I tell people all of the time that I'm like an annoying toddler, asking "Why?". "Why? Why? Why?" 

Part of "adulting" is being gainfully employed. There are bills to pay, possibly a family to support. If we're lucky, we find a job we enjoy going to everyday (or at least most days). The ideal is to find an industry you can call home, whether or not you stay with the same employer. I was curious why my fellow Christensen's employees worked here and why they work in the industry. So I sent them all a short survey to ask "Why?"

Sometimes the "why" is as simple as Larry's "I needed a job". Other "whys" included expected answers. But there were also some unique stories. Can you relate to any of them?

Like many of you, some of Christensen's employees have been in the industry a long time. As expected, owner Eric has been around since the age of 12. But so has Matt (with a break in his 30s). Kim, Barry and Cinco provided similar answers with 40+ years, 40 years and 45 years respectively. Chris and Dave are close behind with around 30 years. Christensen's also has the relative newcomers like Jen who's in her second season with the company, but has been in the industry for seven.

When asked why they're in the landscaping/green industry, there was a common thread that many employees enjoy the outdoors. Barry agreed, adding "the industry is still fun. Problem solving and meeting some of the most interesting people" were reasons he's stayed.

The plants are, of course, an important element. Chris said "I like working with the plants and seeing all the new varieties that come out." 

One of the more unique stories was Jen's. She was laid off from a hospital during COVID and was hired at a neighborhood nursery. "I always liked plants, but truly came to love them. I look forward to the insanity that comes with spring time in a nursery. I take a lot of satisfaction in adding to the sustainability of our planet and helping people solve problems all while adding beauty around them."

According to a recent survey, 76% of employees with close friends at work are far more likely to stay with the organization. Another study reveals that most workers see friendships as a critical factor in their decision to remain at a company. In the fight to retain key talent, fostering meaningful relationships could be a game changer. (Leveraging Social Capital by Michael Arena)

"Relationships I've built over the years stand out the most" for Matt. He went on to say, "It's the people. We move thousands (even millions) of dollars in products around, yet most of us understand this industry is full of SNAFUs and unpredictability. Success comes from working as a team, staying ahead of problems, managing expectations, and celebrating the small wins along the way. At its core, this industry is about picking things up and putting them back down again. But it's how we work together to make that happen, while creating more beautiful spaces and providing for our families, that I reflect on."

As for me, I'm in this job because I needed a part-time position that would work around my kids' schedule and Christensen's needed part-time help for the buyers. But, after almost 7 seasons, I've come to enjoy learning about the plants, using the resources to alter my own landscaping and being surrounded by so much natural beauty.

It's Sunday morning and stores aren't open yet. You're still in your pajamas anyway. So you go online to shop for a new piece of furniture. But it's so difficult to visualize that new chair, couch or side table in your living room. Wait, there's a button that says "Show Me" or "Try It In Your Space". Suddenly, a picture of that sofa appears on your screen with the instructions to point your device where you want to "place" it. 

Augmented reality is a fun tool. It allows you to "try before you buy", saving money and hassle.

It's also an opportunity for you, as a business owner or project manager/sales person. But who has the resources to develop that kind of technology? The hardscape vendors you buy from through Christensen's have done the work for you. They've developed everything from project galleries to augmented reality. What have you used from this list?

Oaks Landscape Products provides several inspirational opportunities. The Oaks Landscape Project Gallery includes 5 pages of image projects. Their website also has an extensive list of technical information and guides in their Resource Center. You can find it on their website on the top ribbon. Find the Landscape Project Gallery and more under the Inspiration drop-down menu on the top ribbon.

High Format offers over a dozen Inspiration Galleries on their website, each with detailed pictures and specs of the products used in the project. Downloads are also available, providing project details as well as links to an Outcropping Layout App and Outcropping Height Guide Tool.

52 years of dreaming about seeing the tulips!

I'd heard of the gardens in the Netherlands most of my life: the colors, the amazing variety of flowers. I dreamed of being there!

Then I chose a seasonal, spring-dependent career and devoted many years to that beautiful business. Supporting my clients and my staff (that had become used to eating regularly) required time, toil, worry, and stress!  But how rewarding to know that Christensen’s had (indirectly) planted thousands upon thousands of perennials, shrubs and trees over the span of my work-life.

Then came the day I decided to exit Christensen’s. To this day, I struggle to say "retired". But, the nursery was well established, the staff very competent and experienced. It was time.

Retirement allows my wife, Penny, and I to thoroughly enjoy traveling. It was finally time to live my dream and travel to Amsterdam in April of this year. We chose a river cruise with day trips to different sights. One of our first visits was to Floralia Brussels. It is a spring flower show at a private estate, Castle of Groot-Bijgaarden, which opens during tulip time for visitors.  It features 14 hectares of daffodils, tulips and other minor bulbs planted in beds or in naturalized settings. There are one million bulbs planted annually with 500 different varieties.  We were stunned by the beauty of the estate and the dazzling colors.

The highlight of the trip was the Keukenhof Gardens!  We arrived by bus and the first thing we saw from the bus was the fields of production tulips, hyacinths, and minor bulbs planted in mass. Think acers of one color of tulips in full bloom! Reds! Yellows! Blue hyacinths! There had to be 150 acres of color!  Fantastic!

Keukenhof is a park like setting covering 70 acres. Walking paths lead you through bed after bed of color. There are ponds reflecting brilliant color. It is truly a horticultural park where they plant 7 million bulbs annually. There are over 800 varieties of bulbs! I was impressed with a display of blue grape hyacinths planted as a meandering stream of color. It was stunning! 

You've got to go and fill your eyes!

Hi! I am Molly and I have been with Christensen’s for 14 years. Many of you may remember me from my days on the perennial lot. These days, I am the perennial buyer, sadly working at a desk (not so sadly during a heat wave or rainstorm). My main goal is to source fresh, quality perennials that are landscape ready!

I wanted to give you a little peek behind the curtain, so that you can understand all that goes into offering the best customer care possible!

Let me start with the most important aspect of my job: timing. The plant buyers are always working one to two weeks out. For example, today is Monday July 13^th. By the end of this week, I will have trucks for the week of July 20th set in stone and am unable to make additions or changes.

You might be wondering, why do I need to know this?? As the contractor, it’s important to understand the lead time required to get your material to Christensen’s. Basically, the buyers need a week or two, sometimes more (depending on time of year) to get you exactly what you need. If you need something ASAP, let us know ASAP so your material arrives fresh and in a timely fashion.

If a project requires a large quantity of a plant, or something funky no one has ever heard of, please let us know, in advance! We want to help! But we order your plant material from all over the country, and with the logistics involved, it takes proper planning on our part.

There is another snake in the grass to be wary of. Say you give me the list of materials and deposit right on time, I order it for the following week, and all is good. Then the dreaded “bounce back” email arrives, notifying me that the plants are no longer available: crop loss, water issues, pruning issues, someone stole them for another order. Whatever the reason, your plants are not coming as planned.

As a buyer who prides herself on meeting deadlines, this is not an ideal situation for either of us. After follow-ups with your salesperson, who will then notify you of the snag, the plants are added to my “get it here now!” list and your arrival date is pushed back at least another week.

Why am I sharing this bit of information? It’s a gentle reminder that some things are out of our control and many issues can be mitigated with advance planning. For example, after receiving a “bounce back” email, there still might be a chance to meet your deadline because it’s several weeks away.

The moral of the story is that we, the buyers, are committed to providing you with quality material, in stock when you need it. That quality, however, requires regular turnover. Therefore, we may not have the quantity or item you’re looking for on any given day. Advance notice allows the buyers to work with you to source the material you need when you need it. When situations out of our control pop up, please know that we work hard to make it right.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your orders!

Christensen's offers a full selection of fertilizers for landscape professionals. With so many options available, choosing the right product can sometimes feel overwhelming. Here's a quick guide to help you match common landscape applications with the fertilizer best suited for the job.

Quick Fertilizer Guide

1. New planting Trees and Shrubs → Bio-Tone Starter Plus + Root Stimulator
2. Long-term feeding → Osmocote
3. Acid-loving shrubs → Holly-Tone
4. Established Trees and Shrubs → Plant-Tone
5. Flowers → Flower-Tone
6. Roses → Rose-Tone
7. Bulbs → Bulb-Tone
8. Turf → Milorganite

If you'd like a little more detail, here's a closer look at each fertilizer and where it fits best in the landscape.

Application Tips

• Bio-Tone: Mix into the backfill during planting.
• Root Stimulator: Water in at planting.
• Plant-Tone, Holly-Tone, Rose-Tone, and Flower-Tone: Mix into planting beds during installation or apply to the soil surface around established plants and water in.
• Osmocote: Apply to the soil surface under mulch or lightly incorporate into the root zone.
• Milorganite: Broadcast over turf and water in.

Christensen's prides itself on partnering with landscape professionals to help them install and maintain beautiful, successful landscapes.

While fertilizer can help plants establish and thrive, more is not always better. Fertilizer is most effective when plants are healthy and actively growing. Avoid fertilizing plants that are drought-stressed or experiencing significant transplant shock. Sites amended with quality compost may also require less fertilizer than expected. In most cases, proper watering, soil preparation, and planting practices will have a greater impact on long-term plant success than fertilizer alone.

My degree is in American history. I was particularly fascinated by the Civil War era as well as how immigrants/emigrants shaped the country.

However, learning lesser known historical facts is always fun for me, no matter the era. Admittedly, my recall abilities aren't very strong. So I'm not necessarily an asset on trivia night. But I love the learning!

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, I thought it would be fun to test your knowledge. Answers are below my byline.

No cheating!!

Sources

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/10-fascinating-facts-about-the-declaration-of-independence

https://www.annapolis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Little-Known-Facts-about-the-Declaration-of-Independence-copy1.pdf

https://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/three-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-american-revolution/

https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-revolutionary-war/ten-facts-about-the-revolutionary-war

https://www.americanrevolution.org/fun-facts/

https://azpbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/American-Revolution-Trivia-Questions.pdf

Answers

As we enter the summer months, and even into fall, why not think of adding something out of the ordinary into the landscape by using a fountain pond? Christensen’s has long been a distributor for EasyPro, based out of Grant, Michigan. This year, we've added products from another Michigan based company, Blue Thumb.

Blue Thumb offers something a little different with their fountains, ranging from vase fountains, to real stone fountains and even metal fountains.

While planning for later this year, or even next, keep in mind the option of adding a small, relaxing element into the plan. If I was redoing my patio, I would surely add in a fountain set to relax with after being at work. 

Next time you're at Christensen's, please ask any of us about the fountain pond options from EasyPro and Blue Thumb and we will get you all the information.

Coralburst® Crabapple (Malus 'Coralcole') is salt-tolerant, grows well in normal, sandy or clay soil and grows to be about 8-12' x 10-15'.

Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star', because it blooms later than other Magnolias, is less susceptible to frost issues. This native of Japan can grow to be 10-20' with a spread of 8-15'. 

We'll close out the show with the elegant, purple flowers of Roseum Elegans Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense 'Roseum Elegans'). This fast-growing, evergreen shrub thrives in cooler regions like Michigan and is an option as a hedge or privacy screen.

Join us at Christensen's to see what's blooming.

The variety is staggering.

Not sure how we got here. But alas, we're in Hydrangea chaos, yet again. Lately, it seems like every hydrangea has an evil stepbrother trying to knock him off. I must tell you that we carry way too many and there are thousands more to choose from. (That may be a slight exaggeration.) Oh, where to start! (I am only listing what you should expect Christensen’s to carry)

Let’s start with arborescens (Smooth Hydrangea). Arborescens flower on new wood. So, prune if needed and they will re-flush.

‘Annabelles' remain a staple and Christensen’s sells hundreds.

Incrediball® is considered an improved ‘Annabelle’ with bigger flowers and stronger stems. They are tolerant of both clay and alkaline soils as well as salt and shade.

The Incrediball® Series includes:

Invincibelle® comes next. The original Invincibelle® was considered the “Pink Annabelle”. It disappeared fast and was replaced by Invincibelle® Spirit II, which is still pink but with stronger stems to hold up the large flowers.

P.S. For every Invincibelle® series Hydrangea sold, Proven Winners donates $1.00 to Breast Cancer research.

Let’s move on to the “Big Leaf Hydrangea” (macrophylla).

Over the past few years, there has been a slew of new varieties added to the reblooming Endless Summer® Collection. Some have been around for a couple of years but are just now getting their 15 minutes of fame.

The collection includes:

Making it’s Christensen’s debut in 2026 is Dream Cloud® with their white, mop-head flowers and on a 3-4 x 3-4’ plant.

Before we head into the paniculatas, I would like to highlight a few other lacecaps from the Tuff Stuff® series. Christensen’s has carried these for a few years now and they have held up very well in the nursery. The original Tuff Stuff® is a 2-3’ tall rebloomer with blue or pink flowers. Christensen’s will also carry:

OK, now we can discuss paniculatas.

Hydrangea paniculata Bobo® are The O.G. panicle hydrangea, no evil stepbrothers in sight. Bobo® are 24-30 x 36-48”, with strong stems, a rounded habit, white flowers and look like they belong on a macrophylla (big round ball flowers) and not a paniculata (usually more of cone shape). The flowers are also sterile, so they just bloom and bloom. 

Hopefully your coffee cup is full - here comes the mess.

‘Limelight’ has been around forever. Reaching 8x8 with green flowers that age pink, red, burgundy. For now, these are still available.

‘Quick Fire’ Hydrangea and all its children bloom about 1 month earlier than other paniculatas, providing a little longer show.  They come in at 8’ x 8’, start flowering white then age pink with great fall color.

Little Quick Fire® is one of my favorites and a dwarf of ‘Quick Fire’, at only 3-5’ x 3-5’. The flowers are white, age pink and the red stems stand out on the plant.

Moving on to another standard - Pinky Winky®. “Pinkys” come in at 6-8’ x 6-8’ with white flowers that age pink. The flowers can also be up to 12” long making for a very showy plant

Now there is also Pinky Winky Prime®. It is touted as having much stronger stems than its parent. Otherwise, it’s similar to the original.

Phew, almost to the end. (You thought I was joking!)

Puffer Fish® Hydrangea’s claim to fame is it has so many flowers you cannot see the plant! According to Proven Winner, "Puffers" are a Bobo® but puffier on a compact 3-5’ x 3-5’. The flowers are white and age green on strong stems.

Powerball® is one of the newest from Proven Winners. Powerball® has mop head flowers on strong stems, starting lime, aging white and pink. It is also a solid rebloomer with a size of 3-6’ x 3-6’.

Believe it or not, there are still more. We didn't even discuss "Oakleafs". I'll cover those later this summer.

I’m always on the look-out for new varieties that will grow well in Michigan. But they tell me, in order to get a new variety through the gate I have to remove one.

First the trees bud and then bloom. Then shrubs start to wake up. But, when perennials emerge from the ground, it says SPRING!!

Hellebore are some of the first flowers to bloom. They can even be seen blooming out of the snow! Bloom time often coincides with Tulips and Daffodils, and can add more color to the garden. Hellebore tend to produce single, cup shaped flowers in a large variety of colors ranging from white, pink, red, purple and yellow. The foliage is evergreen - dark green and glossy.

Phlox subulata is another great spring bloomer beginning in early April-May. They come in lots of cultivars: pink, blue, white, purple, and even candy striped.

Featuring a dense, mat-forming habit, these guys make a great groundcover! Creeping Phlox flower best in full sun, but do prefer some dappled shade once the heat really sets in. Known for being drought and deer tolerant, this would be an excellent choice if water or deer are a problem in your landscape.

Phlox divericata 'Blue Moon' is a stunning spring bloomer. They bloom along with the late-blooming tulips in late spring. This impressive native is perfect for a woodland garden, rock garden, border fronts or native plant gardens. With overlapping fragrant flowerheads, this violet-blue perennial really stands out. Phlox 'Blue Moon' is also a pollinator plant, so if you are looking to attract bees and butterflies, this would be a great choice. 

Looking for a fragrant, early bloomer? Check out Anemone sylvestris. Dainty, yellow-centered, white flowers flow up to 18” above soft textured foliage. This plant prefers shade and is ideal for woodland borders under large trees. Anemone sylvestris are known to spread in loose soils, and can be considered a groundcover in the right spot.