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Getting the Gardening Bug
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...
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Wanted: Garden Observers!
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...
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Longwood Gardens – Part II
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...
View ArticleFish Bowl Gardening
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...
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Can Earthworms Help Prevent Slug Damage?
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...
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Savory Saffron
Black GoldOne 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...
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Collectors Conifer of the Year
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...
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An Oregon Homeowner’s Guide to Tree Care
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...
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Holiday Door Décor
Photo: www.bhg.comWith 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...
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12 Things to Know about Mistletoe
Information re-printed from Wildlife PromiseWritten by Roger Di Silvestro, a senior editor for National Wildlife magazine and the author of many books on wildlife conservation and American...
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Abundant Nature - An Enchanted Food Forest
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...
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Green Thumb Awards
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...
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Wonderful Edible Ornamental Kale
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...
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Before & After
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...
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Fingertip Gardening – Smart Phone Garden Apps
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...
View ArticleEnter to Win YGP Preview Party Tickets!
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...
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The Language of Flowers
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...
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Practical & Magical Coexist in the Edible Garden
By Kym PokornyAs 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...
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Gardens as refuge
By Kym PokornySerenity 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...
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Dragonfly Sculpture Greets and Inspires
Kym PokornyBen 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....
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