Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 8, Issue 5, May 2004

Copyright 2004 Seattle Sun. Please feel free to use the article below in your research. Be sure to cite the Seattle Sun as your source.

Wallingford Garden Spot:

for gardeners with spring fever

By JAMES BUSH

Did you enjoy last summer's record heat and last winter's impressive snowstorm?

Your plants didn't.

It's been a busy spring at the Wallingford Garden Spot, says co-owner Marian Jarosz, as gardeners have been arriving to replace plants that failed to survive the one-two punch of a summer drought and an unusually sharp winter cold snap.

Gardeners seem to be in a decorative mood as well: Among the big sellers this season have been plants and shrubs with unusual foliage colors.

Jarosz and husband, John, purchased the Garden Spot in 1998 from original owner, Marcy Plattner. Credit good timing, she says. They were considering opening their own garden center when they discovered that the established business on the ground floor of the Wallingford Center was for sale.

It was a natural transition for the couple. "My husband and I used to restore houses," Jarosz says, "and [restoring] the garden was a part of the work we did."

Purchasing an existing business also solved one of the major problems they faced: finding a store location on a well-traveled street with both indoor and outdoor space.

The Wallingford Garden Spot's business is divided into quarters, says Jarosz. The first is the cut flower business, followed by plants, gardening supplies, and gift items. It's a good mix, she says.

"Between the location and the diversity of what we sell, there aren't extremely slow periods that most retail has," Jarosz says. "We're spread around the year pretty well."

The store has developed a cadre of loyal customers over the years, she says. "We have regulars that come from West Seattle, Tukwila, Edmonds, Shoreline."

In addition to plants and cut flowers, the store offers garden hardscape (statuary, birdbaths), organic seeds and fertilizers, bird feeders and birdseed, plus a selection of garden tools.

Keeping on top of such a diverse inventory can be challenging, Jarosz admits. "The store is always evolving," she says. "The marketplace changes its desires and interests, the competition makes categories harder. And the neighborhood changes: You have to change with the neighborhood."

The store doesn't carry chemical fertilizers ("We steer clear of the nasty stuff," she says) or plants which are classified as "invasive" by the Native Plant Society (with hedera, or English ivy, at the top of the list).

"We've got a climate that's incredible in Seattle for growing a diversity of plants," says Jarosz. But, that can be a disadvantage in stemming the growth of fast-growing invasives, which can crowd out native plants.

Among the better alternatives to invasive ground covers such as ivy are Vinca Minor (for shady areas) and thyme, she notes.

Asked what we might find in her own home garden, Jarosz says she has a nice selection of ornamental flowers and plants. "I don't have enough time for a veggie garden," she says.

The time crunch also keeps Jarosz planted at the store during this season. Although she sells tickets for the Wallingford Garden Tour and helps promote the event, she's never had the time to participate herself. But, she recommends you give it a try.

"There are a lot of good gardeners in Wallingford," she says.

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The Wallingford Garden Spot is located at Wallingford Center, 1815 N. 45th St. For more information, call the store at 547-5137.