Garden Consultation

Having trouble deciding what to do in your yard? Let us help. We can give you suggestions for plants, placement and design ideas. We can help you get set up to do it yourself, or we can do it for you.
On-site consultation $50/hour. $35 hr for garden clean up and installation.

Is this the year you finally make the garden look the way you want it to? Call for an appointment and we will have our design professional contact you. 206-767-7735.

http://www.villagegreenperennialnursery.com/index.shtml

Home schooling-the journey

My amazing and creative children....
Home schooling is not for every family...that is for certain.
As I write this I've been home schooling for 5 years- quite happily!

For me- it was not even a question- I knew right away that was what I wanted...but was it what they would want?
My oldest (now 13) went to school for 4 years- a small private Montessori preschool.
She had fun-mostly.... art was her favorite part... creating complex intricate designs of push pins in a powdered sugar lid, creating geometric shapes out of paper and cardboard...puzzles, block designs, drawing, doodling, and story time....but as the years passed and she was pushed to do more 'work' she was less and less interested. She did not want to be 'taught' how to think and 'shown' what to create.
This kid was walking at 10 months...now you want to 'show her how' to do- what?
Reading was the biggest obstacle we had with the teacher....after all- she had 25yrs of teaching experience- who was I to ask her to try a different approach?
ok- I'd read plenty of Rudolph Steiner to make my decision to wait till she's ready to read....but was the teacher ready for us?
I talked to her and 'persuaded her' to wait till my daughter was 6 to 'teach' her to read- my plan was to keep holding her off...the teacher was 'wary to say the least' so we waited....
time went on....my daughter played- but as the kids in class got older- the academics crept into the classroom....now she was playing while the other kids were 'working' on papers.
She worked on math manipulatives, counting, puzzles, or building elaborate scenes with cloth and toy animals.
Then, one day, she decided she was ready to read. So we talked about a way of working with her on reading. She had just turned 6.
Now let me say this....I had been reading to this girl since day one...she had memorized entire books by the time she was 1. Not simple 5 word books....entire DR Suess rymes- Mr Brown can moo-can you?
Her language skill were unbelievable- yes- we had spoken through sign language when she was very young, but this kid was talking at 7 months. Clearly. Not baby garble.
ok- anyway... we continued to read to her, stacks of books....and she worked on reading the books at school- an old series the teacher had used for years...can't remember the series- but very good phonics books.
Within 2 months she was reading. Within 6 months of reading she was devouring books.
The teacher was astonished. Never in her 25yrs had she ever had a student learn to read so well, so fast.
hmmmmm? Readiness perhaps?
At that point it was confirmed that I could take it from there. I trusted my child to know what she could handle- I stood by her and let her decide.
I have not looked back.

Today she reads at college level. For fun she carries a 2 bajillion page dictionary in her backpack- for pirate scrabble or whatever....
more later.....

Village Green photos

These photos are beautiful…please have a look and enjoy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8721103@N02/sets/72157615193316482/

These photos we taken by an Kamala-Dolphin Kingsley

http://kamaladolphinkingsley.com/index.html

please take time to appreciate her amazing work!

Northwest Native Columbine

I have these growing right by my front door- the hummingbirds greet me every morning as I sit on the stoop drinking my morning coffee.
http://www.villagegreenperennialnursery.com/index.shtml

Shop Locally, keep it in the community

Village Green- A home school family- the community we are a part of, and our family values.

Village Green is a family owned and operated business. We are a family of 3, unless you include all the chickens, honeybees and of course, the nursery cat. The business has been here for 30 years, we are the second owners.
We strive to bring you a diverse collection of plants, many grown right here at the nursery. We over-winter our plants out doors, which makes them hardy for our area, which means they will survive in your garden with proper care.
We buy from small independent growers, many within just a few miles, rarely more than 80 miles, whenever possible. Every Choice we make about plant purchases supports the sustainable economy approach. When we buy from a local grower, we reinforce the jobs held by the workers at those nurseries, thereby supporting the local job market.

• When you think of buying the things you want for your yard, garden or kitchen or home- where do you think of going?

Think about this…

*Chains and franchises contribute roughly 30% and at times as little as 20% of the store’s sales back into the community through employee wages, sales taxes, and property taxes. Frequently, a chain store’s location is owned by the larger non local company, and the business is given tax breaks by the city in order for shareholder profits to remain high. Locally owned independent businesses do not receive such benefits and thus contribute a far greater proportion of revenues to local taxes.

*Choice makes for a richer community
Local, independent businesses are located all over West Seattle. You can grab an espresso to go, pick up locally grown produce or freshly baked bread, shop for unique gifts or household items, or choose a good book for a day at the beach. You can shop for plants, get your hair cut, have your taxes prepared, or apply for a mortgage at your friendly community bank or credit union.
By Staying Local you help build strong neighborhoods by sustaining communities, linking neighbors, and by contributing more to local causes.

*Your dollars spent in locally-owned businesses have three times the impact on your community as dollars spent at national chains. When shopping locally, you simultaneously create jobs, fund more city services through sales tax, invest in neighborhood improvement and promote community development.

With so many Big Boxes going up all over the place, we know how hard it can be… the convenience factor alone is so much to think about, but whenever possible, think about the Long term Effect.
Stay Local! For creating a strong economy based on locally owned and operated businesses in West Seattle. We encourage consumers to shop locally and help independent businesses compete more effectively.

Northwest Native plants- West Seattle

Northwest Native plants- West Seattle

http://www.villagegreenperennialnursery.com/index.shtml

We have the Largest selection of Northwest Native plants!

Native plant list

Trilliums
shooting star
columbine
vanilla leaf
mianthemum
bunchberry
vancouveria
camas
coastal strawberry
iris tenax
blue eyed grass
bleeding heart
asters
penstemon
false solomons seal
tiger lily

FERNS
deer fern
tassel fern
lady fern
sword fern

SHRUBS
snowberry
dogwood
goose berry
indian plum
mock orange
oceanspray
evergreen huckleberry
serviceberry
hardhack
myrica
honeysuckle- L. ciliosa (vine)
red huckleberry
ninebark
mahonia-oregon grape
red flowering currant
kinnikinnik
salal
hazel

TREES
shore pine
cascara
vine maple
fir
W red cedar

Hummingbird plants

Who wants to feed the hummingbirds all summer long? Plant some perennials they LOVE to visit- crocosmia, bee balm, salvias, Daylilies, fuschia, hostas, mints, penstemons,

campanula

False Indigo

Phlomis

Fragrant Honeysuckle