Can you identify these fruits?
These attractive fruits, loved by birds, grow on a woody plant common in most of Washington, and often planted in landscapes… Why, it’s… Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea)...
View ArticleIt’s a seedling fiesta!
With the advent of longer days and warmer weather (at least on some days!) we now have seedlings emerging in great quantities at the nursery. We covered our hoop houses with poly film a month ago and...
View ArticleServiceberry, or is it Saskatoon?
Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is one of the very first native shrubs to bloom each spring in our area. These medium to tall shrubs (8-18′ tall) can be mass of white flowers in April,...
View ArticleMilkweed for Central Washington
Milkweeds (Asclepias sp.) have been in the news in recent years, mostly because of their critical importance to the monarch butterfly. The larvae of this iconic butterfly must feed on milkweed to...
View ArticleBotanical Wonders in the Sawtooths
Alpine flora in the Sawtooths: alpine forget-me-not (Eritrichium nanum) and spreading phlox (Phlox diffusa) North Central Washington has a rich and diverse flora (best in the Northwest, I think!) and...
View ArticleAlpine Springbeauty – Wow!
I don’t get botanical “Wow!” moments often, but last week I had one of them. On Thursday I hiked to Van Epps Pass, past the Esmeralda Peaks at the head of the North Fork of the Teanaway River. This...
View ArticleThe Nursery gets all “Artsy”
This time of year at Derby Canyon Natives we have a lull in activity before fall shipments and propagation begin, so I have time for building projects, maintenance… and art! Last month I finished...
View ArticleThe 2018 Nursery Season is Underway!
Derby Canyon Natives is once again open for business! We are entering our 16th year of native plant propagation and sales; we’ve learned alot and continue to improve and grow. The snow has melted, the...
View ArticleMay Flowers at the Nursery
May is a wonderfully busy time for a native plant nursery. Plant orders are going out, customers are coming in, lots of transplanting is underway… and it is too easy to get wrapped up in the pressing...
View ArticleFall planting, Fall flowers and Fall hours
Pacific nine bark (Physocarpus capitatus) with fall color in the nursery With the lowering of the sun’s angle, and the yellow school buses on the roads, we have signs that fall will soon be here....
View ArticleInsects Under Threat? – Native Plants Can Help
Checkerspot butterfly on pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) In the past year disturbing news has emerged about the decline of insect populations around the world. Many of us are aware of the...
View ArticleSigns of Spring
Where is spring? A bleak March 12th in the nursery Winter has been hanging on late this year in the Wenatchee Valley, leading to the latest start we’ve ever had. Those overwintered plants are fine...
View ArticleGetting busy!
Jeff, Erin and Lulu preparing the wildflowers for sale The spring may have been slow to appear but it is here at last and, by the efforts of many, Derby Canyon Natives has opened for business for...
View ArticlePlanting for Climate Change
Young lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) five years post-fire Our climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, with far-reaching impacts in our region. Winters will be warmer and...
View ArticleWhat’s in a Name? The new “Flora of the Pacific Northwest”
Tweedy’s lewisia (Lewisiopsis tweedyi) – a favorite wildflower of many in Chelan County When you are working with native plants it is essential to know what you have (especially if you are selling...
View ArticleThe nursery viewed anew
The month of May is a beautiful time for the native flora of Central Washington, from the shrub-steppe to the mountains – and in the nursery! Employee Erin Carlson has a keen eye for the plants, seeing...
View ArticleThe best native plants for native bees
A leafcutter bee on a native mallow flower We are in the midst of National Pollinator Week (did you know?) and it seems most appropriate as every day I’m seeing many species of native bees on the...
View ArticleThe 2020 nursery season fast approaches
Tweedy’s lewisia (Lewisiopsis tweedyi) will make its stunning appearance before long In fact, the nursery season for Derby Canyon Natives is well underway! With the lack of snow at our elevation and...
View ArticleNursery Scenes during the Shutdown
Shrubby penstemon (Penstemon fruticosus) – I spotted this pink form on a hike five years ago and snapped off a shoot on the way back down. I rooted it and can now propagate more of this lovely shrub...
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