to work with bulbs that are forced using the pebbles and water method.  Once your bulbs have begun to root out and grow, pour off the old water and replace it with the alcohol solution and only use that for future waterings. 
• Keep the bird feeders full and clean. 

In the vegetable garden:

• There's not a whole lot of work to be done in the veggie garden at this time of year, except keep the weeds down, mulch, and eat what you planted in the summer/fall.  If you have greens that you're trying to overwinter, they will really benefit from a good layer of straw or leaves as a mulch to insulate and protect the roots.
• Artichokes sometimes have difficulty overwintering here, especially if your soil is heavy.  They would love a toasty straw mulch for the winter.
• Now is a great time to take care of your tools.  Sharpen your shovels and spades and store them in a dry location.  Pruning season is just around the corner, so make sure your pruners and loppers are cleaned, sharpened and oiled.

And now for the best part-put your feet up and relax and feel good about all your hard work in the garden this year and begin your planning for next year.  A new season will be here before you know it.  And remember to pay attention to the small gifts your garden gives you.  Happy Holidays!

To download a printable copy of this article, click here

December 1 - 31

Christmas Holly - 20% off

traditional English holly plus many rare and uncommon varieties

1-gallon to 6-foot sizes

House & Conservatory Plants - 25% off

tropical plants for home or greenhouse

(free repotting with plant and pot purchase) 

Our 'Staff Picks' for December come from Cheryl Bonsen, a Christianson's staff member for thirteen years. Among her many talents, Cheryl does the merchandising for the Nursery's Garden Store and Primrose gift shop, and she creates all the seasonal displays in Primrose and throughout the Nursery.

Cheryl's favorite picks from Primrose:

• Anything that sparkles! Cheryl's best tip for creating warm, welcoming ambiance on these dark days of winter is to use glass ornaments and decorative baubles that sparkle, such as balls, snowflakes, and garlands. She especially loves new or vintage mercury glass items, such as balls, bells, candle holders, and vases. "Mercury glass will bring your tree, mantel or tablescape to life. Even little touches of glass will make a big difference, like the small mercury glass Christmas tree balls we carry ($2 each). The key is using decorative items made of glass (not plastic) that will capture the light and instantly create a festive mood."     

• Speaking of sparkle, adding a sprig of silver pine 'bling' to a mantel, tablescape or bouquet of twigs and greens will add a special touch to your holiday d�cor and continue to brighten your home during the coming winter months.       (an example of a silver pine sprig is in the lower left corner of the photo below)  
  

  Mercury glass candle holders and sprigs of silver pine 'bling'

   
• The Shelley Kyle line of scented lotions, soaps, and 'powder puff' style body powders. Everything in this line smells heavenly and is beautifully packaged (the powder is pictured above with Cheryl). And because the powders don't contain aluminum talc, they are safe for our skin and the environment.           
• The book 'Vintage by Nina Christmas' by Nina Hartmann is filled with beautiful, inspiring pictures of decorated trees, candles, flowers, hearts, angels, Santa sweets, table settings, Christmas ornaments made of fabric, glass, paper, wax and tinsel...and so much more! This book had a limited print run and the publisher is sold out but we still have a few copies left in Primrose.

A couple of Cheryl's favorite picks from our Garden Store:

• Hori Hori knife - A 'must have' for all gardeners 
• Nejiri Gama Hoe - A great tool for weeding

Both of these garden hand tools come from Terrebonne Limited,

a great local company from Lynden, WA  

Known as the "the empress of the winter," camellias brighten gardens from autumn through spring with their beautiful large blossoms and dark glossy leaves.

In the Language of Flowers, camellias are symbolic of admiration, perfection, and 'honest excellence.' The honesty derives from the absence of fragrance and thorns, and the excellence comes from the camellia's large flowers and hardy evergreen leaves. Camellias are also considered a good luck gift for a man.

Pink:    Longing

White:  Adoration, Perfection, Loveliness 

Red:     You're a flame in my heart, "My destiny is in your hands"

History and Meaning of Camellias 

The International Camellia Society 

American Camellia Society

November 25 - December 24

Friday, December 7

Nature's Beauty for the Holidays

1:00 - 2:00 pm  (reservations required - $10 class fee)

Coming up in January...

Saturday, January 12
Growing Tea in the Valley

11 am - noon  (reservations required - $5 class fee)

Saturday, January 19 

Pruning Ornamental Trees & Shrubs

11 am - 12:30 pm  (reservations required - $5 class fee)

Saturday, January 26

Orchids

11 am - noon  (reservations required - $5 class fee)

Full details about all of our classes and events can be found on our website 

For class reservations, please call us at 360-466-3821 or 1-800-585-8200  

"To be rich in admiration and free from envy,

to rejoice greatly in the good of others,

to love with such generosity of heart that your love

is still a dear possession in absence or unkindness...

these are the gifts which money cannot buy."