Welcome to Rose Festival. It is the annual tribute to rain... err, I mean
roses, in Portland. Actually, rain is not uncommon for this time of year in
Oregon and SW Washington. We should all be used to this type of weather. I
like to think that the Rose Festival is the true kick-off to spring. Once
the festival is over you can bet that, school will be out, the weather will
improve and attitudes will change. I find it funny that we set aside 2-3
weeks to pay tribute to the rose. This week we went out to Heirloom Roses
and they have been in bloom for about a month already. In fact, we paid a
visit to help them celebrate their annual Rose Days happening this weekend.
The Rose Days event is just one of many events happening around the area.
Remember, you can always get the list of current events on the Garden Time
events calendar.
Also, don't forget to check out the Garden Time Facebook, twitter and blog
postings.
This week we featured...
Cornell Summer Containers
The summer is close at hand, even if the weather is saying
otherwise. It is time to start thinking about putting together some great
containers for your deck or patio. Deby at Cornell Farm (503-292-9895) walked us through
the steps to put one together and showed us some of her favorite plants too.
First she started with a wonderful pot with a nice hole in the bottom for
good drainage. Then she added some of Cornell Farm's signature potting soil.
This is a new blend made especially for their nursery. She also added some EB Stone Organic Sure Start fertilizer which will help jump start the
plants. Then she told us about some of the plants she had picked out. She
started with a New Zealand Flax, phormium tenax 'Purpurea' as her center
starting point. She paired that with a Cape Daisy, Osteospermum 'Nuanza
Copper Purple' which had some beautiful bronze and pink flowers. These
flowers will close up at night, only to open in the warmth of the sun. Next
came a group of plants that complemented either the color or the texture of
those starting plants. A Coprosma 'Pink Splendor' joined an Ozothamnus
diosmifolius 'Rose' and the popular Heuchera 'Crème Brule'. Around the
edges of the container were a couple of petunias, 'Pretty Much Picasso' and
an Agertum 'Artist Rose'. It may seem like a lot of plants for one
container, but that just made it look full and grown in; you don't want to
wait all season for your pots to look perfect. As Deby says, 'for the cost
of a good dinner you can have a full season of color'. We couldn't agree
more. Just remember to keep your container watered and give it a shot of
fertilizer once a month and you will be enjoying this container for the next
6 months! If you have questions about sun or shade plants or any other
container concerns, you can always count on the experts at Cornell Farm.
Heirloom Rose Days
We paid a visit to Heirloom Roses (503-538-1576) for their annual Rose Days
event. Heirloom not only grows roses, they also hybridize new varieties and
this weekend you can take a tour of the great display gardens and see some
of the 1000's they grow at the nursery, then you can buy one and take one
home. In addition to the roses, you can catch seminars from local gardening
experts, sample wine and chocolate, listen to live music and enjoy a BBQ
dinner. KXL will also have a radio remote from the gardens. We met up with
Cheryl to talk about some of the great color in the garden right now.
Cheryl pointed out the wonderful waves of color from 'Kateryna'. We also
heard about 'Louise Clements' named after the owner of Heirloom Roses and
'Morning has Broken' named for the song that was playing when John and
Louise Clements got married. We also saw the huge specimen, 'Paul's
Himalayan Musk' which is growing nearly 50 feet up a neighboring tree.
Cheryl also told us what homeowners should be looking for in their garden
and how to combat the wet weather we are having. Heirloom is a great
resource for rose lovers of any kind. If you are looking for a great time
this weekend, come enjoy this free event.
Grande Valley Iron
Grande Valley Ornamental Iron (503-981-6923) is one of those places that we
passed every couple of weeks or so and we never seemed to find time to stop
in. Boy, have we been missing out! Jan and Ed Viska sent us an invitation and once we did stop, we fell in love with their creations. Jan and Ed started Grande Valley as a hobby to keep them busy in retirement. That hobby has grown to be one of the best places to get metal art and structures for your garden. Jan talked with William and had a hard time covering all the different items that they carry on their one-and-a-quarter-acre lot. You can find
trellises, arbors, gates, benches, garden stakes, planters, gazebos and
grates. They also do fountains and sheds. Pretty much everything you need
for your garden that doesn't grow! Jan also told us about their custom
work. Just bring them an idea and they can make it! If you are heading
down I-5 and have a few minutes, you need to take the Canby exit and stop by
their place near Hubbard. You will be glad you did.
Jan's June Tips
This late spring has been wet and cold, and that means some of
your plants are suffering in the garden. We stopped by to check in with Jan
McNeilan to learn what you can do to help them until the sun and warmth
returns. Jan had heard that this was the worst weather in 20 years and we
believe her! That means some of your garden veggies may not be doing much
in the garden. In fact some of them may be showing some of the early signs
of disease and stress. She recommended that you should wait on your most
tender plants until the end of June (if possible) so they don't just sit and
rot in your garden. If you do have plants in the ground, walk around and
look for bugs like aphids and problems like botrytis (grey mold). If you do
find pest problems in your garden, treat the problem with a good organic
remedy like insecticidal soap. If you have any questions about what you can
apply to your vegetables you can check with your local OSU Extension office
or independent garden center. If your vegetable plants are slow in growing
you can also help them by using a 'wall of water' to retain the heat and
help them stay toasty. The key is to stay vigilant.
We also saw Jan's new hydroponic system. This self contained
system applies the needed water and nutrients to the veggies she has planted
in a soil-less container. She got her system from Green Air Products in Boring, Oregon. We will
check it out in a month to see how her system does with the okra and
tomatoes that she has planted, so stay tuned!