The Christmas wreath is a tradition that I joyfully create every year. Being new to Idaho I collected Juniperus scopulorum to make a Mountain West style wreath. These Junipers are native to Eastern Idaho and were often used to make fence posts in our valley. I see them growing 10-20 feet tall in the foothills. Perhaps so many of them were cut down for wood … Continue reading Rocky Mountain Juniper
Now that I’m working at the Horticultural Program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology I have access to a greenhouse. The students grow all types of crops, from vegetables to fuchsia baskets to perennials. The season is in full swing and I’ve been learning a lot about greenhouse growing. Everything is different inside. Watering and controlling pests and diseases takes on a new perspective from … Continue reading Baby Monkey
Click the link below to read the fascinating story of the bicycle in the woods! This is a good bit of sleuthing by author Eric Johnson from Komo News in Seattle. Has anyone ever seen a tree grow around an object like this? http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Vashon-mystery-How-did-the-bike-become-embedded-in-the-tree-231947041.html Continue reading Bike in Tree
On a recent early morning outing to the Bellevue Botanical Gardens I enjoyed seeing the winter garden. The plants that really stood out for me were the grasses. Most were drying and golden brown, but the texture and shape was outstanding. While many plants drop their leaves and disappear below the frosty substrate, the grasses are standing tall. They are moving and sparkling in the … Continue reading Winter Interest Plants
There comes a time in our lives when we come face to face with an extraordinary plant and it brings tears to our eyes. That’s how I felt when I stood beside Pinus strobus ‘Mini Twists’….so beautiful! Here are some of the outstanding pines that I discovered at Iseli Nursery in Oregon last week. This genus of plants has so much texture. Some are soft … Continue reading Surprising Pines
Rainyleaf 