pruning 80 year old apple trees Late winter or early spring is a good time to prune many woody plants while they are still dormant. There are exceptions, like some evergreens that tend to bleed sap are better pruned mid-spring so frost doesn’t effect the cut. Each plant is a bit different so it’s best to check out specific plants before you start in. Knowing the plant also helps you figure out how it should look. This winter has been milder than most so we were able to get to

Entry to the woods Since we are having rain in spirts, now is the time to get a little bit done back in the woods in-between showers. Our little woodland is one of my favorite places to be. This is a very peaceful time of the year here at the farm. Most things are dormant so the garden is quiet, except the noise from all the birds in the distance. It is the time of year I am drawn into the woods. CJ and Blanche taking a stroll We have just an acre and a half of woods but it f

Dwarf Conifers in the garden This is a good time of year to assess your garden. Does it look good now? If it looks good in January and into early February it probably looks good year round. One way to approach the garden is to try and look at each bed. When I’m designing a garden bed I try and make sure at least one third to one half the bed is either evergreen or the bare trees and shrubs have interesting branch structure. Dwarf conifers in the nursery One of my favorite “go

Old Goat Farm The one constant at Old Goat Farm is Christmas. Gary has a passion for Christmas that is unsurpassed. He has always pulled out all the stops and decorated to the nines. It probably isn’t a coincidence that Gary saw Old Goat Farm for the first time on Christmas Eve. He immediately started to think how cool it would be to decorate this old house. Being a Victorian type farmhouse it lends itself well to being decorated. peeking in the window When I say Gary has a p

Chairs Now that the holidays are over and the new year has begun we can start to look forward. I have no resolutions other than to do more of the same. Maybe stopping a little more often to enjoy what I’m doing. I have managed to clear my future schedule of a few obligations which I hope will provide the time to stop and smell the roses or whatever is in bloom or at least sit in some of the chairs I have throughout the garden. I managed to get the garden put to bed (more or l

Winner of the Pacific Horticulture Award – West Seattle Nursery Now that the Northwest Flower and Garden Show has come and gone we can look back on some of the highlights of the show. The show gardens are always the big draw. The gala is centered around them and they are the first thing you see when you enter the main hall. The judging is done on a point system so it is easy to tell the quality just by the number of gold and silver awards. Winner of the floral competition In