Cold and frigid temperatures are sweeping through the Northwest and that
means it is time to batten down the hatches and think about protecting your
garden for the colder weather and snow to come. The cold weather is also a
reminder that we must be near the end of the Garden Time season. Next week
will be the final episode for 2010. As we finish our 5th season, and
approach Thanksgiving, we want to thank all of our viewers for making us the
most watched garden show in the Northwest, but don't worry we will return in
the spring of 2011 for our 6th season.
This week we featured...
Olive Oil Harvest
The taste of fresh olive oil can't be beat. Whether it is in a
salad dressing or cooking, the flavor is intoxicating. And the freshest
olive oil is right here in the Willamette Valley at Red Ridge Farms. The
Oregon Olive Mill at Red Ridge (503-864-2200) is in the process of
harvesting and milling fresh olive oil just outside of Dundee. We paid a
visit and received a personalized tour of the production facilities from one
of the owners, Paul Durant. We visited one of the fields where we saw how
they are growing the Arbequina variety of olives along with the Picual
variety. Once they are harvested the local olives are combined with
selected high quality olives from California. The olives are then milled
for their oil. Most people think that the olives are pressed, but they are
actually ground up whole, heated and the oil is spun off using a centrifuge.
The new oil is called 'Olio Nuovo' and appears cloudy. After the a few
months the sediments settle to the bottom of the storage container and the
oil is clear.
Your chance to see this process in action is happening this
weekend at Red Ridge Farms (503-864-8502) during their Olio Nuovo
Festa. Stop by for tastes at the farm all this weekend. Check out their
website for the times of all the events!
Building a Holiday Centerpiece
Welcome the holidays with a beautiful centerpiece on your dinner
table. It is easy to build and decorate if you follow the right steps.
William and Judy showed us how to build a lovely centerpiece with a battery
operated candle for the Thanksgiving holiday and how to convert it to a
Christmas centerpiece with just a few changes. We started with a candle
called Enjoy which we found at Target. We also found similar candles at
Al's Garden Center in Sherwood and others at K-Mart. These are great
because you can use them in any decoration and because they are battery
operated they will not catch anything on fire. Plus the Enjoy Candle has a timer so you can set it for 4, 6 or 8 hours
and it will shut off by itself. They also look so natural with flickering
bulbs that resemble a real flame.
We started our first centerpiece with cut greens from an
evergreen in our garden and some sword ferns too. You just layer them in
the container you have chosen. Pick lots of different textures so it is
more visually stimulating. Next we put in buds from the pieris shrub, for
more texture. We added gourds and silk leaves (they will not dry out and
crumble) for the fall/Thanksgiving look. To change the look to a winter or
Christmas look we pulled the gourds and silk leaves away and added pinecones
and rose hips for a totally different look. You can have a beautiful
centerpiece on your holiday table and it is easy to build!
Portland Nursery Inspiration Open House
If you are looking for inspiration to liven up your holiday
decorating, look no further than Portland Nursery on Stark St.
(503-231-5050)
this weekend. The Stark street store is having their Inspiration Open House
on Saturday and Sunday and they have a huge list of events that are
happening! Classes include making handmade snowglobes, decorating tips,
making floral centerpieces, and wine and candy tasting. You can also get
some great deals on plants, selected holiday decorations and even get your
picture taken in their holiday sleigh. They will even mail you the picture!
At the Division Street (503-788-9000) store you can enjoy the
Super RAD PDX Craft Show on Saturday from 2-6pm. This event will feature
over 40 different independent local artisans and craft people. They will
also have live music and refreshments! There is a lot to do at both stores!
Tsugawa Gifts from the Garden
If you are looking for a unique and interesting gift, maybe all
you need to do is look as far as your garden. This weekend Tsugawa Nursery
(360-225-8750) is
having their holiday open house and one of the classes that they are
offering is the 'Gifts from the Garden' class. This class is a 'hands-on'
event that will show you how to make simple gifts for the holidays from your
garden. Merle showed us some of the things you can learn to make including
planters of colorful plants, herbal vinegars, oil and sugars, forced bulbs
and other elegant gifts. Other classes will show you how to make a Mosaic
Stepping Stone, a bonsai and wreaths and centerpieces. There are events for
the kids including a treasure hunt, a nature craft and a yummy treat!
Events fill up fast so check out the complete listing on the Tsugawa
website.
Hardy Ferns
The winter garden can be a depressing place. Most of the color
is gone and there is not much to look at on those drab days. We found a
variety of plant that changes that outlook, hardy ferns. We stopped by
Sebright Gardens (503-463-9615) to visit with Thomas and learn more about these great winter
plants. These hardy ferns can take pretty much anything that nature can
dish out. Thomas showed us some of his favorite ones in their display
garden including; Polystichum setiferum plumoso multilobum, the Lace Fern
'Microlepia strigosa', the Mexican Male Fern 'Dryopteris pseudo Filix-mas',
Polystrichum setiferum 'Congestum Christa', and the Beaded Wood Fern
'Dryopteris bissetiana. Tough names to pronounce that fit the tough plants
they describe. These plants like dappled shade, light fertilization and
well drained soil. For more information on these plants feel free to
contact Sebright Gardens.