The middle of summer and the garden is getting a breather. I have noticed that the flowers are looking great since the weather has cooled off. They are stretching their wings in the cooler days and nights. I’m feeling the same way. The area has been quite comfortable and everyone is enjoying it. It will just be a matter of time before the temperature rises again and we are baking in the heat again. Take some time and enjoy the cool weather with your garden.

This week we featured...

Oregon Lavender Festival

Mid-summer is the time for lavender. Almost all of the varieties are blooming now. We stopped at Lavender at Stonegate (503-638-5218) to visit with Sarah to learn about some of her favorite varieties she has growing in her fields. Lavender at Stonegate is one of 24 different lavender farms, nurseries and fairs that will be showcasing this lovely plant during the Oregon Lavender Festival this weekend. These different locations are spread around the entire Willamette Valley so we are sure you can find one in your area. Sarah has a bunch of activities planned at her location including a lavender wand making class. Judy tried to tackle one during our story and she did quite well. Sarah will also have cut lavender and plants for sale at her nursery. Some of the plants she shared with us included the varieties ‘Purple Bouquet’, the stunning Yellow Lavender ‘Lavandula viridis’ which smells like lemon, ‘Betty’s Blue’ and the Oregon hybridized variety ‘Buena Vista’. If you love lavender, this weekend is the time to head out and enjoy these wonderfully fragrant plants.

Simple Drip Irrigation

Being green doesn’t mean you can’t have a beautiful garden. It means you should be responsible with the resources that you use. A drip irrigation system is a great way to use your water more efficiently. Mark from Al’s Garden Center (503-726-1162) showed William how easy it is to build a drip system with supplies that many garden centers carry. First, Mark recommended that you figure out the amount of water that your system can provide. Use a bucket to see how many gallons per minute you can get. Then you can use that number to figure out how many drip emitters you can use. There are two types of emitters that you can use; a slow drip and a small sprayer. Once you have figured out the number of emitters you want, you just punch a hole in the tubing, attach the small emitter and place it in the plant. If you have any questions you can check with your local independent garden center. Call first to make sure they have all the parts you need.

Edible Plants Part 2

A couple of weeks ago we visited Portland Nursery and talked with Laura about edible flowers in the garden. There are just so many, that we had to return to learn about more. First of all, we have to remind everyone that you shouldn’t just start eating your flowers. Make sure they are safe to eat and that you haven’t used any chemicals on them. Laura’s first pick was a nod to Portland’s heritage as the City of Roses. She showed us how you can eat the petals off your roses. Be sure you remove the bottom ‘white’ part because that part can be bitter and another interesting fact, the stronger the fragrance the more flavor. She then moved on to the fuchsia. This one has edible flowers and some people even make jam out of the berries after the flowers have died. Marigolds are also edible. They tend to taste like they smell, kinda zesty. We also talked about cooking blossoms. Did you know that you can batter and deep fry squash blossoms? The first blossoms of the season are smaller male flowers and they will not produce fruit anyway. Nasturtiums are a favorite of many gardeners and they are one of the most popular of edible flowers. They have a nice spicy kick when you eat them, similar to a radish. Don’t forget the flowers of basil and thyme. They can have a very intense flavor. We finished with a couple of very interesting flowers. The Pineapple Guava which almost tastes like candy. And last but not least the daylily; This one is sometimes stuffed and cooked, and is very popular in some cultures. If you would like to learn more, you can stop by Portland Nursery or download this list from their website.

Stihl – KombiSystem

We are always on the look out for new tools on the market that will make gardening easier. We found a great new system from Stihl called the KombiSystem. The Stihl KombiSystem is a complete family of multi-task tools comprised of different power heads and numerous attachments. The split shaft design lets you quickly change attachments. It also comes with the new Easy2Start engine which takes no effort to start! Wayne Sutton from Stihl demonstrated how easy it is to operate. Check out the Stihl website to find a dealer near you.

Sun and Shade Hostas

If you think that hostas are only meant for the shade, you are only part right. We stopped by Sebright Gardens (503-463-9615) to check with Thomas to see if there are some varieties that will grow in the sun. Thomas lost a large tree at the nursery a couple of years ago in the garden and he decided to leave some of these ‘shade loving’ hostas in full sun to see how they would do. Most of them are still alive and thriving! Some need a little more water, but they are all looking full and beautiful. Thomas then took us over to a couple of hostas that perform well in sun and shade. In fact, depending on where they are in the garden, they can look like completely different plants. The first one was called ‘Paul’s Glory’. It looks bright gold with dark green edges in the full sun and in the shade it has lime green centers with dark green edges. The plant is also a lot fuller in the sun as well. The next one was called ‘June’ and was described as a tough as nails hosta. Once again this one has a lot brighter leaf color in full sun, and is darker leafed in the shade. There are quite a few hostas that perform well in sun and shade. You can check out their catalogue for a complete list of sun-tolerant hostas. You can download the catalogue off their website.