Dennis’ 7 Dees Gardening Digest
Welcome to our Gardening Blog—your go-to resource for garden design tips, plant care advice, and seasonal inspiration.
Written by industry experts, our articles cover everything from indoor and outdoor plant selection to landscaping trends and timely gardening tasks. Check back often for fresh updates to help your outdoor space thrive year-round! We also offer FREE classes and paid workshops to help you succeed in your garden, landscape, and home.
The Complete Guide to Indoor Plant Propagation
Propagating plants lets you grow new plants from existing ones—a rewarding way to expand your indoor garden and preserve your favorite varieties. The science...
Your Guide to Living Christmas Trees: From Indoor Display to Outdoor Planting
Living Christmas trees are a beautiful, sustainable, and fun way to add a little extra magic to your home this holiday season! Living Christmas trees are...
Winter Container Garden Design Ideas & Care Tips
Winter container plantings are a festive and fantastic way to rejuvenate your entryway, porch, or patio with a fresh new look that will last from the Holidays...
2025 Holiday Gift Guide: 7 Best Plants for Thoughtful, Long-Lived Gifts
Rediscover the magic of the holiday season with living gifts that are thoughtful, sustainable, and will grow for years to come! Gifting a plant for the...
3 Creative Ways to Gift a Plant
The best gifts are the ones that are selected with care, which is why giving someone a plant as a gift for the holidays is the hallmark of thoughtfulness!...
The Best Dwarf Conifers for Every Garden
Dwarf conifers are a beautiful and interesting way to introduce year-round texture and evergreen color to any landscape, regardless of its size. While they...
Winter-Blooming Camellias: Cold-Season Color for Pacific Northwest Gardens
Introduce abundant blooms to your garden even in the cold, dark season with Winter-blooming Camellias. Camellia sasanqua is a fantastic low-maintenance plant...
How to Create a DIY Succulent Pumpkin
Succulent pumpkins add sophistication and bring a touch of whimsy to Fall displays. By combining sturdy succulent cuttings with fancy heirloom pumpkins,...
Why Fall Is the Best Time for Planting
Fall is the perfect time for planting! With milder air temperatures, warm soils, and free irrigation (thank you, Pacific Northwest rainfall), Fall planting...
How to Design Fall Container Gardens
As Summer annuals begin to wane and seasonal container plantings lose their luster, it’s time for a change! Fall container plantings help herald the slower,...
Plant Fall Bulbs for Gorgeous Spring Flowers
Planting bulbs in the Fall is one of the greatest investments you can make for your future happiness. When early Spring weather is grey and miserable and...
The 7 Best Maples for the Pacific Northwest
From Fall color to fabulous structure, interesting leaves, and gorgeous bark, there are so many reasons to love Maples! Maples are beloved by gardeners and...
7 Underappreciated Trees & Shrubs for Fall Color
Maples and Burning Bush might be the best-known stars of Autumn, but there are plenty of fantastic trees and shrubs for bringing brilliant, evocative Fall...
The Ultimate Fall Gardening Guide
Fall is the perfect time to enjoy the shift in seasons out in the garden and to plan ahead for your garden’s future success. It's a magical season full of...
Our Favorite Ornamental Grasses & How to Grow Them in Your Garden
Ornamental grasses are some of the most versatile and low-maintenance plants you can add to your garden, providing stunning color, texture, structure, and...
Tips for Designing With Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses are a fantastic, low-maintenance plant choice for a wide range of landscape styles and looks. Grasses bring unparalleled texture, movement,...
Deer-Resistant Plants That Also Deter Rabbits, Elk & Mosquitoes
To minimize the damage that voracious deer, elk, or rabbits do to your landscape, be smart about what you plant! Deer-resistant gardening typically...
Heatwave Gardening Guide: Preparation, Care & Recovery Tips for Plants
Intense Summer heat is becoming a regular challenge in the Pacific Northwest, making it essential to prepare your garden for both heat waves and drought. From...
Deadheading 101: How to Get More Blooms by Deadheading
The number one way to get more flowers on your perennials and annuals? Get to deadheading! Deadheading is the best hack to getting more blooms out of your...
Dahlias Demystified: Secrets to Growing Gorgeous Dahlias
Discover the secrets to growing gorgeous, heavily blooming Dahlias year after year! Dahlias are a fantastic way to add a late-season statement to your garden...
Echinacea: Summer-Long Blooms in Every Color
Echinacea is a wildly popular flower that blooms all Summer in stunning colors, flower shapes, and sizes. Echinacea, commonly called Coneflower, is a...
Project Spotlight: Emily Henderson’s Backyard Renovation
When Emily Henderson, renowned designer and Portland resident, was interested in updating her home landscape, we leapt at the opportunity to co-create a...
7 Benefits of Adding a Water Feature to Your Landscape
From small-space bubblers and fountains to large-scale ponds, streams, and waterfalls, custom water features can become the focal point of any yard. Along...
7 Best Drought-Tolerant Plants for a Gorgeous Garden
Combine our 7 best drought tolerant plants for a full sun garden that will look fabulous and sustain wildlife even with reduced water and periods of drought....
Plant Selection & Design Tips for a Beautiful Shade Garden
In areas like the Pacific Northwest that are blessed with an abundance of trees, one of the biggest challenges for gardeners is shade. While a lack of...
Designer Tips for Creating a Tropical Container Garden
Tropical landscapes and container gardens use big, bold foliage and dramatic flowers to create lush, immersive experiences and add excitement to any outdoor...
The Best Hydrangeas for Every Garden
Recommendations & Design Suggestions for any Type of Landscape Hydrangeas are must-have garden plants that are hard to miss and even harder to resist!...
All About Hydrangeas: Varieties, Pruning & Care
Hydrangeas offer masses of blooms all summer long and are among some of the hardiest low-maintenance shrubs for Pacific Northwest gardens. With many species...
How to Create a Pollinator Garden
“Bee” a part of the solution and help support local pollinators by planting flowers in your garden! Whether you’re integrating more pollinator plants into...
The 7 Best Tropical Plants for the PNW
Tropical plants infuse flamboyant drama and excitement into Pacific Northwest landscapes and container gardens. Available as Spring ends and Summer begins,...
How to Design Summer Container Gardens
Summer is the perfect time to refresh your container gardens with vibrant new plants! With an abundance of colorful blooms, lush foliage, and heat-loving...
How to Design the Perfect Cottage Garden
Cottage Gardens are easeful, bountiful spaces where abundant blooms intermingle to engage the senses and create the perfect retreat for plant lovers. Aligning...
7 Best Hummingbird Plants for the Garden
Hummingbirds are by far the most charismatic and sought-after garden visitor. Whirring jewels that glimmer in the sunlight, hummingbirds bring delight...
How to Garden in Wet Shade
Wet shade gardens may have poor drainage, be situated in low areas, or occupy the soil around water features, ponds, or streams.Designing a Garden for Wet...
7 Unique Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for Gardeners
We love making special time to celebrate our favorite gardeners and life-givers every year. This Spring, show your mama how much you care with one of our...
The 7 Best Native Plants for Pacific Northwest Gardens
While they may have been relegated to only the most intensive of eco-friendly gardens in the past, native plants have so many wonderful qualities to recommend...
Spring Edible Gardening: Tips for Growing Your Own Food
Spring is the perfect time to get a jumpstart on growing your own food! In the sweetness of Spring the trees explode into bloom, bulbs pop up to offer their...
Growing Bouquet-Worthy Peonies
Peonies have gorgeous blooms at the peak of Spring, provide a stunning floral display in the garden, and make fantastic fresh cut flowers when brought...
7 Best Cut Flowers for Long-Season Blooms
Bringing flowers indoors makes a space instantly feel special, and that pleasure increases exponentially when the flowers come from your very own garden! It’s...
How to Use Boxwood in Your Garden
Boxwoods are the staple shrub of traditional garden design, providing formal, elegant evergreen structure as low hedges or topiary. Boxwoods & Garden...
Fertilizer 101: The Ultimate Guide to Plant Nutrition
Fertilizer is an essential tool for keeping plants healthy and thriving. Just like humans need a balanced diet, plants require key nutrients to grow strong,...
7 Underappreciated Flowering Trees & Shrubs
Nothing reenergizes the spirit in Spring like a big, blooming plant! While Camellias, Dogwoods, and Magnolias all take center stage, there are some fantastic...
Container Garden Planting, Care & Maintenance
Container gardens are a fantastic way to grow plants in virtually any setting. Containers allow you to experiment with plants you might not normally grow in...
Spring Container Garden Design Ideas for the Pacific Northwest
Refreshing your container plantings is the perfect way to welcome Spring! By sprucing up your pots with fresh, blooming colorful plants in Spring, you can...
How to Garden in Shade With Afternoon Sun
Shade gardens with afternoon sun experience the challenge of intense light for a small period of time which is insufficient for most sun plants but can burn...
Spring Bulbs for Summer Blooms
Fresh plants and flowers start to fill the tables at our Garden Centers in Spring, but don’t forget to take a walk inside to browse our gorgeous range of...
The Best Fruit Trees for Your Garden & 4 Key Traits to Look For
No matter the size of your landscape, it is possible to grow beautiful, productive, and delicious fruit trees if you make a point of choosing varieties that...
How to Start Seeds Indoors: Step-by-Step Process
Starting plants from seed is an immensely rewarding experience that fills gardeners, young and old, with hope and joy. Nothing beats the excitement of...
How to Create an Ornamental Edible Garden
Edible gardens don’t have to value function over form—when you weave edible plants into your garden beds, borders, and porch pots you’ll create a landscape...
The Top 3 Rose Trends of 2025
Roses are completely delightful—they fill the garden with intoxicating fragrance, bloom in virtually every color imaginable, and provide a stunning display...
7 Romantic Plants for Garden Lovers
Soft, blousy blooms in shades of white and pink. Fragrance that lights up the garden. Names that evoke love and longing. Glossy, heart-shaped leaves... All...
Daphne Odora: Winter Blooms & Intoxicating Fragrance
The fragrance of Daphne odora, or Winter Daphne, is iconic and signifies the start of Spring in a way that few other plants can match. It is an evergreen...
Designer Tips for Creating Pacific Northwest-Inspired Landscapes
Pacific Northwest landscapes are dynamic retreats full of textural, sculptural plantings where natural elements are used with intention. These spaces are...
How to Mount Indoor Plants to Wood
If you love to fill your indoor space with plants, it can sometimes be a challenge to find the right balance between tasteful décor and plant fever. Luckily,...
Growing Citrus in the Pacific Northwest
Growing your own Citrus is an incredibly fun and rewarding way to add flavor, fragrance, and year-round interest to your container gardens, porches, and even...
Hellebores: Stunning Winter-Blooming Evergreen Perennials
Hellebores are beautiful, versatile perennials that bloom when the rest of the garden is asleep, bringing year-round interest to the landscape. Hellebores,...
The 7 Best Houseplants & Our Favorite Varieties for 2025
There’s nothing like the deep dark of Winter to remind us that houseplants really are the best. Houseplants are vibrant, shimmering bits of green life that we...
Using Grow Lights for Indoor Plants
Boost your houseplant success and expand your indoor garden with the help of supplemental grow lights! Insufficient light can cause plants to struggle, but...
How to Garden in Deep Shade
Deep or full shade areas receive very little light due to crowded canopies or structures that block sunlight most of the day.Designing a Garden for Deep Shade...
7 Gardening Trends for 2025
A new year is here, and we are so excited about everything it holds in store for our gardens. The gardening trends we predict for 2025 represent a desire to...
Success With Statement Houseplants
A large, specimen houseplant can reinvigorate a whole room. By adding greenery and height next to a chair, near a window, or in a blank corner, a space...
Using Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year in Your Garden
Pantone has released their color of the year for 2025, much to the excitement of design enthusiasts and gardeners everywhere! Mocha Mousse is a warm, earthy,...
Winter Houseplant Care—Do’s & Don’ts
As Winter arrives and the growth in the outside world winds down, indoor plants also adopt a slower pace and your care for them should, too! During the darker...
Perfect Plant & Pot Pairings for Holiday Gifts
We love nothing more than sharing the gift of growing with our friends and family. By thoughtfully pairing the right plant with a pot that highlights all of...
2024 Holiday Gift Guide: The 7 Best Gifts for Gardeners
The season of giving is here! We’ve created a list of the 7 best holiday gifts for gardeners to help them celebrate their favorite space. Show the plant...
Bringing the Outdoors In: Holiday Home Decorating Tips from a Floral Designer
Seventh Stem floral designer Brooke Snodgrass shares her approach to creating stunning tablescapes using materials from her own garden. We sat down with...
How to Design a Modern Landscape
Modern landscapes are ordered and cohesive. They are intentional spaces where clean lines and natural elements come together to create balance. The simple...
The 7 Best Plants Voted by Our Gardening Experts
Want to know the best of the best when it comes to trees, shrubs, perennials, and edible plants? Our experts weighed in on the essential plants they think...
How to Garden in Dry Shade
Dry shade often occurs under a larger, primary tree layer composed of very tall evergreen or deciduous trees that block the light and cause soils to be...
5 Gardening Tasks to Do This Fall
By performing some essential gardening tasks each Fall, you’ll make a huge and lasting impact on your garden! Fall is one of the best times of the year for...
How to Design a Bohemian Landscape
Bohemian landscapes are wild and free. They are effortless spaces where the change of seasons invites a deeper connection with nature. The textural plantings...
Porchscaping Ideas for Fall Curb Appeal
Crisp mornings and golden evenings herald the arrival of Fall as foliage colors turn warmer and the days grow shorter. Create a cozy, welcoming space...
Creating Containers for the Perfect Outdoor Entertaining Space with Emily Henderson
We were delighted to collaborate with the incredibly talented Designer and Stylist, Emily Henderson, to create a warm and welcoming patio for her River House...
Modern & Creative Holiday Decor for Offices & Commercial Buildings
Dennis’ 7 Dees offers modern holiday decorations that are warm, cheerful, and welcoming for your commercial space. Decorating the office for the holidays can...
From an Unusable Hill to a 5-Star Backyard Resort
Dennis’ 7 Dees Residential Landscape Designer Justin Snodgrass received a call from a potential new client and instantly wowed them with his pleasant...
How to Design a Mediterranean Landscape
Mediterranean landscapes are effortless retreats full of engaging textures. They are havens from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and can make your home...
7 Best Plants for Summer Fragrance
Immerse your senses in the heady fragrance of blooming plants! Fragrant plants are essential to creating a welcoming Summer garden. Introducing spicy, sweet,...
How to Water Your Garden Effectively
Water is foundational to the growth and success of any and all plants. Sometimes a plant’s water needs are obvious—the leaves wilt and stems flop, and then...
How to Get the Best Blooms All Summer
Summertime is all about MORE! More heat, more fun, and more flowers... Summer brings blooms in abundance—warm weather and longer days cue a host of plants to...
4 Ways to Reimagine Your Front Yard
Front yards have accurately been termed “a private space with a public face” and the work that you put into the front of your property is guaranteed to be...
Gardening to Attract Hummingbirds
A well-planned hummingbird garden will fulfill a bird's basic needs (food, water, shelter, space) and in turn, provide you with hours of enjoyment,...
Summer Landscape Design Ideas
With warm weather beckoning us outside and cooler nights calling for family and friends to gather, Summer may just be the best time of year to enjoy your...
How to Create a Water Garden
Interested in adding a new focal point to your outdoor living space this season? Try a water garden! Water gardens bring a fresh, relaxing element to outdoor...
How to Repot Indoor Plants
In Spring, everything starts to wake up, including indoor plants! The emergence of plants and new leaves outdoors means that the time to repot houseplants has...
5 Essential Summer Houseplant Care Tips
During Summer months, houseplants need specific care and attention to stay lush and healthy. With more intense sunlight, some plants may need to be relocated...
7 Essential Outdoor Living Elements for the Landscape
Gorgeous Summer weather invites us to spend more time outdoors, whether it's to savor al fresco dining, read a book by the garden, or share laughter around...
Homegrown Herbs for Summer Beverages
Imagine sipping a refreshing cocktail or mocktail on a warm evening, infused with the vibrant flavors of herbs picked fresh from your garden. Growing your own...
Growing the Best Backyard Berries in the PNW
Picking and eating your own homegrown berries, still warm from the sun, is one of the greatest pleasures a gardener can know. The flavor and quality of...
Tips for a Successful Summer Vegetable Garden
Grow your own Summer vegetables and experience a world of flavor and freshness that you can’t find anywhere else! Starting a Summer vegetable garden is an...
A Comprehensive Guide to Edible Gardening
Growing your own food is extremely fun and satisfying! Not only is edible gardening a sustainable way to take control of what you eat, it’s a way to...
How to Grow the Best Tomatoes
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How to Care for Hanging Baskets
Hanging baskets of flowers are just the right thing to add to your porch for instant pizzazz! If properly maintained, they can offer months of color and...
Why Gardens with Annuals & Perennials Look Better
If you want your garden to look full, dynamic, and colorful all Summer, the secret is to plant a combination of both Perennials and Annuals! Perennials are...
How to Use Vines in the Garden
Vines bring elegant charm, dimension, and even fragrance to outdoor spaces like walkways and patios. You can grow vines over arbors and up trellises,...
Tips for Sustainable Gardening
Any gardener can take simple steps to improve the sustainability of their outdoor space. Being a sustainable gardener is an ongoing process, not a final...
How to Create a Terrarium
A terrarium is a beautiful miniature landscape with a climate of its own, like a tiny greenhouse! Terrariums encapsulate the beauty and balance of nature by...
How to Grow a Cut Flower Garden for DIY Bouquets
A bouquet of fresh-cut flowers can brighten up any room in the house. Growing your own flowers for cutting is budget-friendly, sustainable, and extremely...
How to Design a Traditional Landscape
Traditional landscapes are ordered and respectable. In the Dennis’ 7 Dees Traditional Landscape Design Guide, we detail the principles of traditional design,...
Growing Hedges 101: A Gardener’s Guide to Lush, Living Fences
Hedges, with their timeless charm and practical advantages, have long been esteemed features in landscape design. These verdant barriers not only delineate...
A Guide to Spring Flowering Trees
Countless flowers appear at once, exploding out of thin, bare branches. The grey lines of dormant limbs that crisscross the cloudy sky suddenly release...