Here Comes The Sun - and The Flowers - New Plants, Trees, Shrubs and Flowers Arriving Weekly

The 2023 Gardening Season is starting strong. Come see the Inland Northwest’s widest selection of shrubs, roses, fruit trees, perennials, hanging baskets, veggie starts and more! And newly arrived are the beginning shipments of our beautiful summer flowers and garden décor.

Just like your garden, plants are just breaking dormancy and starting to bud. Many are ready to be planted as soon as the ground thaws. Take a look at this huge selection of evergreen shrubs, dogwoods, Japanese maples, and rhododendrons that just arrived.

We have the largest selection of fruit trees and they are selling fast. Plus, our new production greenhouse is just bursting with new plants and hanging baskets that will be ready soon. While it’s still too early to plant fruit trees and roses, or hang your flower baskets, you can pick yours out, and we’ll hold them in our greenhouses until after the last frost, which is typically in mid-late-May.

When Does It Arrive At The Nursery?

Early to Late March

  • Fruit Trees

  • Roses

  • Rhododendrons

  • Evergreen Shrubs and Trees

  • Dogwood

  • Japanese Maple

Late March/Early April

  • Potato and Onion Starts

  • Cane Berries

  • Asparagus

Early April

  • Blueberries

  • Hardy Perennials

  • Cole Crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.)

Mid to End of April

  • Most of the Veggie Starts

  • Tomatoes & Peppers

  • Tender Annuals & Perennials

Early May

  • Hanging Baskets

Have You Seen What’s Happening In The Barn?

It’s a jungle in here! From Bromeliads to Beaucarnea, Philodendrons to Dracaena and pretty violets, we have it all in our beautiful new house plant solarium located in the Barn. Plus, we’ve sourced a huge variety of home and garden décor. We’re sure you’ll find that special gift or something to take home for yourself.

We have all of your gardening supplies too, from bags of soils, fertilizers and amendments, to clippers, seeds and seed starting kits. And our bulk soils, barks and rocks are stocked and ready for you to put your gardens in shape.

We Are Honored…

THANK YOU! Because of your ongoing loyalty and support of our business, we’ve been named Best of 2023 Garden Store by the Business Journal of North Idaho. You have helped us earn this prestigious award for four years in a row!

A big Thank You too to all our customers and friends who visited us at the recent North Idaho Home and Garden Show at the Kootenai Fair Grounds. Our booth won Best of Show.

It is because of you, our enthusiastic customers, that we can continue to grow and bring better experiences, great products, and excellence in customer service! We thank you and look forward to serving you in 2023!

Spring Into Fun!

Plant Your Own Tabletop Spring Garden — April 3 - 8 from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Join us at New Leaf Nursery to plant your very own spring basket or tabletop garden this year. From April 3 to April 8, we will have a planting station set up next to the barn for you to create your own design. You can choose from a variety of containers and plants and add your own décor elements to create your unique basket. Gardens start at $24.99 and go up depending upon the container, plants and décor elements chosen. Come check out the selection! We look forward to helping you jumpstart your Easter and Spring Fun this year!

Easter Egg Hunt on April 8 — 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Mark your calendars to HOP over to New Leaf Nursery on Saturday, April 8, for a fun-filled Easter egg hunt! There will be dozens of colorful eggs hidden just waiting for you to find them. The nursery will be open normal hours and the egg hunting will take place between 11-3 pm that day. The kiddos should bring their own baskets to gather up to 10 eggs (per child), which will be filled with treats, toys or candy. There will be kids crafts, face painting, a balloon artist, and vendors with treats too! Bring your baskets, bring your friends and family, and join us for a day of Easter egg hunting and exploring our lovely landscape. Who knows what treasures you might find hidden among the flowers and foliage.

North Idaho Home and Garden Show

Visit us in booth #41, at the Sandpoint Home and Garden Show at the Bonner County Fairgrounds April 1 & 2. Come say hi, and get a coupon for a discount to use at the nursery!

We had a great time with Kelly from Clove Hitch Design Company learning how to macrame a lovely plant hanger during our class on March 7. Kelly’s beautiful designs are also on sale in the barn.

Check out the New Leaf Nursery’s Events. We are offering classes on creating art using decoupage to learning how to prune fruit trees and pick plants that are least appealing to deer and other rascals that like to munch our plants in North Idaho.

And you won’t want to miss Tomato Craze on April 15. New Leaf offers the widest selection of tomato varieties. Our own Elaine Christen will talk about planting, growing and harvesting your tomatoes at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Have You Seen Our Newest Video…

Not sure when to plant your seed starts, and whether you should start them indoors or directly sow them into the garden? Our resident gardening expert, Jen C., talks about how to read and understand seed packets to ensure your garden gets off to a good start.

Employee Spotlight: She Makes Your Plant Wishes Come True

If you’ve ever put your name on our wish list for a plant when it is next in stock, you’ve probably worked with Jennifer L., or J Lo as we call her here at the nursery. She’s a special kind of person to be able to keep track of the wish list for customers who want to be notified when a desired plant comes into stock at the nursery. This is sometimes a long process, such as waiting for next season’s fruit trees after our stock sells out, or possibly even longer for items that may take a couple of seasons to source. Once plants are in stock, she calls you to let you know they are ready for you to come peruse. J Lo has an infectious laugh and is one of the cheeriest members of the team. She brings a smile to your face just by flashing her sparkling eyes your way. You can also find J. Lo working around the nursery and at the checkout counters. We’re very fortunate that she’s been with New Leaf for six season already!

April Bloom Report

If Mother Nature decides to let things warm up a bit, we’ll start to see more flowers in April in our area, especially in lower elevations and protected areas with lots of sun. Daffodils, Hyacinths, crocuses, Lenten Rose (hellebore), bleeding heart, fruit and flowering trees and shrubs, such as cherries, apples, peaches, apricots, and Korean spice viburnum and forsythia, and likely the first blushes of green as leaves on the trees start to pop.

April Gardening Calendar

While Spring seems to be taking it’s time to arrive, there are still plenty of things you can be doing! Here are gardening tips for April into early May.

  • Early in April, if you haven’t already, prune roses and fruit trees

  • Spray deer/mammal repellent as leaves emerge.

  • Start planting trees, shrubs and perennials (including herbs).

  • Spray fruit trees with multi-purpose spray after pollinators (bees) are done. Continue every 7-10 days throughout the summer.

  • Wire-up raspberries and other brambles. Start tying grapes and other vines.

  • Sow vegetable seeds directly in the garden per package directions. Be sure the ground has warmed up enough for seeds to germinate. See Jen C.’s tips above on reading seed packets to learn more.

  • Plant annual flowers around Mother’s Day — but check to make sure there aren’t any late frosts coming.

Are You Ready to Garden? New Leaf Opens March 3!

Rain, snow, gray skies or blue, we open our gates for the 2023 gardening season on Friday March 3, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. This season will be bigger and better than ever!

From 9 – 11:30 a.m., join us for a free cup of coffee in our newly warmed Garden Center. Yes, we’ve heated the barn to make it more enjoyable to peruse all the new décor & plant products. Along with a newly curated collection of home décor, you will find garden tools, gifts, seeds, seed starting kits, heat mats, and supplies – everything you need to get that beautiful garden going. Come be enticed by local crafters and producers – Stevie D. Pottery, Ravens Roost Co., and Clove Hitch Macrame are some of our local artisans featured in the garden center this season. There is something for everyone from hip pottery, to locally branded items, charcuterie boards, macrame wall art, and so much more.

What’s the Buzz for Spring?

Now is the time to purchase your fruit trees, hanging baskets and roses. The fruit trees go quickly, and while it’s still too early to plant them, you can pick yours out, and we’ll hold them in our greenhouses until after the last frost, which is typically in mid-May when it’s safe to plant. This year, we are planting more of our own hanging baskets, and if you remember them from last year, they were stunning. These baskets are a hot commodity and sell out quickly. We will hold them, as well as any rose bushes you may purchase, and keep them happy until after that last frost.

Looking for soils and bulk landscaping supplies? We have large supplies of all your landscaping products. Please note that we have moved our bulk materials yard to the south end of the property. Enter off N. Government Way and follow the signs. See the map in the next story for more parking information.

Double Points for Seed Rewards Members March 3 and 4

If you’re a Seeds Rewards member, you will earn DOUBLE REWARDS POINTS on any purchase in the nursery on March 3 and 4. Yes, DOUBLE!

If you aren’t already a member of our Seed Rewards Program, you can sign up at the bottom of the New Leaf home page. It’s fun and easy, and the rewards keep growing, especially with DOUBLE REWARDS.

From 5 -7 p.m. on Saturday the 4th, experience After Dark in the Garden Center. The barn is so pretty all lit up. After we close our doors to the public, Seed Rewards Members are invited to join the team at New Leaf Nursery inside the garden center for a wine reception. It’s our way of saying WE APPRECIATE YOU and welcome the new gardening year.

Come see what the buzz for spring is all about! We can’t wait to see you!

New Entry to the Nursery

We have a new entrance to the nursery! Parking is now in the lot south of the Garden Center Barn. You’ll enter from N. Government Way using the new, wider, and safer entry into our expanded parking lot. If you came to our Fall Festival or if you purchased a Christmas tree from us this year, you’ve already used this new entryway. The entrance off Lancaster is now closed, and should you turn into the old entrance in front of the barn, you will be diverted to the new lot. You would use this same entrance to get to our bulk soil and landscape supplies area as well as contractor sales.

By making this change, the entire north side of the nursery is open to pedestrian traffic only, offering garden paths and walkways to peruse the many trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, and more. With our contractor sales and bulk materials moved to the south portion of the property, there will be no worries of cars, trucks or trailers coming through the retail areas of the nursery. We know you will enjoy the lovely park-like setting and a much safer environment for all.

Start Your Own Seeds This Spring!

This year, why not try your hand at growing your own seeds to get your garden started sooner. Our plant expert, Jen C. offers these great tips and ideas for propagating seeds to grow healthy plant starts for your vegetable and flower gardens. (Pictured here are a few of the starts we have in our new propagation house.)

Pruning Roses

Now is the time to prune roses and other perennial shrubs in your garden. In this video, Elaine, our plant buyer extraordinaire and co-owner of the nursery, offers a quick look at pruning rose bushes for lush blooms all summer.

When you get ready to prune, don’t forget your thick, sturdy gloves to protect yourself from thorns! And while these pruning tips may seem extreme, Elaine says roses respond very well to aggressive pruning. With fewer canes and stems, they can focus more energy into growing new canes and beautiful flowers.

Join us at New Leaf for many exciting classes being taught this year. We’re offering something for everyone — from learning how to macrame and decoupage, pruning basics, landscape design, how to deal with nasty garden pests, and gardening in the Inland Northwest, to name just a few of the upcoming classes. Our first class on basic landscape design is being offered on March 2. All of our classes are available for registration on New Leaf’s website. Hurry to sign up early as many class sizes are limited.

Visit New Leaf at the Upcoming Home & Garden Shows

North Idaho Home and Garden Show

Visit us in booth #48, Building 1 at The Coeur d’Alene Home and Garden Show at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds, March 3 – 5.

Visit us in booth #64 at the Sandpoint Home and Garden Show at the Bonner County Fairgrounds, April 1-2.

Come say hi, and get a coupon for a discount to use at the nursery!

Spokane Home and Garden Show

The largest Home & Garden Show in the Inland Northwest rolls into The Spokane Convention Center, March 10 - 12, and New Leaf Nursery will be there in booth 102.

Be sure to pick up your discount coupon to use at the nursery when you stop by to visit.

Employee Spotlight: Meet the Voice of New Leaf

Meet Kelly, pictured here with her daughter enjoying the Fall Festival last October.

If you’ve ever called the nursery, you’ve probably already heard Kelly’s dulcet tones, as she answers most of the calls that come in. She is our “behind the scenes” guru keeping the nursery humming. In addition to helping customers who call in, she manages bookkeeping, compliance, accounts payable, a little human resources, and ensures the accounting team has what it needs to manage the nursery finances. Be sure to say “Hi” to Kelly next time you call in.

March and Early April Bloom Report

Those first blooms of spring bring out the gardener in all of us. Mother Nature is in charge, but with any luck at all, you may see hellebore (Lenten Rose), crocus and forsythia. These bursts of color are welcome reminders that a new year of gardening has begun! Along with the others, witch hazel and maybe, just maybe, a daffodil or hyacinth may show themselves.

March & Early April Gardening Calendar

While it’s early in the season, it’s already time to start working the gardens for the lush goodness that we know is right around the corner. Here are a few garden tips you can work on for March and early April:

  • Spray deciduous trees and shrubs, especially fruit trees with horticultural oil (dormant or all-season) as buds emerge but before green leaves appear.

  • Give the lawn a good rake to remove winter droppings and wake up the earth.

  • Apply fertilizer to the lawn, perennial beds, fruiting and flowering trees and shrubs.

  • Prune out dead wood from everything and cut back perennials.

  • Plant summer blooming bulbs (gladiolas and dahlias).

  • Start vegetable, herb, and flower seeds indoors – see the video above for tips from our gardening expert Jen C.

Double Points Weekend for Seed Rewards Members is March 3 & 4, 2023!

Planting Native Helps Conserve Water

Think “Native” To Conserve Water, and Maintain Beauty All Summer Long

There are several weeks yet to garden in 2022! As we approach the end of summer, with fall a few short weeks away, we will share several helpful tips to get your garden ready for the next season.

But first…

The heat over the past several weeks has been challenging to not only us, but to our gardens as well. The Nature Conservancy in Idaho offers information on what we can expect in the way warm temperatures in the next few years in our state. Read more. How can you keep your gardens beautiful despite the heat?

Step 1:

Use xeriscaping, which is defined as a landscape method developed for arid and semi-arid climates that utilizes water conserving techniques such as use of drought tolerant plants, mulch and irrigation.

Step 2:

Native plants, shrubs & trees are often considered more drought tolerant than exotic plants. Using them reduces time and money spent on irrigation. Just take a look at the list of plants that qualify as both native or near native, and grow well in our region.

Sedum

Penstemon

Asters

Daylily

Liatris

Yarrow

Anise Hyssop

Meadow Sage

Black Eye Susan

Goldenrod

Columbine

Artichoke Thistle

Locust Tree

Lilac Tree

Viburnum

Gingko

Dianthus

Ajuga

Gaillardia Blanket Flower

Lavender

Russian Sage

False Sunflower

Bee Balm

Catmint

Spotted Nettle

Red Hot Pokers

Speedwell

Shasta Daisy

Dogwood Tree

Spirea

Sumac

Red Leaf Maple

All of these plants are at New Leaf Nursery right now! Most likely you have some of these in your gardens already.

And if you’re looking for something that offers vertical interest, how about:

Trumpet Vine

Silver Lace Vine

Grape Vine

Honeysuckle

Clematis

All of these vines are heat and drought tolerant!

Step 3:

Water! Did you know, that if your garden is planted with drought resistant native plants, it can be watered 1-2” per week, per application, and survive? If there are drying winds or intense heat, you will have to increase the frequency of your watering. And how you water is important too. Deep soaking is preferred, especially in the heat. And even if the weather is mild, annuals and veg prefer being watered directly on the soil, and not on the leaves. See Jen’s video on our website about how to water during a heat wave.

Along with proper watering, consider adding mulch to your flower beds to help keep moisture in the soil, and the bonus is, mulch also helps keep the weeds down. We have mulch in bags for small areas, and we can deliver a truckload to you too!

September Gardening Tips

Here’s the list of what to do as we go into September!

  • Plant leaf lettuce, chard, spinach and radishes for fall harvest.

  • Bring in any ‘houseplants’ that have been outside. Give them a good washing to remove any insects.

  • Make preparations to mulch garden beds.

  • Fall is the time to divide and transplant perennial flowers that bloom in the spring.

  • Harvest pumpkins, gourds and squash to be stored, before the first frost. Be careful not to damage the skin as rapid deterioration will occur.

  • Fall is a good time to improve soil. Add manure, compost and leaves to increase organic matter. Wood ashes contain phosphorus, potassium and calcium. Add them to veg gardens and flower beds as a top dressing that will feed the soil all winter.

  • Be sure to keep pulling weeds! Every weed you pull now, will make weeding much easier in the spring.

Fall Perennial Pruning

Have questions about Fall perennial pruning? Join New Leaf plant expert Laurie Wilson who will guide you through different pruning techniques to ensure a lush and lavish return of your garden in the spring.

September 7, from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. at New Leaf. Register here.

Christmas in September

Talented local artist Deb Beissel will teach us the techniques used to create a rustic and whimsical interpretation of the classic holiday nativity. All materials needed to create the nativity are included in the class cost. You can select the colors you wish to use.

September 15 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at New Leaf. Register here.

I heard the Fall Festival is returning to New Leaf?

You heard right! The first weekend of October is when it all takes place! Friday, October 7 through Sunday, October 9, you are all invited to welcome the Fall season at New Leaf. (The event is free.) Some of you have been to our Fall Festival in the past! They were wonderful events, filled with community and family. We have missed them too. We hope you will make plans to spend time with us that weekend! Keep an eye on the web site for more details.

What’s new at New Leaf?

Yes, the kale, late summer veg, and those beautiful mums have arrived! Don’t let the roadwork stop you! The improvements are nearly complete, and a trip to New Leaf always yields something wonderful!

Now that the kids are heading back to school, take a minute to browse the barn. So many cute new fall things have arrived, and will continue to arrive. We have select items on sale. Look for the colorful dots on the item, or ask one of our helpful staff!

Meet Laura

Laura is one of our newest creative makers displaying her work at New Leaf Nursery. Laura immersed herself in Native American gourd making and has become a master of the art. This beautifully unique craft has become an admired piece of art and if you love it too, come into the barn and find just the right piece for your home or office!

Just living is not enough, one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.

A lovely saying from Hans Christian Anderson. Hope to see you at New Leaf soon!

In the good ol' summertime

This fella seems to have the right idea!

But we gardeners know, that what we really need to do is water, water, water. But when? In the cool of the evening, or in the early morning hours is most water efficient. If you wait until the middle of the day, a lot of that precious water evaporates into the atmosphere instead of settling in the ground!

Check out Jen from our team to see her informational videos on watering! Great info Jen!

What’d I miss?

Hope those of you that attended had a great time at the Summer Festival at the nursery on July 9. Thanks to all of you for coming and enjoying a summer evening of fun, and thank you to all our vendors and suppliers for supporting us in our efforts!

If this looks like fun, mark your calendars! Friday, Oct. 7, Saturday Oct. 8, and Sunday Oct. 9, are the dates for our annual FALL FESTIVAL! More details to come, but it’s sure to be fun! The Petting Zoo is back!!!

What’s new at the Nursery?

Besides our new sign! She’s a great addition to your drive along HWY 95.

And…

Have you been in lately? We have an amazing selection of gorgeous plants. The hydrangea are stellar this year, and we have so many varieties. Come stroll in the shade and find the perfect variety for that blank spot in the garden.

We have hydrangea that love the sun, and some that love the shade AND we have tree hydrangea that are, well, frankly, stunning! Get in this weekend and find yours! Our greenhouses are full, and daily we have new things in the barn. Come on in!

Coming soon…

It’s getting close to the time that we are going to need to cut back perennials. Not quite yet, but it will be upon us soon. Are you not quite sure how or when to cut back your perennials?

We have a class next week, August 3 at 6 p.m. that will help you answer all your questions, taught by our resident plant brainiac Laurie. Sign up here.

Be sure to check out our other upcoming classes we all! The tomatoes are coming in really well this year! And if you’re like everyone else, you’re looking for the perfect way to use them. Chris from our team is teaching a class on Salsa making on Wednesday, August 17! Guarantee you this Salsa is the best!

Shoutout to the team!

If you have been into the nursery, you have met them! They are kind and most willing to help you find just the right shrub, or tree, or flowering perennial. This femme fatale is top notch. A big thanks to the ladies of New Leaf! Not only top notch in service and knowledge, also a fun group for sure!

Q & A

Every week, our customers ask us questions. Here are two of the most frequently asked questions this week:

Q: I’m a new gardener. What should I be doing right now in my garden?

A: As the summer goes along, we’d like to share a checklist of what tasks should be done in August:

  • Deadheading flowers which will allow plants to use energy reserves for a final flower display.

  • Some perennial flowers will start to go dormant this month. Marking their location with a painted popsicle stick or drawing out a map of your bed is helpful come spring so you don’t forget where things are.

  • Seeds can again be sown for a late crop of leaf lettuce, mustard greens, Swiss chard and spinach.

  • Remove old plants which have stopped producing to eliminate a shelter for insects and disease organisms.

  • Every weed that produces seed means more trouble next year. Control weeds before they go to seed.

  • Harvest onions and garlic as the tops dry and fall over. Braid garlic tops and hang in a cool, dry place. Cut onion tops back to 1" and dry thoroughly before storing. Use any damaged produce immediately.

  • And be sure to do your bug removal pest damage inspections! Remove and treat as needed.

Q: I need color in my garden. What are some suggestions for flowers to plant now?

A: Check out the many plants in bloom now. Here are a few you’ll find at New Leaf this week:

And so…In the good ol’ summer time, we gardeners have lots to do! We look forward to seeing you all at the nursery soon! Remember to sign up for Seeds Rewards and earn rewards on every purchase! Sign up information is at the bottom of the home page on our website.

And, if you like our newsletter, please share it with a friend!

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SEED REWARDS MEMBER

Become a Seeds Rewards Member and start earning points towards exclusive discounts with every purchase at New Leaf Nursery! For more information on our rewards program, please visit the front desk in our garden center.

nursery hours:

FRIDAY: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

SATURDAY: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM