Wow, it sure feels like fall!  We are making the transition of the seasons and that means it is time to get ready for the cold winter ahead.  We have just finished with Le Tour des Plants and it is time to start thinking about getting those new plants into their future home.  Remember to prepare the soil before you plant and then sit back, relax and wait for the beautiful color to come this spring. 

This week we featured...

Shriner’s Children’s Garden

A couple of months ago we toured the play area atop the Shriner’s Hospital for Children.  It is a wonderful area for kids to get outdoor exercise while they recover from medical procedures at the hospital.  The problem, it is a little bare.  There were a couple of planters with a few plants, but the hospital wanted more for the kids, and frankly so did we!  So we organized a couple of our friends at Al’s Garden Center (503-726-1162) and Black Gold to get the 7th floor deck a little more color!  We had a planting day recently and we taped it for the show!  Jacque … joined us to chat about how this planting will help make the area a little more welcoming for the patients and their families.  It was a great day for us all and showed us the power of friendship!  Thank you to Al’s, Black Gold and to the Shriner’s family for all that they do in the community.  If you are interested in volunteering at the hospital you can contact them at (503) 221-3426.

Front Porch Makeover

Fall is here and it is time to start decorating.  Welcoming people (or ‘trick or treaters’) to your home during the fall is a great way to signal the change of the season.  We dropped by Bauman’s Farm and Garden (503-792-3524) to get some ideas on how to do that.  Brian Bauman showed us two different types of decorations for our front porch.  The first was a new modern design that had a soft blue color that included white pumpkins and colorful mums.  The second porch idea had more of a traditional look to it.  It had the beautiful golden pumpkins along with corn stalks, hay bales and scarecrows.  This weekend is also the kick off for the Bauman’s harvest festival.  You can enjoy fresh apple cider, the old fort, kid’s events, and a brand new attraction: the Jumping pillow.  This  40 by 70 foot pillow is a huge hay pile for kids and it is there for a good cause.  One dollar from every admission will go to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Oregon.  What a great way to have the kids burn off some energy and help families in need at the same time!

Garden Lights

Extending your outdoor entertaining in the fall is easy.  All you need to do is add a little light!  We found a great assortment of solar and passive lights at the Greenhouse Catalog (800-825-1925).  These lights need no plugs or power; they get their energy from the sun.  There are also a bunch that are powered by batteries for those typical northwest cloudy days.  We saw all-weather Chinese lanterns, garden stakes and even one that floats in a bowl!  If you are looking for some colorful night time accents for your garden, check out their website or give them a call.

Bulb Layering

As we enter fall we are reminded to plant our spring blooming bulbs.  Donna Wright from Black Gold reminded us that bulbs are great in pots too!  You can create waves of color by layering your spring blooming bulbs.  She demonstrated that by using different layers of bulbs in a pot you can have color that lasts all spring!  She used daffodils, tulips and crocus in three different layers.  When the warm days of spring arrive she will have these bulbs blooming at different times and will have waves of color for months.  But always remember to start with a quality potting soil, like Black Gold!

Blackberry Removal

How do you get rid of those pesky Himalayan blackberries!  If you have ever had them in your garden you know that they can take over a yard.  We caught up with Norm McCreight from Lilly Miller to see how he deals with them.  He told us about Lilly Miller's Blackberry and Brush killer.  A lot of gardeners in the northwest have problems with blackberries and other woody invasive plants like scotch broom and poison oak.  This product will take care of the problem and now is a perfect time to apply it.  In the late summer and early fall the plant will draw energy to its roots.  When you apply this product the plant will carry the spray to the roots and get rid of your problem for good!  Norm also showed us how to apply it by paint brush so you can use it in your established gardens as well.