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Garden Notes
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Greetings from Christianson's!
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| Photo by Karen Chandler |
"What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade." - Gertrude Jekyll
June at last! When we were kids, we lived for June. It was that double-dog bonus month that marked the end of school and the beginning of summer. Suddenly our days were our own, full of freedom and possibility (and lots of silliness). As we zipped from one adventure to another, it all felt so right, so natural, as if our life had finally begun. Our Real Life.
In our family, the best part of June was going up to our cabin on Priest Lake in northern Idaho. The instant we arrived, my siblings and I burst from the car, raced past the cabin, and practically flew across the beach and into the lake. From that moment, our feet barely touched the ground. We played in the lake for hours, built forts in the woods, chased each other through fields of salal and huckleberry bushes, and climbed giant cedar trees. I remember the freshness of the morning air, the twinkling lake in the afternoon sunshine, the thunderstorms, the sweet smell of the alder trees, the warmth of our old wooden dock on my bare feet, and the coziness of my sun-dried beach towel.
And in and out and above it all, I remember the hummingbirds. No matter how 'busy' we were with our summer escapades, we were captivated by these enchanting little creatures who seemed to have flown straight off the pages of a fairy tale.
Most of the hummingbird hoopla centered around the simple four-fountain feeder near our dining room window. As soon as the feeder went up, the hummers started zipping in from all directions, chirping and buzzing as they flew past our heads. Before long, it was a full-fledged feeding frenzy. As we gathered around and gazed up in wonder at all those hummingbirds, it seemed that all was right in the world. The hummers were back and summer had begun!
Many people believe that hummingbirds are spiritual messengers between worlds, symbols of joyfulness, playfulness, optimism, and independence (no wonder we loved them so much - they were just like us!). As I get older, I'm starting to believe that, too. In my life, hummingbirds have been messengers from my own childhood, transporting me back to those magical summers at the lake. To this day, the flash and flutter of a hummingbird will stop me in my tracks and fill my whole being with wonder and excitement.
And now, all these years later, I have created a garden that is, by pure coincidence, a hummingbird's paradise. Butterfly bush, clematis, honeysuckle, weigela, fuchsia, penstemon, agastache, salvia, lupine, monarda, cleome, phlox, petunia, foxglove... turns out the hummingbirds and I adore the same sweet, cheerful plants. Even as I write this, the hummers are fluttering outside my window, dazzling and distracting me with their charms. To share a garden I love so much with these amazing little birds who spark such immense joy and take me back to childhood is a... well... it's a triple-dog bonus!
Happy June, everyone!
Eve Boe, Garden Notes Editor
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Where To Find Us
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15806 Best Road
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Map and directions
WA Dept of Transportation I-5 Skagit River Bridge Detour Routes
www.christiansonsnursery.com
360-466-3821
1-800-585-8200
Open Daily 9 am - 6 pm
Weekly Radio Broadcast:
Sunday Mornings at 10:30 am
'The Garden Show with John and Mike' KAPS AM 660
Voted Best Greenhouse and Nursery
in Skagit Publishing's
People's Choice Awards for
2010, 2011 and 2012
NW Flower & Garden Show
"People's Choice Award 2011"
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June Calendar Highlights
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Saturday, June 1, at 11 am:
'Grand Geraniums' with speaker Kevin Jones Saturday, June 8, at 11 am:
'Your Herb Garden: An Inviting Home for Beneficial Insects' with speaker Alison Kutz Saturday, June 15, at 1 pm:
June Bloom Walk with John Christianson Sunday, June 16: Father's Day!
Friday, June 21: First day of summer!
Saturday, June 22, at 1 pm:
Dan Hinkley presents 'New and Fascinating Plants' Also on Saturday, June 22:
- Master Gardener Plant Clinic from 10:30 to 1:00 pm
- The Milkman's Daughter (gourmet picnic food) from 11 am - 3 pm
- Iversen's Espresso
- Northwest fine artist, Richard Nash, will be at the Nursery with his beautiful, limited edition botanical prints and gift cards. To learn more about Richard and his work, visit his website.
Sunday, June 23, at 1 pm:
Karen Chapman presents 'Container Creations' Saturday, June 29:
A Rosy Day Out: Tenth Annual Rose Festivalwith Keynote Speakers Ciscoe Morris and John Christianson Also on Saturday, June 29:
- Master Gardener Plant Clinic from 10:30 to 2:30 pm
- The Milkman's Daughter (gourmet picnic food) from 11 am - 3 pm
- Iversen's Espresso
- Northwest fine artist, Richard Nash, will be at the Nursery with his beautiful, limited edition botanical prints and gift cards. To learn more about Richard and his work, visit his website.
Sunday, June 30, from 10 am to 5 pm:Skagit Symphony 'Gardens of Note' Garden Tour
Complete details about all these classes and events are provided later in this newsletter and on our website. If you are interested in attending a class,
please give us a call to reserve your seat (360-466-3821 or 1-800-585-8200).
A brief note about Skagit Valley traffic:
As you can imagine (and have probably experienced), the collapse of the Skagit River Bridge along I-5 on May 23rd has caused traffic in the Mount Vernon and Burlington areas to become quite congested. Christianson's is about six miles west of downtown Mount Vernon on Best Road and is NOT on the alternate routes recommended by the Washington State Department of Transportation (click here to see the current WSDOT detour routes). We feel very fortunate that traffic on Best Road has been relatively normal, and that our customers and suppliers can easily enter and exit our parking lot. So please - come and see us this month! We have an extra special line up of events and classes, and offer a little oasis of calm and beauty in the midst of all the hub-bub.
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The Garden in June
by Rachel Anderson
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| Schoolhouse Rose Garden, June 2012 |
June to me really means one thing - roses! I love roses, and this past month I have been watching carefully as their flower buds have gotten fatter and more numerous. As June gets closer I go out daily (yes, every day) to see if any have popped open, and yes, there are a few early bloomers which I admire and sniff. What I'm really anticipating though, is the explosion of big, bright, and luxuriantly fragrant roses that happens in June. I do the same thing here at the Nursery, where I'm lucky enough to have hundreds of varieties to ooh and ahh over as they come into bloom.
In the ornamental garden:
- Weed. Yes, I've said it again.
- Stake perennials with tall flowering stalks (like delphinium, phlox, peonies and foxglove), especially if you live in a windy area.
- Pinch back tall late flowering perennials like sedums and asters. This helps to create a bushy sturdy plant that can withstand wind and rain without staking.
- Now's the time to prune your rhododendrons and azaleas if you think they need it. If you prune them heavily, just remember that you may not get any flowers next season. Now is a good time to fertilize them too.
- Continue to water any newly-planted plants. Even though it's been pretty rainy lately, you need to stay on top of the watering at least through this summer and probably through the next one as well. This is especially true of new trees and shrubs, regardless of how drought tolerant they're touted to be.
- It's official. This is a tent caterpillar year. In fact, it seems to be a 'caterpillars of all sorts' kind of year. The best thing to do is to prune out the nests while the caterpillars are still young. Once they emerge as adults, then it's a little too late. Your next best defense is Bt, which is an organic pesticide that specifically tagets capterpillars of all types, or another product called spinosad, which targets more than just caterpillars. Previously, I was feeding the nests to my chickens, which they devoured. However, now I've noticed that since the tent caterpillars are mature with their armor of black and orange fuzz, the chickens are no longer interested (which makes me think that not even wild birds will eat them). Now I find them crawling around in every odd location and have resorted to hand picking and killing them swiftly with the toe of my boot. Distasteful, but effective. Good luck!
- On a happier note, pick a bouquet of the summer's first roses to bring inside and enjoy.
In the edible garden:
- Snap the flower stalks off of your rhubarb.
- Check your strawberry patch regularly for the first ripening berries (as though you need reminding!) and pick them before the birds do. They're also closely monitoring your berry patch.
- Keep up on the slug bait, especially around new seedlings and strawberries.
- Thin the fruit on your fruit trees if you haven't done so already.
- If you don't have a greenhouse, then by now it should be safe to plant out basil starts.
- Protect ripening berry crops (like blueberries and raspberries) with netting to keep the birds out. This works well to prevent deer browsing as well.
- Sow beans, sunflowers, nasturtiums, and other warm weather crops directly outside.
- Set out starts of tomatoes and squash (or sow directly) if you haven't done so already.
- If you see your garlic starting to flower, snap off the flower stalks down low. This makes sure that all the plants energy goes toward making a larger garlic bulb. The flowers (called scapes) are edible, stalk and all. Garlic scapes make a tasty, spicy pesto, or simply saute them in olive oil and enjoy. I've even seen recipes for pickled garlic scapes! Yummy!
Above all, enjoy the first of your strawberries and roses!
To download a printable copy of this article, click here
Rachel has been gardening since childhood, thanks to her mom, and has been part of the team at Christianson's since 2002. She's a Certified Professional Horticulturist with a passion for roses and vegetable gardening. Rachel and her family enjoy gardening together and now share their urban garden with a menagerie of ducks, chickens, two cats, and a dog.
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Staff Picks
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Eric with Azara microphylla in background
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This month our 'Staff Picks' come from Eric Andrews, a Christianson's staff member for nine years. Eric was in his early twenties when he first discovered his passion for plants and landscape design and he jumped in with both feet - simultaneously working at Molbak's Nursery in Woodinville and studying environmental horticulture at Lake Washington Technical College. Since joining the staff at Christianson's, Eric has continued doing landscape design work and has become the Nursery's expert in ornamental grasses and bamboos. He also creates many of the beautiful plant displays you see at the Nursery. When he's not at Christianson's or doing design projects, Eric is busy at home playing with his two young children and working in his own garden.
Here area few of Eric's favorite picks for the month of June...
Salvia:
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Salvia 'May Night'
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This is one of my favorite perennials. Salvias are colorful, easy to grow, drought tolerant once established (remember to water young plants), semi-deer and bunny resistant, great in cut bouquets, and attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Best of all, if you remove spent blooms, the plants will bloom into fall. Truly workhorses of the summer garden! Salvia comes in just about every color (white, yellow, red, pink, true blue) but my favorites are the dark purple varieties such as 'May Night' and 'Viola Klose'. | Geum 'Fire Storm' |
Geum (also called avens): This is another great perennial. It's colorful, tough, cold hardy, attracts bees and butterflies, and if you remove the spent blooms, it'll bloom from spring to summer. Geum works great in a long-blooming perennial border and the red and orange varieties are wonderful paired with salvia. A couple of my favorites are 'Mango Lassi' and 'Fire Storm' with their brilliant orange flowers.
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Russian Sage
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Russian Sage and Dark Knight Bluebeard:These are two of my favorite perennials to combine with with salvia and geum. Both are easy to grow, drought tolerant, fragrant, and have wonderful silvery-gray foliage and dark purple flowers. Russian sage is also deer resistant.
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Miscanthus 'Morning Light'
| Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light':This is one of my favorite ornamental grasses. Its blades are skinny and variegated so it has a shimmery effect and this variety is sturdy (so it doesn't flop over). It grows in clumps that reach about 5' tall and 3' wide. It's a great grass to use as a vertical accent in the mid to back-background. It's deer resistant and can tolerate dry spells but it's happiest with regular watering.
Sun Rose or Rock Rose (helianthemum): If you drive by the roundabout at the entrance to Anacortes, you will see a massive carpet of sun roses in just about every color. There are so many great things to say about these easy-to-grow sun-loving plants. They are an evergreen perennial ground cover that is deer resistant, low growing and non-invasive, cold and drought tolerant, and they come in a wide variety of colors. It varies by site and sun exposure but they will usually bloom from May well into June. |
Clematis montana Wilsonii (with Eric below)
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Clematis montana Wilsonii:You may recall seeing a large tower of clematis covered in blooms at the Nursery (it's growing up and over the Shade House near the Garden Store). Well, that's Clematis montana Wilsonii. With its white blossoms and great fragrance, it's great planted near outdoor living areas and entrance ways, and it's especially lovely in the evening. It's hardy and can be planted in June. |
Clematis montana Wilsonii
| Jeweled Chain Fern (Woodwardia unigemmata): |
Jeweled Chain Fern
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I am really excited about this new and exquisitely beautiful and unusual plant. It looks like a tropical tree fern with brilliant fronds that start as red, then fade to copper, then brown, then green. The fronds can reach up to 5' long! It's classified as an evergreen and it's hardy in zones 7 to 8 (except in extra cold winters). You can help it through the cold spells by giving it a light winter mulch.
Lobelia Tupa: |
Lobelia Tupa
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This is an awesome plant. It's grows to 6' tall and has amazing red flower spikes. It's deer resistant, drought tolerant, and much loved by hummingbirds. It's hardy to zone 8 (although if you add winter mulch it can survive our coldest winters in zone 7). It has a long bloom season, starting in mid to late summer, so it adds some punch when other things are starting to fade. Plant it now, in June, and you will be happy you did when it comes into bloom later this summer.
Gunnera:
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Gunnera (left) and Eric
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Christianson's motto is that we offer 'an enticing selection of common and uncommon plants' and Gunnera is one of those uncommon plants I absolutely love. In a word, it's HUGE! This fast-growing evergreen perennial has enormous, puckered leaves that can reach 7' to 8' across and it grows to about 8' tall. It likes wet conditions with rich soil and does not tolerate extreme heat or cold. Obviously, this plant needs a special place with lots of room to grow but its tropical, almost prehistoric look adds great drama. Click here to learn more about Gunnera.
Here are a couple of Eric's favorite trees: |
Azara microphylla
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Boxleaf Azara (Azara microphylla): This is one of my all-time favorite trees. I can't say enough about it - it's evergreen, fully hardy in zone 8, small and manageable (grows to 12 - 15'), and does well in sun or shade. Best of all, when it blooms in February or March, it has beautiful, delicate yellow flowers that emit a surprisingly rich fragrance. Some say it smells like chocolate crossed with vanilla - like chocolate cake! There's also a variegated form but it needs a little more protection so it's ideal for a courtyard. It's not too late to plant these in June but do it soon!
Katsura 'Red Fox' (Cercidiphyllum Japonicum Rotfuchs): This is another great tree. It is slow growing (reaches about 16' on average), disease resistant, and has a compact, upright, and narrow habit. It has deep purple spring foliage that turns to bronze-green in summer, and then the fall foliage is a wonderful mixture of yellows and oranges. When the leaves drop in the fall, it has a lovely sweet fragrance. This tree will do well in full sun or dappled shade.
And in the products category:
Gardner & Bloome Potting Soil: This stuff is awesome! The texture is perfect - not too gooey, but not too light. It's fluffy and allows for great for drainage yet it's also rich and nourishing. It comes in 1.0 and 2.0 cubic foot bags.
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Seasonal Specials
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JUNE HIGHLIGHTS
Perennials galore!
salvia, foxglove, agastache, penstemon, weigela, delphinium,
nepeta, coneflowers, geum, and many more!
Peonies
great assortment of colors
Astilbes and Hostas
Veggie Starts
including cucumber, squash, pumpkin..even sweet potatoes!
Tomato Starts
many varieties to choose from, including heirloom, cherries, grape,
paste, and beefsteak (4-inch and 1-gallon sizes)
Grafted tomatoes, eggplants, and other vegetables
Click here to read more about grafted vegetables
Gifts for Father's Day
garden art, ceramic pots, bird feeders, garden tools,
one-of-a-kind antiques, culinary items like gourmet popcorn, gift certificates,
and of course, the always-popular gift of a special plant or tree
JUNE SPECIALS
May 31 - June 9:
Vines - 20% off
clematis, honeysuckle, jasmine, wisteria, akebia, and more! (1-gallon to 5-gallon sizes)
June 10 - 23:
Perennials - 20% off
our best selection of perennials ever ~ thousands of plants for sun or shade
(4-inch, quarts and 1-gallon sizes)
June 24 - 30:
"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 24 - 30: Japanese Maples - 20% off
upright and laceleaf varieties (from 1 gallon to 7' tall)
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Class Calendar
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Saturday, June 1
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Pelargonium Vancouver Centennial
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Grand Geraniums: The Specialty Varieties
11 am - noon (reservations required - $5 class fee)
Fancy leaves, Martha Washingtons (Regals), ivy type, scented-leaf type...join us in an exploration of Pelargonium (the genus name for what we commonly call geraniums). These beauties, native to South Africa, reward us with steady blooms and great fragrance. Kevin Jones of Jordan Nursery Greenhouses in Stanwood will discuss the selection and care of specialty geraniums, inspiring us with great choices for hanging baskets, potpourri gardens and window boxes.
Saturday, June 8
Your Herb Garden: An Inviting Home for Beneficial Insects
| Insectary garden
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11 am - noon (reservations required - $5 class fee)
Herbs are among the best plants for attracting beneficial insects to aid in the health of your entire garden. Alison Kutz has been an owner/operator of Cascade Cuts nursery in Bellingham for more than 30 years and is dedicated to growing in the least toxic way possible. She consults and supports biological approaches for the green industry through Sound Horticulture, and will share ideas with you for making your herb garden an "insectary" - a habitat for the good bugs that are a dynamic part of a healthy ecology.
Saturday, June 15
June Bloom Walk with John Christianson 1 pm (reservations requested - complimentary event)
With summer just around the corner, join John Christianson on a stroll among 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'll meander next door to discover the highlights of the season.
Saturday, June 22
Dan Hinkley: A Plant Explorer's Passion
1 pm (reservations required - $5 class fee)
We are thrilled once again to welcome renowned plantsman Dan Hinkley to our Nursery, in partnership with Monrovia. We'll be setting up a big tent on the lawn behind our Schoolhouse and have plenty of seating, but please call soon for your reservations! Dan will be talking about "New and Exciting Plants for the Pacific Northwest" and we'll have a great selection of The Dan Hinkley Collection of plants from Monrovia available for sale. In 1987, Dan founded Heronswood Nursery with Robert Jones on the Kitsap Peninsula, and it quickly became the "must-go" destination for gardeners. Since 2009, Dan has been consulting with Monrovia on trialing and evaluating new introductions from his many expeditions.
Sunday, June 23
Karen Chapman: Container Creations
1 pm (reservations required - $5 class fee)
Are you looking for ways to bring pizazz to your pots with plant combinations that keep delighting throughout the seasons? Make the most of your container gardens with the exciting ideas of Karen Chapman, co-author with Christina Salwitz of the new book, Fine Foliage. Karen will do a fun mix-and-match with a wide variety of plants while demonstrating two container gardens during the class - one for shade, one for sun. You'll leave with great ideas, ready to plant! Karen has her own design company, Le Jardinet, and teaches container design at Edmonds Community College Horticulture program. You can start drooling over some of her design ideas at fine-foliage.com.
For class reservations,
please call us at 360-466-3821 or 1-800-585-8200
And coming up in July... Saturday, July 13 Xeriscaping: Freedom from the Hose! with Eric Andrews, Christianson's Nursery staff 11 am - noon (reservations requested - complimentary event) Sunday, July 14
Vegetables in Winter
with Bill Thorness, author 1 - 2 pm (reservations required - $5 class fee)
Saturday, July 20
Ferns Unfurled
with Judith Jones of Fancy Fronds Nursery 11 am - noon (reservations required - $5 class fee)
Saturday, July 27
Hypertufa
with Kathy Hirdler of Floribunda Designs 10 am - 12:30 pm (reservations required - $35 class fee)
For class reservations, please call us at 360-466-3821 or 1-800-585-8200
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Upcoming Events
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'Big Tent' Events at Christianson's in June
Saturday, June 22, 1 pm:
Dan Hinkley presents
"New and Exciting Plants for the Pacific Northwest"
Presented in partnership with Monrovia More details about this presentation can be found in the
'Class Calendar' section of this newsletter (see above) and on our website. Reservations required: $5 fee
Also on June 22:
Sunday, June 23, at 1 pm:
Karen Chapman, author of the new book Fine Foliage
presents "Container Creations"
More details about this presentation can be found in the
'Class Calendar' section of this newsletter (see above)
and on our website. Reservations required: $5 fee
For reservations for Dan Hinkley's talk on June 22 and Karen Chapman's talk on June 23, please call us at 360-466-3821 or 1-800-585-8200
Saturday, June 29: A Rosy Day Out: Tenth Annual Rose Festival With Keynote Speakers and long-time 'rose buds': Ciscoe Morris and John Christianson 9 a.m. - 6 pm Self-guided Tour of Schoolhouse Rose Garden 8:30 am - 10:30 am Submit Rose Display Entries
10:30 am - 5 pm Tri-Valley Rose Society Rose Display 10:30 am - 1 pm Tri-Valley Rose Society Members Available for Rose Advice 10:30 am - 2:30 pm Plant Clinic with WSU Skagit County Master Gardener Volunteers 1 - 2 pm Robyn Swesey and Larry Sawyer of the Tri-Valley Rose Society present "No-Spray Roses" 2:30 pm Ciscoe Morris and John Christianson will wow you with their favorite roses and companion plants
Ciscoe and John's talk will be followed by a
Rose Ice Cream Social in the Schoolhouse Garden
Complimentary event (no reservations required) Calling All Rosarians!
As part of Christianson's Annual Rose Festival, the Tri-Valley Rose Society is hosting its Rose Display in our Schoolhouse and is extending an invitation to amateurs and experts alike 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. Ciscoe Morris and John Christianson will announce the winners in the afternoon and gift certificates will be awarded. Entries may be submitted between 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. on the day of the festival, June 29. For more information, please call Christianson's at 360-466-3821 or 1-800-585-8200. Here are tips on cutting, storing, and transporting roses for rose displays
from the American Rose Society
Also on June 29:
- Plan for a picnic with 'The Milkman's Daughter'
Recently featured in Sunset Magazine, 'The Milkman's Daughter', Inger Herman, will be at the Nursery from 11 am - 3 pm with her gourmet picnic fare sold out of a fabulous 1956 Wimbledon White Ford panel truck. To learn more, here's a link to their website and here's a link to the article in Sunset Magazine. -
Northwest fine artist, Richard Nash, will be at the Nursery with his beautiful, limited edition botanical prints and gift cards. To learn more about Richard and his work, visit his website.
And don't miss this annual Skagit Valley event...
Sunday, June 30, 10 am - 5 pm:
Skagit Symphony Sixth Annual Garden Tour: Gardens of Note
Private gardens in the La Conner area are featured, with live music at each location, in this lovely tour that is a fundraiser for Skagit Symphony. Tickets and full information can be found at www.SkagitSymphony.com or by calling the symphony office at 360-848-9336.
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Fresh Ideas
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Here's an assortment of helpful tips and fun ideas for June. Simply click on a photo you like and it will take you to the website that provides all the 'How To' instructions. We hope you enjoy this month's collection of fresh ideas!
| Create a certified wildlife habitat |
| Ten tips for cutting and displaying roses |
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Strawberry Shortcake
with Lemon Curd
Enjoy the first strawberries of the season!
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Make a barefoot rinsing station
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| One-pan pasta ~ fresh and delicious!
Insider tips: Go easy on the red pepper flakes (unless you like a kick), use a bit less water, and stir frequently
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If YOU have a favorite gardening tip or fresh idea you'd like to share in Garden Notes, 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 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 'Fresh Idea' is selected for publication, you will receive a $20 gift certificate to Christianson's. |
Closing Thought...
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"Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Garden Notes Editor:
Eve Boe, Public Relations
Christianson's Nursery & Greenhouse
360-466-3821
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