Mike Darcy

Nursery owner creates special iris to celebrate Olivia Newton-John

By Mike Darcy — Posted September 26, 2024

Thomas Johnson became hooked on Olivia Newton-John at an early age and after her death from cancer, he created a special iris to honor her.

Farewell to a great man who inspired optimism

By Mike Darcy — Posted July 23, 2024

If ever there was an optimist, it was Garden Gallery Ironworks founder Don Sprague.

Species rhododendrons offer unusual alternatives

By Mike Darcy — Posted May 28, 2024

Species rhododendrons may not always have the spectacular flowers that many hybrids do, and while a species can give color interest with their flowers, they can also offer other features for garden interest such as colored or variegated foliage, indumentum (fine hairs), and variable growth habits.

Nurturing Mother Earth through carbon sequestration

By Mike Darcy — Posted March 29, 2024

What does carbon sequestration really mean and what kinds of practices can we do that are beneficial?

Change is constant

By Mike Darcy — Posted January 30, 2024

Change is inevitable. Whether we like it or not, change is constantly with us and the nursery business is no exception. Sometimes the change can be a step forward with the result either creating a better environment, or perhaps the change could be keeping a business, like a garden center, alive. We, as gardeners, have […]

Olive trees are migrating north

By Mike Darcy — Posted November 29, 2023

Olive trees are now available at most local garden centers and in most cases, have seemed to grow well in our local conditions.

Favorite plants of the summer

By Mike Darcy — Posted October 4, 2023

Four favorite plants that thrived in Pacific Northwest’s warm summers.

Open season for open gardens

By Mike Darcy — Posted July 26, 2023

Visiting gardens is a great way to see how other gardeners use plants in unique combinations, and also for socializing with other gardeners. But probably my favorite reason to go is to see and learn about plants that are new to me. Fortunately, the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon (HPSO) offers members like me the […]

Specimen shrubs that steal the spotlight

By Mike Darcy — Posted May 31, 2023

Most gardens have a diversity of plants, usually with a representation of at least one or two categories. This would include annuals, perennials, shrubs, vines and trees. In the urban gardens of many homeowners today, there may be fewer trees and more shrubs due to limited space. Sometimes the distinction between a shrub and a […]

Putting a new spinney on an old word

By Mike Darcy — Posted March 24, 2023

Different industries have their own language. Often a word, or a combination of words, has a different meaning to those who know the jargon. For example, a television crew might say that they are going to “shoot” in a garden, but the word “shoot” in this connotation does not refer to a gun, but instead […]