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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Sky Staff Favorites for Fall: What Can I Plant Now?

As things quiet down and we settle in for the wet season ahead, we’re taking a little time to share a short list of the perfect fall plants to fill in an empty spot in the garden for fall and winter interest. We asked our staff straight up: What plants do we have this season…

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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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A Gardener’s Winter Solstice

sun in a winter sky

On the winter solstice, the northern hemisphere will be at its furthest tilt from the sun. We’ll mark our shortest day and longest night of 2021 here in the Pacific Northwest on December 21st . Then, our sunrises will creep earlier and our sunsets later. From the winter solstice on, the half of the planet…

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Poinsettias: A Little History & A Lot of Tips

There’s no question that people love poinsettias. At Sky alone, we sell over a thousand poinsettias every winter. But for all their popularity, poinsettias remain deeply — and some might even say tragically — misunderstood. We’d like to lay some myths to rest, help you get to know your botanical holiday guests a little better,…

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Winter Container Favorites to Mix & Match

christmas evergreen bough planter

After the glorious abundance of summer annual blooms, the options for beautiful winter containers are too often underrated or overlooked. As a result, too many containers miss out on their potential to add joy and inspiration to the darkest season of the year, as they end up sitting bare and empty on our porches.  While…

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