Rain, rain, go away, come again… next fall!  We have been struggling with the wetness, trying to find times to get out in the garden.  The flowers are blooming and we would love to head out and enjoy them.  At least we are not shoveling snow like our gardening friends in the East!  This week we found some spectacular areas for color, and even with the rain we are getting out and enjoying the times we have in the garden.  We are excited with the surprising growth we see every day!  It is a great time to be a gardener in the Northwest.

This week we featured...

The Hulda Klager Lilac Days

It is that time of year: Lilac time.  We took the short trip up I-5 to Woodland, Washington to check out the lilacs at the Hulda Klager Lilac Days (360-225-8996).  The 2007 Lilac Days will run from this weekend through Mother's Day.  Hulda hybridized many lilacs and became known as the ‘Lilac Lady’ in the Woodland area.  She opened her garden to the public for an open house in the spring during the '20s.  She passed away in 1960.  The Hulda Klager Lilac Society now runs the garden and opens it every year for this festival.  They charge a small fee during the festival.  That, and the proceeds from the gift shop, keeps this garden going all year long.  Take the time and visit it when you get a chance, it is spectacular!

Heucheras

If you are looking for a plant that can bring year round color and texture to your garden, then the heuchera is for you.  Locally, Terra Nova is the company that has led the way in hybridizing and growing a huge variety of these plants for the gardener.  Heuchera’s used to be called ‘coral bells’ in your grandma's garden, but these are not the same plant.  Dan Heims took us on a tour of their demonstration gardens to show us how they have used them to create a blanket of color.  He showed us a half dozen different varieties including; ‘Peach Flambé’, ‘Sashay’, ‘Ginger Ale’, Geisha’s Fan’, a new variety called ‘Midnight Rose’, plus an old favorite ‘Lime Rickey’.  You can find varieties that like sun and some that prefer shade, but they all prefer well-drained soil.  If you want more information about growing these plants, check with your local garden center or the Terra Nova website.

One Weekend Wonders

We kick off our new segment, "One Weekend Wonders."  These are projects that you can tackle in a weekend and are easily done by the time Monday rolls around.  This week we went to Tsugawa Nursery (360-225-8750) in Woodland, WA. to learn how to build a patio fountain.  Brian Tsugawa walked Judy through the steps and William put in the labor to build this outstanding feature.  The hardest part was waiting for the sealant to dry on the pot.  This project requires a container that holds water, a decorative container, piping, a pump and a couple of bricks.  Check out the instructions here.  

Tool Shed – Self-watering Containers

We are planting our containers right now, but it won’t be long and we will want to hit the road for the summer and then all the hard work we have done now will be lost if our potted plants get fried in the summer heat.  We found some great self-watering containers at the Greenhouse Catalog (800-825-1925) that will keep our summer plants from getting too thirsty.  One was a group of stacking tubs that had a reservoir in the bottom and came in different sizes that you could stack.  The other container was called the Earth Box.  This is a great container because it allows the plants to self-water.  It came with a trellis kit so the plant can grow on something and it was on wheels so it could be easily moved!  Check out the Greenhouse Catalog for more great container ideas.

Jan’s Extension Tips for the Month

The spring brings a bunch of new problems and jobs to the garden and so we visited with Jan McNeilan from OSU Extension to see what we should be looking for in our gardens.  Jan started by telling us to look at the soil temperature.  The weather teased us a couple of weeks ago and some gardeners started to get a little over-anxious about planting. The soil temperature is not as warm as we think.  Wait until the soil reaches 50-55 degrees or you may be replanting some of your garden!  Also, check the dates on your seed packets.  Some seeds remain viable for quite a while, while others will get weak and lose their ability to germinate.  Check the varieties and see if you need to buy new seed.  Also, stretch before you start out in the garden.  It is early in the season and expect to be a little sore after the first day or two gardening.