Marianne’s Responses
Improving soil from last year’s garden
Posted by Anise | February 19, 2015How do I start my garden over this year? I cleaned it out last year, so do I have to remove all the old soil, or can I use the same soil from last year?
Landscaping around ponds and water features
Posted by mdumaine | February 17, 2015Hi Marianne, I live in Auburn WA and I'm installing a pond with a stream. At the flower and garden show the mentioned I needed to do more hardscaping. I would like to plant something around the stream that will grow in a small space and not take over. Any suggestions?
Do I need to remove dead evergreen needles?
Posted by | February 17, 2015My garden is next to a large evergreen tree, and this year it has shed a lot of dead needles into the garden. I have heard needles have a negative effect on the ability of seeds to sprout. Do I need to remove them before I plant? Another question: How long can you keep a packet of seeds and expect ...
Smaller evergreens
Posted by Brynn Beals | February 15, 2015I have a rhododendron growing underneath my kitchen window. I'm getting tired of pruning it to keep it from growing to obstruct my view and am thinking about replacing it. I would like something evergreen that I could keep about 4-4 1/2 ft. high. I was thinking about a Christmas camellia? What would you suggest?
How much to water a new garden
Posted by nlagler | February 15, 2015I am new to the Enumclaw area. I had a home built a year ago and completed the landscaping of the acre plus property. Very happy with the landscaping, but it is an ongoing process of design, as I love flowers and especially with the property size. I would like to know the recommended amount of time and frequency (days ...
Evergreens in snow
Posted by Greta Perl | February 11, 2015I live in Zone 5 in upstate NY. I have two small evergreen shrubs near my house, about 1-2 feet tall. One is a dwarf pine and one is a recently planted inkberry holly. My question is: Is it better to let them become completely buried in snow or to dig them out? Does the snow offer some winter protection, ...
Inspiration for wet and shady side yard
Posted by Alan Green | February 10, 2015I have an area about 20 by 30 feet on the North side of my house which stays pretty wet and shady. Grass lasts one season at best so I am looking for ideas for a unique design (not just stepping stones and wood chips). Any suggestions on where I might find some creative designs for such an area? Thanks ...
Why won’t my Mock Orange plants blossom?
Posted by SerenityG | February 8, 2015I have two Mock Orange plants, which have NEVER bloomed well. They are planted in full sun and I've tried severely cutting them back, waited two years and they still won't bloom. I really love the smell of the flowers and want them to bloom. Is there anything else I can do to encourage them bloom?
Are maple leaves acidic?
Posted by Pam VANCE | February 7, 2015This fall we used fallen maple leaves to compost on the garden bed. How will these impact the nutrients in our soil? Are maple leaves acidic?
Viburnum davidii berries
Posted by Milla Oestreich | February 5, 2015Hi, Marianne. I enjoy reading your regular column in the Olympian. I am adding a few Viburnum davidii along the sidewalk to our house and hope to enjoy not only the flowers but also those gorgeous bright blue berries. I've run into some contradictory information about this plant that I'm hoping you can clarify. One source says that having several ...
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