Articles in the Archives

 

Quick Jumps

Garden Shows and Tours Past
Timeless How-to Articles
Miscellaneous Articles
Organic, Recycled, Sustainable
Plants
Seasons
Creatures

Garden Shows Past

• Three Gardens, a Nursery, and a Conservatory Day
  Normally after a garden tour I put a gazillion photos online to share with others. This time I consolidated them into one movie for each day. Here's the first installment.
  September 2, 2013
• New Varieties Show Cased at the Upcoming Farwest Trade Show
  My favorite part about this green industry show, hosted by Oregon Association of Nurseries, is the New Varieties Showcase.
  August 16, 2013
• When the Light’s too Bright, Play in the Shadows
  The garden tour went on, in spite of record breaking heat.
  August 8, 2013
• Peggy Miles Memorial Garden
  A garden love story.
  July 28, 2013
• Northwest Flower and Garden Show 2013
  • Pillow Talk
    A salute to the classic movie.
    March 2, 2013
  • The Beachy Garden—Northwest Style
    I live close to the Puget Sound in a seaside community, and pattern my home and garden in a relaxed, eclectic style, so this garden spoke to me.
    February 23, 2013
  • Swiss Family Robinson Theme for the Children’s PlayGarden
    The first thing you notice as you walk past the bamboo and palm trees and into the play garden are the fantastical ground level “tree house” structures.
    February 22, 2013
  • From Romance to Murder and Into the West
    I swear the first day I photographed the garden at the preview, the body was not present.
    February 21, 2013
  • Enchanting Glass Structures in an Enchanted Garden
    ...along with punches of bright, spring green displayed in the cozy reclining patio chairs and benches.
    February 21, 2013
  • Plant Geeks, Don’t Miss the Showing of The Lost Gardener!
    Warm those engines up and get yourself down to this classic showing.
    February 19, 2013
  • It’s California Dreaming, on a February Day
    The garden titled California Dreaming had clean lines, scrumptious tile work and was stuffed to overflowing with plant material.
    February 19, 2013
  • A Hobbit, An Arboretum and a Northwest Flower & Garden Show
    What do a hobbit, Washington Park Arboretum, New Zealand, and middle earth have in common?
    February 19, 2013
  • Over Two Decades of Flower Show Memories
    Thanks for the memories-the Northwest Flower and Garden Show's Silver Anniversary!
    February 18, 2013
• Yard Garden & Patio Show 2013
  • A Garden Show for the Ages YGPS 2013
    Yard, Garden and Patio Show opened today with the sites and scents of the garden.
    February 8, 2013
  • It’s Garden Show Time in Oregon!
    Billy Derian from the DIY Network’s Extra Yardage is this year’s featured presenter.
    February 4, 2013
• It’s Not Easy Being Green
  I was struck with how calm and restful a garden can be; dressed only in the varieties of green.
  July 6, 2012
• The Viscaya Garden & Nursery Experience
  A trip to this nursery is like going on a fabulous treasure hunt.
  June 15, 2012
• "Think Global, Garden Local" Is Theme for Portland’s YGPS
  Portland, Oregon's Yard, Garden and Patio Show at the Oregon Convention Center.
  February 16, 2012
• Northwest Flower and Garden Show 2012
  A Floral Symphony
  February 7, 2012
• NWFGS2012 — Resonating Sounds of Nature
  A Beat of a Different Drum
  February 11, 2012
• NWFGS2012 — Children's Play Garden
  As I walked through the door bidding me to go play outside...
  February 13, 2012
• NWFGS2012 — The Dinner Bell Rings: Eat Your Yard
  All would be perfect in my world — just go out into the garden, tune up the turnbuckles, and play.
  February 15, 2012
• Best Plant in a Display Garden
  I want to give some recognition to this spectacular plant. As I stood underneath the branches I couldn't help but be in total awe.
  February 24, 2011
  
• Seattle's Flower Show Tickles the Inner Child
  Another wonderful garden extravaganza is the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.
  February 22, 2011
  
• When Dinosaurs Ruled the Show
  Three Roaring Good Gardens at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.
  February 3, 2010
  
• Shall We Dance? 2009 Northwest Flower and Garden Show
  The garden is an island where every turn takes you to exotic places.
  February 17, 2009
  
• Sproutopia and So Much More
  The 2008 Northwest Flower and Garden show definitely had kids in mind this year.
  March 09, 2008
  
• Orchids and the Boruca Mask Maker
  In the garden display, the mask is used as a metaphor to the orchid, which nature created.
  February 20, 2008
  
• Small Worlds
  2008 Northwest Flower and Garden Show Sneak-peeks.
  February 19, 2008
  
• Inside the Northwest Flower and Garden Show
  I felt like a ringmaster working with dozens of staff and volunteers to put together the garden...
  February 17, 2008
  
• 2008 Yard Patio and Garden Show
  Sneak peeks of some of the display gardens.
  February 15, 2008
  

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Timeless How-to Articles

• Sheering Ornamental Grass
  Prune baby prune, soon baby soon, it’s time for the annual ornamental grass sheer.
  March 11, 2010
  
• Sweet on Corn
  A challenging crop for the Pacific Northwest gardener.
  August 6, 2008
  
• Tomatoes in Pots
  Lift them up where they belong!
  May 6, 2008
• Leaf Mold—turning the fallen into black gold
  A beneficial way to recycle leaves and build humus rich soil.
• Plants That Earn Their Keep
  that plant's nice enough, but does it earn its keep in a small garden?
  March 15, 2008
  
• Pucker Up!
  There's lots to love about growing lemons in the Pacific Northwest.
  February 24, 2008
  
• Cross-breeding Christmas Cactus:
  Considering the ease and appeal in crossing schlumbergeras, I'm surprised more of us don't try it.
  December 22, 2007
  
• Whack 'em Back
  The first step is to learn two simple horticultural terms: coppicing and pollarding.
  October 2007
  
• Propagating Plants from Stem Cuttings
• Build a Simple Bog Garden
  1999

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Miscellaneous

• Sit Your Derrière Down at the Beach
  Fun and beautiful seating in gardens along the Long Beach Peninsula.
  August 4, 2013
• Beauty and the Beasts
  But alas, she is surrounded by horrible weeds that seek to cover up her beauty and distract the lowly gardener from her lovely visage."
  August 1, 2013
• Come Sit Awhile — A picture series on garden seating.
  • Mosaic, Stone, and the 'cretes
    Artisans that work with stone, mosaic, and concrete produce some of the most amazing creative works of functional art.
    March 14, 2013
  • Of Wood Grain and Driftwood
    Seating of the wooden kind.
    March 13, 2013
  • The Hot Seat
    Colorful seating.
    March 10, 2013
• Fern Garden and Stumpery — Part 1
  I have some beautiful stumps from an old, apple tree with large, well-rotted holes perfect for some lovely little shade plants and ferns.
  October 10, 2012
• Fern Garden and Stumpery — Part 2
  In the spirit of the wild garden, I am using ferns, shade loving, evergreen plants, and Pacific Northwest natives.
  February 5, 2013
• Crispy, Fried Plants!
  No plant was safe from the rays of the hot summer sun.
  August 25, 2012
• What's In Bloom
  Today, in honor of Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, we are up close and tickling the flowers in my garden with a macro lens.
  June 15, 2012
• Flower and Leaf Collage
  Could this be a belated Mother’s Day gift?
  May 30, 2012
• Flowers in the Snow
  The snow on the petals makes it look like frosting on a birthday cake.
  March 24, 2012
• Is It Really Free?
  With all the restrictions placed on this seed, I am left wondering, is it really free?
  March 13, 2012
• 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zones from a Data Perspective
  The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map for 2012 is now available, causing a lot of discussion and grumbling among gardeners.
  February 22, 2012
• Exciting Garden Entryways
  A walk through some amazing garden entrances.
  Originally posted January 9, 2012 and updated November 12, 2013
  
• Power Flowers
  High-Voltage Hanging Baskets Light Up Northwest Towns.
  August 17, 2011
• A Garden in Disarray
  Life events can sometimes alter our lives, and our surroundings.
  June 2, 2010
• Where Epimedium Rules
  My get-up-and-go, got-up-and-went.
  February 20, 2010
• Grateful Abundance
  A few days before Thanksgiving in 2008 and I’m thinking about reasons to be thankful.
  November 24, 2008
• Dirty Hands—Happy Face
  Take off your work gloves; exposure to soil just might make you happy
  August 5, 2008
• They Call It Noxious Yellow
  Trying to keep us all in good humor while the broom is in bloom.
  June 2, 2008
• Rainy Side Gardener's First Ten Years
  Celebrating 10 years on the web.
  May 4, 2008
• Random Acts of Kindness
  All of us can practice random acts of kindness from time to time.
  April 27, 2008
• Never Mind My Life, Mr. Grumbles
  What makes us so special that we feel we can walk into an establishment after closing and expect service, keeping people after working hours?
  March 28, 2008
• Hosta with the Mostest
  I had to sit there for two hours holding that jar of water because the hosta leaf was top-heavy.
  January 14, 2008
  
• Sheepish in Seattle
  A Minnesota gardener reflects on Seattle's garden style after a visit to the Northwest in 2002.
  September 2007
  
• Heronswood: Closure and Moving On
  It's been a little over a year since we heard the news about changes to Heronswood. An opportunity to see the gardens again.
  July 17, 2007
• Beyond Heronswood
  Plant-shopping opportunities abound at the tip of Washington's Kitsap Peninsula
  June 2007
• A Warming Trend in Outdoor Fireplaces
  Warmth providers range from your basic rock-circled fire pit to architecturally pleasing fireplaces.
  May 2007
• Bare-root Bonanza
  February 2007
  
• Gardening is a Sport
  October 2006
  
• Dig This!
  October 2006
  
• Selecting a Landscape or Tree Contractor
  January 2006
• From the Garden Bench
  Moved to blog: 2022/04/27
• Ye Old Strawberry Pot
  June 2002
  
• Information on Propagating Trademarked or Patented Plants
• A Mini Tour of Heronswood Gardens
  May 2000

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Organic, Recycled, Sustainable, or Green

• Putting the Territorial Seed Co Rumors to Rest
  Rumor has it.
  November 17, 2013
• Uprising Seeds—A Rising Star for the Northwest
  Campbell and Goldberg trial 95% of their product to see how they grow in our region.
  June 3, 2012
• The Truth about Sow True Seed
  We need more of these kinds of local companies, who care about their communities and strive to make a better world now and for the future.
  May 27, 2012
• Meet the Meadow Border
  Meadow marries mixed border for a sassy, grassy, drought tolerant garden.
  October 14, 2011
  
• Soil Conditioners Could Pose Asbestos Hazard
  Among new products that may still contain asbestos are soil retention enhancers, particularly vermiculite.
  February 25, 2009
  
• Earth Worm Friendly Garden
  Did you know that worm poop is 50% higher in organic matter than soil that has not been ingested by worms?
  August 2008
  
• Recycled Greenhouse Retreat
  I prefer these charming structures to the purchased manufactured, cookie cutter greenhouses.
  July 2008
  
• Plant Tips: Beer or Coffee and Other Fancies
  Some garden tips, facts and falsehoods, before you believe, research your garden concoctions!
  May 9, 2008
  
• The Water-wise Garden My interest in low-water-use plants grew out of self-defense.
  October 2007
  
• Five Quick Ways Anyone Can Improve Their Green Space
  Developing and maintaining your green spaces.
  September 2007
• Slugging it Out!
  Riddled with holes, plant leaves are either half-eaten or completely decimated; it's slug season in the Pacific Northwest.
  April 2007
• Why Organic Is Not Enough
  July 2005
• Green Ways
  June 2004
• Go Organic!
  June 1999

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Plants

• An Iberis Masterpiece
  Iberis 'Masterpiece' can blossom from May into October, or maybe even beyond!
  October 31, 2013
• Garden Thug or Overachiever?
  Have you ever had a plant that did its job so well that you resented it?
  October 2, 2013
• Easter Exposed the Rebel
  Can I love an early flowering aroid standing quietly in front of me on this sunny Easter weekend morning.
  March 31, 2013
• Moss — Do you Love it or Hate it?
  If you live in the Pacific Northwest, moss is a part of life.
  March 17, 2013
• A New Lavender for 2013
  Be on the lookout for this outstanding little lavender — Lavandula ‘Mini Blue’!
  November 12, 2012
• All I Want Is Viburnum's Spring Flowers and Autumn Glory
  This viburnum is perfect for my space, especially because of the two seasons of interest I am looking for.
  October 30, 2012
• Huckleberries — Beautiful Plant, Delicious Berries
  Family lore has it that huckleberries are especially abundant during a year with ...
  September 17, 2012
• The Pistachio™ Hydrangea
  It will stop you in your tracks; at least it made me come back and look at it three times!
  September 4, 2012
• 'Tis the season for Lilies!
  I consider lilies to be the grand dames of the garden
  July 24, 2012
• A World of Camellias
  Recently, I had the opportunity to identify several of the many types of camellias growing in my garden.
  April 12, 2012
• The Cut Flower Market
  As you would guess, the lilies and tulips that you buy in December are grown in a greenhouse.
  January 25, 2012
  
• Hydrangea Sampler
  Judge which ones you like best, because 'Little Honey', I can’t decide.
  December 18, 2011
  
• Chrysanthemums Signal Autumn and the Coming of Winter
  To many, chrysanthemums signal the slowing down and ending of the growing season.
  December 9, 2011
  
• Top Ten Plants
  Series: Garden writers from around the Pacific Northwest agreed to share with us a list of their top ten plants with a brief explanation why they made their list.
  Top Ten Plant Lists:
  
  • Charles Price and Glenn Withey
  • Ciscoe Morris
  • Kym Pokorny
  • Lisa Albert
  • Lucy Hardiman
  • Mary Robson
  • Scott Conner
  • Wendy Tweten
    April 3, 2010
• No Longer House Plants in the Northwest
  February 9, 2009
• Clematis Delights!
  I never met a clematis I didn’t like.
  November 12, 2008
• An Unusual Giant Himalayan Lily
  One of their towering lilies, Cardiocrinum giganteum, was blooming pretty in pink.
  July 6, 2008
• Who's Dissin' the Sweet Peas?
  We gardeners can be a fickle lot; nevertheless, I refuse to despise the sweet peas.
  February 28, 2008
• Epimediums and Companions for Dry Shade
  The genus epimedium contains many garden worthy plants from a large area.
  November 2007
  
• The Many Faces of Hydrangea
  Hydrangeas are a no-fail shrub for Northwest gardens.
  August 2007
• Growing Easy-going Garlic
  We sometimes forget that garlic is a bulb too and is best ordered early and planted in October.
  August 2007
• A Passion for Heucheras
  January 2007
• Northwest Gardeners Benefit From Nature's Bounty
  January 2007
• Barking Up the Right Tree
  November 2006
• Chard and Kale in the Ornamental Garden
  November 2006
• Raising the Great Pumpkin
  October 2006
• Growing Pumpkins
  October 2006
  
• Tulips for the Spring Cutting Garden
  June 2004
• Where the Sweet Pea Garden Grows
  May 2004
• Introduction to a Cutting Garden
  March 2000
• Hardy Fuchsias in the Pacific Northwest
  July 2000
• Planting and Care of Clematis
  1999
• My Bleeding Heart—Dicentra
  February 1999
• For the Love of Astilbe
  July 1999
• Oriental Lilies for the Summer Garden
  November 1998
• Sunflower Gold and Summer Dreams
  July 1998
• Kalmia for the Pacific Northwest
  June 1998
• Great Grandma Used To Grow Nasturtiums
  1998
• We Could All Use a Little Thyme
  1998

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Seasons

Spring

• Classic and Cute Aroids in the Spring Garden
  There are many plants in the aroid family to give flashy tulips and daffodils a run for their money.
  May 2, 2013
• Spring has Sprung!
  You know that spring is well on its way when fritillarias, trillium and other early spring treasures, push their way out of the soil.
  April 12, 2013
• Is It Spring Yet?
  Oddly, the snow is small, icy pellets, fitting perfectly into all the crevices of the paths.
  March 12, 2012
• Cold Spring Days and Berry Botanic Garden
  April 8, 2008
• Impulse of Spring
  March 22, 2008
• Take Two Falls and Call Me in the Morning
  March 25, 2005
• Spring Plant Sales
  April 2003

Summer

• Last Days Of Summer
  August 2004

Fall

• Chrysanthemums Signal Autumn & the Coming of Winter
  Chrysanthemums signal the slowdown and subsequent end of the growing season for many gardeners.
  November 11, 2013
• Putting the Garden to Bed
  There are a few clean-up tasks, I like to do in the fall.
  November 1, 2013
• Autumn Garden 2013
  I took the opportunity to plant some perennials and annuals to make a colorful autumn garden.
  October 4, 2013
• Designing an Autumn Garden Using Pink
  How do I combine these vibrant, pink flowers with the muted browns, rusts, greens and oranges of fall foliage?
  November 2, 2012
• Autumn Has Fallen
  October 2004
• Planning A Colorful Autumn Garden
• Acers for Fall Color

Winter

• My Oregon Winter Garden
  My winter garden doesn’t have to be drab!
  January 15, 2013
• Winter's Secret Garden
  The winter garden doesn't need to be a dreary reminder of the gray surrounding us.
  December 28, 2009
  
• Winter Fragrance
  Celebrate the winter season with a winning combination of piercing scent floating on clear, cold air.
  January 18, 2008
  
• Chimes of Spring Sunshine
  Consider the winter hazels for late winter blossoms.
  March 2007
• Fog in the Forecast
  February 1, 2005
• December in the Garden
  January 10, 2005
• I Love February!
  February 2004
• Brighten the Winter with Winter Berries, Part 1
  December 11, 1998
• Winter Berry Plant List, Part 2
  January 13, 1999

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Creatures

• Magic Bubbles
  A garden fairy tale for children.
  May 1, 2013
• Frog Holler
  During the early days of March, the Pacific tree frog choir begins tuning up their voices for the upcoming mating season.
  March 4, 2013
• Is It a Slug, a Fly, or a Wasp?
  You see, a pear slug isn't really a slug, it's a sawfly.
  March 9, 2010
  
• Who's Spitting in the Garden?
  Relax! It's just a tiny bug whipping up a white honeydew froth.
  March 7, 2010
  
• Please Don't Feed the Raccoons!
  It does not help the raccoons to feed them, and is harmful.
  August 30, 2008
• Native Bees and the Color Blue
  Our native bees consistently went for the blue.
  February 6, 2008
• Green Lacewing
  June 2005
• Pond of Refuge
  Moved to blog (July 2021)
  November 2004