July 27, 2023

In The Midst Of Summer

Author

Holly Stickley

Update First Last in Content -> Business Text -> First Last field

Date

July 27, 2023

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Two people in straw hats standing in a lush garden, facing flowering plants and greenery.

The Garden Detail

Two people by a modern poolside patio, one standing on stepping stones and one near the steps, on a sunny day

We’ve all heard of “auto detailing.” Well…instead of auto, think garden. We are introducing a new concept in landscape maintenance, “The Garden Detail.” For some of us, “mow & blow” just ain’t gonna cut it. 30 minutes of loud mowers and blowers is pure misery for you, and your neighbors. But, just to be clear, mowers and blowers are a necessity, but here at The White Pear we take time for the finer details. Does a 30 minute visit from your neighborhood mow & blow outfit get into all those tiny little nooks and crannies? With “The Garden Detail” we do all the dead-heading, pruning, planting, and irrigation, along with the fine edges and detailing that gives your garden that look of immaculate perfection. Give us a holler and we’ll set up a plan that works for you.

No one has an eye for detail like The White Pear.

“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.”   Ralph Waldo Emerson

Echinacea / Coneflower

Whenever I see echinacea (part of the daisy family), I immediately think back to 1967, “The Summer Of Love,” and remember the small bottle of echinacea in the fridge to stave off a cold or the flu. This is one of Holly’s favorite summertime flowers with its wide variety of beautiful, multi-colored blooms.

Collage of colorful flowers, including pink, red, and orange daisies and a close-up sunflower.

Many of us have planted and cared for echinacea, but for this newsletter I wanted to find something interesting about this plant that you may not have heard about. I decided to visit one of my favorite websites, Wikipedia, typed in echinacea, scrolled down to history, and here’s what I found:

Echinacea angustifolia was widely used by the North American indigenous tribes as folk medicine. It was used for insect bites, burns, wounds, and many tribes chewed the roots to relieve cold symptoms. coughs, headaches, throat infections, toothaches, stomach cramps and as a pain medication. 

Early European settlers took the cue from their Indigenous counter parts and began to use  the plant as a remedy for the common cold. The first official preparation that was put out on the market was by, Meyers Blood Purifier around 1880 and was prescribed for neuralgia, rattlesnake bites and rheumatism. 

By the start of the 20th century, echinacea was the most common herbal remedy in America. Chemists and pharmacologists began identifying potentially active ingredients in the plant. These echinacea extracts helped in the prevention and treatment of colds, influenza, and infection. 

So, the next time you run out of your meds, just run out to your garden and dig up your favorite echinacea, and this should hold you over until the your meds are in.

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Audrey Hepburn

A Spit In The Eye

What happens when a Euphorbia spits in your eye? It hurts like hell! And that’s what happen to our fearless leader, Holly Stickley, owner and founder of The White Pear.  Apparently the milky substance in the Euphorbia is rather toxic and causes horrible pain if spit your eye.

Optometrist testing a patient’s vision with an eye exam machine in a clinic

At first, Holly thought the pain would just go away with time, but it did not, and after some time in the tub trying to rinse her eye out I decided to call the poison-hotline and they recommended that we take a drive to the ER. By the time we reached Emanuel Hospital, Holly could hardly see, so they had to assist with a wheelchair.

The physician’s assistant who was assigned to Holly had only seen two other cases of “spit-in-da-eye,” so it’s not common. After pulling out long, thin strands of the milky white gunk out of her eye, the nurse then ran a saline solution through her eye for about an hour to make sure they had gotten it all. 

The euphorbia is a beautiful plant, but just beware. This is one of Holly’s favorite plants, and this incident was the first time in 25 years of growing euphorbias that she’s been spit on. She recommends using gloves and eye protection when planting and caring for your Euphorbias. Let this be a lesson to us all.

Smiling person in a straw hat carrying potted plants in a field, with a truck in the background

Let us know how things are growing in your garden, if you'd like to expand, replace, or just interested in some brainstorming. We'd love to hear from you! Have a wonderful summer from the team at The White Pear! 

~ Holly Stickley / The White Pear

Newer Post >
Winter village scene with snow-covered houses, trees, and people; text reads “The Winter Season.”

The Winter Season

By Holly Stickley • January 19, 2026
I hope you are enjoying these brisk, sunny winter days, here in the Pacific Northwest. We have a lot of cloudy days, so sunshine always makes me happy🌞!  I’m hoping for a mild winter, but February usually brings us snow down to the lower levels. Check out my 10 Winter Landscaping Tips: 
Canal beside old brick building and chimney; person walking along stone path under a cloudy sky

Hidcote Manor Garden, Cotswolds, England

By Holly Stickley • August 13, 2025
Here is our second mini-video installment from our summer trip to the UK, featuring Hidcote Manor Garden in the Cotswolds, England. Hidcote Manor Garden is a world-famous Arts & Crafts inspired garden, designed by Major Lawrence Johnson, set against the backdrop of the rolling hills of the North Cotswolds countryside.
Person standing by a bench in a lush garden with yellow flowers and a green ivy wall.

Graduation Day St Andrews, Scotland

By Holly Stickley • July 30, 2025
Hello Garden Friends! I hope you’re all having a fabulous summer. I just returned from a garden / graduation trip to the UK, and I’d like to share with you a bit of the Scottish culture with short video of my nephew’s graduation from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. A very special day for my family and our friends.
Two people smiling on a couch outdoors, wearing straw hats and light summer clothes.

Palms In The Northwest

By Holly Stickley • April 24, 2025
If you were wondering if you could grow palm trees in the Pacific Northwest, yes you can! Windmill Palms are a classic palm in the Pacific Northwest. They are cold-hardy to 10 degrees and short drops to zero degrees. Windmill Palms thrive in zones 7 to 11.Their trunk is covered in fur and acts like an insulation to protect the interior from the cold.

Winter In The Wine Country

By Holly Stickley • February 1, 2025
Hello Garden Friends! If any of you are wondering if you can plant in the winter, yes you can! You can plant in the winter, as long as what you’re planting is hardy for your planting zone. When the ground is frozen, what we do at The White Pear is use a pickaxe to break up the soil, dig out the appropriate size planting hole, fill with good blended soil, plant, and mulch with 2-3 inches of compost. Last fall, we had the pleasure of designing a landscape on a hilltop in the Dundee, Dayton wine producing region of Oregon. The 360 degree views were stunning.
Autumn forest path with white script reading “Around for the Fall”

Around For The Fall

By Holly Stickley • September 26, 2024
Installing a garden in the fall offers numerous advantages. Cooler temperatures, less plant stress, and the soil is still warm enough to encourage root growth. Additionally, fall planting allows plants to establish themselves before the heat of summer, leading to healthier, more resilient gardens. And, it’s also just a lovely time to be outdoors in the mild weather. Fall is my husband’s favorite time of the year, but I’m guessing it’s more for football, and not gardening…
Pink and orange flowers with overlaid text reading “Spring is Here”

Spring is Here

By Holly Stickley • February 17, 2024
After months of rain, snow, wind, and ice, early spring is the ideal time to walk your landscape and assess tree health. Broken or damaged branches should be removed for safety and plant vitality, and if you haven’t yet pruned for shape, do it now before foliage fills in. Keep an eye on the forecast, as a late frost can still catch new growth off guard, protect tender buds with mulch, frost cloth, or by bringing potted plants indoors.
Snowy park path with lit trees and benches, overlaid with “Merry Christmas” text

Happy Holidays!

By Holly Stickley • December 6, 2023
Happy Holidays Family & Friends! Well here we are again, one year older, one more trip around the sun, and we’re back into the holiday hubbub, can you believe it? In this last year, our little landscape company had its busiest year ever. We are so grateful to all our many wonderful clients, who we enjoy collaborating with, and who have become a part of The White Pear family. For this winter post, we’ve put together some fun facts about a well known holiday tradition, winter tips for the garden, and one of our favorite holiday dessert recipes.
Sunlit autumn forest with golden leaves carpeting the ground and tall trees glowing in warm light

Fall is Here!

By Holly Stickley • September 27, 2023
It’s the new Flora Grubb Gardens in L.A.! I was thrilled to spend time with Flora, who I’ve been following online for a number of years. Flora showed me around, while my husband Fred shot a video. Check it out. There are many resources available for purchasing tulip bulbs. I like to purchase for myself and for my clients online at Dutch Grown. Spending evenings with my laptop, a glass of prosecco, and drooling over all the choices is my happy place! Many local nurseries also carry bulbs this time of year. However you buy your bulbs, be picky!