With the days shortening and the cooler nights having arrived, plants in the nursery take on their fall colors. You can see in the photo above red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) in the lower left … [Read More...]
A (Too) Hot Summer in the Nursery; Welcome the Fall!
These six-foot plus willows needed watering almost every day The unprecedented heat of this summer has been a challenge for plants and people alike. With the days growing shorter, I look forward to … [Read More...]
The Joy of Spring in the Nursery
Spring is rejuvenating and reassuring, for both me and the nursery. March and April set the stage for the year; the overwintered plants begin growth, the seedlings emerge and the cuttings take root. … [Read More...]
Baby Birds Need Native Plants
This is the time of year when birds are quite busy raising their young. At our nursery there are at least eight species nesting on the grounds this year: house wrens, violet-green and tree swallows, … [Read More...]
Nursery Scenes during the Shutdown
Shrubby penstemon (Penstemon fruticosus) - I spotted this pink form on a hike five years ago and snapped off a shoot on the way back down. I rooted it and can now propagate more of this lovely shrub … [Read More...]
The 2020 nursery season fast approaches
Tweedy's lewisia (Lewisiopsis tweedyi) will make its stunning appearance before long In fact, the nursery season for Derby Canyon Natives is well underway! With the lack of snow at our … [Read More...]
The best native plants for native bees
A leafcutter bee on a native mallow flower We are in the midst of National Pollinator Week (did you know?) and it seems most appropriate as every day I'm seeing many species of native bees on the … [Read More...]
The nursery viewed anew
The month of May is a beautiful time for the native flora of Central Washington, from the shrub-steppe to the mountains - and in the nursery! Employee Erin Carlson has a keen eye for the … [Read More...]
What’s in a Name? The new “Flora of the Pacific Northwest”
When you are working with native plants it is essential to know what you have (especially if you are selling them!) Common plant names vary and can refer to multiple species (just how many "rock … [Read More...]
Planting for Climate Change
Young lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) five years post-fire Our climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, with far-reaching impacts in our region. Winters will be warmer and … [Read More...]