Westwood Gardens is full of Flower Power!

We receive fresh shipments from growers from all over the Northwest. This gives us a wide selection of "unique" plants to offer our customers.

We pride ourselves on having the best selections of annuals in the area.

If you are looking some something particular, give us a call. If we don't have it, we can probably get it!

Rathdrum Days Garden Tour

Westwood Gardens is looking for gardeners to show off their gardens!

This event will coincide with the other Rathdrum Days festivities on Saturday, July 15th. Tickets will be sold at a minimal price to raise money to help beautify Rathdrum. All monies collected will be given to the city to use on areas like the entrance to Rathdrum on Highway 41 and the new skate park, which is currently under construction.

* Any one who volunteers to be on the tour will receive substantial discounts on all plant material needed to get their yards in tip-top Tour condition.

Please contact Jodee at 687-5952, as soon as possible, if you are interested in being involved in this fun summer project.

Saturday, June 17th at 2 PM
Containers with PIZAZZ!

Learn the secrets to making your own stunning container gardens

These basic design ideas will make all the difference!

Cost: determined by plant and container prices.

You choose the container and the plants yourself.

Thursday, June 22nd at 6 PM
All About Herbs!

Taught by Barb Arnold, owner of Nothing But Herbs.

Class includes care and use information on all of your favorite herbs, plus learn about many more new and exciting varieties.

Cost: $15.00; includes one 4" herb to take home.

Call 687-5952 for more information.
Sign up Today!

Enjoy a greatly extended blooming period of many of your favorite plants by removing mature flowers and developing seed pods. Plants that respond most to this treatment include cosmos, coreopsis, marigolds, and zinnias. Verbena, phlox, and dianthus are some that keep blooming all summer without this help.

When seeds are allowed to develop, plants stop blooming because their "job" of reproducing is complete. Removing developing seeds forces the plants to continue to bloom to complete their reproductive "mission" in life.

To successfully prolong blooming, you'll also need to keep plants actively growing with regular watering and fertilizing.

Many homeowners revel in the glory of their garden in spring, only to be disappointed when plants start to dry out and look stressed in the heat of summer. The natural reaction is to pour more water into the garden to "moisturize" the plants. This in turn can lead to root rot and/or the continuous lowering of soil temperature to the point that plants aren't stimulated to grow — or just plain die (overwatering is one of the main causes of plant death). But these problems can be greatly reduced or, in many cases, prevented by summer mulching.

The goal of summer mulching is not only to reduce summer heat stress on plants, but to create an environment for plants that will be conducive to good growth. Mulch is to a garden what a roof is to your home. We couldn't heat or air condition the home without the roof. The same seasonal temperature variance occurs in your garden. A 3" layer of mulch not only retains moisture in the soil but it maintains a cooler temperature in the summer and a warmer temperature in the winter.

Mulching also brings many other benefits to the garden. It gives the garden a tidier appearance, and greatly improves the growing conditions for plants. Mulch helps suppress weeds and helps to conserve moisture. It creates an environment where earthworms can thrive and enhance the soil's condition. Nature provides this for us in natural settings and when we apply mulch to our garden, we mimic what is naturally done on the forest floor.

The strategy is to stimulate the growth of good soil bacteria which in turn digest plant foods that the plant will recognize as nutrients and absorb. By keeping moisture in the soil you will attract earthworms and beneficial microbes and bacteria. The earthworms loosen up the soil easing compaction, and the beneficial microbes help digest nutrients more efficiently making them more readily available to the plants. Maintaining "moist" soil as opposed to "wet" soil keeps the temperature of the soil at a more consistent level for optimum growth. Mulch also provides a blanket to the soil that protects against the crusting effect that happens as a result of watering or rain. Organic mulches decompose and add humus to the soil.

The method is to spread a 2" inch layer of mulch or bark over the top of the native soil before the heat of summer hits. There are many mulching materials available. Color, particle size, and nutrient exchange are considerations when choosing your material. While decorative barks are attractive, they can become a home for insects and they will drag nitrogen from your soil. Non-organic decorative mulches (rock and such) may be an attractive addition in gardens but give nothing back to the soil and can also be a hiding place for pests.

When mulching is incorporated with a good organic fertilizing program, the plants in your garden will not only survive the stress of summer, but will thrive in it. A good rule of thumb for mulch is to apply it at least 1-1/2 inches and up to 3 inches in depth. Mulch should never be placed right up against the stem of the plant or trunk of the tree.

In addition to all of the cultural advantages created by mulching, you will also give your garden a more "finished" look, adding to its overall beauty.