Can you feel the end of summer coming… for a lot of families the upcoming Labor Day weekend is the end of summer as everyone is returning to school and they return to the normal rhythm of life.  We also have some changes coming up.  We will be taking the Labor Day weekend off due to US open tennis.  This will give us a chance to sit back and think of some cool stories for the fall and to start planning for the Fall GardenPalooza happening on the 21st of September.  While we are off there will still be plenty to do.  Check out a local event in your area, like the Swan Island Dahlia Festival!

This week we featured...

Oregon Garden Floral Arranging

The Oregon Garden (503-874-8100) is loaded with wonderful color.  If you have been there you have probably been tempted to cut a few flowers to take home.  Well now you get your chance!  With flowers at their blooming peak, you learn how to bring them indoors to brighten up your home. Ladell McIlnay, of Anderson-McIlnay Florist (503-364-9770) in Salem, will be having a hands-on workshop at the Garden, making innovative and unexpected floral arrangements, guaranteed to catch the eye. You will get to wander around the garden and learn how to cut flowers, care for them after cutting, and arrange a beautiful bouquet. The class will be happening today, Saturday the 24th from 1 to 3pm.  The price is $12 for Oregon Garden members and $20 for non-members (it also includes admission to the garden).  Workshop price includes all plant materials, but please bring your own vase and some pruners if you have them.  This workshop is part of the Oregon Garden’s ‘Garden University’.  They have sessions, seminars and classes all the time; for a complete list check out their website.

During these hot summer months it is nice to find an oasis in the city.  We escaped to the Japanese Garden (503-223-1321) in the West Hills of Portland.  This year the garden is turning 50 years old and it has been called one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan.  We got a quick tour of the garden from Sylvia Skarstad, a long time volunteer and tour guide.  She told us about a couple of the 5 gardens that fill 5 ½ acres.  We passed through the main gate and learned about its significance then on to the arbor that is the formal entrance to the Strolling Garden.  We saw the tall lantern that was a gift from our sister city, Sapporo, that is lit during special festivals and holidays.  We ended up in the formal tea garden.   We also heard about the Sand and Stone Garden, the Flat Garden and even saw the cool Zigzag Bridge!  Sylvia also talked about how the garden is designed to blend seamlessly using the 3 primary elements in a Japanese garden; the stones, the water and the plants.  We also noticed how things in the garden were revealed through the use of ‘framing’.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary the garden is having a special Family Festival on Sunday September 15th from 10am to 4pm.  The Garden’s Family Festival: Celebrating 50 Years will feature activities, food, music and an introduction to the five traditional Japanese Cultural Festivals traditionally presented at the Portland Japanese Garden over the course of a year. The Family Festival is a unique opportunity to experience a showcase of all five of these festivals on one day.  If you can’t make it to the festival remember that the garden is open all year long, 7 days a week, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.  If the city is too busy, stop by the garden and take a stroll and enjoy!

If you have a water feature or pond you may have some beautiful plants in it, but if you have a marshy area you may be looking for some plants that will thrive in that area as well.  We stopped by Hughes Water Gardens (503-638-1709) to learn more about bog plants from the expert, Eamonn Hughes.  First he talked about the conditions that are good for bog or marsh plants.  These plants either live in shallow water or can handle lots of moisture without rotting.  These plants will help add character and depth to your pond and also create a habitat for wildlife.  Eamonn started with some tips for creating your own ‘wetlands’ if you don’t have one.  He recommended that you dig a shallow hole and line it with a pond liner.  Next make some cuts about 1 foot up the sides of the liner, this will allow moisture to gather without becoming a pond.  Next place a soaker hose or corrugated drainage pipe on the bottom of the liner and then cover it all with an organic soil mix.  Then you can plant your plants.  The reservoir will hold enough water to keep the plants healthy and happy and the hose/pile is there so you can add water if the reservoir gets dry.

We then moved on to the bog type plants.  These can handle lots of moisture, but don’t like to be immersed in water for extended periods of time.  Some of these plants included the hibiscus ‘Luna’, Gunnera, Lobelia ‘Fan Blue’, Acorus ‘Ogon’, Darmera, Marsh Marigold, Crystal Confetti Pennywort, Golden Creeping Jenny and the Pitcher Plant (a great fly catcher).  As you can see there are lots of different plants that you can use in your marsh, bog or even the soggy places in your garden.  To check out more you can stop by Hughes Water Garden.