Pacific Northwest Gardening: WA: Zone 9?, 1 by AuNatural

AuNatural wrote:
Totallylost--That's a little harsh. I wouldn't wish climate change on anyone. I can wish for warmer temperatures at times, because I love the big bold leaves of some plants too tender for our wet winters here in Western WA. I grew up in the Caribbean, so I love the way plants grow with no fuss. I can try to duplicate those plantings here, and fail or barely keep them alive, but it would take ALOT of work. I laugh because the only thing my mother ever watered was the lawn.

Since moving out here I've fallen in love with the native woodland plants bunchberry, false lily of the valley, trilliums and starflowers . Many of these would be threatened if the climate keeps warming up, and/or the natural water supply deminishes. Just think of what Vegas, Phoenix and LA would be like without the Hoover dam. And poor Mexico, on the tail end of the Colorado River, already gets nothing. Gardening with WA natives gives satisfaction and joy in Spring, but still, I will plant tender 'tropicals' for Summer bang.

As an aside, why are native plants out here so hard to find? When you do find them, they're soooo expensive. A small start of vanilla leaf in a 3" pot is $5. at Molbaks; a big 10" potted philodendron, grown and trucked in from Florida--about as far as you can get from here, is $8.88 at HD. Go figure.

Here's a little of the native groundcovers I hope will eventually displace all the ivy on my property.

This message was edited May 6, 2007 9:29 PM