USDA Zone Changes – How Does this Affect NW Gardeners?

On November 15, 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued an update to its Hardiness Zone Map, moving the Shoreline/North Seattle area from Zone 8b to 9a. The map has long been a useful tool for gardeners to determine which perennial plants are likely to survive their region’s coldest temperatures. Zones are assigned…

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Camellias – Types & Great Varieties at Sky for 2024

The camellia is the acknowledged queen of Seattle’s winter gardens. Camellias can grow into regal and commanding twenty-foot shrubs if you give them the room and time, or you can keep many varieties in containers or constrained spaces as a more modest accent plant. Their glossy evergreen foliage is attractive year-round in the landscape, but…

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New Rose Varieties – 2024

Looking to buy a rose from Sky Nursery? Once a year in February, we receive HUGE deliveries of over 300 rose varieties, including David Austin, Hybrid Tea, Floribunda, Grandiflora, Shrub, Climbing roses – and more! This year, we have several exciting varieties we haven’t carried before, some new to the industry and others new to…

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The Dance of the Veggies P2: Crop Rotation

Many gardeners have heard that crop rotation is a good idea, but there’s a lot of confusion out there over how to make it happen. Especially when you’re working with a city-sized space or a container garden, a lot of advice you’ll find out there can sound impossible to follow. But, once you understand the…

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The Dance of the Veggies P1: Succession Planting

What is Succession Planting? Simply put, succession planting means growing more than one crop, or growing several rounds of the same crop, in the same space within the same year. Does that sound a little intimidating? Don’t worry, it’s not as complex as you might think! If you want to make the most of your…

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Seeds at Sky: Local, Organic, Sustainable & Beyond

It’s time to think about seeds! Here in the Pacific Northwest, many vegetable and summer flower seeds can be sown indoors starting in February to get a jump start on the season. The hardiest spring veggies can even be sown right into the ground by early March. As you begin to consult seed planting charts…

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Plants for a Haunted Halloween Garden

Some gardens are spooky year round! Bloodgood Japanese Maple Two very special seasons collide in our October gardens. Of course, we’re talking about fall planting season, and spooky season! Now is the perfect time for our gardens to get into the spirit of things with wonderfully wicked plants of all kinds. Whether you garden in…

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The Fall Garden Fashion Show

While spring and summer boast plenty of blooms, one could argue that the real fashion show belongs to autumn. In our Pacific Northwest fall gardens, flowers give way to colorful berries and intriguing seed pods; leaves transition through a vibrant cavalcade of colors, then drop to dramatically reveal textured bark and twisting branches; and all of…

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Gardening with Kids: Sensory Gardens

Engaging all five senses is a fantastic way of inspiring kids to become lifelong gardeners. Last month, we wrote about how to inspire a love of gardening for the kids in your life. Now, we’re delving into how to create a children’s sensory garden! We’ve even included ideas for plants and projects to help kids…

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