Any Oregon Coast Gardeners out there?

I do have one here. Its not a very flashy one, small dusty rose flowers. The good thing about them is they are very easy, evergreen, flower in winter and the deer and rabbits don't eat them. They are also easy to propagate with cuttings. I like mine but wished the flowers showed more. Oh, and the hummers love them as well.

I have the erica canaliculata, it does very well. The SA heather mostly are hardy to about 28 degrees but the trouble they have is they cannot stand our wet winters. My uncle has a few they are growing in sand and do very well. He has some heather that is 20 feet tall, its amazing.

I am so sorry that the nursery was closed when you were there. I have written them and they are sending me an availability in a few weeks. I am hoping they have Erica Verisicolor for wholesale, that one I would love to have. Plus a bunch of other stuff, I love that nursery.

I had a great trip on my plant buying today. I got some bolivian fuchsia alba that I have been wanting for a long time and some honey bush, I have wanted that for a long time. Hum, got the car totally full. Found some Sourwood trees, I have wanted one for a long time. Also got some arbutus uneda, the strawberry tree. It was in Cave Junction which is Zone 7, I was surprised they were doing so well. Got 3 kinds of Oregon Grape, which I don't like at all but others do. Oh and I got some wolf berrys. I was so happy to get them, oh I have the van just packed. I just found this wholesale place by accident and they grow native stuff which is hard to find. I will be going back there for sure.

We cross posted, they are hardy and I have seen them growing in Coos Bay. They even handle the wet fine. I think one of the reasons not a lot of people grow them is because they are just not widely available. Oregon has a very small area of zone 9 so the big nurserys just don't stock them.

That Fuchsia is quite a find, I bet with the big leaves and white and red flowers they would be stunning in a woodland setting. I have always admired pictures of both forms but have never seen one growing. There were quite a number of types of the correa in the garden there and they had a big raised bed of them where it was quite easy to see the flowers, they were rather bright red and reminded me of an agapetes. Erica versicolor may have been the unlabeled erica that I was admiring there. It was a beauty and it was even healthier that many of the more common types they had growing. I would also love to see erica mammosa somewhere. I have very sandy soil but would most likely grow them in a pot anyway since I plan on moving out of my rental soon. In a pot I could move them under cover in the rain as long as they would tolerate the cold. As I am writing this the timer on my grow light went out and my cestrum nocturnum opened up its flowers and is overpowering me with its scent. Have you tried any of the cestrum outdoors? Mine doesn't seem to like the cool temps during summer and just sat there until I brought it inside for the winter.

I do have the cestrum nocturnum, it does okay but does not care for the wet winter, I think. I put one if for a lady in Brookings and its huge and blooms wonderfully. The cestrum elegans does very well here, I have a pink one that flowers almost all year. No fragrance, but very pretty.

I am so eager to get the list from H botanicus. Who knows what wonderful things they will offer me?

I am busy getting the new plants potted up. Ran out of soil again, my new soil is coming Monday so had to run into town and get some to keep me going. The wolfberry vines are quite pretty, I am eager to taste the fruit as they say its so good for you as well as being tasty. This last year I have gotten on an unusual berry kick. I got some chilian guava, I love the bush as well as the berries are wonderfully sweet and flavorful. I am trying some aronia and luma, Lots of the "edible" fruit really doesn't taste good so I am loving finding some that do.

The Bolivian fuchsias I got are very nice, good sized and healthy. I have never seen the white one, I do have the red but the white one with red is really pretty in pictures so I am happy to have gotten those. I got some things that are new to me that I am eager to try. I wish I could have gotten fewer than 128 on some but I took what I could get.

Are you looking for a house to buy? If so, you seemed to have picked a good time. Seems real estate has really tanked.

I would sure love to have room for 128 of anything! I lost one of my cestrum nocturnum plants last winter in a pot outside during one of the colder freezes so I didnt leave the other one outside this winter. My guess would be that nocturnum is probably not one of the best species for the area, C. parqui is from chile and I bet would do better in the cooler temps. Mine is a monster inside, I have to hack it back every two weeks so that it doesnt take over my grow room. Those luma are magnificent trees. Check out this picture of a luma forest in chile. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luma_apiculata, The trees there are 650 years old it says. I woud love to go to chile to see some of the plants there in their natural setting, maybe after the house:) It is always awesome to see something that has been living and growing for that long. Im actually looking at lots in port orford right now as I have always wanted to build a house. Your right about real estate taking a nose dive, great for me as the plants are taking over my home, here is a picture of the invasion. Excuse the blurry cell phone pic, I dont have a digital camera yet.

I do think you need room. I don't know how familiar you are with Port Orford but the wind there is horrible and they have a high crime rate. At least that is the reputation, the crime rate. Bandon is better I think, not knowing if you need to be close to Coos Bay or not. I have a feeling gas is just starting to rise and commuting is going to be a real issue soon.

I love my lumas. I also have the austrailian bush cherry, I have the dwarfs that are very simular. Have not had berries on either to be able to see if they are tasty or not. I will like them even if the berrys taste awful as I love the evergreen foliage and the flowers so late in the year. I still have a few flowers on the bush cherry, perhaps I will get a berry or two.

I had some nice black berries on my aronia this year. I would taste them but they were sour, was waiting for them to ripen then went out one day and they were all gone. Some thing decided they were tasty.

Been working between showers. Getting all the new stuff taken care of. Oh, I have a lot. The ocean is just beautiful today, big waves and lots of white caps. Going back out and play some more.

On the property I grew up on in PA there was a lot of native aronia. The ones there were never sweet even after they were fully ripe, but the birds sure loved them. I do visit Port Orford fairly often, I really like it there actually and there are currently some very nice lots available on coast gaurd hill leading up to the heads. Stunning views from up there. Some of them are on a nice south facing slope and so they would be warm and wind protected In the summer. Pricing in port orford is very good, perhaps because of that reputation that you mention, but coos bay is much worse in my opinion, big drug problems and a suprising number of homeless people for such a small town. I lived in brooklyn before and have dealt with the muggings and gangs, as long as port orford is better than that, Im ok. Bandon is also another area in which I am looking but it is generally more expensive from what I have found for a lot there that has utilities and is near the beach. Ultimately I would like to be able to purchase some real acreage around gold beach where I can plant trees and enjoy some solitude but I just dont have the money for it at this point and really want to get out of renting. That rain has been on and off today, we even had some ice falling here, very wind the last two days here as well. It seems like the end of february was warmer and sunnier than the beginning of march. Good luck with all of your new plants, enjoy!

I am with you on Coos Bay, I really don't like it much. To me its a mill town, simular to Eureka in looks and people. I have a friend who owns some real estate in Port Oford, I will ask is she is planning on selling any. She inherted some rentals, the ones I know about have nice ocean views. If she is interested in selling I will get the info and tell you the location, you can look on your own before so you can easily say no.

It seems anything with ocean view is so expensive. But in my opinion, worth it. I spend so much time looking at the ocean, it never fails to fascinate me. I am lucky here we don't have many days where we are fogged in, near the cape many people have moved because they could not stand the fog. Must have purchased it on a sunny day, lol.

Oh, my uncle owns some property up 80 acre road. Sometime when you are in the area take a look up there and see if you like the area. It is south a few miles from Gold Beach, his lot does not have ocean view but nice woods and mountains. It also has an embothrium about 40 feet tall and lots of heather and I believe there is a natural spring for a pond. I think its 3 acres or so, it will easily have water but will need septic which can be expensive these days. There are some million $ homes in the area and nice neighbors. If you take a look and are interested let me know. Its not currently on the market so there is no sign. And he would finance, more than likely. If its not your cup of tea, oh well.

I am finding that usually edible berries are not sweet or tasty. The Chilian guava is an exception, I hope the wolf berries are tasty. I really like berries but they must be sweet.

It appears there are not many oregon south coast gardeners here....just us 3, then 2.

Well, Rebecca & Pogo, there may not be a lot of you, but I'm glad you're here. I'm enjoying reading your posts even if I don't have a lot to say about S. Oregon. You're kind of making me want to take a road trip, actually.

I found the sun! It was in Las Vegas Nevada;~)
I'll have to catch up on all the coastal gardening you all seem to be enjoying a bit later.
I enjoyed a week and half with DD and DGS, Koston (6 1/2 months). DGS is the sweetest little baby! DS and DIL and 7 month old Kameron "Blaize" will be here this evening from Bellingham, WA. YEAH!
I was welcomed home by the rain and more rain! Lots of rain!
I'm thinking I may have to switch from plants to fish! At least there isn;t much wind.
Karen~

There are always more people looking than I realize. I enjoy reading your posts, but don't have much familiarity with warm-climate plants . . . so learning lots.

I'm such a PNW wannabe ~ Crescent City is closer than Eureka to the PNW, but I'll still take Eureka. But to me, the Oregon Coast is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. I never drive up there without oooing and aaahing over its beauty. I think my gardening strong points and hindrances are probably similar to what you deal with in Gold Beach and Coos Bay. Sometimes, I reallly wish I could (would) live somewhere warmer, but yet, we have such a long growing season! So I can't grow tomatoes, but I can garden nearly 8 months out of the year!

So while some of those folks in the northern part of the PNW have fun together, maybe we can find enough people to do something here on the southern end!

Sanna

Dave has warned us about the South Coast Gardeners we are not getting into your reach LOL.

Ok Karen you switch to fish you ketchem I will smoke um. I just came in from the gh I just transplanted 108 peppers and about 36 waves 400 and some to go maybe I will just give a couple hundred plugs away and call 300 good enough for my yard this year.

Speaking of fish I had a yummy English muffin today for lunch. It had a thick slice of onion some dill pickle, cream cheese and smoked sockey bellys absolutely the best English muffin I have ever had.

Well, I am an Oregon Coast gardner now but I am just getting started with my garden. We used to live in Newport but now we are inland about 6 miles in Toledo. Its just outside of Newport. I plan on doing a strawbale garden this year and I am so excited. The feed and seed is going to deliver my bales this week. This is a new adventure to me and to the feed and seed too. They want me to keep photos and a journel and they are going to post the photos on a board in the store. Not too much pressure, Hehe. Well, we just moved back to Oregon from Tombstone, AZ. Wasn't able to get a garden going the last couple of years due to health problems but nothings going to stop me this year. KNOCK> KNOCK> KNOCK >on wood.

Eweed - You should start a thread about growing peppers with pictures of your greenhouse and pepper plants. I'd, for one, would love to see 'em.

Gourdbeader - Welcome, you should do the same. I'd love to see a strawbale garden and learn as you learn what works and what doesn't. I've heard of them, but not really seen one. Glad you're back to health and able to get back to doing what you love.

There is a strawbale gardening forum. Thats where I found out about this whole show. I will keep everyone here up to date as it happens and YOU WERE THERE!!!! Hehe. I hope you are old enough to appreciate or understand that last little sinario. Am I aging myself?

I'm the youngest of two depression-era parents, so I'm just about old enough to remember, if I wasn't quite yet born during the show's production. I do remember the evening news with Walter Cronkite and reruns of And You Were There ('53 - '57).

But I'll be happy to be there during your "production". How big will your garden be? And I'll check out the forum. Didn't know it was there; thanks.

I graduated from OSU and left Corvallis in 1985. My brother lives in Philomath and my folks live in Corvallis, so I've been by Toledo many a time on the way to the ocean. My uncle, Wayne Burt, was part of the project team that conceived of and worked for the Newport Marine Sciences Center.

OH rebecca, your uncle's property sounds just like what I wish I could afford, even without the ocean view. I am afraid I could not pay a fair price on 3 acres and still have money left to build the house though. I also have to stay where I can commute to my current job and Im not sure I could do an hour and a half two ways 4 days a week. Boy those people moving because of the fog sure make me want to laugh, I dont know about the rest of you in the area but I think the fog can so beautiful sometimes. I would sure love to see a pic of the 40 foot flame tree in bloom, it must be magnificent. I am planning to eventually purchase something larger than what I am looking for now, but I have to move sooner than expected and I am just so frustrated by renting that I will do anything to get out of it. You see six months after I moved into the house I rent the owner decided to sell it. This means that if they sell it, at any time with a 30 day notice I can be asked to leave as there is no lease. I have also had to tolerate intrusion after intrusion for the last year. Somebody comes to inspect, or show, or asses at least every couple of weeks . Such a headache, AHH! I try to relax by enjoying the flowers. I've posted some pics that I took for everybody to enjoy of some oregon coast plants that are blooming here now. First one is Tulipa Kaufmannia

Here is an early red rhododendron in the Mingus park arboretum here in coos bay. This beauty was maybe 20 feet tall, If any of you are ever passing through the area you have to stop at this rhododendron collection and have a look.

And in keeping with the red theme, here is a pic of that beautiful red erica that I mentioned earlier. Would this one be erica veriscolor?

I do believe that is the e. versicolor. If its on the availability list I will let you know, I am eagerly waiting for that list.

I was surprised to find my mitaria vine in bloom today. That is one of my favorites, the hummers love it as well. Any red flowers get me.

If I were you I would be very unwilling to commute over 30 minutes. They way gas is going and that driving can get old quick.

Sanna it was in Eureka that I discovered the lions tail plant. I had never seen one before and got one right away. Sadly it died in the snow last year but I will get another. I loved that plant. There is a nursery called Westgate I believe. I went there a few years ago and it was one of the best nurserys I had ever been at. I got some amazing things there, I loved the woman owner. Is that nursery still in business? I think it was on Westgate Av. Oh, you have some nice nurserys there. And the Riverview lodge in Fortuna with that heather garden, to die for.

I sure enjoyed this day with no rain and hail but that north wind came in so cold. So tomorrow I guess the rain is back on.

pogo where did you move from? I was wondering what zone you are used to gardening in.

rebeccanne, yes! Westgate nursery is still there. I haven't been there in awhile, but remember it as having some out of the norm things. I planted lions tail last year too ~ actually got one from Annie's Annuals and one at Pierson' Garden Shop, locally. Like it!

Yeah, we had that north wind today too. I was able to find a fairly sheltered spot with the sun at my back, so I did a little bit of weeding. But it wasn't pleasant, to say the least. Rain due back tomorrow....

Oh my plan was to plant that lions tail with some mexican salvia, the orange fuzzy with the purple fuzzy. I will have to get another. Is the woman owner still at Westgate? She was a kick, I had been looking for a meterosideros (new zealand christmas tree) for years. I asked if she had one and she let me to an area in back and handed one to me and said, I am giving you this, I tossed the rest of them, they would not sell, no one knew what they were. I said, oh, no, I am buying this one, been looking to long and hard. So she gave me a cool plant that was a cross of hibiscus and abuliton. I still have both plants and think of her, I really liked that woman.

Not sure about her.... I'll have to check it out. This is a combination I liked last year showing the lion's tail.

Oh that is beautiful. I love the unusual blooms and shape of the lions tail. Very nice picture.

Annie's Annuals says it's deer proof and drought tolerant. I might NEED to have this. Sannajane, I see it's in the mint family - have you had any problem with it spreading?

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=2411&account=none

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=582&account=none

Hi Everyone---I just found this thread. I am also a Coos Bay gardener. We live on a small farm on the other side of the hill from Eastside. It is a little more wind protected here and a little warmer in summer---colder in winter than town. In shirt sleeve weather I will jump in the car and head to town without a jacket. When I get there, I am amazed at how hard the wind is blowing and I am cold and wondering why the heck didn't I wear a jacket?? In winter, I notice the same blooming plants that I have are ahead of mine. I prefer gardening here though, rather than in North Bend, near Walmart, where we used to live.
My DH made me 10 raised beds a few years ago. It is much easier now to veggie garden. I am not getting any younger and the getting up and down gets harder. My flower beds though, are still down on the ground. We have lots of apple trees. Most are very old now, but still producing. We lost two in the big storm last winter. Funny though, about apple trees---They will often go on living right on the ground and have nice apple crops. There is one up in the old orchard that blew down in the Columbus Day storm and it still gives us apples.
It's fun to talk with people in ones own area and I love everyones pictures. I will have to get out my camera soon.
Happy Gardening....

beebonnet, maybe you should try the strawbale gardening. You don't have so far to go as to bending down and less weeding and no digging. Check out the strawbale gardening forum. Thats what I am going to do this year. I have the same problem. Getting down and dirty isn't so bad, its the getting back up that hurts. hehe . I'm just outside of Newport about 6 miles, in Toledo, Or.

This message was edited Mar 17, 2008 1:42 PM

I always wanted to try the strawbale gardening, I'll have to check out that forum again, thanks for the reminder.
The flower pictures are beautiful. I'm hoping I will color this year:>) I've recieved lots of seeds from DGers, so thankful. Now I just have to get them to grow..LOL
I did get several starts of plants from my MIL's yesterday, now I have to remember or figure out what they are...LOL

Ernie...MMMMM on the english muffin...I wish I had fish for you to smoke for me. Eventually!
The museum had our Japanese "Oscar" in the air this weekend...Sweet!
The only one of it's kind operable, check it out. Was flying right above our house yesterday morning. Not hard only being 2 miles from the museum:)
http://www.tillamookair.com/html/oscar.html

And here is our little DGS, Blaize. We were cracking up, look at the sign above his head. (I told him to stay off of things!)
One of the rules Gramma Sugar breaks as an employee.....I know shame on me.

So how is that metrosideros doing? Sounds like by the description in plant files it would love it here. Mitraria looks like a great plant and while reading I found that it sometimes grows as an epiphyte. This poses a question for me that I was wondering if anybody has an answer to. There seem to be many epiphytes that would possibly be hardy on the oregon coast and I know I see ferns and huckleberries growing this way all the time; has anybody ever tried mounting anything outdoors here? At shore acres last year there was actually a little blooming fuchsia growing out if the crown of palm tree, Ill be looking to see if it is there this year. I have some seeds starting of the bromeliad Fascicularia bicolor and am hoping to try them this way if they come up. I have also heard that billbergia nutans has quite reputation for being hardy. Beebonnet I must agree with your remark about eastside coos bay being warmer in summer. Im just a couple of blocks from the bay near sunset middle school and so often during the summer I can see the sun shining on the hills while I am freezing in the fog, it really can be a remarkable difference. Oh and rebecca, I moved from upstate NY a bit south of Buffalo. If you look at a USDA zone map you will see a small blob of zone 4b near the border of NY and PA. I lived there with the exception of one year when I lived in the NYC. I came here to escape the crowds and the frigid weather and I love it!

Oh you must be in heaven with all you can grow here! The metrosideros is doing great and now I have a variegated one as well. It did bloom last year and was very beautiful. I do have billbergia, I know there are several differant ones, I have the one known as Queen's Tears. It does fine in the ground, the ones I have in pots have gotten too wet but I think they will come around.

I have been trying to get some madrone trees from the woods and they do not like being transplanted. However I had some trees fall and have found some seedlings growing in the fallen wood, not sure if its just because of protection or if they are liking growing in the wood. I am going to see if I can pull them up and pot them before they get too big. Seems the smaller things transplant easier.

You have to get some land pogo, I can tell you are going to have trouble with all the plants you are going to need.

The madrone trees are one thing I had never seen until I moved here, I guess they are just about impossible to grow back east. I have found that generally if you transplant a young plant it will usually adapt and grow so much faster than a large one that you wont notice the different in a few years anyway. Hopefully you can get one out of that log and get it growing, if not I bet you could get some seeds from the tree that started those little ones in the log. Forest farm sells them for 19$ if all else fails. I always enjoy the challenge of trying to grow everything I can with nowhere to grow anything but I would sure love to plant some trees and watch them grow up. I planted a little assortment of species roses in my front yard and feel bad about the idea of digging them all up later on. Right now I'm trying lots of bulbs. What do you think of dierama? I have babies of D. argyreum, reynoldsii and pulcherrima. Do you know how long it takes for a seedling to get to blooming size? They look like little grass blades right now.

Oh, my now you have hit on one of my favorites. They grow so well here, they will take very strong wind, the deer don't eat them and they will handle almost any soil. The rule is that they take 3 years to flower from seed, which is really not long for a bulb. I grew some dierama igneum from seed I got from a woman in England who said she had 47 kinds!!! It surprised me and bloomed in 2 years. Its a minature one and a nice red...oh thats your color too!!

I happen to be germinating 5 kinds from seeds I got from S. Africa. The reynoldsii is one, the pulcherrima is the one that grows around here a lot. It will come in pinks, purples, and sometimes a pure white that is very nice. I have a very unique one that has a huge double, red/purple flower. I have no idea where I got it but I have it divided so I have them potted up and in several places. Got seedlings here and there as well.

They are interesting plants. When you get a big clump the bulbs grow in a long string. You can just pop them off and replant them. All in all one of my favorite plants, I do have a lot of favorites but this is near the top of the list.

I have also found when you are taking plants from the woods, its better to take them smaller and take some of the soil as well. I think it has some bacteria and whatever the plant is liking. The problem is finding them when they are small, I usually see them when they are bigger. Gotta look harder.

There is a madrone, arbutus, that is very nice and available. Its arbutus marina and grows quickly but only gets 30 ' or so and shows that nice bark at a young age. I have one in my yard and like it very much.

I think you are going to need to come and see me sometime. I think I have some seeds of the dierama igneum, if I do you are welcome to them. If you wait a bit and let me know you can have a tour at my uncle's and see embothrium, telopea, banksia, crinodendron and sophora in bloom. Anytime is good, he always has something but when the trees are blooming, well that is really special.

Oh yes, the dierama... Annie's has a couple I have been lusting after!

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=2168&account=31623058

http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/plant_display.asp?prodid=2199&account=31623058

(I see the reynoldsii is the one you mentioned.)

Sorry, I'm butting in again. :o)

Sanna

Oh, no, you are not butting in. They would do well in Eureka, I think most of them will go as low as a zone 7. I love them because they are so exotic looking and so easy. The only think to watch for is gophers, they are candy for gophers.

I have them growing here in good soil, my uncle has them growing on some of his property in clay, others in sand. They seem very versitile, I even have some that bloom well in pretty heavy shade. Another trait is that they cross very easily so if you let the them reseed you can get all kinds of colors, just recently we have gotten white from the original pinks. They reseed all over the place. But if you are like me, you cannot have to many.

Blackbird may be the one I call the double purple. I sell out of them in the summer when they bloom, I try and remember to mark the pots with the colors, I have even had some that had variegated flowers, a pink/purple mix.
Can you tell I love them???

mmm...those are very pretty! I could really love those dierama.
Thanks for the link to annie's, I ordered a catalog:)

Thanks too to let me know about the gophers. They're a big problem for me! Maybe enuf to not make the dieramas worth it. No wait a minute ~ they'd be worth it!

I can not tell you the efforts gophers will make to eat these. If you do them perhaps put them in wire cages. One person I talked to took fishing line and wadded it up all around the bulbs and they said the gophers left them alone. Oh they are worth it alright and they make very exotic bouquets, I have found them long lasting as cut flowers. I have thought that if you made a holey pot and sunk it, it may save the bulbs. I just kill the gophers and keep a good eye on my dierama for any intruders. If there is a gopher on the place, they will be at the dieramas.

Be careful with Annie's. She is expensive but ships nice healthy plants and they are unusual. Check out the fuchsia Natella or Nettela. It very differtant and is actually prettier than in the picture. I have gotten several things from here, the orlaya is just wonderful and reseeds everywhere. It looks very fragile and is very tough. I love Annie's. It is going to cost you when you get the catalog.

gourdbeader---I did read about the straw bale gardening and was really intrigued with this idea. Tomatoes especially would be good. When I fill my regular tomato spot maybe i will put the rest of the seedlings that I always seem to have in straw bales. At this time of year I am full of good ideas and intentions, mainly because I am dreaming in the house and looking out at rain. When the actual grubbing begins my big plans start tapering off. LOL
My greenhouse is getting full already and I need to transplant some cool weather stuff out in the beds. Wish it would stop raining for a few days.

Yes, I do love Annie's, but usually won't buy unless I see something in a local nursery. The shipping is soooo expensive, it seems. We have another "type" of Annie's locally called Rita's Rarities. Rita does very different stuff ~ very hardy, great stuff.

I'm thinking about straw bales too! I spent about 2 hours last night trying to get caught up on the how-to's. Like you, bb, I get started on a bunch of new things while waiting for spring! I was intrigued to read that the deer don't seem to be too interested. (Well, obviously if I planted something they really liked.....) Last evening I went for a garden walk and found deer tracks in each of my 4 x 8 raised beds. Well, they're only surrounded by some heavy chicken wire supported with corner posts, but for years it's at least kept them out of that 4 x 8 space! I think they must be hungry.... sigh.