Laurelhurst Landscape Makeover

Information and photos provided by Lisa Meddin, Harmony Design Northwest The client knew what she wanted. A recent transplant to Portland, she was ready to transform the front, back and side yards of her new home in Laurelhurst into a lively landscape that accomplished three objectives: 1. Create a landscape with curb appeal as charming as their Craftsman Bungalow 2. Transform the backyard into an outdoor living space for a growing family and entertaining friends 3. Incorporate raised vegetable beds, fruit trees, and blueberry bushes into the design The collaborative design process included the client, Lisa Meddin of Harmony Design Northwest, and Landscape East & West's design and sales associate Christin Bryk. The result in front was an asymmetrical, four-foot wide walkway that lends visual interest and provides easy access to the front door from the sidewalk and driveway. The small size and slope of the backyard required creative design choices. The solution was a curved cultured stone patio wrapping from the back of the house to the side of the garage. A low retaining seat wall was added on one end and a deck leading from the house to the patio was added on the other side. The deck and patio offer three distinct seating areas to accommodate a large gathering or intimate groups. Reducing turf to a small "island" in the middle of the yard, allowed three raised beds, a composter and blueberry bushes to be incorporated into the back yard. The client followed the designers' suggestion to hang Woolly Pockets (modular planting containers made from 100% recycled materials) on the fence to increase growing space in a whimsical, child-friendly way. To maximize the use of every square inch of space, a narrow strip along the driveway was planted with raspberries and columnar apples.

Enter to Win – 2nd Annual Farwest Show Tour

The Farwest Show, one of the nursery industry’s largest wholesale trade shows (and the largest show held at the Oregon Convention Center), is fast approaching. For the second time, we’d like to give Random Acts of Gardening readers an opportunity to meet some of Oregon’s finest wholesale growers. This year, the emphasis is on conifers. The Oregon Association of Nurseries, the producers of the trade show, declared this the “Year of the Conifer” because we believe conifers are underutilized in the landscape and Oregon is the largest growers of grafted conifers in the U.S.

You’ll be escorted to the conifer display and its 100 different conifers where you’ll meet Richard Bitner, author of Designing with Conifers (2010, Timber Press). He’ll point out some outstanding varieties that he thinks are particularly useful in the landscape. We’ll have a drawing for a signed copy of his book. We’ll also take in the New Varieties Showcase, where 51 new plants will be displayed and you’ll be encouraged to vote for your favorite. You’ll have the opportunity to listen to a representative from Iseli Nursery talk about Conifer Chameleons: Choosing Conifers with Seasonal Interest. And you’ll be introduced to several exceptional conifer growers.

When: Saturday, August 27, 12:30-2pm (you’re welcome to walk the show, which closes at 4pm, after the tour wraps up)

Where: Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Blvd., Portland (meet outside the Farwest Show Office, RmC120, near the dragon boat entrance to the exhibition hall)

Thank you for your interest! Space for this tour was limited and we have already reached capacity.

Gardening Events & Classes

Events

August 12-14, store hours – Oregon Fuchsia Society Sale, Portland Nursery (Stark Street, Portland)—The Oregon Fuchsia Society Sale will hold its annual plant sale at Portland Nursery on Stark.

August 13, 6-9pm – Twilight in the Garden, Joy Creek Nursery (Scappoose)—As the sun goes down, gardens take on a transformation. Enjoy the display gardens of Joy Creek and watch the changes in light as the sun sets. Music and light refreshments. Free event, all welcome.

August 14 – Dog Day in the Summer: An Event Just For Dogs, Joy Creek Nursery (Scappoose)—They have always welcomed dogs at the nursery, but this is the first time they've had a day just for them. Join a round-table to discuss ideas for planting and design with dogs in mind. Bring your problems and ideas to share. In addition, they're planning some games and contests for dogs and their owners. Bring a donation of pet food for the Columbia County Humane Society and come ready for fun.

August 20-21, store hours – Greater Portland Iris Society Sale, Portland Nursery (Stark Street, Portland)—The Greater Portland Iris Society will hold its annual plant sale.

August 20, 11am-4pm – Green on Green Garden Tour (Portland)—A benefit for the Portland Reading Foundation. Six Portland SE private gardens are showcased on this tour. Included are the Wright garden where one of the owners is a horticulturists with Portland Parks and Recreation, the well known garden of Lucy Hardiman, the garden of Sandra Adams who works at Portland Nursery and creates the wonderful display garden along Stark St., and the garden of Liz Stepp which incorporates pebble mosaics, dry stacked walls and raised vegetable beds. Tickets: $20 are available online and at Portland Nursery (both locations, 5050 SE Stark and 9000 SE Division), Garden Fever (3433 NE 24th), Oxalis (1824 NW 24th), and Market of Choice (8502 SW Terwilliger Blvd).

August 25, 5-9pm - Al's Ladies Night Out, Al's Garden Center (Sherwood)—Indulge in an evening of fun, food and friends at Al's Ladies Night Out. Enjoy delicious food and wine for sale; listen to the summer sounds of Sambafeat quartet from 6-8pm; enter to win sizzling prizes; sample delicious gourmet food products; see cooking demonstrations using fresh herbs and products; experience a relaxing Wellspring mini-spa massage ($6 for 10 minutes, $10 for 15 minutes); and get a preview of fall fashion as models stroll through the store in fresh fall styles from Habitat, Abbie Mags and Two Dog Island. Registration is required. Register online before 5pm Tuesday, August 23, or call 503-726-1162. There is no admission charge to attend the event.

August 27, 5-8pm - An Evening with Mike Darcy and Kym Pokorny, Farmington Gardens (Beaverton)—Mike and Kym will show some of their favorite gardens and plants. Enjoy food and drink, prizes and silent auction. Tickets: $25; order in advance 503-645-6401. A benefit for the Beaverton Chapter of P.E.O.

September 10, 11am-4pm – 9th Annual Tomato Festival, Farmington Gardens (Beaverton)—Sample dozens of varieties of tomatoes to find your favorites, enter our tomato contest, join in the fun in the Kid's Corner. Scheduled activities include: (9am) What to do in the Garden in September; (11am) Tomato Talk – learn which are the best varieties and how to grow them; (2-4pm) Cooking with Chef Dan, from the Oregon Culinary Institute, returns with his favorite seasonal tomato recipes. Samples and recipes included.

September 10-11, 10am-3pm – Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Fall Plant & Art Sale (Portland Expo Center)—One of the largest fall plant sales in the region. Many specialty nurseries, some of which are not open to the public, will be offering plants that often are difficult to find. Garden art for sale by regional artists. Free event, all welcome (fee for parking).

Classes
August 13

• 10am-12:30pm – Concrete Leaf Casting Class, Dancing Oaks Nursery (Monmouth)—Participants will learn how to make their own concrete leaf cast and will go home with their casting. Fee: $35, includes all supplies. Registration required by calling 503-838-6058.
• 1pm – Leaf Casting Class, Bauman Farms (Gervais)—Fee: $30. Registration required.
• 1pm – Plant a Succulent Container, Wild Ginger Farm (Beavercreek)—Create a succulent garden in a container. Bring your own trough or other container or purchase one. Fee: $15, includes potting mix, accent rocks, and three plants. Registration required by calling 503-632-2338.
• 1pm – Ornamental Grasses, Portland Nursery (Start Street, Portland)—There's nothing that approaches grasses for grace in the garden. Tall or short, evergreen or deciduous, they can offer structure, color and movement to your design. Abigail Pierce, Groundswell Garden Design, will talk about some of the great grasses available to gardeners for different situations, and how to integrate them with your vision. Registration required.
• 2pm. – Drought-Tolerant Plants for Low Water Bills, Egan Gardens (Salem)—Can you say "xerophyte"? Ellen will tell you about types of plants and growing techniques to reduce worry and water both.

August 14

• 1pm – Trouble Shooting in the Veggie Garden, Portland Nursery (Stark Street, Portland)—The veggie garden in summer is a celebration of your work invested –but who invited those bugs to the buffet? How come that squash is flowering but doesn't seem to be setting fruit? What's the best way to control powdery mildew? Jolie will help with tips on diagnosing and safely treating those little problems that come up. Registration required.
• 10:30am-12:30pm – Red Ridge Walking Tour, Red Ridge Farms (Dayton)—Join owner, Paul Durant, for a walking tour through the picturesque and unique setting of Red Ridge Farm. This is an opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look at their vineyards, olive grove and state of the art olive mill. The tour will include private wine and olive oil tastings, a picnic luncheon, and an opportunity to ask Paul questions about the property, wine, and oil. Fee: $30 per person. Call for reservations (503.864.8502).

August 20 - National Honey Bee Day!

• 10am - Pondless Urns & Bubbling Rocks, Hughes Water Gardens (Wilsonville)—Design and construction techniques for these popular garden accent features.
• 11am – Fall Edible Gardening, Garland Nursery (Corvallis)—It's easy to forget that there is still a great growing season in the fall. You'll discover the best vegetables to grow into the fall and when to harvest them.
• 11am – Basic Summer Bonsai Care, Tsugawa Nursery (Woodland, Wash.)—Learn to careyou're your Bonsai during the summer months by providing sun protection and watering and fertilizing them for optimum health. Gregor is also excited to share some of his "weirder" bonsai, for those interested in the unique and unusual. Registration required.
• 1pm – Finding Health Through Honeybees, Portland Nursery (Stark Street, Portland)—The
  humble honeybee is not just a pollinating powerhouse, but the source of a wealth of beneficial substances. Discover the health benefits and uses of raw honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, and bee venom. Free tasting! Registration required.
• 1pm – Soil Prep 101, Garland Nursery (Corvallis)—With a little bit of work now, you can reap big rewards in the early spring. Learn to prepare your soil to ensure optimal health for spring gardens.

August 21

• 1pm – Learn to Love Honeybees, Portland Nursery (Stark Street, Portland)—Brian Lacy of Livehoneybees.com, will help you understand and love these gentle, misunderstood and mistreated insects. Journey with Brian on a flight visiting the history, mythology, biology and "let's save them" info about bees that will inspire you to love and help bees! Lots of opportunity for Q & A. Registration required.
• 1pm – Crocosmias and Other Summer Bloomers, Joy Creek Nursery (Scappoose)—Meet Meet some of the newer and less familiar Crocosmia cultivars from Sue Milliken and Kelly Dodson's extensive collection as well as other perennials of summer interest. Their focus will be on plants that are uncommon. Some will be downright rare but all (well, mostly anyway) are very growable in Northwest gardens. The workshop is rated PG for Plant Geek.

August 23

• 5:30-8pm – Floral Arranging from the Backyard, The Garden Corner (Tualatin)—Learn to look at your garden through different eyes! Francoise Weeks, an amazing floral designer specializing in European floral design, will spend the evening demonstrating how to create a gorgeous and stunning arrangement from the everyday flowers and foliage in your own backyard. She will show you how to recognize and showcase the beauty of nature in its charming simplicity. This is one of those fun opportunities where after you learn from the master, you will then have the opportunity to create your own masterpiece! Fee: $35, covers materials.

August 27

• 10am – Building Ponds & Waterfalls, Hughes Water Gardens (Wilsonville)—Learn how to design and construct natural rock water features using flexible liner.
• 11am - Pond Construction, Tsugawa Nursery (Woodland, Wash.)—If you are thinking about adding a pond to your landscape or improving an existing water feature this class is for you. Doug King, Tsugawa's certified pond specialist, will walk you through the process from conception to completion, explaining the nuts and bolts of pond construction and the design elements that will enhance your landscape. This should be an informative and entertaining class for all levels of garden enthusiasts. Registration required.
• 1pm – Taking it Vertical: Living Walls, Portland Nursery (Stark Street, Portland)—Curious about living walls? Bring some of those beautiful plants to eye level. Anne Taylor, Living Elements Landscape, has been designing, building, and installing living walls for three years. She will talk about different wall systems, choosing the right plants, and siting and maintaining your wall. Registration required.

August 27-28

• 10am-4pm – Surface Design: Eco Printing with Plants from an Oregon Summer, Dancing Oaks (Monmouth)—If you love plants and fabric, this is the class for you. Explore the windfall bounty of Dancing Oaks Nursery picking up leaves and petals that can magically transfer their images onto fabric and even paper. The process doesn't happen instantaneously so you have to wait for the second day of class to see how each different plant works its magic. But it is definitely worth it! In addition, you will use plant material to make natural dye baths that will color and make patterns on fabric using some simple shibori techniques. Students will become familiar with how different leaves, flowers and even bark can color wool and silk. Instructor Ilsa Perse offers this two day workshop with about 12 hours of class time. Fee: $100, plus a $15 materials fee paid directly to the instructor. Limited enrollment of 12. Register by calling 503-838-6058.

August 28

• 1pm – Portable Gardens: Fern Tables and Tiny Shade Gardens, Joy Creek Nursery (Scappoose)—Join Richie Steffen, curator of the Elizabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden, as he demonstrates the principles and techniques for creating unique displays of shade loving plants on table tops and in unusual containers. Richie's naturalistic style uses plants, moss and weathered wood to form a miniature woodland garden perfect for the patio.

September 4

• 1pm – Neglected Beauties: Manzanitas, Joy Creek Nursery (Scappoose)—Manzanitas are often called the ultimate shrub of the West. These evergreen beauties range in size from ground covers to large garden shrubs. With their lovely flush of ericaceous flowers in spring, their often attractive fruit, sinuous branching and attractive bark, Paul Bonine wonders why they are still uncommon in local gardens.

September 10

• 10am – Water Gardening in Containers with Fall & Winter Interest Plants, Hughes Water Gardens (Wilsonville)—Learn to create beautiful small water features with fall and winter interest for your patio or balcony.

September 11

• 2pm – Mums: Our Favorite Fall Flower, Egan Gardens (Salem)—Tips on selecting and growing these traditional autumn plants.
• 1pm – Basics: Path Construction, Joy Creek Nursery (Scappoose)—Does your home site challenge you with changes in elevation? Have you ever wondered how professionals build paths that last for years? Co-owner Mike Smith will show you construction methods and materials used in building paths for Joy Creek Nursery's landscape clients, from the most formal to something casual for a woodland. Construction demonstration will concentrate on building informal stone steps.

Gardening Pleasure

I think we need to find a new word for “working” in the garden. Of course there is the occasional muscle strain involved and perhaps more than a little perspiration, but the benefits to a gardener’s mental and physical health (assuming you don’t fall off a ladder or snip your finger with those new, very sharp clippers) seems more deserving than the equivalent of laboring and toiling in the garden.

Parade offered a happiness quiz and one of the questions was: “You have a little free time. Which activity will bring you the most pleasure? (a) Working in the yard; (b) Tackling home improvements; (c) Catching up on DVR’d TV Shows; or (d) Hitting the mall. The answer: (a). In a University of Rochester study, 90 percent of subjects got a boost in energy and had their outlook brightened by spending time outdoors around trees, grass, and living creatures.“ I suppose instead of saying, “Honey! I’m going to go work in the yard,” we could say, “Honey! I’m going to increase my happiness in the garden!”

What verb do you think best describes actively brightening your outlook in the garden? Please share.

Putting Out the Welcome Mat

Pollinators are in crisis. Because of that, I’m trying to create a more hospitable habitat for pollinators in my garden. In addition to adding sources of water, I’ve added butterfly host plants and significantly increased the number of native plants. I’ve also tried to add plants—natives and ornamentals—that berry or provide seeds for visiting birds. The biggest pollinator attraction right now seems to be the Clerodendrum trichotomum (Harlequin glorybower).

In searching for resources, I came across the Portland Plant List, which is produced by the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. I thought Random Acts of Gardening readers in the Portland area might find it interesting. You’ll find information on plant communities, e.g., the plants you would find naturally in a hemlock/Douglas fir forest, and specifics on native plants, invasive plants and noxious weeds.

The hemlock forest is one of my favorite ecosystems so I found this tidbit from the publication interesting:

In many places you may find a predominance of Douglas fir trees. These are the fastest–growing of the conifers, and tolerate light shade or full sun. Douglas fir seedlings do not grow well in dense shade. A predominance of Douglas fir generally indicates a past fire or clearcut which created a large opening in the forest.

An abundance of shade–tolerant western hemlock or grand fir indicates the forest canopy has been undisturbed for quite some time. Deciduous trees such as cottonwood or ash often indicate frequent disturbance by flood or inundation.

Let us know what plant is doing the best job of attracting pollinators to your garden.