We’ve always been lovers of animals here at Warner’s Nursery.

When we first started at our current location, we had two working cats – Sage and Cinders – whose job it was to control the mouse population. They not only worked at the nursery, they worked their way into our hearts. It became important for us, as a family business, to have animals around, because we always considered them a part of our family.

Our nursery pets have been both dogs and cats, some feral, some adopted from shelters, some that have just wound up on our doorstep, but we have loved them all – and so have many of our customers.

Here’s the 411 on the current members of our 4-legged crew:

Poncho Bob – I probably need to explain the name. He’s our feral kitty, found one day under the fertilizer pallet. The staff wanted to name him after Pancho Villa, the Mexican general (no idea why) and my sons wanted to call him “Bob” (again, no idea why). So in the mashup, he became Poncho Bob, but answers to Poncho. Insists on sitting in my office chair and leaving no room for me. I think we know who’s the boss in this relationship. Favorite activity: curling around my neck and having me wear him like a scarf. Second favorite activity – raiding our stores of catnip plants.

Cruzer – Many of you know our black & white cat. Cruzer is easily one of the most sociable animals we’ve ever had here at Warner’s. He greets customers and will tolerate total strangers carrying him around. Is adverse to you doing paperwork when you could be petting him instead (most of my staff has learned this the hard way). Also a big fan of hide-and-seek; he’s been known to hide behind plants – startling customers when they go to pick them up – or in our cabinet drawers in the office, which he knows how to open.

Oliver came to us after my sister, Marni, started talking about getting a dog. One of our regular customers works with Paw Placement and when I saw Oliver, I knew he was the one for her. He’s a crowd favorite (he still looks like a puppy, although he’s a grumpy old man when you touch his paws). Loves everyone. Like our original cats, a very good mouser. If he sneaks out of the office, he can usually be found at the registers, begging for a treat.

If Oliver is Marni’s rescue buddy, Kina is mine. A few years back we were having our Fall Family Festival when a customer came in with a litter of abandoned puppies that someone had just left outside her work in a box. Kina’s smart and funny and loyal to the family, but you might not see her around because she’s still a bit nervous around other humans and dogs. She has a reason to be nervous about other dogs; it feels like every time we go out with her, we get chased by dogs. We’ve theorized that maybe there’s a “hit” out for her in the doggy world; maybe she wasn’t abandoned at all, but is part of some canine witness protection program!

(No, I don’t give my dogs and cats human characteristics and make up elaborate backstories for them. Why do you ask?)

Our other little doggie girl, Bailey, a beautiful retriever, just came to us this past winter. She’s got the sweetest, most mellow temperament. If she sees a child, she immediately runs to them. She loves all animals too. Well, almost all; she’s still working on her relationships with the cats.

Our cats live on the nursery property and inside the nursery itself in cold weather, but the dogs go home each night with either me or Marni. I’m not quite sure what it says about me that I once left work and forgot my middle son, but I’ve never left without the dogs. (I have a good excuse though – I really, really thought my husband had already taken my son home.)

Because I spend so much time here, the nursery often feels like my “home away from home,” so having beloved family members here (my husband, Dan, working our landscaping business, Marni at the desk next to me, my sons either visiting or working here in the summer, and, of course, the critter crew) is very important to me.

And whether it’s kids running up to Bailey and getting greeted with licks and a wagging tail or Cruzer stopping by to say “Hey,” there’s nothing like a cat or dog to let you know you should chill, enjoy the moment, and have some fun.

Misti

As a gardener, you are an artist.

(I know that’s sometimes hard to believe. When you are on your knees, pulling weeds, dirt smudged on your forehead from where you wiped away the sweat, it can be hard to see yourself as something that glamorous.)

I read a great quote recently that said artistry wasn’t limited to being a painter or a writer or a musician – it was about producing beauty through skill. That’s what you do.

So if we extend that metaphor, your garden is the blank canvas that you can create beautiful pictures with every year – and plants are your paints.

Good artists will tell you that they create for themselves and not the audience or the critics, and that’s true of gardening as well. When you create your garden, the person it should please is you. Let the latest trends inspire you, but don’t feel you have to be a slave to them.

However, following some general rules can make it easier to create the look you want. Chief among these is how you use color:

Light is always changing in a garden, so as you plan your space, think about what your garden will look like in early morning light, full day sun and twilight. What time are you most likely to be enjoying your garden?

Shade and sunlight also will change the way you perceive color. A general rule of thumb is that lighter, more pastel looking colors are great for shady areas because they contrast with the darker background, whereas darker colored plants and flowers will tend to get lost in the shade. The reverse is true in sunny areas; bright colors and dark hues look spectacular in the bright light, but pastel colors can get faded out.

Certain shades promote calmness, like soft pinks, lilacs, and peach colors. Meanwhile, bright reds, yellows, and orange will give energy to your space. White is your all-purpose go-to color.  White flowers can make your garden feel “lighter.” They also get along with every other color, so they can serve as a buffer between two colors that might clash.

Speaking of color, a great tool for putting together your color scheme is the color wheel. It’s an excellent indicator of what colors pair together well. The general rule is that colors next to each other are “harmonious” and soothing, while colors across from each other on the wheel are “complementary” and work well together while giving your garden a little more contrast and drama.

Finally, remember that flowers aren’t the only color in your garden. Everything from furniture to fencing to foliage (and other things that don’t begin with the letter F like pottery, containers, birdbaths, and pavers) will contribute to the palette you use.

Have fun picking out your colors and painting your masterpiece!

Happy gardening,
Misti

So if you recall, last time in this space I was talking about the joys of being a mom and trying to achieve that work/life balance and saying that I was hoping I’d be spending Mother’s Day in the garden with my sons, getting this year’s veggie crop into the ground.

Little did I know that the guys in my life were planning to surprise me with a greenhouse!

↞ Here’s a picture of my two youngest helping out in my new gardening digs. (I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Best. Kids. Ever.)

The very first thing we planted on Mother’s Day was our tomatoes.

There’s nothing quite so emblematic of the joys of gardening than fresh tomatoes from your garden. They work on almost all the senses – the beautiful transformation from green plant to yellow flower to deep red fruit; the earthy smell of it; the satiny smooth skin against your fingers when you pick it off the plant…

Then there’s that taste. Ever eaten a tomato fresh off the vine that is still slightly sun-warmed? Heaven.

No wonder I’m in love with tomatoes! And that’s why every year at Warner’s Nursery, we break out the party hats to celebrate Tomatopalooza with specials and advice and just general joy that tomato season is back. In honor of Tomatopalooza, here’s some practical advice on rearing your tomato plant for a beautiful harvest:

• Please get them planted soon! We’ve got a limited window to grow these gems and the sooner yours are in the ground, the sooner you can reap (eat) the benefits.
• You might want to invest in a season extender – even if you aren’t technically extending the season. The nice thing about these tubes of water is that in addition to keeping the plant warm (remember, we still could get frost into June), they protect your plants from transplant shock.
• Yes, you need cages or stakes. Tomato plants are like children – they need structure and support. New fruit will benefit from improved air circulation and it keeps the plants away from ground pests.
• Food and Water. A slow release fertilizer is perfect for your young plants. Water thoroughly but not too often and try to water early in the day so that plants will dry off before evening. As always, we recommend drip irrigation systems because they are more efficient and get the water down to the roots and you don’t lose water to evaporation or runoff. If nothing else, don’t water from the top down – this does nothing except get the leaves and tomatoes wet and make them more prone to get diseases or rot.

So let’s wrap this up with some food and funnies.

The food – I love a good gazpacho and this recipe from the New York Times is simple and can be served as a drink as well as a soup.

Funnies: Why did the tomato blush? Because it saw the salad dressing….Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if this makes ketchup a smoothie….Why is a tomato big, round, and red? Because if it was long, skinny, and green, it would be a bean.

Happy Tomatopalooza!
Misti

From a work standpoint, it is awesome because it’s usually the kickoff weekend for our busy season. Well, as long as the weather cooperates; if we get a weird Mother’s Day snowstorm, that tends to put a damper on people’s enthusiasm for gardening!

But as much as I love my work here at Warner’s, Mother’s Day is an annual reminder that the best job I have is being a Mom to three of the coolest boys I’ve ever met.

(Yes, I’m biased.)

I didn’t truly appreciate my mom and all she did for us until I had kids. That’s probably true for most of us. We just don’t know growing up about the difficulties of parenthood because our moms work SO hard to make our childhoods fun and memorable.

After I became a mother, I understood the stresses and sacrifices that go with the job. Now I try to make sure that I don’t take for granted what my Mom did (and continues to do) for me. I’m also making sure that I savor every minute of watching my sons grow up.

So even when I’ve worked six days straight and am coming home tired and with a headache, if they ask me to go to the park to play football with them, my answer is always going to be yes. I’m determined to create and capture as many memories as I can while they are still kids.

It’s a tough balancing act though – as most of you working mothers know. There’s always this nagging feeling in the back of your mind that one of your two jobs isn’t getting enough attention, that either your family or your work is suffering because of it.

I think maybe the best way to deal with that is to be thankful that your life is so full, do your best, and let go of the guilt.

And remember to thank your mom more often for all she has done for you.

This is going to be a busy weekend and it will be a blast because so many of our customers are coming in for gifts for their moms. It’s super sweet to see.

But I’m also going to take some time to celebrate with my mom and spend Sunday with those three amazing boys who gave me the best job title in the world.

Maybe we’ll plant our veggie garden!

Happy Mother’s Day,
Misti

Spring tends to sneak up on me.

I was thinking about this while I was watering my perennials this weekend.

It’s such a changeable season here in Flagstaff. We enjoy warm, flower-friendly weather for a few days and then – whoosh – spring suddenly disappears in a rush of wind, cold temps and even the occasional snow flurry.

So when I finally start to see new buds and leaves on my garden plants it fills me with a sense of hope for the season.

I know most people think of fall as the time to reflect and be grateful, but for me it’s spring. Not just because of the excitement of all of my plants surviving (especially after this harsh, dry winter!), but because I know I’ll be seeing you soon.

Winter is a slow and quiet time at the nursery. There’s only about six of us working in the nursery during the off-season, getting the inventory done, doing building improvements and planning for the upcoming season.

But then you start to arrive – just like the new buds and leaves – and that’s when spring really begins for us. I’m so grateful to you when I see you – familiar faces and newbies coming by on those first warm days, checking out what’s in stock and chatting with us about your plans for your gardens.

I know spring in Flagstaff sometimes makes it seem like gardening is impossible. But I was always taught that you don’t get what you wish for; you get what you work for, and the things that you work for the hardest give you the biggest reward.

That’s how I think of gardening in Flagstaff.  Difficult but worth it, and when spring finally shows up (and sticks around!), it’s like Mother Nature is giving us hope for the season to come.

Happy Gardening!
Misti

Welcome to my first blog!

I’m so excited to be able to share expert gardening tips, insights on horticulture trends, and also some of our philosophy here at Warner’s Nursery about how gardening can be great for you, your property – and for your family.

That last part is really important to me because Warner’s Nursery is a family affair.

My grandparents, Bill and Dottie, started the nursery in 1970. My folks continued the business and now my sister, Marni, and I get the joy of working – and playing – here every day. My husband, Dan Andersen, heads up Warner’s Landscaping and, in the summers, my son Hayden works in the nursery, making him the fourth generation to be part of this enterprise.

I truly believe gardening is best when its a family affair. And I think the process of cultivating a garden – whether it’s a big backyard or a few potted plants on a windowsill – is an amazing way to bring families together.

Today it often feels like everyone’s glued to their phones. It can be a struggle to get everyone together for a family meal. Spending time together sometimes just means being in the same room while the tv is on. Gardening fosters quality time for families as they work to create something beautiful together.

For younger kids, there are endless practical lessons to be learned about responsibility and the rewards of being patient. For older kids, it’s a chance to get them away from the various screens and connect with nature. Plus, it’s loads of fun.

I hope you’ll enjoy upcoming editions of Planting It Forward.

Happy gardening!
Misti