What a weekend!  The weather guys owe us!  Last week we were in the middle of getting ready for the BIG 5th annual Gardenpalooza event at Fir Point Farms.  Friday, the weather was great, then came Saturday and the rain!  If anything proves that we are hard core gardeners in the Northwest, it is a good, hard rain.  The weather was wet, but we had a great turnout.  Over 8,000 people shopped for outstanding plants, tools and garden accessories.  Now that you have all those plants, let’s talk about how to take care of them. 

This week we featured...

22nd Annual Tulip Fest

William and Judy visited the Woodburn Tulip Festival at the Wooden Shoe Tulip farm for the 22nd annual Woodenshoe Tulip Fest (1-800-711-2006).  This event showcases the fields full of beautiful tulip blooms and runs from mid-March to the 22nd of April.  Patti Iverson showed us over 18 acres of tulips in bloom, and the bloom was incredible!  The fields are at their peak right now and are a must see for anyone, even non-flower lovers.  We even got a chance to see a wooden shoe carver, who will be at the festival on weekends.  In fact, every weekend there are a variety of things to do including pony rides, arts and crafts, steam tractors, wine tasting and other entertainment for a small fee of $5 a car.  The rest of the week it is free!  Even when the weather is a little damp, the fields never disappoint.  Bring a camera; this is a scene you have to capture on film!

Marietta’s Spring Garden

We were in Eugene again and paid a visit to Northwest Garden Nursery (541-935-3915) and Marietta O’Byrne’s woodland garden.  Marietta and her husband Ernie not only grow some of the nicest and cleanest plants around, they also use them in some of the best display gardens we have ever found.  Judy got a personal tour and was able to see some of the earliest woodland plants that appear in the garden.  We saw how the spring is greeted by fritillarias, trilliums, anemones, trout lilies and hellebores. Then, later on the pulmonarias, epimediums and the podophyllums take over and create a whole new palette of colors and textures to enjoy.  We will be visiting the garden again in the coming months to check out the garden changes and find new plants.  If you are interested in seeing the garden, call first because garden hours are limited. 

Container Rejuvenation

If your containers are a little tired we can show you how to give them a fresh start.  William gets some helpful hints from Renate Aebi at Al’s Garden Center (503-726-1162) in Sherwood.  She told us how to use structure and color to build a winning hanging basket, but first she dumped our old baskets in the trash!  She was trying to prove a point.  You may want to start your basket fresh, with new soil, plants and fertilizer.  If you really love an old plant in your basket, put it out it in your garden.  Renata also showed us how to mix perennials and annuals to get great color all season long.  She also rotates her annuals to freshen up her pots every couple of months.

Tool Shed – Watering Cans

Your plants need watering; you need to have fun doing it.  We found some pretty cool watering cans that get the job done at Daisy Fields (800-294-1343) in Lake Oswego.  The owner, JoAnn, has found some interesting ones that bring a sense of whimsy to garden watering.  We saw animal themed ones that included an elephant, a ladybug and a rooster.  There are even one-of-a-kind hand painted cans that feature garden scenes.  You can order them on-line or check out her store in downtown Lake Oswego.

Spring Equipment Maintenance

Now is the time to take care of those lawn equipment service problems so you can head into spring with ‘working’ equipment.  Scott from Stark Street Lawn and Garden (503-255-5393) walked us through some of the issues you may be dealing with and how to fix them.  If your mower is acting up you can take care of the problem by changing the fuel and oil filters, changing the oil, spark plug and sharpening the blade.  The same is true for all your lawn and garden equipment.  If you have a job you don’t think you can handle, give the guys at Stark Street a call or find a reputable repair shop.  Always remember to have your model number and brand written down for the technician when you call so they can have the parts you need available.

Garden Stretching

Spring brings a lot of things to the gardener.  The joy of seeing new color, the relaxation of working in the soil and the aches and pains of getting your body into gardening shape!  We visited with Mary Eileen Barr a physical therapist with the Legacy Health System who showed us how to avoid injury and help us enjoy our time in the garden.  She recommended a quick walk to warm up before you start working.  If you are in the same position for awhile you should get up and stretch before you go back to work.  She also walked us through some exercises that you can do before you start any yard work.  If you want more ways of stretching you can check with your doctor or any Legacy therapist.