Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Rhododendrons Drink of Choice: Coffee

I read lots of nursery and gardening publications and I’m always keeping an eye out for items that might be of interest to Random Acts of Gardening readers. I came across “Tips for Beginners” in the 2011 winter edition of the Journal American Rhododendron Society and wanted to pass it along.

I know some designers and garden writers scoff at Rhododendrons: Been there, done that! I wholeheartedly disagree. They provide structure, and in some cases some really great looking leaves, year round. And I look forward to their long-lasting blooms. Admittedly, I am struggling with root weevils in one area of my garden and something that looks gray and fuzzy on the underside of leaves on a few rhodys; but on the whole, they are easy plants to grow. So here’s what Noni Godfrey Courtenay from British Columbia, Canada, has to say about making Rhodys easy for beginners. Apparently, people in Portland and Seattle aren’t the only ones that enjoy their coffee...

Coffee Grounds & Fish Compost for Rhodos

Rhodos use a lot of energy when blooming and then immediately begin producing new growth for the following year’s bloom. So it’s no surprise that many rhodos show signs of yellowing leaves at this time. A malnourished plant is not only unattractive, it’s also susceptible to pests and diseases.

Easy ways to treat—better yet, prevent—this problem is to fertilize rhodos twice yearly: immediately after blooming ends and again in early summer. A controlled-release organic fertilizer is best since these plants are shallow-rooted and a high powered chemical fertilizer can easily burn the roots, perhaps even killing the plant.

Rhodos must have acidic soil in order to access and absorb nutrients, so if your rhodo is in sweet soil, feeding it will be a waste of time and fertilizer. Here is an easy way to mulch, acidify the soil, recycle your coffee grounds and nourish your rhodo, azalea or camellia.

Recipe for Rhododendron Mulch

8 quart bag of fish compost, such as “sea soil”
1 cup organic all-purpose fertilizer
¼ cup Epsom salts
8 cups used coffee grounds


Blend all ingredients and apply a 2” layer to the drip line twice a year, in early spring and early fall.

I wonder what Barney, my adorable golden retriever, will do with the fish compost! The rest of it sounds easy and economical. You can often pick up free bags of coffee grounds from your local Starbucks.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Groundcover Clematis

Clematis texensis 'Princess Diana'.
Photo credit Mon Jardin & Ma Maison
I had the pleasure of seeing Nicholas Staddon, director of the New Plants Team at Monrovia, at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in February. We got to talking about the fact that most gardeners were missing an opportunity by not using clematis as a groundcover in their gardens. I wondered if Linda Beutler, curator of the Rogerson Clematis Collection in Lake Oswego, recommended certain varieties as groundcovers. Here’s her response:

“We, that is the FRCC [Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection] display gardens, are growing hybrid clematis as groundcovers in several places, and they serve the function very well. There are also clematis species that occupy the ground-plane naturally.

In a woodland setting, 'Bells of Emei Shan', brought back from China by Dan Hinkley and subsequently given a cultivar name when agreement could not be reached over its true identity, prefers partial shade, and was found growing over a nurse log with root covered by moss. Great plant to add to a stumpery.

In full sun, say on a rocky bank where there is some, but not too much, supplemental irrigation, the hybrids of Clematis texensis, such as 'Princess Diana' and 'Gravetye Beauty' are great groundcovers, rumbling along and cruising over low mounding shrubs like cistus or manzanitas like speed bumps. They want good drainage, and will create billowing cascades when they're happy. Clematis texensis is found scrambling over river rock in riparian zones, sometimes in the sun and sometimes in partial deciduous shade. It climbs easily, but in the wild often does not.

Most of the Atragene Group (hybrids of Clematis alpina, macropetala, koreana, and their cousins) are natural scramblers, and these too tolerate gravelly soil. Atragene is pronounced at-rah'-jen-knee. Digging pumice into the soil with them seems to meet their drainage needs, and they run along the ground or form a large mat, but will then climb when they meet a vertical challenge. Look for varieties like 'Markham's Pink', 'Bluebird', 'Brunette', 'White Swan', really any of that group. At Sissinghurst Castle, the famous 20th century garden in England, they use Clematis alpina as a ground cover, and use Clematis macropetala in containers, draping down the sides of tall elegant urns which are used as sleeves for the utilitarian pots the clematis are actually planted in. In another month or so, visitors to the Rogerson Clematis Collection at Luscher Farm will be able to see these plants in bloom and growing in an area called 'Via Atragene", where the plants have an option of mounting a Viburnum tinus hedge or meandering along the low rock wall and the base of the hedge.”

Thank you, Linda! The Rogerson Clematis Collection was formed over a long period with an eye to preserving historic clematis as well as the newest. The collection includes plants that are unique or exceptionally rare. At approximately 500 taxa and just under 900 individual plants, it is one of the largest assemblage of clematis in the Western Hemisphere. Approximately 30% of the taxa in the collection are not currently available in the “trade.”

To “bond” with one of the plants in the collection, FRCC started an Adopt-A-Clematis program. It allows “foster parents” to contribute directly to the care and feeding of one particular clematis plant for one year. Click here for more information on the Adopt-A-Clematis program.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Praying Hands Hosta

I can’t get enough hostas in my garden. I also feel that way about Hellebores, Pulmonarias, Epimediums, dwaft conifers, ferns and Japanese Forest Grass. Like the color black, hostas go with just about anything and look good just about anywhere. To help us select excellent varieties, the American Hosta Growers Association established the Hosta of the Year in 1996. Varieties must perform well in all regions of the country and be widely available. I have some of their past selections—Mouse Ears (2008), Sum and Substance (2004), Guacamole (2002), June (2001) and Paul’s Glory (1999)—and love them more each year as their clumps grow in size. [As an aside, unless the size of the plant is getting unmanageable or they are begging to be shared with a friend, I can’t image why anyone would divide their hostas. Their impact in the garden just gets better as they get bigger.]

A few hostas to choose from.
Photo courtesy of Sebright Gardens.

This year’s Hosta of the Year is ‘Praying Hands’, has an upright form with tightly folded dark green leaves with a narrow gold margins that resemble hands folded in prayer. In the words of Tony Avent, Plant Delights Nursery, “Hosta 'Praying Hands' is the most un-hosta looking hosta to ever hit the market.” Seems it was introduced by Jerry Williams in 1996. It grows 14-18 inches tall. Late-summer flowers are shades of purple and attract hummingbirds. It’s hardy from USDA Zones 3-8 or 9 and will grow in part to dappled shade.

Photo Credit: Bowdenhostas.com
Most garden centers offer good selections of hostas and I suspect ‘Praying Hands’ will be on their shelves this year. Or visit Sebright Gardens north of Salem, Ore. They have an extensive selection in their catalog (you can download a copy of it from their Web site), in their shade house and in their display gardens. They also offer an extensive selection of hosta companion plants—many of the plants I can’t get enough of—so it’s worth a visit. The nursery opens again in April.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Unexpected Signs of Life

Last year I bought a cute little larch (Larix kaempferi ‘Wolterdingen’) from Oregon Small Trees, because it was, well, cute. It was one of those irresistible conifers to which I often succumb. The little larch was in full needle when I got it: compact and fluffy. Here’s how Iseli Nursery describes it (click on this link to see a photo):

A compact, spreading Japanese Larch, this attractive plant provides exceptional seasonal interest for tight landscapes and rock gardens. In early spring, soft, new, blue-green needles emerge and continue to decorate the delicate mound through the growing season. In fall, needles change to rich yellow before they fall to show off ornamental, reddish brown branches with scales reminiscent of an armadillo's armor. Discovered in a park in Wolterdingen, Germany in 1970, by G. Horstmann. Upright broad, dwarf, hardy to Zone 2.

It’s those little beads of emerging growth that make the plant so interesting at this time of year. Seems like just a few weeks ago, I was wondering if it had survived the freezing temperatures in its container on my deck. The answer is “heck, yes!”

Monday, March 21, 2011

Peonies Celebrated with First West Coast APS Convention

It’s a big deal! For the first time ever, the American Peony Society (APS) will meet on the west coast. There will be competition flower exhibitions for commercial growers and home gardeners, and if you’re a member of the APS (there’s a $25 fee to join), there will be tours and workshops. The public gets free admission to the flower displays and vendors on Saturday afternoon, May 28, from 1 to 5 p.m., and Sunday, May 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wilsonville Holiday Inn. Peonies will be shipped in from all across the country; it's a real treat to see what the different growers consider their best. For more information, visit http://www.americanpeonysociety.org/.

Many of our wonderful peony nurseries are open to the public. Visit Adelman Peony Gardens in Salem, Brooks Gardens in Brooks, and Brother’s Herbs & Peonies in Wilsonville.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Upcoming Garden Events

Photo: Homescaper Garden Photography
March 11-13, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland – Camillia Display. Enjoy a display of beautiful cut camellias courtesy of the Oregon Camellia Society. A favorite garden plant in china, records show that Chinese have been cultivating camellias for more than 1,000 years. A Discovery Guide will be on hand so that you see all of the camellias in Lan Su’s collection.

March 12, 2pm, Egan Gardens, Salem – Waking Up Your Roses for Spring seminar. Vance will show you how to plant, prune, fertilize, apply insect/disease control and deadhead roses. Free admission.

March 19, 10am-4pm, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland – Annual Spring Plant Sale. Gardeners can find treasures for their collections while supporting Lan Su at the Garden's spring plant sale. Local and specialized nurseries will offer plants of Chinese origin, plants heady in fragrance, plants not found at typical nurseries and plants to remind you of Lan Su. Featured plants include bamboo, peonies, orchids, penjing (bonsai), and fragrant plants like edgeworthia and daphne. The sale will be held in the parking lot to the north of the garden (between NW 2nd & 3rd avenues and Flanders and Glisan streets). Garden art, pottery, bamboo structures, dumplings and refreshments will add to the festivity. Admission to the sale is free and those who purchase plants receive a 2-for-1 Garden admission.

March 26, 2pm, Egan Gardens, Salem – Planting Living Wreaths workshop. Create your own beautiful succulent wreath with help from Misty using her step-by-step procedure. If you prefer doing a small obelisk, that is OK too. The cost of the class is equal to materials used. Please call (503-393-2131 ext. 2) to reserve your spot in the class.

April 1-May 1, early bird pricing for ANLD Behind-the-Scenes Garden Tour, which takes place June 18, 2011, 10am-4pm. Ticket purchases are available online after April 1 and at select locations. Eight gardens designed by landscape designers will be featured on this year’s tour. Visit http://www.anld.com/ beginning April 1 for more garden tour information.

April 2, 8am-4pm, GardenPalooza at Fir Point Farms, 14601 Arndt Rd., Aurora – More than 45 local nurseries and garden vendors. For more information visit http://www.gardenpalooza.com/. Free admission and ample free parking.

April 9-10, 10am-3pm, Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Plant Sale & Garden Festival, Portland EXPO Center. More than 110 specialty plant and garden art vendors, book sales and garden experts.

April 12, 7-8:30pm, Audubon Nature Night, Heron Hall Audubon Society of Portland, 5151 Cornell Rd., Portland – Bees and other pollinators are a fundamental part of our environment. Their work is something that touches us all through the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the landscapes we enjoy—and yet their future is clouded by habitat loss, pesticide use, and introduced diseases. Learn about the fascinating lives of these insects and glean information about how you can care for these vital animals wherever you live. Whether you are an urban gardener, a suburban park manager, a working farmer, or just care about where your food comes from, this evening has something for you. Join Eric Mader, Assistant Pollinator Program Director of the Xerces Society and lead author of the newly released book, Attracting Native Pollinators. Call (503) 292-9453 for questions or to reserve a copy of the book.

April 23, 10am-4pm, Portland Japanese Garden Annual Plant Sale, Portland Japanese Garden – Browse a wide selection of plants native to Asia as well as plants found in Asian gardens. Proceeds from the sale benefit the Garden. Portland-area nurseries will be selling an outstanding selection of conifers, peonies, orchids, camellias, hydrangea, bamboo, bonsai, Japanese maples, azaleas, rhododendrons, and more. The sale will be held in the upper parking/entry area of the Garden.

Continuous Container Magic

I’ve learned a few things already this year about container gardening—or gardening in vessels, as a Northwest Flower & Garden Show speaker put it.

Roanne Robbins talked about Continuous Container Gardens (she wrote a book with the same title). Having struggled with creating containers that look good year round, I wanted to learn the secret to stylish containers that change with the seasons. The answer is simple: change the plants that no longer look good on a seasonal basis. Don’t know why I didn’t think of that. Instead of trying to have a static group of plants look good in every season, I guess I needed permission to plant and modify combinations of perennials, bulbs and annuals to add texture and color around the base of a focal point shrub, tree, or artwork. As new perennials or bulbs are planted in the containers, the old ones can find homes in the garden.

Secondly, I learned from Claudia Groth, a soils expert, Master Gardener and one of the Garden Doctors on KEX 1190, that I need to take a different approach to soils and drainage in my larger containers. I have some very large and deep pots that I filled completely with potting soil (not an inexpensive proposition). Not only are they now immovably heavy, I learned that the soil below the top 18 inches quickly will become compacted. I should have put Packing Pearls or even empty plastic nursery pots—of which I have an abundance—at the bottom. I also learned that it’s better to incorporate gravel or other drainage improving matter throughout the soil mixture rather than layering it at the bottom of the container as I’ve done in the past.
I’ll be taking a fresh look at my containers to improve the health of the soil and beauty of the display. May this is the year I’ll finally have a good-looking container on my front door step!

It’s Never Too Soon for Slug Baiting – Part 2

By Mike Darcy

Although it is not yet spring, I sometimes believe slugs will not be so present this early in the year. Oregon has had a few spells of cold weather beginning in December. As the temperatures dipped into the teens, I hoped the slugs would not be prepared for the cold. That was certainly not the case.


Photo: Mike Darcy
Already there are many signs of slug damage in my garden. Though many plants have not even leafed out or emerged from the soil, quite a few of those that have are already showing telltale signs of damage. When I was asked to write this article by Meta®, the title was originally going to be “Plants that Slugs Just Love to Eat.” As I thought about it, it seemed “Plants Slugs Don’t Like” would be easier to list! For example, I rarely see slug damage on roses. Perhaps slugs do not like crawling around the sharp thorns to get to the leaves? Also, slugs usually do not eat leaves that are rigid, such as holly, and it seems they are not attracted to most conifers.

Certainly though, there are plants that seem to be “slug magnets.” In early spring, primroses are a slug delicacy. As the season progresses, petunias, marigolds, many hostas, dahlias, lilies and leafy vegetable plants succumb. In my own garden last summer, I planted basil in a large pot and within hours I saw slugs climbing up the sides of the container.

To digress for a moment, I always find it interesting that a plant may be poisonous to us, but not to slugs. Brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet) is a good example of this. All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested by humans, yet I have seen slugs crawl up a large plant in my garden to specifically target the flowers.

A key to slug control is using baits early in the season and at the proper time of day. In my garden, I use products with Meta® active ingredient, primarily Corry’s®, in the meal formulation. Sometimes I will use Deadline®, a liquid formulation, to make a protective circle around new transplants. This application forms a barrier between the plant, and hungry slugs. When applying slug bait, I’ve found that I get the best results by applying on damp soil in the early evening. If the soil is dry, I will wet it lightly and then apply the slug bait. It is especially important to bait around new plants in their critical growth stages, so the slugs do not have a chance to start eating and cause damage.

Remember, when using any garden products read the label and follow directions closely.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Best of the Northwest Flower & Garden Show

Friday afternoon through Sunday morning was devoted to leisurely exploring the Northwest Flower & Garden Show display gardens, marketplace and seminars, a nice change from the frenetic pace of working our Yard, Garden & Patio Show (YGP). Have you been to the Seattle show before? This was probably my eighth visit and I’m happy to say it was more inspiring than the past few years. The gardens are much more fanciful than what you see at YGP and there were only a few where guests are able to actually wander into the gardens, which is one of the great things about the YGP showcase gardens.

My favorite was a contemporary-style garden anchored by a glass globe “floating” in a rectangular pond. The garden was titled “Wrinkle in Time” and was designed by Karen Stefonick Design and built by Brent Bissell General Contractors, LLC. The sphere fountain was created by Allison Armour. I want one—it would fit in beautifully with all the ceramic and glass spheres I seem to be collecting for my garden and home—but someone told me this small one was several (5?) thousand dollars. I also loved this small garden vignette by Pamela Richards Garden Design at the entrance to the show.

The Japanese Garden presented by The Washington Park Arboretum and created by designers Roger Williams, Phil Wood and Bob Lilly was inspiring. Japanese gardens are always artful and this small garden was no exception. The use of mondo grass as water and the use of stone were mesmerizing and calming at the same time.


My favorite idea from the show was using a repurposed gutter for planting vegetables, a great way to garden “up” (I saw a photo in one of the seminars). Repurposed items appeared throughout the show and its exhibitor booths. There are some very creative people in this world! Note the auger fountain and clever and decorative gabions. Using windows for cold frames, arbors and potting sheds seem to be the most popular repurposed item. And there was even a clever water feature using a gutter (?) and steel drum (?).



Two other ideas worthy of note: a steel panel punched with a tree design and two beech trees (Fagus sylvatica ‘Dawyck Purple’ to be exact) tied together to create a gothic arch, one of my favorite shapes.


There was a lot of white throughout the display gardens this year with smaller punches of bright color (the exception was the Alice in Wonderland garden that exploded with red). My favorite plant in the place was Choisya ternatai ‘Aztec Pearl’ (Mexican Orange), which was white and had the loveliest fragrance. I guess it’s been around for awhile but hasn’t gotten on my plant rador screen before. It’s hardy to only Zone 8 but would be worth pampering to have it around.

We’d love to hear what you enjoyed most at this year’s garden shows.

Pruning

Spring is almost here and some trees and shrubs are starting to push new growth here in the Northwest. I’m itching to get my hydrangeas and roses pruned, thin out the branches of my Japanese maples to show off the shape of the trees and give the garden its spring cleanup. Random Acts of Gardening co-blogger Whitney Rideout (you know her as Gardennia nutii) shared this excellent information on tree pruning. Please heed the warning from the last bullet point: Don’t take on the pruning of a large tree if it is beyond your skill. Pruning large trees is dangerous work. Instead of making it a DIY project, please consider hiring a licensed arborist. Here are a few OAN members that offer arbor services: Collier Arbor Care, Home Grown Gardens, Landservices Inc., Secret Garden Growers, and The Pacific Resources Group of Lake Oswego.

For more information about tree pruning, check out the Arbor Day Foundation’s young shade tree pruning resources.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Tool Sharpening Party!

Photo: http://www.dannylipford.com/how-to-clean-sharpen-and-maintain-garden-tools
Kate Bryant says: Clean, sharp tools make gardening safer, better for your plants and much more fun. A sharp shovel melts through clods of dirt like butter, and branches can be cut cleanly and with minimal effort with freshly-sharpened blades. Ever seen a tree that's been pruned with a dull pair of clippers? It's not pretty. Plus, knowing how to sharpen your tools raises your garden-stud status by at least 25.

Sign up today to join Kate Bryant, garden writer/blogger for Portland Monthly, and Ann Murphy, Director of Marketing and garden blogger for the Oregon Association of Nurseries at 10am on Saturday, March 12 at Livingscape Nursery. The gals from Independence Gardens will show us how to sharpen our garden tools just in time for spring gardening. So bring your trowels, clippers, pruners and other small hand tools that need a tune up. (Just wash off all the dirt with a hose and wire brush first so we don't get our lovely hosts' shop too dirty!) If you have a Speedy Sharp Sharpener or other sharpening implement, bring it (and bring gloves, too). We'll learn the techniques first (including materials needed), then have a chance to sharpen our tools.


SATURDAY MARCH 12
10am - Noon
Livingscape Nursery – In the basement at 3926 N. Vancouver Avenue (between Shaver and Fremont), 503.248.0104

Thursday, March 3, 2011

A Winning Container Combination

Lake Oswego’s Magnolia Manor, perhaps Oregon’s newest retail garden center (they call themselves a boutique nursery), has great taste! Karen Schwartz, their on-staff landscape designer, created this beautiful “first place” display for the 2011 Yard, Garden & Patio Show’s Container Contest. The natural containers complement the plant selection and grouping containers creates a lush effect. Karen was kind enough to share the “recipe” with us. I’m guessing you can find each of the plants at Magnolia Manor. [* indicates the plant is a Pacific Northwest native.]

Cornus sericea, Red Osier Dogwood*
Tsuga heterophylla, Western Hemlock*
Polystichum munitum, Western Sword Fern*
Dryopteris erythrosora - Autumn Fern
Helleborus orientalis - Lenten Rose
Erica arborea 'Estrella Gold' - Tree Heath
Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance' - Japanese Sedge
Mahonia repens - Creeping Oregon Grape*
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi – Kinnikinnick*

If you happened to be at the Yard, Garden & Patio Show, Karen designed the popular Incredible Edible Garden, too!