Random Acts of Gardening

Once upon a time, 25 years ago, a young(ish) new homeowner accompanied a much wiser more experienced gardening friend to one of her favorite places to shop for plants. I’m not sure it had a name at the time, but it now is known as Farmington Gardens. It was located a short distance west of Jenkins Estate on the other side of the road from what is now a well established, full service garden center. At the time, there were a few hoop houses and, if memory serves, just a few trees and shrubs and a lot of annuals for sale. What I remember best and fondly is Farmington Gardens’ owner David Eshraghi helping me stuff every square inch of my Honda Accord full of plants, the most memorable of which was a white flowering dogwood. That’s when I got bit by the gardening bug. Needless to say, I made many return visits alone and with friends.

I returned to Farmington Gardens recently for an after-hours meeting. My how the place has changed from my very first visit! They now have lots of covered shopping space and a vast array of plants to choose from—if I was prone to exaggeration I would say bazillions, many of which are grown by Farmington Gardens’ wholesale counterpart, Eshraghi Nurseries. If you’ve never been to Farmington Gardens before, here are a few photos to whet your appetite for a visit. You’ll see lots of fall color if you visit now. (Pssst: Eshraghi Nurseries is highly regarded in the trade for their conifers and Japanese maples!)

Tell us your favorite nursery story (in the comment box or by emailing me at amurphy@oan.org).

Purple Prince Crabapple

Editor's Note: This information first came to my attention when I read Bart Ziegler's October 4, 2013 column in The Wall Street Journal titled "'Crowdsourcing' Comes to the Garden." Ziegler is a news editor and gardening columnist for The Wall Street Journal.

"The leaves fell early this year." Or, "Spring arrived late this year." Sound familiar? This information—and a lot more on the nation’s flora and fauna—is of interest to scientists. Scientists alone can’t collect enough data so they are asking citizen gardeners for help.

You can contribute to their data collection efforts by joining Nature's Notebook and becoming an official garden observer. Nature's Notebook gathers information on plant and animal phenology. (Phenology refers to key seasonal changes in plants and animals from year to year—such as flowering, emergence of insects and migration of birds—especially their timing and relationship with weather and climate.)

A free smartphone app is available to help you conveniently gather information then it sends the information to the USA National Phenology Network. Or, you can gather information the more traditional way using data sheets, which are made available to you after you register online as an official Garden Observer.

According to Ziegler’s column, “Another way you can help this research network is to grow two specific plants in your yard for observation, one a lilac and the other a dogwood tree. The lilac is called the USA National Phenology Network Lilac. Each is a clone, or genetically identical to each other. That means the plants shouldn't vary in their response to the seasons, providing a standard basis for observations around the country. The shrub, which produces sweet-smelling purple-red flowers in spring, has been used for research-observation purposes for over 50 year.” The dogwood is a variety called Appalachian Spring. His article provides sources for purchasing the plants.

Will you become an official Garden Observer?

Colocasia (left to right)
‘Blue Hawaii’, ‘Elepaio’, ‘Mojito’ and ‘Thailand Giant’

I was at Longwood Gardens in September for an International Trial Gardens Conference. The gardens, renowned for its conservatory—click here for some photos—topiary garden, perennial border, fountains and many other features, has added trial garden plots to its list of reasons to visit. The garden trials give the public an opportunity to see how newer plant varieties perform. There were some luscious examples that I wanted to share with you. Please keep in mind that Longwood Gardens is located in the lovely Delaware Valley near Philadelphia, Penn., which is USDA Zone 7a.

Even though I don’t have any tropical-looking plants in my garden, I was quite taken with all the enormous Colocasia, especially the cultivar ‘Coffee Cups’. The annual ornamental peppers were amazing too, especially those that had multiple colored fruit on one plant. I hope you enjoy the photo tour.

Have you visited a trial garden?

Canna 'Lemon Punch'

Canna 'Orange Punch'

I love the contrast between shiny - 'Diamond Head' - and
matte - 'Black Coral' - leaves

Colocasia esculenta 'Blue Hawaii'

The very cool Colocasia 'Coffee Cups'

As the name suggests, this Colocasia
gigantia 'Thailand Giant' was enormous

Colocasia esculenta 'Elepaio'

Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito' has been
around awhile, but it's still a jaw-dropper

Capsicum annuum 'Purple Flash'

Capsicum annuum 'Garda Tricolor'

You won’t see cat or “What does the fox say” videos on Random Acts of Gardening even though they are all the rage. But what I will share with you is a Jonn Karsseboom (chief Garden Rebel at The Garden Corner) video sharing how to make a hanging garden from a repurposed fish bowl. The result is adorable! Hope you enjoy viewing it as much as I did.

Information provided by Meta®/Lonza, a sponsor of the Yard, Garden & Patio Showand “Earthworms in Your Garden May Help Prevent Invasive Slugs from Devouring Plants,” a blog by Mohi Kumar for Smithsonian.com, May 16, 2013.

Photo: Robin Rosetta, Oregon State University

Scientists at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna found that earthworms can help protect plants from the voracious appetites of slugs (which are colorfully described in Mohi Kumar’s above referenced blog as “fleshy, squishy bodies [that] are basically one huge stomach on a foot”). The study was conducted using Spanish slugs (Arion vulgarisI), but it probably isn’t too much of a stretch to think that varieties in our neck of the woods would respond similarly.

The earthworms and slugs in the study didn’t actually come mouth-to-mouth…or whatever the correct anatomical analogy is to the human equivalent of face-to-face. “Instead, the mere presence of earthworms reduced the number of leaves damaged due to slugs by 60%,” according to Kumar and the study by Zaller et al titled “Herbivory of an invasive slug is affected by earthworms and the composition of plant communities.”

The study, published in the journal BMC Ecology, also found that higher plant diversity decreases the likelihood of leaf damage from voracious slugs. Research results noted that slugs ate even less—40% less—when earthworms were present in the higher plant diversity test.

Dr. Johann Zaller, who led the research, explained the outcome of the study this way: "Our results suggest that two processes might be going on. Firstly, earthworms improved the plant's ability to protect itself against slugs perhaps through the build-up of nitrogen-containing toxic compounds [that slugs may find less palatable]. Secondly, even though these slugs are generalists they prefer widely available food and in high diverse ecosystems slugs eat less in total because they have to switch their diets more often since plants of the same species are less available."

Encouraging earthworm populations to protect against slugs and planting a diverse mix of plants probably isn’t enough to keep slugs at bay or even under control in the wet Pacific Northwest. But it certainly gives us another good reason to nurture earthworm populations!

Other studies have shown that metaldehyde (Meta®) does not harm earthworm populations whereas other slug bait formulations may cause harm. Snail and slug baits that contain Meta® active ingredient include That’s It™, Bug-Getta® and One and Done®, which can be found at home improvement and home and garden centers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Black Gold

One of the most expensive spices in the world by weight is saffron. And saffron is dried elongated crimson stigmas from the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Each crocus corm produces up to four flowers and each bloom produces only three stigmas. The stigmas and their stalks (i.e., styles) are painstakingly clipped by hand, which accounts for the precious nature of the spice. I was curious if the crocus from which saffron is harvested could be grown in the Northwest. Apparently, it can if you live in USDA zones 5-8 and have a sunny spot with exceptional drainage. In fact, it thrives in a Mediterranean, dry summer climate.

Wikipedia

Wikimedia Commons

I didn’t realize the delicate spice was only produced by a special variety of crocus, or that it bloomed in the fall. Unknown in the wild, the saffron crocus was first cultivated in Bronze-age Greece thousands of years ago. According to Wikipedia, Iran now accounts for approximately 90% of the world production of saffron. And according to a Sun Gold blog written by gardening expert Jessie Keith, “Gardeners seeking a reasonable amount of saffron for cookery should start with at least 50 corms... Plant corms at a density of 10 per square foot or simply dot them around a garden bed... Saffron flowers bloom first, typically in mid-October. Next come the long, grassy leaves that remain evergreen through the winter and should be cut back in spring. Be sure not to cut foliage back until it turns brown or else corms won’t store enough fuel for a good flower show the following fall. “She recommends two sources for the saffron crocus corms: Brent and Becky’s Bulbs and White Flower Farm.

Do you have experience growing saffron crocus?

The American Conifer Society (ACS) issued this warning when it announced its two Collectors Conifer of the Year for 2014: They both may cause severe symptoms of “conifer addition.” I’m on the verge of conifer addition myself so it’s probably just as well I don’t have enough sun in my garden to accommodate these beautiful specimens, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them a try.

Written by Dennis Lee, the following excerpted descriptions and photos are from the ACS‘s Fall 2013 Conifer Quarterly.

Pinus x schwerinii‘Wiethorst’ Photo: Sam Pratt

Pinus x schwerinii‘Wiethorst’: In the 1980’s a witch’s broom* was found by a Mr. Wieting of Gieelhorst, Germany. Although many brooms have dwarf growth characteristics, ‘Wiethorst’ is an intermediate form. On poorer sites it may produce 3-6 inches of new growth; under better conditions it may easily produce 6-8 inches of growth. It readily responds to candle pruning to help maintain a more compact size and shape. Candle pruning greatly reduces the growth rate and also creates a very compact, shaggy appearing ‘Wiethorst.’ If left on its own, it will assume a somewhat open, informal structure with billowy branches. In 10 years, it will likely be about 6-7 feet tall and 5-6 feet wide. ‘Wiethorst’ performs well in USDA Zones 4-7 situated in sun to part-shade.

Heavy cone production and interesting cone presentation are other attributes of ‘Wiethorst’. Small, stiff, first-year cones are prominently displayed in an outward manner on short stalks. Second-year cones are gray-green, curved and often dripping with sap. The greenish-blue needles are streaked with silver and may exceed nine inches in length. Because they are thin, the needles sway in the breeze for a nice effect.

Abies koreana‘Kohouts Icebreaker’ Photo: Dennis Lee

Abies koreana'Kohouts Icebreaker'is a witch’s broom found on an Abies koreana ‘Silberlocke’ by Jorg Kohout of Germany. A dwarf conifer, its tightly upward curled needles flash brilliant silvery white undersides. Because this broom is so naturally dense and compact, the concentrated mass of curved foliage illuminates a spot in the garden and demands to be noticed. ‘Kohouts Icebreaker’ typically pushes 1-2 inches of growth per year, growing to one foot high and 1.5 to 2 feet wide in 10 years. It performs well in sunny to partially shaded sites in USDA Zones 5-7. Korean fir does best in well-drained, moisture retentive soil that is mildly acidic.

Both ‘Wiethorst’ and ‘Kohouts Icebreaker’ are cold hardy, but not adaptable for the deep south of the U.S.

Active members of ACS are able to order one or both of these special conifers. To read more about these garden-worthy conifers, link to an order form, or become an ACS member, click here. Another potential plant source for the conifers is Conifer Kingdom, an specialty nursery in Oregon.

*Witch’s brooms are tightly congested formations of twigs and foliage in a parent tree. If a broom is a genetic mutation, rather than the result of a pest, the characteristics of the broom can be propagated.

A witch’s broom. Photo: utahpests.usu.edu

To see other cultivars that originated from witch’s booms, read fervent nurseryman Talon Buchholz’s blogon the topic.

The Oregon Department of Foresting just re-released one of its most popular publications: An Oregon Homeowner’s Guide to Tree Care. The brochure covers a wide range of tree care topics of interest to homeowners, including the right way to plant a tree, proper pruning, proper tree care practices, and how to hire an arborist. Please email info@oan.org for a free copy (include your name and mailing address), or you can pick one or more up at the 2014 Yard, Garden & Patio Show, presented by Dennis 7 Dees, February 28-March 2 at the Oregon Convention Center.

Photo: www.bhg.com

With our lingering cold snap, there may be slim pickings in the garden to embellish a welcoming holiday garland, but with a little creativity, it’s still possible. (Garden centers often have greens, cones and more for sale.) This photo was so inviting, I wanted to share it with you. Makes me want to give a door garland a try!

From www.bhg.com, the garland and swag were made from evergreen branches, pinecones, berries, apples, magnolia leaves, and festive holiday ribbon. Lights were entwined to add a cozy, cheery glow. The site suggest purchasing a long evergreen garland to serve as the base, then using florist's pins and hot glue to secure embellishments.

Have you successfully created a garland?

Information re-printed from Wildlife Promise
Written by Roger Di Silvestro, a senior editor for National Wildlife magazine and the author of many books on wildlife conservation and American history.

Photo: NC State University Cooperative Extension

Often used as a symbol of renewal because it stays green all winter, mistletoe is famed for its stolen-kisses power. But the plant also is important to wildlife, and it may have critical value for humans, too. Extracts from mistletoe—newly used in Europe to combat colon cancer, the second greatest cause of cancer death in Europe and the Americas—show signs of being more effective against cancer, and less toxic to humans, than standard chemotherapy.

Here are some mistletoe facts that may give you new respect for a plant that, until now, you might have considered as just an excuse to limber up your lips:

There are 1,300 mistletoe species worldwide. The continental United States and Canada are home to more than 30 species, and Hawaii harbors another six.
Globally, more than 20 mistletoe species are endangered.
All mistletoes grow as parasites on the branches of trees and shrubs. The genus name of North America's oak mistletoe—by far the most common species in the eastern United States—is Phoradendron, Greek for "tree thief."
Ancient Anglo-Saxons noticed that mistletoe often grows where birds leave droppings, which is how mistletoe got its name: In Anglo-Saxon, "mistel" means "dung" and "tan" means "twig," hence, "dung-on-a-twig."
Mistletoes produce white berries, each containing one sticky seed that can attach to birds and mammals for a ride to new growing sites. The ripe white berries of dwarf mistletoe, native to the western United States and Canada, also can explode, ejecting seeds at an initial average speed of 60 miles per hour and scattering them as far as 50 feet.
When a mistletoe seed lands on a suitable host, it sends out roots that penetrate the tree and draw on its nutrients and water. Mistletoes also can produce energy through photosynthesis in their green leaves.
As they mature, mistletoes grow into thick, often rounded masses of branches and stems until they look like baskets, sometimes called "witches' brooms," which can reach 5-feet wide and weigh 50 pounds.
Trees infested with mistletoe die early because of the parasitic growth, producing dead trees useful to nesting birds and mammals. A mistletoe-infested forest may produce three times more cavity-nesting birds than a forest lacking mistletoe.
A variety of birds nest directly in witches’ brooms, including house wrens, chickadees, mourning doves and pygmy nuthatches. Researchers found that 43 percent of spotted owl nests in one forest were associated with witches’ brooms and that 64 percent of all Cooper’s hawk nests in northeastern Oregon were in mistletoe. Several tree squirrel species also nest in witches’ brooms.
Three kinds of U.S. butterflies depend on mistletoe for survival: the great purple hairstreak, the thicket hairstreak and the Johnson’s hairstreak. These butterflies lay eggs on mistletoe, and their young eat the leaves. The adults of all three species feed on mistletoe nectar, as do some species of native bees.
The mistletoe’s white berries are toxic to humans but are favored during autumn and winter—when other foods are scarce—by mammals ranging from deer and elk to squirrels, chipmunks and porcupines. Many bird species, such as robins, chickadees, bluebirds and mourning doves, also eat the berries.
The kissing custom may date to at least the 1500s in Europe. It was practiced in the early United States: Washington Irving referred to it in "Christmas Eve," from his 1820 collection of essays and stories, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. In Irving's day, each time a couple kissed under a mistletoe sprig, they removed one of the white berries. When the berries were all gone, so was the sprig's kissin' power.

Plans for the 2014 Yard, Garden & Patio Show, presented by Dennis' 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers, are gearing up. For the past three years, the Urban Edible Garden feature has been one of the most popular aspects of the show. I predict this year will be just as popular. Four members of the Association of Northwest Landscape Designers are creating more magic for you this year.

Annie Bamberger, Kathryn Leech, Lori Price and Amy Whitworth designed a garden they call Abundant Nature – An Enchanted Food Forest. All have design practices emphasizing sustainable gardening so you’re sure to find ways to beautifully incorporate food, nature and ornamental elements. Here’s how they describe the garden’s design:

"We feed the earth and it feeds us. We clear the land and build structures. Time passes. Change and decay occur…and nature returns. Creative reuse of old materials completes the cycle, saving energy and reducing waste. Abundant Nature provides food and forage for humans and wildlife in a natural system that is easy care and self-supporting. It reflects the canopy layers found in the forest, and weaves urban objects into a magical setting. Welcome the fairies and nature spirits that celebrate their partnership with people sharing mutual respect. The impermanence of our activities results in an imperfect beauty. That is nature!"

Here are some photos of elements you'll experience in the Abundant Nature garden.

I can't wait to see it! I hope you'll join me.

Are you already thinking about what changes or additions to make in your garden for next year? Consider the new plants that won the 2014 Green Thumb Awards from the Direct Gardening Association in the US. According to the jury*, these are the best new plant varieties for 2014:

Clematis‘Sweet Summer Love’ from Spring Meadow Nursery and bred by Szczepan Marczyński (Poland)
Vaccinium‘Blueberry Glaze’ from Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Ore.
Syringa Bloomerang® Dark Purple from Spring Meadow Nursery bred by Tim Wood
Baptisia ‘Blue Towers’ from Plant Delights Nursery

Baptisia 'Blue Towers' Photo: www.mtcubacenter.org

Syringa Bloomerang® Dark Purple Photo: Proven Winners®

Vaccinium‘Blueberry Glaze’ Photo: Fall Creek Farm & Nursery

Clematis‘Sweet Summer Love’ Photo: Proven Winners®

The ‘Habitat Hero’ Birdwatcher Pre-Planned Garden concept from High Country Gardens also received a 2014 Green Thumb Award. This concept is meant for gardeners who enjoy watching birds feed and flit from plant to plant. The instant garden was created by garden designer Lauren Springer Ogden in collaboration with High Country Gardens.

*The jury consists of an independent panel of garden writers and editors. The winning products were selected based on their uniqueness, technological innovation, ability to solve a gardening problem or provide a gardening opportunity, and potential appeal to gardeners. The Green Thumb Awards recognizes outstanding new garden products available by mail or online.

Do any of these new plants appeal to you?

A 2014 prediction from the culinary community is that kale, the “super food,” will continue to grow in popularity. Nutritious as it is, gardeners shouldn’t overlook kale’s ornamental value. Tucked in amongst perennials and shrubs in sun and part sun conditions with well-draining soil, you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Photo: Territorial Seed Co.

Want to get your kids or grandkids interested in gardening? Try easy-to-grow kale and turn your labor of love into kale chips, a popular new snack that kids—and adults—enjoy eating. I’ve successfully grown three varieties of kale in my community garden plot, but I haven’t tucked it in my ornamental garden yet; that will change in 2014. I was curious how many varieties of kale are available to the home gardener. Turns out there are lots!

Nichols Garden Nursery, a family-owned seed company located in Albany, Ore. and long-time Yard, Garden & Patio Show (YGP) exhibitor offers seeds for 11 varieties. Territorial Seed Co., also a YGP exhibitor, offers a wide selection as well. As is often the case, the grocery store offers a very limited variety so planting your own will let you expand your horizons—and taste buds—and allow you to experiment and find more favorites, both for flavor and ornamental attributes. With curly, crinkly, blue, green or magenta leaves, kale adds nutrition, color and texture to the garden, even in the winter months!

Here’s a sampling of kale varieties from Nichols Garden Nursery and Territorial Seed Co.:

Dwarf Blue Curled Kale– 15-inch tall with a 2-foot spread. Produces blue-green finely curled leaves.
Dwarf Green Curled Kale– 12-18-inch tall with green curly tender, sweet leaves.
Gai Lohn (Chinese) Kale– Heat resistant variety.
Improved Dwarf Siberian Kale– Frilly, dark green leaves form a rosette 24 inches in diameter. Harvest leaves long after most other kales have bolted.
Kosmic Kale– A new edition to the kale palette, Kosmic is a perennial, bi-colored kale, allowing for continuous harvests of slightly curled blue-green leaves set off by contrasting creamy white leaf margins.
Maribor Kale– Filly-leaf compact kale with dark outer leaves and extra deep-red central foliage. Cooler weather intensifies the color and sweetens its flavor.
Nero Di Toscana (Tuscan) Kale– Also known as dinosaur kale. Very dark green leaves are 2-3 inches wide and 10 inches long with a blistered appearance. It is extremely winter hardy, becoming very sweet after a freeze. Excellent for kale chips.
Red Russian Kale– 2-3 feet tall with blue-green foliage supported by purple stems. Sweet whether using young or mature leaves.
Red Ursa Kale– 20-24 inches tall with gree, frilly leaves on magenta stems.
Redbor Kale– 18-24 inches tall with purple leaves and magenta stems. Leaves deepen in color and become curlier with the onset of cool weather.
Savoy Kale– 24 inches tall. Vigorously re-grows from successive pickings. Dark green, slightly ruffled kale with a purple blush.
White Russian Kale - A sister variety of Red Russian, it has the same moderately dissected and frilled leaves, but with white and green mid-veins.
Wild Red Kale– A more compact variation on Red Russian kale. Foliage is silver green overlaid with bright red on the stems and leaf joints. Extremely hardy and productive.
Winterbore Kale– Finely curled, thick, blue-green leaves. Grows up to 2 feet. An early spring and late fall kale.

In my experience, as the days begin to warm, aphids pose a problem. Territorial Seed’s website recommends a hard spray of water, Hot Pepper Wax, Insect Killing Soap, or Pyrethrin to deal with the pests. Perhaps the most practical solution is to select varieties that mature later in the season when aphid populations decline.

For spring harvest, direct seed after danger of hard frost (ideal soil germination temperature is 55-75 degrees). For fall and winter culture, sow seeds in early July.

For more information about edible kale, click here.

Sometimes it is just plain hard—or even impossible—to visualize how to use the space in our yards to maximize enjoyment and create the garden of our dreams. I spent hours looking down on my back yard thinking, “What can I possibly do to better define my wild, mushy, shady garden?” before making major changes. (Note to self: Invest in a landscape designer to help with the front yard.)

I peruse magazines and books, ask the opinion of my gardening friends, visit garden shows and gardens, and attend Hardy Plant Society lectures looking for inspiration. Photos of this before and after garden from www.bhg.com is a fine example of the possibilities that exist for a landscape. I could be wrong, but I suspect there was an intervention by a garden designer somewhere in the process in order to make such a complete and wonderful transformation.

Before Photo: www.bhg.com

After Photo: www.bhg.com

bhg.com: This front yard planting is filled with plants that look good in all seasons to create an ever-changing display. Autumn and winter can be tough seasons to plant for; look for fall-blooming perennials and small shrubs and trees with great fall foliage to get through autumn. Look for small evergreens, grasses, and plants with interesting habits (such as corkscrew willow) for winter good looks. This planting also takes advantage of color to create extra impact. The contrasting purple-and-chartreuse color theme looks great and personalizes the garden. (Admittedly, painting the house helped, too.)

The Yard, Garden & Patio Show, presented by Dennis’ 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers, provides opportunities for inspiration. And you can take it one step further: the Showcase Garden designers and contractors will be on hand to answer questions about the challenges you’re facing in your garden. And there are many other designers with booths on the show floor. There’s bound to be at least a few elements in the Showcase Gardens that re-shape your perspective and encourage you to look at your landscape a little differently. As many gardening friends remind me: a garden is never finished (even when you think it is!).

Here are some of the designs for this year's Showcase Gardens. Check the show website for more information on the gardens. Come to the show and vote for your favorite.

Join us for lots of inspiration on February 28-March 2 for the 2014 Yard, Garden & Patio Show at the Oregon Convention Center.

Will 2014 be the year I become at least as smart as my smart phone? (I’m a novice Android user and I’m optimistically doubtful.) My smart phone often rests on a rock wall or stump as I work in the garden, but I confess, I haven’t considered using it to help me be a more informed gardener. Have you?

The National Garden Bureau used crowd sourcing to identify popular, useful apps for smart phones. Let me know if you find any of these or other garden apps helpful.

Armitage’s Greatest Perennials & Annuals (iPhone and Android; $4.99)
Foolproof Plants for Small Gardens (iPhone and Android; $2.99)
Purdue Tree Doctor (iPhone and Android; $1.99)
Purdue Annual Doctor (iPhone; $0.99)
Purdue Perennial Doctor (iPhone; $0.99)
Garden Compass (iPhone; Free)
Garden Time Planner (iPhone; Free)
GardenMinder (iPhone; Free)
Leafsnap (iPhone; Free)
Plant Diagnostic Sample Submission (iPhone; Free)
Our Rose Garden (iPhone; Free)

Random Acts of Gardening will be giving away two sets of two tickets to the Yard, Garden & Patio Show Preview Party hosted by the Oregon Humane Society. Be one of the first to get a sneak peek at the Showcase Gardens: Designers Challenge and the Urban Edible Garden: Abundant Nature, and mingle with other invited guests and the designers, contractors and craftsmen and women that built the gardens. Without the crowds of show days, stroll and photograph the eight showcase gardens. See if you can guess what landscape challenges the designers and contractors set out to solve with their designs.

Date:	Thursday, February 27
Time:	5-7 p.m.
Location:	Oregon Convention Center, Stir at the top of the escalators off Martin Luther King Blvd. entrance (777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR)
Food:	Light hors d'oeuvres will be served; cash bar
Parking:	On your own (Convention Center parking will be open, or street parking can be found in the vicinity of the convention center)

Click here to complete the entry form. Drawing takes place January 27, 2014. The two winners will be notified by Monday, February 3, 2014. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Any taxes are the responsibility of the winners. Random Acts of Gardening is published by the Oregon Association of Nurseries, 29751 SW Town Center Loop W, Wilsonville, Ore. 97070.


A red chrysanthemum means "I love."

How many ways are there to say “I love you” in the language of flowers? Red roses probably top the list, but if we look beyond the obvious, there are at least 14 other options (see below). Our modern culture has lost the subtle art of sending messages with flowers and plants. Wouldn’t it be fun to walk out into a garden and create a conversation with a bouquet? Local author, floral designer, speaker and Clematis expert Linda Beutler imagined just that scenario with her newest book and first novel: The Red Chrysanthemum (Meryton Press, 2013). (If you are a Pride and Prejudice fan, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this book!)

You can enjoy Linda talking about “Planting the Language of Flowers” at the Yard, Garden & Patio Show, presented by Dennis’ 7 Dees Landscape & Garden Centers, on Sunday, March 2, at the Oregon Convention Center. Although the Showcase Gardens and show floor are not to be missed, the seminars are free and are a gift to the gardening community from the Oregon Association of Nurseries. You can keep coming back for more and more entertaining and educational presentations.

Interest in the language of flowers, sometimes called floriography, has been around for thousands of years, but interest was renewed in Victorian England and the U.S. in the 19th century. Floral dictionaries helped to create and translate “talking bouquets,” also known as tussie-mussies or nosegays.

According to Wikipedia, one of the most familiar of the language of flower books is Routledge's The Language of Flowers. First published in 1884, it continues to be reprinted to this day. Not surprisingly, the meaning of specific flowers often varies. To learn more, visit LanguageofFlowers.com.

Flowers of love:

Acacia (yellow) – Secret love
Chrysanthemum (red) – I love
Coreopsis (Arkansa) – Love at First Sight
Forget-Me-Not – True Love
Honeysuckle – Bonds of Love
Lilac – First Emotions of Love
Melianthus – Love, Sweet Love
Myrtle – Love
Pink (double red) – Pure & Ardent Love
Primrose – Young Love
Rose (bridal) – Happy Love
Rose (red) – Love
Rose of Sharon – Consumed by Love
Tulips (yellow) – Hopeless Love
Violet – Faithful Love

By Kym Pokorny

As enthusiasm for edibles continues to skyrocket, so does gardeners’ sophistication. While vegetables are still No. 1, fruit, especially plants appropriate for small spaces such as blueberries, strawberries, columnar and espaliered fruit trees and dwarf versions of raspberries and blackberries, are quickly making their way into landscapes.

The Abundant Nature: An Enchanted Food Forest display at the Yard, Garden & Patio Show presented by Dennis' 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers, on Feb. 28 through March 2, ups the ante on edible gardening even further, taking it into the realm of nature, enchantment and the ultimate in reuse.

Photo: PermacultureNews.org

Four Portland designers teamed up to create a garden that pairs the practical with the magical. From edge to edge, the long, rectangular space illustrates the many ways we can feed our bodies and souls. On one end, a twig arbor opens into the edible part of the garden, with a circular raised bed for veggies, cold frame, spiral of herbs. On the far end, is a ruin, a space reimagined from the crumbling stone Witch’s House on Macleay Trail in Forest Park.

“The ruin points to how nature reclaims the earth when people step away; it’s a way to recycle materials onsite, like the foundation of an old garage, for example,” says Amy Whitworth of Plan-It-Earth Design, who collaborated with Kathryn Leech, River City Gardens; Annie Bamberger, AnnieBam Landscape Solutions; and Lora Price, Design With Nature. Jane Hart Design, Pete Wilson Stoneworks, and J. Walter Landscape & Irrigation also are display contributors.

The structure also acts as an enclosure for a fire pit and sliced tree stumps for seats, a nesting place for people to relax, and, if they choose, “imagine the spirits that jumped back in,” Whitworth says. A fairy garden right outside the ruin gives those spirits a place to play. Next door, a hobbit mound, situated on top of recycled tires like the “radically sustainable,” off-the-grid earthships started in Taos, New Mexico, puts a new spin on sustainability.

“As much as possible,” Whitworth says, “we’re showing how self-supporting and sustainable a garden can be, and that we can make gardens that create food for us and for wildlife abundantly.”
To help do that, the designers merged traditional edibles with natives in a food forest and, to take the concept even further into the self-sufficient range, a guild garden takes up a corner.

To help do that, the designers merged traditional edibles with natives in a food forest and, to take the concept even further into the self-sufficient range, a guild garden takes up a corner.

“A guild garden is a system of supporting growth by companion planting or layering,” Whitworth explains. “A tree can be underplanted with plants that draw minerals from deep in the earth and bring them to the surface. Then the leaves end up as mulch and feed the tree.

Be inspired and enchanted by the Abundant Nature: An Enchanted Food Forest display at the upcoming Yard Garden & Patio Show. There’s a lot to take away to your own garden.

By Kym Pokorny

Serenity is hard to come by these days. We’re bombarded from all sides by email, social media, work and family demands and more. Gardens provide refuge, allowing us to unplug and let the stress wash away. Whether we’re hanging out with family and friends or meditating, tranquil spaces are essential, and that has to be planned.

Which is where garden designers come in. You talk, they listen. Pretty soon, they’ll draw out your needs and dreams -- sometimes ones you didn’t even know you have. Is it a walled courtyard full of tropical plants and a bubbling fountain that suits you? A kitchen for entertaining? A putting green maybe? Raised beds for growing the food you eat?

At the Yard, Garden & Patio Show, sponsored by Dennis’ 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers, Feb. 28 through March 2 at the Oregon Convention Center, you’ll be able to explore your style at the seven Showcase Gardens and several smaller vignettes by members of the Association of Northwest Landscape Designers. Whether it’s waterfalls or secluded spaces, you’ll get all the inspiration you need to bring some serenity into your life via the garden.

Here are some questions to ask as you stroll through the show and meet the designers and builders behind the gardens.

How does the process work?
Do you specialize in a particular style?
Do you have a portfolio I can look at?
Can I contact references?
What does your garden look like?
Do you include installation or do I have to find someone?
Does your fee include mileage?

Go armed with pen and paper to jot down notes. Snap photos of the gardens and pick up brochures. Take breaks every once in awhile to keep from getting overloaded. Listen to music and enjoy a drink at the wine pavilion and beer garden. Or watch well-known local chefs demonstrate the art of cooking. Get more inspiration and rest your feet at one of the many free seminars. And, of course, there’s the shopping. Can’t forget that.

Kym Pokorny

Ben Dye enjoys solving problems, and in his world they’re huge. Not to worry, though, the challenges this large-scale metal sculptor faces are good ones.

When I say large-scale, I mean it. Dye’s work often ends up in public places, including the Yard, Garden & Patio Show at the Oregon Convention Center Feb. 28 through March 2. This year, he took the theme of the Showcase Gardens, Designer’s Challenge, to heart. “I perceived a problem,” says the Oregon City artist, “and found a solution. I wanted to do an insect with a twist, one that people think is bad, but isn’t. My idea morphed into a dragonfly.”

Artist's rendering of dragonfly sculpture greeting guests at YGP

Three of the insects with 6-foot wingspans will hover at the entrance to the display gardens on a 12-foot tapered tower. If erected outdoors, the dragonflies would circle the column when the wind blows. In my mind, Dye’s biggest challenge will be getting the 1,500-pound kinetic sculpture into place on the show floor. “I wanted it to be impressively large,” he says, “but that means I can’t bring it down the freeway with the wings out.” His answer was to create a mechanism that will crank the dragonflies flat, allowing for a hopefully uneventful trip to Portland, where the piece will be hauled into place by a crane.

The show, presented by Dennis’ 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers, has been graced with Dye’s work before. Last year, he created a metal circle with a twist called a Mobius, that weighs 5,000 pounds and now resides at The Allison Inn and Spa in Newberg. Two years ago he built a hippocampus, a mythical sea horse often used in carousels and one of his favorite subjects.


Ben Dye's Mobius from the 2013 YGP Show

Ben Dye's Hippocampus from the 2012 YGP Show

Of course, Dye’s sculpture, while the largest piece there, will hardly be the only. The perennially popular Cracked Pots, a group of artists dedicated to preventing waste through reuse, will return with work in every medium you can think of, and then some. Dye, a member of Cracked Pots and past board member, swapped his 25-year career as a commercial diver doing underwater construction for art about seven years ago. “It’s an extremely handy background, incredibly helpful,” he says. “I had access to huge tools, and I’m not afraid to move big stuff.”

Obviously not, which is lucky for those of us who attend the YGP Show. That would be all of us. Right?

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