Greetings, plant lovers, designers and landscape professionals! In honor of a new year and a new season approaching, we wanted to take a moment to update you on a few new things here at Puget Sound Plants.

Our nursery is thriving and expanding, as always, as we work to raise healthy beautiful plants for all your projects and customers. Our greenhouses and fields are packed with interesting specimens, native plants and more. And if there is a plant you need that we are not growing, we can usually find it for you. We are always here to help you get the plants you need. Contact us here to learn more.

New Staff!

We have new staff at Puget Sound Plants. We are excited to welcome Jim and Kirsten to our sales team. They both bring friendly service and enthusiasm to our team. Please give them a hearty welcome the next time you call us up or come by the nursery! Contact them at any time:

Jim Molloy  jim@psplants.com

Kirsten Stubbs  kirsten@psplants.com

PugetSoundPlants.com

You may have noticed a few changes to our website, in the last year. We have been focusing on making sure you get the plant information you need. This included adding a couple new categories to our website.

Plant Categories: This section has descriptions of common plant types we sell as well as lists of the main plants that fall into those categories. You can scroll through to look for the plants you need.

LID Plants: To help promote and assist in Low Impact Development, we have added a whole section devoted to this topic. Click on the main page to learn more about LID and then dive deeper to see the plant lists for various categories.

• Trees for Low Impact Development
• Rain Gardens and Bioswales

Plant Inventory: This section of our site has remained constant. We update continually so that you know what plants we have in stock. This database is searchable and up to date.

Thanks for choosing Puget Sound Plants! We hope to see you soon. 

The post News and Greetings from Puget Sound Plants! appeared first on Puget Sound Plants.

Check our inventory for plant availability. If you do not find the plant you want, please call us to see if we can special-order what you need!

Hellebores (all varieties)

Hellborus ‘Merlin’

Hellebores are one of the first plants to bloom in the New Year. They are perennial herbaceous plants that are largely evergreen. The bowl-shaped flowers bloom in mid-winter in shades of maroon, dusty pinks, peaches and deep blues. They are an early treat for any pollinator who braves the winter. We grow many different varieties to suit a variety of color schemes.

Rosemary (All varieties)

A wonderful fragrant plant, this evergreen shrub is both decorative and useful. Rosemary plants generally grow to 5-6 feet tall and just about as wide, depending on the variety (some are more like groundcovers). They often bloom with dusty blue and purple flowers that attract bees. Their fragrant, needle-like foliage can be applied to many recipes in the home. These plants are excellent for hedges and in edible landscaping.

Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima)

Armeria maritima  ‘Dusseldorf Pride’ (Photo thanks to Northscaping.com)

Sea Thrifts (also called Sea Pink) are compact, low-growing plants that grow in a dense mounded form. The tufts of dark-green grassy leaves serve as a backdrop for the taller stalks of tiny pink and white flowers that bloom in mid-spring. Bees love the rounded flower clusters that form 6-10 inches above the dense foliage mounds. We grow several different types of this lovely little plant.

Ajuga (All varieties)

Ajuga reptans (photo thanks to Northscaping.com)

Carpetweed and Bugleweed are just two of the names for these versatile groundcovers. They grow in mats of glossy green leaves that grow to about 6 inches tall, on average. Many varieties have leaves with shades of purple, pink, silver or cream. Flower spikes bloom all spring and into summer, ranging in color from deep blue to shades of lavender, pink and white. We grow many different varieties of this classic groundcover.

Red Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)

This native shrub is a pollinator’s delight. It blooms each spring with large, dangling clusters of deep pink flowers. Hummingbirds, bees and butterflies will flock to this beautiful plant. It also produces edible currants in the summertime and soft, fuzzy palmate leaves. Plant this shrub in full sun and enjoy the display!

Viburnum (All varieties)

We grow a wide variety of these diverse shrubs. They grow in many different shapes and sizes with a diverse assortment of colorful foliage. Most have significant, fragrant blooms in ball or umbrella clusters that attract bees and other pollinators. These become clusters of attractive fruit that are perfect for overwintering birds. Most grow exceedingly well in our climate and make excellent spring attractions.

 Crabapple (Malus varieties)

Malus ‘Royal Raindrops’ (photo thanks to Northscaping.com)

Crabapples are a mason bee’s delight! They are gorgeous ornamental (and sometimes edible) trees that bloom with large, fragrant flowers each spring. Blossoms range from red to pink to creamy-white, depending on the variety, but they always attract pollinators. We grow several varieties including the ‘Tschonoskii’, which grows with a columnar habit and excellent fall color, and ‘Royal Raindrops’, which has deeply lobed red leaves and showy flowers and pomes.

Cherry (Prunus varieties)

Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’ (photo thanks to Northscaping.com)

Flowering cherry trees are heralds of spring and present an open invitation to newly-hatched mason bees as well as other returning pollinators. They become covered in creamy-pink clusters of fragrant flowers each spring. They make excellent focal points, street trees and shade trees. We grow many varieties including ‘Kwanzan’, with showy double pink flowers, and ‘Yoshino’, with creamy white blooms tinted with blushing pink.

Mason Bees

Mason Bees are wonderful creatures for the landscape and especially the orchard. They are solitary bees that rarely sting but work diligently to pollinate all early spring flowers. It is fairly easy to attract mason bees by building them a house. You can use a variety of different wood materials to create holes for them to lay larvae in (that overwinter and hatch in spring). We recommend drilling holes varying in width from ¼” to 3/8” with 5/16” being the ideal size. The holes need to be a minimum of 3” long but the longer the better.  You can use just about any untreated wood, including an old 4X4. The holes must be smooth and not go all the way through the wood. By attaching a mason bee house to your home or shed, you can attract mason bees to pollinate your flowers!

Check our inventory for plant availability. If you do not find the plant you want, please call us to see if we can special-order what you need!

The post Bee-Friendly Plants appeared first on Puget Sound Plants.

Red Twig Dogwood – Cornus stolonifera

Red Osier Dogwood. Photo thanks to Northscaping.com

This is a wonderful native shrub with interesting qualities, year-round. It is very hardy, with a multi-stemmed growth habit. It produces attractive green foliage and white flower clusters. In autumn, leaves turn brilliant shades of red and, when they fall, the bare winter branches shine in bright scarlet. They are extremely showy against the stark background of winter and add lots of interest to the landscape. When fully grown, Red Osier Dogwood reaches about 8 feet tall and up to 10 feet wide. It grows well in our native soils and is tolerant of some shade.

 

Winterglow Bergenia – Bergenia ‘Winterglut’

Winter Glow. Photo thanks to Northscaping.com

This lovely little Bergenia is an herbaceous evergreen perennial so it is a great choice for low-lying winter greenery. Even better, the large succulent leaves turn beautiful shades of burgundy-red in autumn. They are perfect for shady areas and do well to brighten up the landscape, off season. This ground-hugging evergreen reaches about 15 inches in height and spread. Winterglow Bergenias look wonderful in mass plantings, lining walkways and brightening container plantings.

Beautyberry – Callicarpa japonica ‘Leucocarpa’

Beautyberry. Photo thanks to Puget Sound Plants

This deciduous shrub shines in fall and winter with bright clusters of shiny purple and white fruit. It’s narrow green leaves fall in autumn, leaving a gorgeous scene of stark branches and shiny berry bunches. It is a fairly small shrub, reaching 4-6 feet tall when fully grown. It grows well in full sun to partial shade and does well in most soils. Plant these beauties where everyone can see them this winter!

Switch Grass – Panicum virgatum

Switch Grass. Photo thanks to Northscaping.com

Switch Grass is a lovely herbaceous ornamental grass. It has a strong, upright growth habit that features feathery plumes of rosy flowers each summer. Grassy leaves are a bold green for most of the year, turning lovely shades of yellow and gold in the fall. Additionally, it features rusty red seedheads on the tips of the plumes that add to an attractive fall display. It is a smaller grass, reaching about 5 feet when fully grown. This ornamental is fairly low maintenance and will mix well with a variety of landscape plantings.
Snowberry – Symphoricarpos albus

Snowberry. Photo thanks to Northscaping.com

Snowberry is a hardy deciduous shrub that is native to our area. It grows easily in Northwest soil and manages our climate beautifully. Snowberry has delicate features that delight, all year round. Most of the blue-green foliage appears in pointed ovals but occasional leaves display irregular grooves and dips, making it a quirky, interesting plant. It produces tiny, delicate pale pink flowers in the summer with large bunches of white berries forming in the fall. The white berry clusters persist into the winter, after the leaves have gone, giving Snowberry its name.
Contorted Filbert - Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’

Contorted Filbert. Photo thanks to Puget Sound Plants

A striking specimen, the contorted filbert is a winter stunner! Its unique twisting, gnarled branch formation makes for an eye-catching and strangely beautiful little tree. Known also as ‘Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick”, this small tree is a member of the hazelnut family. It has lovely green foliage throughout the year but the tree really stands out in winter, when the leaves are gone. It is also outstanding again in spring, when delicate clusters of yellow flowers dangle from bare, twisted branches.
Blue Princess Holly – Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Princess’

Blue Princess Holly. Photo thanks to Northscaping.com

This is one of the hardiest evergreen hollies available! This large, spreading shrub features the classic spiny blue-green leaves and the showy red berries in winter. It is a traditional holiday favorite and will look great in the landscape every single year, for years to come. The berries begin to appear in mid-fall and will stay through later winter. This shrub reaches about 8 feet, both in height and width. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
Paperbark Maple – Acer griseum

Paperbark Maple. Photo thanks to Northscaping.com

The Paperbark is a great ornamental tree for fall and winter. Its dark green foliage turns a brilliant crimson red in the fall. But it is most beloved for its signature peeling bark. Dark brown, chestnut curls peel off every year, to expose new pink and tan bark underneath. It is a remarkable winter feature that will attract a lot of attention in any landscape. Paperbark Maple reaches about 30 feet tall, when fully grown. It is fairly low-maintenance and grows well in the Pacific Northwest.

Spiketail – Stachyurus praecox ‘aureomarginata’

Spiketail. Photo thanks to Puget Sound Plants

This deciduous shrub boasts both late fall and early spring interest. Its narrow green leaves turn rosy red and yellow in the fall, making for a lovely display. In early spring, catkin-like flower clusters dangle from bare branches in shades of yellow-green. Spiketail prefers well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade.

To order any of these plants, please call us today. (866) 816-5080

You can view our entire plant inventory by clicking here.

Do you have a favorite plant for fall and winter interest? Leave it in the comments below.

The post Plants for Fall and Winter appeared first on Puget Sound Plants.

Photo thanks to High Caliper

 

What are they?

The Root Control Bag is a fabric container that holds plant’s root structure and makes harvesting and transplanting quick and easy. We use them on our farm to control growth and manage healthy plants, while saving soil and easing the transition. This increases plants’ survival rates, while making your job-and ours- a lot easier.

Why are they better?

Leads to rapid Growth: The porous bags allow water and nutrients to pass freely but the fabric traps and stores carbohydrates within the root ball structure. This buildup stays with the plant when you transplant it, giving it an instant fuel source to apply towards a growth spurt, when transplanted!

Much lighter root balls: The roots of trees and shrubs grown in Root Control Bags are more compact, containing less soil and more root mass. This makes them much easier to lift and saves on gasoline because you can fit more trees onto each truck load!

Leads to stronger trees: When bags are cut and trees are planted, compact root bags save 90% of the roots, when planted while B&Bs only save 30%. They have fewer disease issues and they grow much faster, leading to an overall higher success rate.

Learn more about the advantages by clicking here.

Photo thanks to High Caliper

How do you plant with them?

The first step is to remove the bag. DO NOT plant your tree with the bag still intact. Cut the bag from top to bottom and peal it away. If any of the fabric hangs up on a root, just cut as much of it off as you can.

Then plant the root ball just like you would any other tree or shrub. Water the plant thoroughly when you are done. It will begin new root generation almost immediately and with, the proper care, will experience a surge of growth after transplanting!

Do you have questions about Root Control Bags? Leave them in the comments below and we will answer them? Have you had good experiences with them? We want to hear from you!

The post Planting Tutorial: How to plant with Root Control Bags appeared first on Puget Sound Plants.

The post Hidden Gems: Excellent but Overlooked Perennials appeared first on Puget Sound Plants.

All our lilac varieties are dense shrubs that grow with a multi-stemmed, upright growth habit. These deciduous shrubs are excellent for attracting pollinators and are generally not sought out by deer. They work well in mass plantings and hedges as well as a focal point or entry piece. They benefit from yearly pruning back (after spring flowering) and may need to have new suckers removed, to avoid invasive spreading.

Their fragrant, attractive blooms and lush foliage are spring staples in the landscape. They are generally tolerant of poor soil and urban pollutants. For the best results, grow lilacs in full sun. Keep reading to learn about some of our favorites.

To order any of these lilacs, please call us at 1-888-816- 5080. To see our full inventory, please click here.

All photos courtesy of Northscaping.com

Syringa vulgaris ‘Sensation’

Height: 9 feet

Spread: 9 feet

This lovely hybrid has fragrant panicles of rich purple flowers with each individual petal edged in white. The blue-green heart-shaped leaves make a gorgeous background for the floral display. The flowers are excellent for cutting and attract butterflies and bees to the landscape.

 

Syringa vulgaris ‘Monge’

Height: 10 feet

Spread: 10 feet

 

This spring beauty erupts with full stalks of bright purple flowers. They have an intense, sweet fragrance that permeates the air. The heart-shaped foliage adds to its attractive spring display. The ‘Monge’ Lilac gives some of the best color and fragrance of any lilac available.

 

Syringa ‘Nadezha’

Height: 8 feet

Spread: 8 feet

 

The ‘Nadezhda’ Lilac has showy sky-blue flowers with violet overtones that make it uniquely attractive in spring time. It has distinctive rose flower buds that erupt into a wave of color variation that illuminate the landscape. The signature lilac fragrance hangs heavy when ‘Nadezhda’ is in full bloom.

 

Syringa vulgaris ‘Madame LeMoine’

Height: 10 feet

Spread: 9 feet

This is a classic! ‘Madame LeMoine’ blooms with large, white panicles filled to bursting with fragrance and beauty. The sweet perfume of these gorgeous blooms permeates the air around it and draws people in. These flowers are excellent for cutting and make for a show-stopping display each spring.

 

Syringa vulgaris ‘Charm’

Height: 9 feet

Spread: 7 feet

 

The ‘Charm’ Lilac bursts onto the scene with an explosion of pure pink. The sweet-scented panicles of bright rosy flowers bring a smile to every face. The blue-green foliage really highlights the showy, pink blooms that emerge from rose flower buds. They attract pollinators and people, alike, providing lots of spring interest for everyone.

Syringa vulgaris ‘Aucubaefolia’

Height: 9 feet

Spread: 7 feet

 

This lilac has both distinctive flowers and foliage. Blossoms appear in gorgeous blue and lavender tones, creating a gentle sea of fragrant spring color. The background of leaves deviates from the darker norm to appear with lovely yellow variegation and hints of chartreuse. The bright, mottled foliage shines alongside the delicately beautiful flowers. It is an ornamental favorite!

Syringa vulgaris ‘Angel White’

Height: 12 feet

Spread: 10 feet

The plentiful, large white blooms and pleasing fragrance of the ‘Angel White’ make it a favorite for many. It’s flowers are bountiful and showy, against a background of blue-green foliage. Unlike most common lilacs, it is adaptable to mild winter areas and does well in our climate.

Syringa vulgaris Adelaide Dunbar

Height: 12 feet

Spread: 10 feet

 

Intensely fragrant and breathtakingly beautiful, the Adelaide Dunbar certainly commands attention. This spring shrub features gorgeous fuchsia and lavender flower heads that emerge from dark purple buds every year. It is incredibly sweet-smelling and is perfect for cut flowers.

To order any of these lilacs, please call us at 1-888-816- 5080. To see our full inventory, please click here. 

The post The Best of the Lilacs appeared first on Puget Sound Plants.

Latin plant names are an undeniable part of our world and business. We use them every day to refer to the plants we grow and sell. When we talk to you about the plants you want, we often use their botanical Latin names. Some plants are only referred to by their Latin names, like Hydrangea and Coleus. But others are more often called by their common names like Japanese Maples, though we might refer to them by their variety name like the Osakazuki above. But many people feel that Latin names are archaic and a giant pain in the you-know-what.

What is the point of botanical Latin and how can you more easily incorporate it into your plant knowledge?

Well, it’s actually useful. Botanical Latin is the international language of plants. No matter what your native language, Latin plant names are universal. The Latin plant names often actually tell you something about the plant, as well. We know that roses are, of course, part of the Rosaceae family. That’s easy enough. But when you know that raspberries, apples and plums are also part of the Rosaceae family, you can start to learn more about all of them, by comparing what they have in common (flower shape, disease susceptibility, etc). The Ericaceae family boasts many attractive members including huckleberry, rhododendron, azalea, blueberries and more. One characteristic of an Ericaceae member is that they like acidic soil. They are often found naturally under conifers that shed acidic needles. Knowing these general facts about what they have in common can help inform your decision when choosing where and how to use them.

Additionally, Latin species names are often descriptive. For example, the word florebundus means “with many flowers.” Thereby, you can conclude that a “Rosa florebundus” is a rose with many flowers on a main stem. The Latin word “contorta” describes a twisting contorted formation as in “Pinus contorta”, the Lodgepole pine or “Corylus avellana contorta” the Twisted Filbert (AKA Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick).  It is actually useful! Here is a handy little guide to some common species names and their definitions: GUIDE.

When it comes to pronunciation, we know it can be tricky and even sound a little ridiculous. But it is still useful and can even be kind of fun. We have been enjoying an online audio pronunciation guide that we wanted to share with you. It’s entertaining and educational! The Fine Gardening website has a great audio guide that we’ve been playing around with. You can find it here. It’s a good reference but it’s also pretty funny. We’ve found a few plant names are pronounced a tad differently than we would pronounce them (like Sarcococca and Helleborus) but overall, they do a pretty good job.

So! Practice your Latin names! Impress your friends, your clients and maybe even a pretty girl. You will be admired near and far.

The post Is Botanical Latin the Bane of your existence? appeared first on Puget Sound Plants.

Things can get a little drab this time of year, with the last of the fall color fading. The landscape can easily settle into a backdrop of plain old evergreen. Well, it doesn’t have to be this way. We have several plants that will help enliven the landscape and give that “wow” factor, even during the winter. We listed a few of our favorites in our blog last year but we wanted to include some other beauties that we keep in stock, including some newer varieties. Check our online inventory to find the sizes that are right for your project. Contact us here to order any of the following plants today!

Holboellia coriacea (China Blue Vine):

This vigorous evergreen vine is woody, hardy and dependable. It offers thick, glossy green foliage year round and produces lovely, fragrant bell-shaped flowers in spring that range in color from ivory to pink to mauve. It is hardier than evergreen clematis and holds the lower foliage better as well, thus making it not so top heavy on a trellis. Edible plum-like fruits appear in fall in pairs, adding a rich purple color to the landscape. They can thrive in cold winter temperatures, even below freezing, so they grow quite well in our climate. Plant these anywhere you would plant clematis: up a fence or trellis or train it over an arbor.

Sarcococca h. humilis ‘Fragrant Valley’ (Fragrant Valley Sweetbox)

The post Dazzle the Landscape with Gorgeous Winter Plants appeared first on Puget Sound Plants.

The Farwest show has suffered along with everyone else during these last years of recession.  Attendance is down and the number of vendors is also down.  It also seems like the rush to create new plants has slowed some.  There are still new Heucheras, Hostas and Hydrangeas coming out on an hourly basis but even that has slowed.

I did see a few things that caught my attention as plants that may have real staying power.

Vaccinium ovatum ‘Scarlet Ovation’:  This plant JUST came out the week before the show.  The plant has a tighter growth habit that makes it as close to zero maintenance as a plant can get.  The same grower is going to release a Sarcococca with foliage similar to a Rainbow Leucothoe.  Imagine that fragrance paired with mottled foliage!  The bad news is that it may be 2015 before there is enough stock built up for them to release it. It will be worth the wait, though!

The coolest tree I saw was a Prunus subcordata, Klamath Plum.  If you know me, you know that my definition of “cool” is up to interpretation.  The photo I took turned out terribly and the ones I saw on Google are all of trees growing in the wild and look like a mess of sticks.  The tree was 1.5” caliper and 8ft tall but had hundreds of small purple plums.  They taste great and look even better on the tree.  We will be stocking these in a very limited amount until I see if others think it’s as cool as I do. Feel free to request them, if you are interested. Contact us here.

We have already started to carry some of the other plants that were grabbing attention at the show.  Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’ and Pieris japonica ‘Katsura’ are the best of the bunch so far. You can check out our current inventory of these two plants by clicking here.

Pieris japonica ‘Katsura’: A medium, dome shaped evergreen shrub with flashy chains of little rosy, bell-shaped flowers and bright red emerging foliage that darkens to burgundy then green.

Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’: This striking compact shrub has radiant yellow gold and deep green variegated foliage and charming white flowers in summer and fall.

The post Ted’s Favorites: the Farwest Show 2012 appeared first on Puget Sound Plants.

Puget Sound Plants was honored to be featured in the June issue of Northwest Landscape Professional, the official publication of the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals (WALP).

We got the chance to talk about our renewed emphasis on native plants and grasses. Native plants are wonderfully adapted to our climate and offer tons of versatility and visual interest to the landscape. We were also excited to talk about our Big Tree department, featuring a multitude of varieties, including a large selection of Japanese Maples. You can learn more by reading the article or visiting our online inventory.

We are grateful to WALP for the wonderful write-up and for their many informative classes and networking opportunities over the years. WALP helps us to stay informed about what you- the fantastic landscape professionals of the Pacific Northwest- really want and need from us!

You can view our entire current inventory online at any time by clicking here.

Thanks again, WALP!

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