Planting the Seeds for Better Mental Health

From GPN Weekly, an online greenhouse trade e-newsletter – Feb. 27, 2012

We’ve always known that gardening is a healthy hobby. Gardeners can get plenty of fresh air and exercise to help maintain their physical health while getting their hands dirty and beautifying their backyards. But gardening is also good for one’s mental health too.

istockphoto

Over the years, scientists have learned that gardening is a relaxing activity that can help calm the nerves. Experts have found that gardening can reduce the amount of cortisol a person has. Cortisol is a hormone that at increased levels will increase a person’s stress.

Now experts are trying to find out if gardening can be used as therapy to actually treat mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder or depression.

According to an article in the Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, a study done last year at a juvenile rehabilitation center in Ohio found that kids in the gardening program had a higher self-esteem and could manage their emotional and behavioral problems better. And most of the kids in the program said they would continue to garden after they left the program.

So spread the word. Let others know that growing healthy plants can help grow healthy minds also!

Plants are More than Just Pretty

California Redwoods

Is it just me, or is awareness of the importance of plants escalating? We now have a movie telling the story of The Lorax and the importance of trees. It’s something young people can embrace (and probably more than a few adults, too). Heaven knows we want to find enjoyable ways for kids to start getting their hands in the soil and engaging with the great outdoors. While in Chicago for a few days of vacation—and before I was aware there was a Lorax movie—I saw a teen girl sporting a large, fake, yellow mustache and wondered, “What the heck?” Now I know. Maybe we’ll see an upsurge in the planting of trees!


We also have some crazy videos arriving on the scene that celebrate the fact that “plants are more than just pretty.” Check out videos of Exhibit A, Exhibit L and Exhibit P. The whole campaign is geared toward helping people understand the value of plants, from stopping crime to cleaning the air. Help spread the word!

O magazine ran a story in the April issue on Poet Laureate W.S. Merwin and his connection to nature. He is replanting the acres around his home and repairing its delicate ecosystem. His story reminded me of one of my all-time favorite books: The Man Who Planted Trees by French author Jean Giono, originally published in 1953. It tells the fictional story of one shepherd's long and successful single-handed effort to re-forest a desolate valley in the foothills of the Alps in Provence. Streams and wildlife return because of his efforts.

And on a somber yet hopeful note, we have a tribute that living things have power beyond words. Potted plants—28,000 of them—were used to commemorate the closing of a mental health facility in Massachusetts. As shared in an online trade publication: “Artist Anna Schuliet took on the commission of creating a memorial to the Massachusetts facility, and she did it by filling every square foot of the empty building with potted flowers. Read the story and see the striking photos here.”

April celebrates Arbor Day and Earth Day. Celebrate plants and the beauty and resilience of our Earth every day!

Favorite (YGP) Things – Part 2

The 2012 Yard, Garden & Patio Show seems like a distant memory, but there were a lot of ideas at the show that I thought worthy of sharing. (Click here to read Part 1.)

In no particular order...

A Great Plant Picks, Nandina domestica ‘Moon Bay’ lit up several displays with its intense orangey-red winter leaves including the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon (HPSO) winter interest display, a fixture at the Yard, Garden & Patio Show.

I was intrigued by these copper panels created by Portland area landscape architect Larry Cavender. I really liked the shape, patina and possibilities.

Landscape designer Paul Taylor created an engaging garden vignette that is easily imagined installed in a home garden. Every year, he finds the work of interesting artists to incorporate into his designs. He outdid himself this year.

Patrick Gracewood’s St. Francis appeared in the last year’s YGP show, but I never tire of it. In fact, I’ve made a not-so-secret wish that one day it will appear in my garden. This year, I found it in landscape designer Pamela Kill’s garden vignette.

I love this little vignette found in the Dennis’ 7 Dees booth (they are the presenting sponsor of the Yard, Garden & Patio Show) with its brightly painted furniture, color palette and mix of plants and hard goods.

Versailles Gardens & Interiors imports pottery from France. These examples, found appropriately enough at the entrance to the French-style showcase garden, beckoned visitors into the garden’s courtyard. The lanterns manage to be sophisticated and rustic at the same time and the color of the glaze adds elegance. I imagine the cutwork design would cast lovely evening shadows...

Also in the French-inspired garden designed and constructed by L Meyer Design and J. P. Stone Contractors, was this table decoration. Charming in its simplicity, picture a convivial gathering of friends and family enjoying a robust meal at the table.

Izzy Baptista, Lapis Lazuli Tile & Garden Design, created the garden’s design and hand-painted these traditional Portuguese tiles based on 16th century designs (she studied with a Portuguese tile master). The garden was constructed by PGM Landscape. Portugal is one of my “bucket list” places to travel. I can imagine myself there already...

The English garden designed and created by Aspen Creek Landscaping, was formal by nature, but they added elements of inspired whimsy. My favorite whimsical touch was artist Michelle Gallagher’s garden-head-with-the-Mona-Lisa-smile as a pillar finial; but then again, I have a bronze raven-with-a-party-hat sculpture next to my front door. It’s a good reminder that gardens shouldn’t take themselves too seriously.

The Zen garden designed by Iftikhar Ahmed, Treeline Designz, and built by Baseline Landscapes incorporated sculpture throughout. This bamboo sculpture and the pale green Buddha created with recycled glass (in the background) were particularly intriguing and helped create the juxtaposition of contemporary style with traditional design elements.

Prunus serrulata 'Snow Goose'

By Ashley Gangle, Pleasant Hill Nursery

In Japan, flowering cherry trees are a source of great national pride. Picnicking under the cherry trees every spring is a tradition called Hanami. If you’ve ever seen a flowering cherry in full bloom it’s easy to understand the cause for celebration. They are absolutely stunning and ‘Snow Goose’ is a prime example of one such stunner. It has a white bloom that lasts for several weeks. The form is upright in the tree’s youth and grows broader at the crown as it matures. If the bloom alone isn’t enough to recommend this tree, the red shiny exfoliating bark is another point in its favor. To top it all off, the autumn color that ranges from orange to deep red just might seal the deal.

Chose a good site for this tree; fast draining and well-aerated soil is ideal. Give it space to grow and show off the beauty of its form. Allow 20 feet for its height and 20 feet for its width. The only pruning required is to remove awkward or crossing branches. This is a fast growing flowering cherry, so plant it this year and in a few years you will have a beautiful tree to sit under and drink tea to celebrate the arrival of spring.

Located in Pleasant Hill near Eugene, Pleasant Hill Nursery is a wholesale nursery that also sells retail. They offer 'Snow Goose' in #15 and #25 pots. Find them on the OAN's online Retail Nursery Guide, at http://www.pleasanthillnursery.com/ or by calling 1-888-373-0318.

Road Trip! Nursery Touring in Eugene

Mary-Kate, a fellow gardener, and I set out to visit a few nurseries around the Eugene area about this time last year. We had such a delightful time and diverse experience, I thought it worthy of sharing with you in the hopes that you will want to hop in your car, fill it with enough friends to make it fun but leaving enough room in the backseat and trunk to allow you to purchase garden and home-related items with abandon. Mary-Kate and I sure did (plus we had Barney, my adorable golden retriever, along to keep things interesting).

First stop – Doak Creek Native Plant Nursery, 83331 Jackson Marlow Rd., Eugene, 541.484.9206, all year by appointment so please call ahead. Owner Cynthia Lafferty grows a wide selection of containerized native trees, shrubs, ferns, ground covers, and wildflowers. It is hidden back up a valley but it’s worth the lovely drive. A native azalea, Erysimum capitatum (Western Wallflower) and some native ferns kept Mary-Kate’s purchases company in the back of the car. While Cynthia was telling us about the nursery and some of her favorite plants, Barney decided to go for a swim in the nursery’s retention pond. Soon after and covered in green duck weed, he raced across the field toward us with a big happy dog grin on his face. Before I knew what was happening, Barney decided the appropriate thing to do was to roll in Cynthia’s tidy pile of potting soil (everything about the nursery is very tidy). My normally well-behaved mellow fellow then found another water feature that needed exploring and emerged with mud up to his doggy elbows. Needless to say, I was mortified and Cynthia was very gracious, letting me use the hose to get him back to his golden self. Harrumph! He stayed in the car at our other destinations.
Second stop – Briggs Hill Orchids Inc., 27936 Briggs Hill Rd., Eugene, 541.431.3886. As I recall, owner Helene Gendel’s love of orchids started when she was given one as a gift from her husband. Now they have a greenhouse filled with exotic and unusual orchids for the discriminating orchid collector and consumer (I’m neither, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the visit). Expert advice, orchid fertilizer, potting media and pots are also available. Mary-Kate and I were mesmerized by the variety of orchids, from tiny ones barely larger than a pin-head to large, colorful, fragrant flowers. Their passion for the plant family was irresistible and several orchids we found irresistible were tucked into the car. Fascinating!
Third and final stop of the day – Down to Earth Home, Garden & Gift, 532 Olive St., Eugene, 541.342.6820. A second, smaller store, which I have yet to visit, is located at 2498 Willamette St. (541.349.0556). Down To Earth specializes in practical goods for natural living, carrying durable home and garden products made from sustainable or recycled materials, such as recycled glassware, stainless steel, wood, bamboo, ceramics, wool, beeswax; books, biodegradable bags, compost pails, cloth bags; and organic plants, seeds, potting soil, fertilizer, pest control, body care, and cleaning supplies. The Olive Street store is beautifully merchandised with many products they manufacture themselves. I found the store to be irresistible—there’s that word again! The selection of seed potatoes alone is worth the trip from Portland to Eugene. Last time I was there, they were showcasing charming miniature gardens. The plants they offer, while limited, are of high quality and not your run-of-the-mill selection. I LOVE THIS STORE!!!
A lovely place to stay about 23 miles south is the Village Green Resort & Gardens, a sister hotel to The Oregon Garden Resort at The Oregon Garden in Silverton.

Mary-Kate and I had another fun nursery adventure in the area more recently, but I’ll tell you about that at another time. Tell us about your best/favorite nursery and garden tours so we can plan our own visit.

Garden Events & Classes

EVENTS

March 8-10 and 15-17, 11 am - 4 pm – Hellebore Open Garden Days, Northwest Garden Nursery (Eugene)—More than 500 new blooming hellebore plants will be for sale—both singles and doubles—in 8-inch, one, two and a few 5 gallon containers. Refreshments will be on hand to warm you up. The beautifully designed garden is open for self-guided tours. Address: 86813 Central Rd, Eugene.

March 9 – Plant Nerd Night—Start the garden season with this fun event hosted by Mike Darcy. Hear presentations and buy plants from six specialty nurseries. Entertainment by the Chorus of the Goddess Flora, door prizes, refreshments, mingle with other gardeners, and have fun! Get there early; this event has traditionally drawn capacity crowds. Doors open at 6pm; presentations begin at 7pm. Lake Bible Church, 4565 Carman Drive, Lake Oswego.

March 9 and 10, 9am-1pm – Marion SWCD 10th Annual Native Plant Sale (Gervais)—The Marion Soil and Water Conservation District native plant sale encourages people to use native plants in their yards, on their farms, or at their businesses. Proceeds from the Native Plant sale fund two scholarships for students studying Natural Resources. Over 80 plant species will be available and prices range from $1.50-$8.00. Sale is held at Bauman Farms (12989 Howell Prairie Rd, Gervais). More info can be found at http://marionswcd.net/districtevents.html.

Mid-March to early April – Daffodil Flowering Season, Grant Mitsch Novelty Daffodils (Hubbard)—A display is open to the public each afternoon during flowering season. Cut flowers, potted daffodils and note cards/postcards are available for sale. Address: 6247 S. Sconce Rd., Hubbard.

March 30-April 30, 9am-6pm – Tulip Fest, Wooded Shoe Tulip Farm (Woodburn)—Over 40 Acres of tulips and daffodils! Buy cut flowers, order bulbs for fall planting, children's activities and gift shop. Every day enjoy a variety of activities along with the beautiful tulips fields, which change every year. Check the "Schedule of Events" for a detailed list of daily and weekend activities. Cost: Weekends $10/car; Weekdays $5/car. Address: 33814 S. Meridian Rd., Woodburn.

March 31, 10:30am-4pm – Lan Su Chinese Garden's Annual Spring Plant Sale (Portland)—20 local and specialized nurseries offer plants of Chinese origin. Sales benefit the Garden and will be held in the parking lot to the north of the Garden. Garden art, pottery, bamboo structures, music 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. For a list of plant sale vendors go to http://www.lansugarden.org/.

April 7 (10am-4pm)-8 (10am-3pm) – Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Spring Sale (Portland)—Vendors from far and wide – from nearly the Canadian border to the California border – come to Portland to offer the latest plant introductions as well as time-tested (and hardiness-tested!) plants. Complementing the plant vendors are specialty garden art vendors bringing one-of-a-kind pieces. Portland EXPO Center, Hall E2.

April 7 – Easter Egg Hunt, Bauman Farms & Garden (Gervais).

April 14, 8am-4pm – Gardenpalooza, Fir Point Farms, Aurora.

CLASSES (unless noted, classes are free)

March 10
  ♦ 10am-noon – Pruning 101 & Beyond, Shorty's Garden & Home (Vancouver, Wash.)—Proper pruning can enhance your outdoor space. Class covers tools, general approaches and specific advice. Reserve your spot.
  ♦ 10am-noon – Rose Care, TerraGardens Nursery & Bark (Salem)—For more information on this class please call (503-581-0441).
  ♦ 10am – Pondless Waterfalls and Creeks, Hughes Water Gardens (Wilsonville)—Design and construction techniques for waterfalls and creeks flowing into a hidden reservoir.
  ♦  10am – Reinventing Hanging Baskets, Dennis' 7 Dees (Seaside)—Do you want to reinvent your garden patio this spring? Learn about living walls, wreaths and other fun ways to dress up your outdoor patio. Cost: $20 (registration fee will go toward your material purchases on the day of the class). Register Now!   ♦  10:30am-3pm - Beginning Beekeeping for the Organic City Gardener, Garden Fever! (Portland)—The relationship between flowers & insects has been buzzing for millions of years. You may think the beautiful scent & color of flowers is just for you. Actually, it's for the insect pollinators of the plant world. Glen Andresen will take you through the basics of backyard beekeeping using only organic techniques. Lecture at Garden Fever! followed by hands-on class at Glen's apiary 1.5 miles from the store (participants must provide their own transportation). Cost: $47. Reservations required; please call 503-287-3200.
  ♦  11am-12:30pm – Controlling Weeds & Pests in the Veggie Garden, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Vegetable gardening comes with its fair share of weed and pest problems. Join experienced gardener Tim Lanfri, Community Garden Creators, to learn about controlling and preventing common weeds and pests for a healthy, bountiful harvest! Tim will discuss Integrated Pest Management (IPM), pest & weed ID, and various methods of controlling the undesirables without pesticides or herbicides. Click here to register for this class.
  ♦  1pm - Intro to Medicinal Plants in the Garden, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Medicine is growing all around us, from the cracks in the sidewalk to the corners of our gardens! Join Missy Rohs, Arctos School of Herbal and Botanical Studies, for an introduction into the world of medicinal plants. From culinary herbs to common weeds, she will explore the use of plants and how they can be made into medicine. Click here to register for this class.
  ♦  1pm – Being Successful with Roses, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Learn to plant, care for and feed this classic, romantic garden mainstay. Greg will give you what you need to know about rose culture to fill your garden with blossoms. Click here to register for this class.
  ♦  2pm – Pruning Basics, Egan Gardens (Keizer)
  ♦  2pm – Pesticide-Free Pest Control, Dennis 7 Dees (SE Powell location)—Discover effective, nontoxic ways to tackle weeds, pests and plant diseases. Register Now!

March 11
  ♦  1pm – Crop Rotation & Companion Planting, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—This is a great class for gardeners with a few years under their belt now wanting to dig deeper! Learn the benefits of practicing crop rotation and companion planting for the healthiest, happiest plants possible. Click here to register for this class.
  ♦  1pm – Year-Round Veggie Gardening, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Polly of Pumpkin Ridge Gardens has been providing vegetables year round to her CSA subscribers for decades. Come learn about the best timing, dependable varieties and other tips so you can do the same in your garden. Click here to register for this class.

March 17
  ♦  10am – Spring Start Up For Ponds & Small Water Features, Hughes Water Gardens (Wilsonville)—Get pond off to a healthy start and learn how to reduce maintenance all season.
  ♦  10:30am (lecture, 11:30am tour) - Food Gardening Primer, Garden Fever! (Portland)—For the beginning edible gardener. The basic knowledge of growing your own food is lying dormant in your genes. Join Glen Andresen for a refresher on the basic steps and techniques for growing produce in a home garden. Glen's experience in organic gardening is also focused on sustainable use of the resources at hand. Lecture followed by a tour of Glen's neighborhood produce garden 1.5 miles from Garden Fever (participants must provide their own transportation). Reservations required; please call 503-287-3200.
  ♦  11am – Beginning Bonsai, Tsugawa Nursery (Woodland, Wash.)—If you've been intimidated by the art of bonsai and not quite sure where to start or what to ask, this class is for you. Our experts will show you where to begin and what plants, pots, soil and tools are needed. Please register online or call 360-225-8750.
  ♦  11am – Minature Garden Class, Garland Nursery (Corvallis)—Want to try your hand at miniature gardening? Create a garden within a garden (and add a fairy or gnome or two if you're feeling playful). Cost $25 (fairies, gnomes and accessories extra). Registration is required; call 541-753-6601.
11am-12:30pm – Fairy Gardens, Mini Gardens & Mini-scapes, Dennis 7 Dees (Cedar Hills location)—Join Jennifer to learn about this new, fun planting project. Class includes selection of containers, plant selection, design ideas as well as care and maintenance of your creations. Cost: $25 (fee will be used toward your project purchases or a finished garden). Feel free to bring your own container. Register Now!
  ♦  1pm – Container Gardening, Bauman Farms & Garden (Gervais)
  ♦  1pm – Intro to Medicinal Plants in the Garden, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Medicine is growing all around us, from the cracks in the sidewalk to the corners of our gardens! Join Missy Rohs, Arctos School of Herbal and Botanical Studies, for an introduction into the world of medicinal plants. From culinary herbs to common weeds, she will explore the use of plants and how they can be made into medicine. Click here to register for this class.

March 18
  ♦  1-3pm – Mini-Gardening for Kids, Shorty's Garden & Home (Vancouver, Wash.)—Create a small scale garden. Cost: $15; includes a gardening box, soil and fertilizer (if you choose to purchase a container, fee is credited toward purchase). This hands-on seminar is wonderful for all ages. Mini-gardens make wonderful gifts! Register online.
  ♦  1pm – Edible Container Gardening, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Maggie Stuckey, author of the Bountiful Container, will share ideas and tips for creating lovely and creative edible container gardens. The example pot will be raffled off to a class attendee. Click here to register for this class.

March 20, 7-8pm – Wildlife Corridors with Lori Hennings—Lori Hennings, Senior Natural Resource Scientist at Metro, will share the science of wildlife corridors and the state of the knowledge in the Portland metropolitan area. Presented by Audubon Society of Portland at the Leach Botanical Garden Manor House, 6704 SE 122nd Ave., Portland. Please RSVP to btrinh@audobonportland.org or leave a message at 971-222-6139.

March 22
  ♦  1pm – Tea Time, Bauman Farms & Gardens (Gervais)—Cost: $20 Call 503-792-3524 to RSVP.
  ♦  6pm – Starting Vegetables from Seed, Shonnard's Nursery, Florist & Landscape (Corvallis)—Gudrun Mahrt, soil amendment expert at Garden Pearls, will help you save money by starting your vegetable garden from seed. Register Here.

March 24
  ♦  10am – Building Ponds & Waterfalls, Hughes Water Gardens (Wilsonville)—Learn how to design and construct natural rock water features using a flexible liner.
  ♦  10am – Rock Gardens & Dry Creek Beds, Dennis' 7 Dees (Seaside location)—Rock gardens and dry creek beds can offer a soothing natural look in any garden and can help eliminate drainage problems in sloped areas. This informational class will show you ways to design and build your garden using gentle curves and a mix of plants, various sizes of rock, statuary and pottery for a professional landscape look. Register Now!
  ♦  10am-noon – Rose Care, Shorty's Garden & Home (Vancouver, Wash)—All things roses will be discussed, including a demonstration on proper planting, purning, fertilizing and all season care. Favorite varieties and best new introductions will also be shared. Register here.
  ♦  11am – Voles, Moles, and Pests, Shonnard's Nursery, Florist & Landscape (Corvallis)—Class covers ways to deal with those pesky spring pests, including moles and voles. This is a great place to ask question and find the solution that works with your lifestyle. Register Here.
  ♦  11am-12:30pm – Planning & Planting for Year-Round Harvest, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—If you are interested in harvesting fresh vegetables every month of the year, this class is for you! Tim Lanfri, Community Garden Creators, will discuss making a planting plan, timing your plantings, succession planting, fall and winter growing techniques, and how to maximize your harvest without a greenhouse. Click here to register for this class.
  ♦  2pm – Lavenders and Other Fragrant Herbs, Egan Gardens (Keizer)

March 25
  ♦  10am-noon – Beginning Bonsai, Terra Gardens Nursery & Bark (Salem)—Class includes, Instruction, Bonsai starter tree, a pot, a book, and the tools and supplies needed to get the tree started. Cost: $40 pre-registered; $45 at the door. All tools and materials supplied.
  ♦  11am-12:30pm – Vegetable Gardening for Beginners, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)— In this introductory level workshop, Tim Lanfri of Community Garden Creators will discuss the basics of soil amending, crops selection, plant spacing, timing you plantings, selecting the best varieties, watering, and much more! Tim will demystify growing your own food and share his tips and techniques for beginner success! Click here to register for this class.
  ♦  1pm – Kid's Container Planting, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Introduce kids to the fun of making living arrangements with this hands-on class. They'll get a little dirty and each child will take home a little planted project to care for. Class fee $20; limit 10 kids, accompanied by adults. Click here to register for this class.
  ♦  2-3:30pm – Fairy Gardens, Mini Gardens & Mini-scapes, Dennis' 7 Dees (SE Powell location)—Join Jennifer to learn about this new, fun planting project. Class includes selection of containers, plant selection, design ideas as well as care and maintenance of your creations. Cost: $25 (fee will be used toward your project purchases or a finished garden). Feel free to bring your own container. Register Now!

March 31
  ♦  10am – Pondless Urns & Bubbling Fountains, Hughes Water Gardens (Wilsonville)—Design and construction techniques for these popular new water features.
  ♦  10am-noon – Lawn Care 101, Shorty's Garden & Home (Vancouver, Wash.)—Seminar will provide a comprehensive overview of lawn care, including pest control, mole treatments, fertilizing and moss control. Organic and synthetic lawn care options will be discussed. Register here.
  ♦  1pm – Best Fruit Trees and Berries for the Pacific Northwest, Tsugawa Nursery (Woodland, Wash.)—Join this informative class on fruit trees and berries that have been selected for the Pacific Northwest climate. Pollination, fertilization, pruning, and care will be covered to help you grow an abundance of fruits and berries in your landscape. Please register ahead online or call (360) 225-8750.
  ♦  1-2:30pm - Pollinating with Mason Bees, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Discover how these non-aggressive, hard-working mason bees pollinate apple, cherry and other fruit trees and increase your harvest even in the cold and wet of early spring. Brenda Calvert, of Halfmoon Farms, will walk you through setting up nesting boxes and blocks, the benefits to your garden or home orchard, and the minimal yearly maintenance and supplies involved in keeping mason bees. Click here to register for this class.
  ♦  1-3pm – Shrub Fruit, Berries & Edibles, Shorty's Garden & Home (Vancouver, Wash.)—Learn about fruit-bearing shrubs, cane berries and other edibles. Class will cover planning, planting, soil and fertilizing, all season care and harvesting. Register here.

April 1
  ♦  11am – What to do in the Garden, Garland Nursery (Corvallis)
  ♦  1pm – Fundamentals, Joy Creek Nursery (Scappoose)—You can have a more luxuriant, healthier garden if you understand the basics. For example, do you have the proper circulation of air and water in your soil? Or do all your plants need the same nutrition? Learn how to listen to your garden.

April 2
  ♦  10am - Berries for the Home Garden, Smith Berry Barn (Hillsboro)—Focus will be on how to grow the best varieties of berries, with expert advice on growing, maintaining and harvesting to ensure an abundant supply of berries year after year. Farm tour and demonstrations included. Each attendee will receive 20% off berry plants on the day of class.
  ♦  11am - Backyard Orchard Basics, Smith Berry Barn (Hillsboro)—Focus will be on fruit tree care and maintenance. Learn pointers on pruning for fruit production, pollination, pest management, harvesting and more. Each attendee will receive 20% off fruit trees on the day of class.

April 7, 2pm – The Beauty and Benefits of Dwarf Conifers, Egan Gardens (Keizer)

April 8, 1pm – Low Water Gardening, Joy Creek Nursery (Scappoose)—Record cold and wet winters have severely tried local Mediterranean-style gardens. In the low-water borders at Joy Creek Nursery, the majority of plants have done well and most even flourished. This is testimony to both the plants themselves and the soil amendments that make these borders possible. Learn how we amend your soils and make good plant choices.

April 9-10, 10am-4pm – Hanging Basket Workshop, Smith Berry Barn (Hillsboro)—At your convenience, plant your own customized hanging basket. Choose your favorites from their wide selection of premium plants and specialty containers (or bring your own container). Premium potting soil and fertilizer will be provided free of charge with the purchase of plants and supplies. They will be on hand all day to offer assistance with planting. A percentage of plant sales from this workshop will be donated to the Spring into Scholls community fundraiser.

April 12, 6pm – Supercharge Your Soil, Shonnard's Nursery, Florist & Landscape (Corvallis)—Transform you soil from "plain 'ole dirt" to fabulous soil. It's easy to have a healthy, bountiful garden! Please register here. Those in attendance will receive a FREE 6-quart bag of Gardner & Bloome Potting Soil to take home.

April 15, 1pm - When Deer Present a Gardening Challenge, Joy Creek Nursery (Scappoose)— Some gardeners just want to co-exist with nature and some folks are ready to declare all out war. Either way, understanding the whys of deer behavior can help. Explore design tricks and plant suggestions for gardening in the presence of deer.

Protect Against Invasive Species

Dan Hilburn, Plant Division Administrator at the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), has a big job. He and his ODA colleagues are responsible for protecting Oregon from invasive plants, pests and diseases. The Plant Division works in partnership with the nursery industry, to ensure that the plants Oregon ships to other parts of the country, Canada and internationally, are healthy and disease-free, thus helping Oregon’s nursery industry—one of the largest in the country—thrive.

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
invades wetlands. Photo courtesy of fs.fed.us

Dan takes his job very seriously, but in addition to being a good writer, he also has a sense of humor. Invasive plants, pests and disease are seldom, if ever, funny, but Dan’s blog about invasive species is informative and witty. “Showdown in the Boxwood Hoophouse” and “Will We Rue Goat’s Rue” are his latest blog posts.

We all can play a role in safeguarding Oregon’s environment and our nursery industry. The first step is to avoid purchasing, planting or growing invasive plants and we suggest that you remove those you might be growing in your garden. Dan’s blog can help you stay informed and GardenSmart Oregon: a guide to non-invasive plants offers alternatives to invasive plants. The guide is available on the OAN website or you can stop by our office in Wilsonville to pick up a copy.

And of course, your wonderful local garden centers and specialty nurseries can help you select the right plant for that special place in your garden. Contact the OAN office (503.682.5089) for a free Nursery and Garden Center Guide or visit the online guide.

Favorite (YGP) Things—Part 1

There were no “raindrops on roses” at the 2012 Yard, Garden & Patio Show, but I did find many favorite things. I’ll share mine. Will you share yours?

In no particular order...

The scale and formality of the large jug water feature in the Sultan’s Paradise garden added gravitas to the garden, celebrating how water was used and valued in the courtyard gardens of wealthy Persians. It led the eye and enticed the visitor into the garden. (Garden designed and created by Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design.)


I loved everything about the Garden-to-Table edible display designed by landscape designers Karen Schwartz, Calandula Gardens, and Carol Senna, Melingo Studio. From a farm table set for dinner fresh from the potager garden to the cloche created from a reclaimed glass vase, the attention to detail was extraordinary. Every aspect of the garden was educational.

The Association of Northwest Landscape Designers (ANLD) created a booth filled with a luscious mix of plants.

Mark Sander Landscape Services made clever use of corrugated metal panels, creating a soft industrial look (note the framed pieces in the ANLD booth, photo above). I’m wondering if I could incorporate similar panels into a backyard fence somehow...

I had to stop and take a closer look at this diminutive moss purse found in the Creekside Treasures Farm & Nursery booth.

English daisies take me back to my early childhood when I imagined them to be part of fairy gardens. I still find them irresistibly charming. These were found in the French Prairie Gardens display.

Hardy cyclamens seem to be experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Different leaf patterns are appearing making it possible to create a mosaic of cyclamens in the shade garden. Out in the Garden Nursery offered these at the show.

Mossy. Earthy. Almost as if fairies could be found there. Very Irish. Very Hughes Water Gardens.

Wish I could have picked up this cozy fireplace nook and carried it home. I like the scale of it and the Arts and Crafts-style influence. The planted “picture” above the fire was brilliant! It was created by Landscape East & West.

Anteak’s birds, fish, turtles and garden seating are carved from teak, often reclaimed. They are an investment, but they would last a lifetime. I particularly loved the carved pelican.

This re-use of easily found glass and canning jars stopped me several time in my tracks. What a clever way to create a one-of-a-kind chandelier! I found it in the Mutual Materials booth near their outdoor cooking display and demo area.



More YGP favorites to come in a few weeks. Please share what you found to be inspirational at the spring garden shows. We’d all like to know!

Veggie Tales – Part 2

“Three blue beans in a blue bladder” was an ancient tongue twister.

I’ve been learning a lot about vegetables from Rebecca Rupp’s How Carrots Won the Trojan War: Curious (but true) stories of common vegetables. Each chapter offers odd bits of history, medicinal benefits and lore, and societal influence. Chapter 2 is devoted to the humble bean that may just have saved medieval Europe (for Veggie Tales Part 1 about asparagus, click here.

Here are a few select facts, but I encourage you to read the books for yourself because there are so many more interesting things to know.

• “Bean seeds from archaeological sites in Peru and Mexico have been radiocarbon-dated respectively to 8000 and 5000 BCE.”

• The beans of the traditional Native American “three sisters”—squash, corn, and beans—were imports from Mexico, arriving after 200 CE; but it wasn’t until about 1000 CE that cultivation “really took off.”

• Green beans were brought to Europe from America by the Spanish. They were originally grown as an ornamental for their flowers.

• The fava bean (Vicia faba) was the Old World’s only cultivated bean. It was domesticated in the late Neolithic period and probably originated somewhere in the Mediterranean region or Near East. Greeks used fava beans as voting tokens in magisterial elections. “Abstain from beans” meant keep out of politics!

• Beans and peas, both from the legume family, were 2-3 times higher in protein than cereal crops and were nicknamed “the poor man’s meat.” Beans were such an important part of the medieval diet that the penalty for robbing a beanfield was death. “In comparison to the egg, beans pack 34% as much protein...”