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December 29, 2007

 


Happy New Year!  It is the start of a new year and that could mean a fresh start for you and your garden.  This may be the year that you try a new look for your garden, or at least try a few new plants!  If you make one resolution this year, resolve to spend more time enjoying your garden with family and friends.  We will try to help you achieve that goal!  We wish you the best for the new year and always.

Therese, William, Judy and Jeff

Featured stories...

Monnier Orchids

If someone has a problem with a plant, it is hard to get them to try growing that plant again.  Orchids are a plant that many people have problems growing.   Ron Monnier from Monnier’s Country Gardens (503-981-3384) is known for his fuchsias, but he also is crazy about orchids.  His are just coming into bloom right now.  He gets great blooms by starting in the summer.  He moves his plants outdoors to expose them to the light and temperature.  Just before the first frost he moves them indoors.  The change in temperature sets the flower spikes and ensures a great winter bloom!  Orchids also like a well drained bark mix.  They are not a ‘soil’ type of plant.  If you are looking to grow orchids, you can check at your local garden center or give Ron a call.

Drakes Holiday Citrus

What kind of plant delivers great fragrance and beautiful blooms in the winter, and is delicious as well?  It is citrus!  We stopped by Drake's 7 Dees (503-256-2223) on SE Stark in Portland to see all the wonderful varieties they have in the store right now.  Lynn Snodgrass pointed out a couple of plants of interest including the Meyers Improved Lemon.  Citrus also has a lot of significance at this time of year.  It is one of the featured fruits of the Chinese New Year, citrus and anything in the red range symbolizes good luck. That includes oranges and tangerines which are piled in a pyramid shape. "Piling the oranges brings you closer to heaven," Families offer the pile of citrus fruits to ancestors as a sign of respect.  Also, fruit gifts convey the wish for health and happiness for the season and the new year to come.  A lemon type (citron) fruit is also used by the Jewish faith to celebrate one of their fall festivals (Sukkot).   Stop by Drakes or any other local garden center and try a citrus plant.

Ferguson’s Fall Fragrant Plants

You may think that all the plants are done showing off for the season but we found some at Ferguson’s Fragrant Nursery that are just starting to attract attention.  Danielle Ferguson pulled a bunch of plants that could become the highlight of your garden.  She started with the Pink Dawn Viburnum.  This plant is just starting to bloom and the scent is getting stronger every day.  Other plants she pulled from her nursery included Abelia mosanensis, Wintersweet ‘Chimonanthus praecox’, Sweetbox ‘Sarcococca humilis’, Euphorbia ‘Tasmanian Tiger’, Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’, Poncirus ‘Flying Dragon’, Fothergilla gardenia, and the Chinese Paper Bush also known as Edgeworthia papyrifera.  Some of these were just budding up and will soon be in bloom while others were already showing flowers.  To find the best plant for your garden check out the selection at Ferguson’s or your local garden center.
 

 
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