A Grower Perspective

Marionberry pie is always a prize winner in any pie contest and a highly desired summertime dessert. This cross between a Chehalem and and Olallie blackberries was developed in 1956 at OSU and named for Marion County Oregon where 90% of the world’s Marionberries are grown. According to some sources (at this nursery) they are unbelievably large, sweet, juicy and delicious. They grow on vigorous canes that yes do have thorns and need to be trellised. You can see commercial trellising on the east side of I-5 just south of Salem. Blackberries thrive on most soil types with good drainage. For a prize-winning pie recipe, click here.

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 Reacting to a phone call from a Portland landscape designer desperately seeking Pieris ‘Karenoma’ I went out in the warm spring rain we are having today to check them out. And how lovely they are! Right now they have soft pink buds on bright green foliage. Soon they will bloom abundantly with fragrant white flowers lasting up to two months of spring beauty. This pieris has a very compact habit growing to three feet by three feet, a very desirable trait for certain situations. Plant in full sun or bright shade in rich, well-drained, acidic soil and water deeply during summer dry spells. Enjoy the russet red of the bud, the pure white of the flower and the bronzy red of the new growth.

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This northwest native is so common it is often overlooked, yet so essential in the garden without it the landscape is lacking.  Naturally growing here it is at home in sun to shade and wet to dry.  The more shade the larger and deeper green the fern will be. It is one of the few plants that will tolerate the dry shade under a Douglas fir.  Normally sword ferns grow 3-4’ high and wide.  This is an outstanding winter plant as a deep green evergreen with a fountain like shape.  Plant sword fern with other natives (vine maple love sword ferns at their base) or in swaths under trees with rhododendrons, or simply add it to areas of the garden that need an evergreen backdrop.  Ferns can be used in pots very successfully in shadier areas of the deck or porch.  Care is easy; prune back old fronds as needed and you will be rewarded by this lovely plant. 

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Over the Holiday break we saw glorious Ponderosa Pines in Eastern Oregon near the Metolious River and wanted to remind you of this Oregon native.

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The question comes up, “What can one person do to make the world/our earth a better place?”  One answer is to plant a tree.  We plant trees here at the nursery and we plant trees in our home gardens and we are making the word a better place.  Today I came across a man who has planted thousands of trees and is also a poet.  I think his poem says what I want to say perfectly.  Here it is for you.

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