Join us at Van Winden’s for a FUN Dahlia Show & Competition on Saturday, August 23rd. Community members are invited to bring their own dahlias (up to 2 per category) to enter into a fun competition. If you’re not growing dahlias this summer then come by and get inspiration for next year’s garden!

This year the Napa County Master Gardeners will be tabling, and Master Gardener Bob-the-Gopher-Man will be teaching his favorite ways to keep his dahlias and other plants safe from gophers!

Competition categories this year include:

• Best Dinnerplate - any bloom that is +8inches in diameter

• Best Cactus/Lacinated - pointed petals

• Best Collarette/Mignon Single/Novelty/Orchid

• Best Ball/Pompon - fully double flowers, rounded or ball shaped

• Best Formal Decorative - petals all facing the same direction

• Best Informal Decorative - petals curved

Cut Flower Tips
It’s best to cut dahlias early in the day or else very late in the evening/after watering because they are usually best hydrated at these times. Warm water is key. If you're looking to maximize a dahlia's relatively short vase life, use warm or hot tap water in their vase after you first cut them. Dropping dahlias in a vase of hot water and letting it cool to room temperature and keeping them in a cool spot out of direct sunlight can extend their vase life and you may get a full 7 days of enjoyment from your blooms.

On event day, staff will place blooms into their appropriate category. A vase and water will be provided for you. A single bloom entry will be allowed per vase. If you’re intent on winning, be sure to include leaves on your single bloom which will help showcase the flower. Choose a flower that does not have any brown or damaged petals on it. Cut a long stem so that the flower stays secure in its vase, so +8” long is ideal.

Dahlia Show drop off begins at 9am and voting begins at 11am on Saturday, August 23rd. Winners will be announced at 3pm on Saturday.

The blooms from the show will be free to the public at 4:00pm on Saturday so bring a container if you would like to take some home.

Come taste a wide array of citrus such as mandarins, limes, oranges, grapefruit and everything in between! Come by and meet the citrus experts from Generation Growers in our Glass House. We will have lots of varieties of citrus for you to see and sample… plus citrus-related food items for you to try. Roger from Generation Growers will be ready for your questions about everything citrus!

Van Winden’s Spring Veggie Class is BACK! If you have questions about growing veggies this spring/summer then this class is sure to be worth your time.

Learn about spring veggie varieties, bed prep, succession planting, companion planting, fertilizing, common pests, and so much more!

This class is being taught by David and Aileen.

David Shubin, the seed buyer at Van Winden’s, is a man who grew 50 pounds of veggies a month last spring in only 12 square feet of garden space! He loves finding creative solutions to garden problems and is a veritable cornucopia of gardening information.

Aileen Carroll has a 600 square foot veggie garden packed with seasonal vegetables and their companion plants. She makes use of her vertical spaces to grow even more and gets a thrill out of eating meals with veggies all grown in the backyard.

There is a class fee of $10 and pre-registration is required. Please visit the store or call 707-255-8400 to sign up.

Spring Veggie Class
Sunday, February 23rd 2025
2pm, class should last about 1.5 hours

Bring your orchids and get them repotted by the Napa Valley Orchid Society! On Sunday, February 2nd from 1pm-3pm, bring your orchids to Van Winden’s Garden Center and chat with the orchid-growing experts from NVOS. Learn about how to care for your orchid and what you need to do to keep it blooming.

NVOS asks that your orchid is no bigger than an 8inch pot. This event is FREE but the NVOS will be accepting donations. Please RSVP by texting 707-339-3279

If you would like to learn HOW to prune a fruit tree that has gotten TOO BIG or rehab a SAD fruit tree then this is the class for you! Aileen Carroll and David Shubin will be going over the three ways you can approach reducing an overgrown fruit tree. Learn what tools are best for the job as well as what time of year and what weather is ideal for pruning your fruit trees.

This class will also cover common rehabbing projects that fix issues like peeling bark, bug infestation, fungus, disease, environmental stressors, nutrient deficiency, and more!

Sunday, January 19th at 2pm
Rejuvenating Overgrown Fruit Trees
with Aileen Carroll and David Shubin

Please pre-register by visiting or calling (707) 255-8400
Class fee: $10

If you are planting bare root fruit trees this winter, or have a very small tree that needs pruning, then the January 18th class “Fruit Trees For Small Spaces” may be best for you.

If you’re hoping to grow thriving fruit trees, but only have a small amount of space to do it, THEN THIS IS THE CLASS FOR YOU! Learn how to prune your fruit trees to keep them small, grow fruit trees in containers, and plant multiple fruit trees in the space that you would usually allot for just one tree!

Ed Laivo has over 45 years of experience in the fruit tree industry and has invented the nationally recognized “Backyard Orchard Culture” method of high density pruning and planting of fruit trees. Ed got his start here in Napa and has worked with Dave Wilson Nursery, Four Winds Growers, and Burchell Nurseries! His YouTube channel Ed Able Solutions tours around the orchards of California taste-testing fruit varieties “for your consideration” … and more!

Please pre-register by calling (707) 255-8400 or visiting the store. Class costs $10

Come learn how to prune your roses with local celebrity and pruning enthusiast, Gary Sampson. Learn the ins-and-outs of rose-care and maintenance as well as tips for year-round upkeep.

• Types of roses

• Tools for the job

• Pruning bushes / trees / climbers

• Diseases and mitigation

• Fertilizers

There will be a live pruning demo. Bring your questions!

All levels are welcome. Please pre-register by visiting us or calling (707) 255-8400 to reserve your seat. Class fee $10.

Sam Myhrewill be going over the things you need to know to grow most common houseplants. Walk away understanding light, water, and soil needs.

This class is $10 and SPACE IS LIMITED! Please preregister by calling 707-255-8400. This class is will be held in the Van Winden’s glasshouse.

See Sam on YouTube!

Join us for holiday cheer among the dazzling holiday décor. On Saturday we’ll have cider and refreshments. Enjoy the holiday shopping throughout!

Saturday Nov. 16th 9:00am - 5:00pm
refreshments served 10am-3pm

Look for in-store specials!!!

Van Winden’s Spring Veggie Class is BACK! If you have questions about growing veggies this spring/summer then this class is sure to be worth your time.

Learn about veggie varieties, bed prep, succession planting, companion planting, fertilizing, common pests, and so much more!

This class is being taught by David and Aileen.

David Shubin, the seed buyer at Van Winden’s, is a man who grew 50 pounds of veggies a month last spring in only 12 square feet of garden space! He loves finding creative solutions to garden problems and is a veritable cornucopia of gardening information.

Aileen Carroll has a 600 square foot veggie garden packed with seasonal vegetables and their companion plants. She makes use of her vertical spaces to grow even more and gets a thrill out of eating meals with veggies all grown in the backyard.

There is a class fee of $10 and pre-registration is strongly advised. Class participants will receive a $10 Van Winden’s coupon. Please visit the store or call 707-255-8400 to sign up.

Spring Veggie Class
Sunday, March 3rd 2024
10:30am, class should last about 1.5 hours

Come taste a wide array of citrus such as mandarins, limes, oranges, grapefruit and everything in between! Come by and meet the citrus experts from Generation Growers in our Glass House. We will have lots of varieties of citrus for you to see and sample plus citrus-related food items for you to try. Rodger from Generation Growers will be ready for your questions about everything citrus!

Van Winden’s Camellia Show is back after a long hiatus! Bring in flowers to show and share from 9am-11am. Come and see the beautiful blooms and get your camellia questions answered from 10am-3pm. This event is free of charge.

Wheelchair accessible and drop off zone for those who can't walk far. See blooms from all over the Napa Valley!

Felco will have a table! The first 12 lucky people to visit will get their Felcos serviced by a Felco representative. All are invited to learn how or get fitted for the right Felco pruner for their hand size.

Our Water Our World will have a table. Learn how to fight pests and disease with less toxic products and techniques.

The Camellias Show falls on the 71st Anniversary of Van Winden’s Garden Center. Back in 1953 our very first sale was a camellia shrub so we certainly hold camellias in a special place in our hearts around here.

On Sunday, February 4th at 10:30am Ed Laivo will be at Van Winden’s Garden Center teaching a class all about Growing Berries & Grapes! We are honored that Ed will be joining as as he is a famous fixture in the field of edible landscaping.

Ed will be talking about growing blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and grapes. He’ll cover a little botany, a little history, general care, and go over the best varieties to grow!

Ed Laivo is an edible landscaping specialist, with a focus on small space gardening. He has DECADES of experience and is absolutely the person you want to talk to if you’re growing berries or grapes in your garden. His enthusiasm for edible gardening is all over YouTube and you can see his collection of blueberries in this video.

Class Info
Growing Berries & Grapes
Sunday, February 4th at 10:30am in the Van Winden’s glasshouse
Class fee $10. Please preregister by calling 707-255-8400 or visit the store. Class size is limited! Bring your questions and pictures of your problems.

Come learn how to prune your fruit trees with local celebrity and pruning enthusiast, Gary Sampson. Learn the ins-and-outs of fruit care and maintenance as well as tips for year-round upkeep. There will be a live pruning demo at our growing grounds after the class, if weather permits! Come with your questions.

All levels are welcome. Please pre-register by calling or visiting the Garden Center.

Van Winden’s Garden Center
1805 Pueblo Ave Napa, CA
707-255-8400
January 20th 10am-12pm $10 class fee

Come by and meet the citrus experts from Generation Growers in our Glass House. We will have lots of varieties of citrus for you to see and sample. Taste many types of mandarins, oranges, lemons, and more! The pros from Generation Growers will be ready for your questions about everything citrus!