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Debbie Teashon's Blog Index
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Blog Archives
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Articles (not yet moved to blog)
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Container Index
Native Plants Index
Archives not yet moved to blog
Short Shorts Index

Garden Articles on the blog

We are slowly moving articles to the blog. For new material and updates on old that we moved over to debbieteashon.com, please check the blog index below or go directly to the blog here.

Container Makeover
Are your pots in need of a makeover after the winter ravages? Well, this one is.
03/28/23

Staging Your Containers!
Here are a few tips before you plant that will help you enjoy your container plantings most.
02/12/23

Blueberries: the ornamental shrubs you love to eat!
Three of my favorite blueberries are the following.
2022/12/02

The No-politics Garden
Enjoy the beauty you created in your garden, and let all else go.
2022/10/09

Container in the Woods
It's a challenge gardening in the shadow of a forest filled with mostly towering Douglas fir.
2022/09/17

Plants on the Dark Side
Might there be something sinister about a black rose (Rosa ‘Almost Black’) when it symbolizes a real or metaphorical death?
2022/08/20

Scents & sensibilities — the fragrant winter garden
Winter is a fickle old friend to gardeners.
2022/08/20

Give cynicism the boot … spend time in a garden
In the end, what we regret is time we didn't spend with loved ones, not what gifts we didn't give or receive.

The Stories Aquilegias Could Tell
Columbines have been cultivated and beloved by gardeners for centuries.
2022/07/03

The Hardy Fuchsias
It is said that people who love fuchsias, really love them.
2022/07/03

The Hardy Fatsia Japonica with a Tropical Flair
For a shrub that looks like it belongs in the tropics, Fatsias are surprisingly hardy in our region.
2022/06/18

Water Falls in Garden
Water is life, and in the garden, especially when the water moves in a rhythmic sound...
2022/04/18

Love the Tweedle out of ‘Oh, La La!’
Well known for the tales he peppers into his garden talks, Morris has a talent for storytelling.
2022/03/23

I’m Late for a Blooming Date
This came deep from the 2010 archives.
2022/03/01

Of Clouds and Sparkly Beings
An essay from 1997 on weather and gardening.
2022/02/26

Dynamic Winter Containers
Take heart. Dramatic winter containers will pop some color back into the landscape.
2022/01/12

Driftwood Containers Come to Rest In a Seaside Garden
Owners of homes near the seashore have the advantage of taking what nature deposits near their doors and turning them into treasures in the garden
2022/01/05

When the Kousa Dogwoods Bloom the Northwest Takes Notice
From May to June, the world takes notice.
2022/01/01

‘Tis the Growing Season
I almost deleted this essay, written when receiving paper catalogs was a traditional annual event.
2021/12/26

Sneak Peek of an Autumn Garden
A quick video of a garden I photographed for a magazine article.
2021/12/11

Gratitude comes ‘natural’-ly
Our surroundings give us much to be in gratitude.
2021/11/04

A passion for gardening
If you are reading this column, you may be one out of four people who love gardening as a pastime.
2021/10/07

Carnivorous Plants and Horror Stories
On the threshold of Halloween, it only fits to tell a few flora horror stories. These stories may sound fictional, yet spooky and true.
2021/09/21

Cush for Your Tush
An outdoor chair can be strictly utilitarian or a work of art.
2021/08/14

Rompers and runners to love, or despise
Even though the warning signs were there, I was too busy admiring the foliage to notice.
2021/07/08

Penstemons: the showy native perennial
What can be said about the genus Penstemon, commonly called beardtongue? Plenty!
2021/07/03

Say no to hand watering, for your garden’s sake
Unless you stand like a statue, watering in one spot for an hour, you cannot give your plants enough moisture.
2021/07/03

A Living Fossil — Ginkgo biloba
When we look at this tree, we witness a living link to a prehistoric time.
2021/07/01

When Short on Garden Space, Grow Up with Clematis
Look up and see all that unused space above.
2021/06/26

Carpeting the Garden in Living Green
For plants that grow an inch or two above the soil, it's surprising how much visual impact they can have.
2021/06/18

Foliage eye candy
Some foliage combos are outstanding.
2021/06/17

Fletcher-Courtright Garden Tour
With no tours since the pandemic hit, this garden brought much joy.
2021/06/14

Archives Moved to Blog

Some dates may be set in the future, but you can access them now through this index.

The Little Big Garden
Downsizing a garden to a manageable area does not mean you give up on charm.
Moved 12/21/22

Dear Santa, Don't Forget the Gardeners!
Your elves are working overtime to prepare everything for the special evening when you travel worldwide at miracle speeds.
Moved to blog: 2022/11/24

A Garden for Refuge — and Time with Friends
When a couple lives in the oldest known surviving home in Gig Harbor and has a partnership in creating a garden together, great things come from it.
Moved to blog: 2022/09/01

Chiastaphyllum, What's Not to Love?
Why is this wonderful six-inch high perennial not better known?
Moved to blog: 2022/08/18

Peace in Motion
Every time I see one of Iftikhar Ahmed’s designs, I know a garden inspired by tranquility.
Moved to blog: 2022/06/27

2020 New Plants for a New Year
Avid gardeners have a lot to celebrate in the New Year.
Moved to blog: 2022/06/20

Nature’s Studio
Award Winning display garden at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.
Moved to blog: 2022/04/22

Art In Bloom Video
The art in the display gardens at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.
Moved to blog: 2022/04/22

Dress Up the Summer Garden
Moved to blog: 2022/04/22

Hail to the King — Basil
Basil should be the king of the kitchen garden.
Moved to blog: 2022/04/22

Call It Magic!
What prompted me to walk inside...
Moved to blog: 2022/4/16

Through the Eyes of a Child
With all the empty, open pea pods scattered around her play area, I could imagine the pod people...
Moved to blog: 2022/04/16

The Art of Retreat Award Winning Garden
A followup of the Northwest Flower and Garden Show display garden we followed from Behind The Art of Retreat.
Moved to blog: 2022/04/10

Behind The Art of Retreat
There’s a lot of work that goes into creating and setting up display gardens at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.
Moved to blog: 2022/04/10

Mosquito Control Time
Keep the mosquitoes in check with the organic control...
Moved to blog: 2022/04/09

April Fools and Fevers
No one knows the true origins of the first day of April's All Fools' Day. One theory says...
Moved to blog: 2022/04/01

Bulbs Can-can
After listening to the Infernal Galop one evening, an idea was sparked to use this song for a fast-paced photo montage of bulbs.
Moved to blog: 2022/02/02

Out of My Comfort Zone — a Christmas Story
Last night something strange happened.
Moved to blog: 2021/12/02

The Garden Grows a Bouquet
We have all done it. Picked flowers and presented them to a favorite teacher, mother or a special friend.
Moved to blog: 2021/11/30

Creepy Crawly World
This video is a tribute to the creatures in the garden and our silly reactions to them.
Moved to blog: 2021/10/30

Dog-bird
At the time, I had no idea that a baby robin would someday symbolize that no matter how much I want to hold on to something, the time comes when I have to move on.
Moved to blog: 2021/10/01

The problem with Buddleia davidii
Buddleia davidii shrubs are invading the banks of our waterways and displacing native plants.
Moved to blog: 2021/09/14

Gardening for the Nectar-Fueled Flying Machines
For maximum health, plants providing nectar every month of the year are best for these tiny birds.
Moved to blog: 2021/09/01

Paeonia — An Ancient Flower
Throughout written history, the plant appears in myths, superstitions, poetry, paintings and stories from around the world.
Moved to blog: 2021/08/19

Pond of Refuge
The dancing light on the water is mesmerizing; it is a great way to relax at the moment.
Moved to blog: 2021/07/15

Nectar Plants for the Northwest Hummingbird
Here's a list of plants that provide nectar for the Northwest's migrating Rufous and resident Anna hummingbirds.
Moved to blog: 2021/07/07

Spill Your Grass!
Imagine a water feature surrounded by Japanese forest grass.
Moved to blog: 2021/06/25

Peggy Miles Memorial Garden
Rarely does a garden on a tour touch my heartstrings like this one did.
Moved to blog: 2021/06/24

Bring Back Arisaemas to My Garden
Once upon a time I had a small, but beautiful collection in my garden. In this new woodland garden I only have two!
2021/06/23

Coo Coo for Heuchera
I am smitten.
2021/06/21

Clouds in the Garden
I'm enjoying my "clouds" in full bloom...
2021/06/20

Misogynist’s Fairy Tales
Misogyny came screaming out from the pages of an old garden book from my shelves.
2021/06/17

Gardens of Vashon Island 2012 – Part 2
It was a soggy day in paradise.
2021/06/15

Gardens of Vashon Island 2012 – Part 1
It was a soggy day in paradise.
2021/06/15

Garden Memes & Humor

Rebel
... as if that were a bad thing.
Meme 2022/07/16

Butt too big?
After years of naturally feeding the hummingbirds, I put up a feeder outside in my new garden.
Meme 2022/06/07

Garden Fever
Any questions?
Meme 2022/02/22

The Garden Grows
I grow flowers. No, I shovel manure. Prose in a meme.
Meme 2021/12/31

December’s Garden
I hear peace.
Meme 2021/12/01

My Heart Flowers
My heart is a quiver.
Meme 2021/10/19

Slugs and Rain
My garden loves all this rain; so do my slugs.
Meme 2021/10/05

No Big Deal
Lawn maintenance is no big deal...
2021/08/24

Ahem!
Get a room!
Meme 2021/08/21

Eyes Up Here
Hey bud...
Meme 2021/08/10

Teachable moments
Teach a man to garden...
Meme 2021/08/03

On Shoveling Rock
Never take a day for granite.
Meme 2021/07/06

Is that a garden trick?
Magic?
2021/07/01

The Great Plant Dilemma
Plants show up in the strangest places.
2021/06/29

Sci-Fi Garden
Do you ever see characters in your flowers? I do.
2021/06/22

A Pleasure of Plant Pots Past
Today's walk down memory lane helped me remember my triumphs and disasters in container growing.
2021/06/18

The Dangers of Plant Collecting
Almost everyone in the Northwest recognizes our common tree.
2021/06/18

Foliage Eye Candy
Some leaf combos are outstanding.
2021/06/17

Edible Advice
Essential advice for the gardener.
2021/06/17

The Greatest Life
The greatest life is the one nurtured by a garden.
Meme 2021/06/15

Articles (still on rainyside.com)

A Few Herbs — A Little Spice — A Little Lore
Imagine life without spice — boring!
July 28, 2020

Frondescent Pleasure!
...where beautiful foliage creates balance and harmony, and a place to relax the eyes.
March 31, 2020

Win two tickets to the number one garden show!
Here's a chance to go to the best garden show in the country!
February 9, 2020

Exciting New Plants for 2019
It is an exciting time. Get ready for the new season’s plant hunt.
January 12, 2020

The Many Faces of Bark
What’s left in winter is their proverbial bones reaching to the sky.
October 7, 2019

Best Plants of the Year Awards 2016
Originally written for another publication, but it's still a great list.
September 11, 2019

Rainy Side Gardeners stance on chem-icides
It’s time to discard old reach-for-the-chemical habits, and look for better, more friendly-to-the-earth solutions.
August 16, 2019

Consider the leaf: for its beauty, and the breath of life
For without plant foliage, there would be no life.
August 13, 2019

Music in the Garden Tour 2019 - Long Beach Peninsula
A magical, musical garden tour on July 13, 2019.
July 7, 2019

The Storrar Garden Story
We are really in partnership with this garden.
May 30, 2019

Art is for the Birds
Birdhouses come in many sizes, shapes, and creative genuis.
April 4, 2019

From Garden to Glass — and a Spoonful of Sugar
Now, people call upon a scoopful of sugar, a bit of fruit, a pinch of herbs, even a vegetable to help the liqueurs go down — in the most delightful way.
December 10, 2018

Albers Vista Garden, a Legacy for the Past, Present, and Future
Nestled into a southwest-facing slope overlooking Port Washington Narrows and Phinney Bay in East Bremerton is a four-acre garden paradise.
March 16, 2018

West Seattle Nursery Wins Five Garden Awards
Wabi-Sabi: Embrace Flawed Beauty display garden wins at the NW Flower & Garden Show.
February 2018

Spring Fever Strikes Again with Newer Plant Introductions
It is exciting when new plant introductions bump up against spring.
February 10, 2018

Autumn leaves and black gold
No matter what color the season brings, the leaves are a valuable resource for the garden.
October 30, 2017

Binging on Paperwhites
Lately I have had alcohol on my mind. Not from drinking it though.
October 15, 2017

Fun with garden myth-information
It's hard to keep up with garden myths — what is factual and what is nonsense.
July 26, 2017

2017 Music in the Gardens Tour
July 15 — Long Beach Peninsula's 11th annual garden tour for all the senses.
July 13, 2017

A Taste of Spring — Northwest Flower and Garden Show
...the gardens are the reason I go every year.
April 23, 2017

The Sweet, Sweet Smell of Winter
Who knows, and who should care, just stand in the fragrant cloud and breathe in the sweet, sweet smell of winter.
April 20, 2017

Foliage Textures That Are Made for Shade
On a hot summer day, I want to retreat into a shady sea of green.
May 23, 2016

Seating in the Garden
A great garden not only has fantastic plants, but a place to sit and enjoy them.
March 20, 2016

Time to pretend it's spring with a garden show and microgreens
Meanwhile back in reality land, we just passed the midway point between winter solstice and spring equinox.
February 14, 2016

Make plans now to get inspired for garden season at the big Northwest Flower and Garden Show
Article for the Oregonian featuring the garden show in February 2015.
February 8, 2016

New Plant Introductions 2015
Do you love the thrill of the hunt, something rare or new that nobody else has seen, let alone grown?
November 9, 2015

It’s garlic planting time — daffodils too
Autumn signals the fall — the fall of leaves, the fall of plants and the fall of this tired gardener onto the couch for a long winter nap.
October 15, 2015

A Steep Slope Is Turned Into a Garden Paradise
Their love for gardening and plants shows in their diverse plantings.
September 16, 2015

Pesticides are not always the answer
Some of them remind me of a scene in the classic Arlo Guthrie’s song Alice’s Restaurant...
August 10, 2015

A Day for Music, Art, and Sea Side Gardens
...a garden near the ocean has many obstacles to overcome.
July 16, 2015

Premier Garden Tours to See on Puget Sound’s West Side
Gig Harbor Garden Tour and the Vashon Island Garden Tour put together an interesting array of gardens.
June 23, 2015

The ANLD 2015 Garden Tour for Garden Design
Preview of the upcoming garden tour.
June 18, 2015

Garden Review Through the Seasons - Summer
I try to stop by several times during the year to see what's blooming and how the the current weather is affecting the plants.

Winter Review - March 21, 2014
Spring Review - July 1, 2014

February 3, 2015

Yard, Garden & Patio Show to Continue in 2015
New ownership means the Portland based garden show will continue!
July 17, 2014

Garden Review Through the Seasons - Spring
I try to stop by several times during the year to see what's blooming and how the the current weather is affecting the plants.

Winter Review - March 21, 2014

July 1, 2014

Yard, Garden and Patio Show 2014
A video featuring the display gardens at the YGPS.
February 28, 2014