We paid a visit to the Division Street Portland Nursery (503-788-9000) to check out their new expansion. Michael Williams told us about all the room they now have and what it means for the home gardener. You will now see an expanded selection of roses, garden structures, trees and shrubs, and perennials. Plus they have wider aisles to keep you from bumping into the other shoppers. They have also changed the inside of the store too. Drop by and check it out!

Spring may be slow getting to your garden, but at the Portland Classical Chinese Garden (503-228-8131) it is making an early appearance. Jodi Gertov joined Judy to show off four of the early bloomers that are getting lots of attention at the garden including Camellia 'Jury's Yellow', Camellia japonica 'Bokuhan', Rhododendron spinuliferum, Camellia 'Dr. Clifford Parks'. If you are looking for a break from your garden or the rain, check out the garden and see why they say it’s ‘never twice the same’.

Are you ‘space challenged’ when it comes to your patio or deck? Instead of spreading out your planters, consider going up! Donna Wright of Black Gold showed us how to stack your pots to add height to your plantings. We used smaller pots on top of larger pots and built layers of three. We showed you how to build one with color, but you can also make one filler with herbs to keep outside on your deck to use whenever you are cooking. We also used the Black Gold Coco Blend potting soil. The Coco Blend contains coconut fiber that helps retain water so you water less often.

Jan McNeilan returns with her tips for the month of April. She is joined by our special garden correspondent Kym Pokorny of the Homes and Gardens section of the Oregonian. Jan talked about the importance of checking out the soil temperature before you plant. Knowing the right temp means you won’t get those tender plants in the ground too soon. She also told us about how to check for aphids and looking for winter damage on your perennials. If you have any questions you can contact your local OSU extension office or check out the extension website.

As you start pulling out your garden tools for the coming season, it is a good time to give them a good cleaning and sharpening. Some tips to follow include using alcohol and steel wool to scrub them clean and disinfect them. Then you want to use a sharpening stone to give a good sharp edge to them to make the cutting easier. Remember to only sharpen the beveled edges of the blades! Also, if you have a pruning saw, take it to a professional or buy a new one. They are just too dangerous to attempt on your own. Do a little sharpening now and all your pruning will be a breeze!

If you love to go nursery hopping in search of those one-of-a-kind plants, we found something that will help you in your search. The Oregon Association of Nurseries (1-800-342-6401) has put out a map of retail nurseries and garden centers for the state of Oregon. We took a look at how easy it is to visit these nurseries and found ourselves at Ferguson’s Fragrant Nursery (503-633-4585) near St. Paul. This beautiful nursery is a perfect example of the quality nurseries you will find around the state!