What is
going on???
Is it summer
again? The
calendar
says it is
fall, but it
feels like
the middle
of summer.
We have been
enjoying the
great
weather and
spending
more time on
the patio.
One thing we
are
watching:
The slow
change of
color in our
plants and
trees. With
the cooler
nights the
fall colors
are really
starting to
pop! Get
out in your
garden and
enjoy the
show.
This week we
featured...
Under the
Autumn Moon
Festival
We dropped
by the
Portland
Classical
Chinese
Garden
(503-228-8131)
because we
heard there
was a
festival
going on and
we found a
huge
neighborhood
celebration.
The
Under the
Autumn Moon
Festival
will take
place at the
newly
designed
festival
streets on
NW Davis and
Flanders
between the
renovated NW
3rd and 4th
Avenues. The
festival
will open
with a
spectacular
Mid-Autumn
parade, and
continue
throughout
the two days
with
multi-cultural
music and
dance, a
global
marketplace,
fireworks,
an
international
food area
with cooking
demonstrations,
and arts and
craft
activities.
We met with
Peter
Englander
from the
Portland
Development
Commission
to learn
about all
the street
improvements
(and they
look
spectacular).
Then we met
with Gloria
Lee at the
garden and
learned that
they will be
open for
FREE on
Sunday. If
you are
looking to
get out and
have some
fun in the
sun, check
out this
wonderful
multi-cultural
event!
Stanley
Pre-Bonsai
Some people
want to get
into the art
of Bonsai,
but they are
afraid to
start. We
found an
easy way to
get the
bonsai look
in your
plants with
out all the
time and
effort.
Larry
Stanley from
Stanley and
Sons Nursery
showed
William some
pre-bonsai
trees.
These are
naturally
short,
slow-growing
varieties
that will
give you a
head start
on tackling
bonsai. You
can leave
these
varieties in
pots or
planters for
quite a long
time and
they will
not become
too big, too
fast. Of
course, if
you want
them to get
a little
bigger just
move them
into your
regular
landscape
and they
will slowly
get bigger.
For more
information
you can give
them a call
or contact
your local
independent
garden
center.
Cement
Leaves
Before the
leaves start
to fall,
harvest them
for some
quick garden
art. We met
with a local
artist, Ann
Kenkel, to
learn the
steps for
creating
cute cement
leaves for
your
landscape.
Ann has
worked out
the kinks
and made all
the mistakes
so you don’t
have to.
Just follow
her ‘Cement
Leaf’
recipe.
CLICK HERE
FOR RECIPE.
She
recommends
you start
with smaller
leaves and
ones that
are
non-fuzzy.
Put your
cement
mixture on
thick and
then make
sure you let
it cure for
quite a
while. Ann
recommends
at least 2
days before
you remove
the leaf.
You can do
this with
any leaf and
now is the
perfect time
to do it.
AMS –
Landscaping
In the past
we have told
you about
the Axis
product and
the company
that
distributes
it,
AMS
(503-367-3640).
We found out
that it is
now becoming
the product
of choice
for
landscapers
as well.
Rob Lubliner
from
Lubliner
Landscaping
told us how
he uses it
to give his
clients a
quick,
lasting
solution to
their soil
and lawn
problems.
As a
landscaper
he has found
that if you
don’t fix
the problem
the first
time you are
just asking
for trouble
in the
future. If
he has a
clay soil
with poor
drainage he
will give
the AMS crew
a call and
they can
eliminate it
in short
order.
George
Serrill from
AMS told us
how easy it
is to do to
an existing
lawn with
their
special
equipment.
If you have
soil
problems, do
what the
professional
landscapers
do, call AMS.
Kindergarden
– Bug Cups
This week’s
kindergarden
segment was
a hoot! We
learned how
to amplify
the sounds
of bugs
using a
small cup
and some wax
paper. Amy
Bigej from
Al’s Garden
Center
(503-981-1245)
brought this
project to
us and it
was so easy
we couldn’t
resist. To
do it at
home,
capture a
bug in a
cup.
Stretch some
wax paper
across the
top and then
secure it
with a
rubber
band. Hold
it up to
your ear and
you will be
able to hear
the bug
clearly!
The fun part
of this
story was
the ladybugs
getting
loose and
tickling one
of our
little
gardeners.