POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY
GARDENING

Did you know that one out of every three foods we eat rely on pollinators? Pollinators fertilize flowers, which then produce seeds, which you can find buried in that apple you eat or on the outside of the strawberry that you pick. In the non-edible world, pollinators help maintain a thriving ecosystem by continuing plant species and adding biodiversity.

As you garden, think about what you are doing in your garden to encourage bees, birds, and butterflies. And also to ensure that we aren't doing to anything detrimental to our flying and buzzing friends.

• Create a pollinator-friendly environment in your backyard. Plant flowers that encourage bees and birds, like asters, coneflowers, lavender, sunflowers, yarrow, etc. Have water dishes in a safe place for pollinators to get a drink.
• Check the labels of any insecticide, herbicide, or fungicide that you use. Be aware of spraying where the bees are and minimizing spray drift.
• Take care of the environment. Climate change not only affects humans.
• Come on in to pick up our list of pollinator friendly plants.

LET GOOD BUGS BEAT
THE BAD BUGS

When you see aphids on your roses, it's easy to forget that many of the bugs in our gardens are good and fight the bad ones on your behalf!

Here is a list of the beneficial bugs we stock at this time of the year. (Please call us for availability as these are live creatures and we don't keep a large stock on hand.)

• Ladybugs -- Most of us are familiar with the ladybug, and while they look docile, they are pretty fierce when it comes to attacking aphids, mites, thrips, mealybugs, and other pests.
• Praying Mantis -- Mantises are territorial and quite efficient at attacking grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, beetles, and pretty much anything they encounter, including beneficial insects, so keep that in mind.
• Green lacewings -- Green lacewings attack aphids, scale, white fly, mealy bugs, caterpillars, and more. Note that they are predators only in their larval stages only. Adult lacewings are large green insects with lacey wings.
• Nematodes -- There are a variety of nematodes, but ones we sell target beetle and fly larvae in lawns and gardens. They are also great for eliminating root weevil (larvae) for rhododendrons.
• Predatory mites -- Predatory mites attack the bad mites, like spider mites, rust mites, cyclamen mites, etc. If you have a spider mite infestation on your houseplants, these mites are the ticket.

THE NURSERY IS
FILLING WITH COLOR

This is probably a good time to drop by. April through June are peak times if you like color. Hanging baskets everywhere, shipments of flowers several times a week, a greenhouse full of tomatoes, veggies, herbs...you get the picture.

This is also a good time to shop for flowering trees and shrubs. Some of them are flowering or about flower. And, well, we like asymetrical branching, varigated leaves, and lush green evergreens, as much as a pot of geraniums.

Anyway, there's a lot of stuff coming in, and you should get it while you can. Some plants like Perfecto Mundo double reblooming azaleas are flying out of the nursery (we might be out of stock). It took a long time for Spring to get here, but now it's here!

Here are some other plants have a come in (and maybe left) lately:

• Clematis 'Snowdrift'
• Abelia 'Kaleidoscope'
• 'Magic Carpet' Spiraea
• Rockrose
• Dwarf hydrangeas, such as Seaside Serenade Crystal Cove
• Red and White Mandevillas
• Camass lilies
• Seaview Sunset Rhododendrons
• Autumn Moon Full Moon Japanese Maples

And so much more!