Can you feel it? The heat is slowly returning to the valley and that is getting the 'green thumb' itching to get out in the garden. Even though we have had some warm weather, remember that it is just a little too cold yet for most of your garden vegetables. In just a few weeks we will be warm enough to grow just about anything. Still you can start things from seed and get some of your garden planning done right now. Check with your local garden center to get your creative juices flowing!

This week we featured...

The Hulda Klager Lilac Days

It is that time of year, Lilac time. We took the short trip up I-5 to Woodland Washington to check out the lilacs at the Hulda Klager Lilac Days (360-225-8996). The 2010 Lilac Days will run from this weekend through Mother's Day. Hulda hybridized many lilacs and became known as the 'Lilac Lady' in the Woodland area. She opened her garden to the public for an open house in the spring during the 20's. She passed away in 1960. You can read more about this wonderful woman in this month's issue of the Garden Time On-line magazine. You can sign up for your copy on the home page of the Garden Time website.

The Hulda Klager Lilac Society now runs the garden and opens it every year for this festival. They charge a small fee during the festival. That, and the proceeds from the gift shop, keeps this garden going all year long. Another way that the group raises money for the garden is through a lilac plant sale. Of the over 400 varieties of lilacs in the garden you will find over 100 available for sale. Some are blooming in pots and when you take them home they can make an instant bang in your garden. Take the time and visit it when you get a chance, it is spectacular!

Privacy Plants

With the smaller yards and gardens that are available today, people are looking for ways to create privacy in their gardens. If you are looking at fences, don't forget the fences of the 'living' kind. We stopped by Garland Nursery (1-800-296-6601) in Corvallis to get some ideas of which plants to use from Lee Powell. Lee is an expert landscape designer and he picked some that will not only create a living barrier, but they will also stay thin and not create a bulky hedge that will need lots of maintenance. He divided his selections between full sun and shade so we could see just some of the huge range of choices available. Instead of choosing between arborvitae or laurel, check out these selections. The first ones we saw were the ones for full sun. The Pyracantha 'Graberi' is a great one that also has thorns so it can provide security as well as privacy. The Boxwood 'Green Tower' stays really thin and can fit in a space as narrow as 2-3 feet. The Euonymus 'Green Spire' is also very good for filling in and blocking views, but this one may have a stray branch or 2. Those can be easily pruned off. Hick's Yew 'Hicksii' is a nice selection that may get a little wider than 3 feet across, but it fills in nicely and needs little or no care. If you are looking for flowers in your hedge you can't go wrong with the camellias. The one we saw is 'Brigadoon'. This one can get wider than the 3 feet we have been looking at, but they are easy to train along a fence or trellis for some great walls of blooming color. We then looked at some vines. The first one was an ornamental kiwi called 'Arctic Beauty'. The new growth has very nice pink and white leaves that get green over time. This one will lose its leaves in the winter, but very few people need privacy in their gardens during the winter. The final choice was a variegated climbing hydrangea called 'Miranda'. The new growth has gold edges and it can cling and attach itself to wooden fences.

This weekend you can get even more choices at the Garland Spring Celebration happening both Saturday and Sunday at the nursery. There are a number of seminars to help you get ready for the summer. The one on Privacy Plants is happening on Sunday afternoon at 1:30. There is also a wine tasting, willow furniture seminars and other great classes and events. Check out their website for more information and other details.

Weed Control

If you have weeds in your garden, and who doesn't, you may be wondering what type of weed control you should use. William and Judy gave us a brief rundown of some of the most popular methods available and things to be aware of. William covered some of the chemical methods including Round-up, that kills weeds (and plants if you are not careful), to some of the pre-emergents like Preen and Casoron. Pre-emergents are products that slow or stop the germination of seeds before they can sprout. Judy then talked about some of the more natural methods like corn gluten which is a pre-emergent and landscape fabric which can be a barrier to weeds. Of course there is always the old fashioned way of using the old hoe! If you ever have any questions about what to use in your yard or garden, check with your local garden center.

Twisted Garden Plants

Getting twisted in the garden doesn't mean you are having a little risky business happening. We are talking about plants; specifically plants that are twisted in the appearance or texture. We found a bunch at Cornell Farm (503-292-9895). Deby Barnhart had found plants of all different sizes to show us. First she had a dwarf Alberta Spruce that was trimmed into a spiral shape. This one will require a lot of maintenance to keep it in shape, but there is nothing better for a front entryway. A really twisted plant was next, the Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar. This one is trained in to a serpentine shape and would be really outstanding against a wall or fence. Dwarf Yellow Hinoki's have great twisted foliage that is accented by the golden tips of the new growth. Harry Lauder's Walking Stick is a relative of the hazelnut, but is much different than its upright cousin. It also has the added benefit of the catkins during the late winter and early spring. A mock orange also called Poncirus 'Flying Dragon' was next. This plant is interesting because of the many different qualities it has. It has very fragrant white blooms in the spring followed by dark green foliage. In the fall it has a small, non-edible, orange shaped fruit. The most interesting part to this plant is the twisted stems and curved thorns. We also saw a small curly plant that can become a big boy in time called Cryptomeria 'Spiraliter Falcata' with a unique curly branch that could reach 20 feet tall when fully grown! We moved to a smaller euphorbia next. Euphorbia is a twisted plant in general, but the 'Despina' variety has drooping blooms and tips which makes it really unique. Finally we saw the Spike Moss 'Emerald Isle' which looks almost like a small green brain! If you are looking to get twisted in the garden check out these and many other 'twisted' plants at your local garden center.

Grimm's Lawn Seeding

Spring is a great time to plant or over-seed your lawn. Jeff Grimm took us to a home to walk us through the steps for success. First, you have to remove the old lawn either with a turf cutter or by spraying it with a broad herbicide (like a Round-up), then you add a couple of inches of garden mulch or compost and roto-till that in. You then roll it to remove the bumps and lumps. Next you call Grimm's Fuel (503-636-3623)! They will come out and apply another layer of mulch, and then a layer of a mulch and grass seed mixture. They can apply your new yard in a matter of minutes. Now is the perfect time to plant a new lawn. The soil temperatures are rising and the seed will germinate quickly and soon you will be enjoying your new, lush, green lawn.