A Grower Perspective

This fantastic photo says what you need to know about ‘Roseum Pink’. Clear bright pink flowers, so lovely on an evergreen bush that grows 5’ by 6’. This is a great size for a specimen plant, front and center, or a substantial easy to keep hedge. Rhododendrons have been used successfully as a flowering privacy screen between closely spaced houses. They are nice to intersperse in the mixed border adding an evergreen element in the winter when many perennials are underground. What rhododendrons like: acid soil, deadheading of spent blooms, full or partial sun, summer water, deer (because they don’t eat them), woodchip mulch and someone to enjoy them.

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Dave and I had the pleasure of attending the NW Flower & Garden Show last week in Seattle, Washington. This was the first year we’ve attended and I must say it was quite impressive.  The show filled up several rooms of the downtown Seattle convention center. The display gardens were absolutely stunning.  Huge. I couldn’t begin to imagine how much work must have gone into designing and constructing  these massive gardens inside the convention center.

I was thinking about how to sum up my feelings about this show. I think I went believing that I’d come back with my focus on plants. However, what really struck me at this show was the creativity and inspiration I felt about garden design. I was overwhelmed with the design inspiration I felt about creating outdoor living spaces with everything from plantings, pavers and night lighting to art, accessories and outdoor structures galore. I’ve never felt such a desire to get out into my own garden

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A few weeks ago I was in Portland and although it was a brisk day in February a bit of sun was shining through; a good day to wander into the Lan Su Chinese Garden, my first visit into this walled sanctuary in an urban setting.  Many of the plants were very familiar: the winter jasmine was so lovely flowing over the rocks above the pond, many camellias were blooming, and the Edgeworthia was filling the air with a sweet fragrance.  The tree that attracted my husband’s attention was a well shaped Japanese Black Pine. (You can see our example above, pruned to resemble an ostrich) He asked me if I knew that tree and I said yes it was a common landscape tree and we had lots at the nursery.  I will bring one home to him and we can have it in our garden.  It is not a tree I’d necessarily choose.  There is no comparison to the right plant in the right situation.  What is common in one case can be the most outstanding thing in another. 

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 It's snowing here at the nursery! We are happy to see the plants covered in snow, it doesn't happen very often around here.  It's worth noting that the snow will protect the plants when the weather turns very cold tonight- they are predicting about 12 degrees. The snow will insulate them and should protect them from any freeze damage.

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The three winning qualities of ‘Triple Crown’ are flavor, productivity and vigor. ‘Triple Crown’ is a self fertile, thornless blackberry growing strong canes up to 15’ long (requiring trellising). One plant can produce up to 30 pounds of berries per plant, ripening early July to late August. The glossy black fruit are very tasty and full of antioxidants and will bear fruit the year after planting. White five petaled flowers attract bees in spring that pollinate the plants to produce a great fruit crop. This blackberry is hardy to 10degreees. Yet another great plant to add to the edible garden.

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