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 the fall; many plants look better with the reduced stress, irrigation needs are less critical and close to two-thirds of our sales […]
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. Above you can see new snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) seedlings, and just below are snowberry cuttings about to leaf out. We grow most […]
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 native flowers in the nursery. I often listen to podcasts as I water plants, a daily task in a nursery, […]
The Nursery gets all “Artsy”
This time of year at Derby Canyon Natives we have a lull in activity before fall shipments and propagation begin, so I have time for building projects, maintenance… and art! Last month I finished painting the new nursery building we constructed in late 2016. The expanses of white siding called out for something so I […]
Blanketflower – and NPAW!
What is NPAW, you ask? Why Native Plant Appreciation Week, an annual event organized by the Washington Native Plant Society to recognize and celebrate the beauty and diversity of our native flora. The photo featured in the poster above, of blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata), was taken at Derby Canyon Natives a few years back. I keep a camera handy for […]