Any Oregon Coast Gardeners out there?

I am excited, I see blossoms on my strawberry plants and my sugar snap peas are growing up the vine. Yea, come on warm weather. My plants need it and so do I. My poor body is going through withdrawal from lack of sunshine. Anyone know a good sunshine dance. Rain we have enough of and no one even needs to dance to get it but I'm willing to ROCK AND ROLL for some Beautiful Sunshine! I guess thats what the good old fashion Spring dances were for. Well, let bring em on.
;-}

well you finally made it wyrd! lol wasnt today great! tom. i get all the stuff for my students landscaping job and dig dig dig!

hi bee... how are you doing? havent talked to you for a bit? when can i come out and see your hens and garden? lol :) are they keeping out of your flowers now? did DH get the new larger coop built for them.........

pogo....... when are you ever going to make it over to my place? would like to see that datura youve got!

I have been off line with computer problems but am back. Pogo you asked about a favorite lepto. Oh thats a hard one for me, I love them all. Here are some of my favorites:
Flat Rock Lepto a strange one with bigger leaves, grows wider than tall, should be about 4'x6' or so, the leaves turn dark burgundy and the flowers are large and white with a green center. A really pretty one.

Silver and Rose, this is a new one for me, it has a nice blue grey foliage and soft pink flowers

Dark Shadows is a very tall one, a tree really, 12-15" with very dark willow like leaves, mine has not flowered yet, flowers are supposed to be white, the leaves are stunning.

Pink Champagne is really sweet, single pink flower, only grow to 4" but is just covered with blooms for a long period.

Oh geeze, I like them all. There is no ugly leptospermum.

holy cow!!!!!! is today hot or what. just checked and its 80* at 9:30. this is crazy...... is it hot your way rebecca?

Oh, yesterday I nearly died. It was over 100 and no breeze at all, not even ON the beach. Just too much. It was 85 at 11:30 last night, sleep was impossible. The news is it should break this afternoon and go down by at least 10 degrees and they are predicting showers for Tuesday. Oh, wouldn't that be nice!!!! Well we were hoping for some sun.

Got the sprinklers going front, back and in the nursery. Hot, hot hot.

I lost some of my new salvias, Dancing Flame. I almost cried. I had not place in the shade so they had to go out in the sun, about 1/3 wilted down and look sad. The others seem to love the heat, I will put the wilty ones in some shade and see if they come back. Salvias are so tough, it surprised me. I am really getting into the salvias, so easy, so pretty, so tough and the deer leave them alone...can't go wrong.

The salvia is tougher where dry is concerned than they are about sitting on water. Maybe they'll come back. My brother reminded me that wilting is a self-defense mechanism for the plant to save water, so in early stages is not necessarily worth panic.

Good luck. I hope they do come back. So if the deer leave salvia alone, do they leave the related mint alone as well? I hadn't thought about that. My neighbor bought me a cedar sage - Salvia romeriana . We're going to try it out in some of our shade . . .

I live in Englewood, and it was 100 degrees at my house too. I've spent the last three days watering, covering and moving plants. Many of them show signs of burn, I think the worst is over. I hope.

I hope we all get relief soon, but especially you guys.

Okay, I have no idea what I was trying to say in the above post LOL - maybe that salvia can take dry conditions better than standing in water . . .

Ahhhhhh..... relief. I went outside this morning and I could breathe again. Overcast and damp. I won't complain at all.
What ever possesed me to live in the desert. I love it here, rain and all.
Thank you God for everything.
Jan

I haven't had time to read this whole thread but will come back to it when I do. Hubby and I plan to retire in OR but are not sure where. It's about time to start looking around. We could conceivably move there in 2 years when the youngest graduates from high school. Altho I don't know if hubby wants to change jobs again. He is pretty new in this company he's working for now and he really likes it and the people.

But we have a family cabin on the McKenzie River and want to be closer to it. Maybe somewhere in the outskirts of Eugene. I want to be in a small town type atmosphere and in a rural area. I haven't looked too closely at Florence yet. I want sun. I want to be able to garden in the sun. Right now we have 2.5 acres that gets very little sun so it's a challenge to grow most vegies, roses, peonies, etc. In perfect world, there would be both sun AND shade!

Another requirement is a small movie theater, preferably not a cineplex type but a one-screen theater that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to get into.

I like the ocean fine but what I really love are lakes and rivers.

Any ideas for me?

Gwen

I have my strawbale garden going but I bought dahlia bulbs and needed an inground garden for them. So yesterday my DH and I dug out an area about 3' X 6'.
Today I planted my dahlias. So Now I am a real gardener. I have vegies and flowers both going. Oh yea, and strawberries too. Lots of flowers in front but more etable in back with the exception of the dahlias.
For the last three years I have either been undergoing treatment or having surgeries. I am so excited that I can finally play in the garden again. YEA!

Sorry, Gwen, but you're not allowed to leave Whidbey Island.

Gourdbeader, I'm so glad your health is good and you can enjoy your gardening!!!

Gourdbeader - sounds like you've had a rough time of it. No wonder you're celebrating. Congratulations on your recovery!!

Nice to hear from you again Gwendalou.

Gwen, you might check out Creswell, a small town about l3 miles So of Eugene. There are also several small towns around Eugene & Springfield that could be just what you are looking for. If Murmur really gets difficult about your leaving Whitby Island, you may have to sneak South while she's not looking, but I am sure Oregonians would be willing to help hide you. LOL Sure hope your weather has cooled off to a nice temperature. Ours is still much warmer than I appreciate. Dotti

Dotti, LOL!!!!!

Hi Everyone, I'm new to DG and was looking around and found this thread. Living in Eugene, outskirts actually, I can say it's a lovely place to grow. DH and I retired here 10 yrs ago to look after my parents and they would have to drag me out to get me to leave. We're between Eugene and Creswell, near Goshen. Out in the country, but 15 minutes from town.

Looking forward to hearing about gardens in my own neighborhood. Love the pictures of all the kids, fur, feathers or whatever.

Hated the hot spell, glad it's over, our A/C went out the first day, didn't get it fixed until after it was over.

Sally, welcome!!! (Okay, I'm from WA, but we're all PNW, right???!!!)

Hi Sally and welcome! Where did you move from? There is an awesome nursery in Eugene called Bloomers. I buy wholesale from them but always have to stop in at the retail nursery and lose some more money. I just love Oregon, grew up here but moved to Silcone Valley and lived there 28 years. Would not leave ever!

What is your favorite or new favorite of the moment plant wise?

There's another nursery in Eugene that I specifically like called Greer's. They specialize in Rhodies, Azaleas, Camellias and Japanese Maples. Nice people and even some pricing that isn't extreme. They are on the North end of Goodpasture road. (I know how to find them, but I'm not sure of the actual address.) Welcome to the Pacific Northwest Forum. Just beware, some of our Washington members have interesting senses of humor and our British members by adoption work very hard to keep all of us on our toes. (Snicker, snicker!) Dotti

Hi Sally - welcome. There's a Forum called Welcome Mat and you might want to start a thread there listing your interests, etc. People can get you pointed to all the forums that interest you.

Yes, we are a strange bunch and we babble and get off topic a lot. But we like to help and share information and plants so be sure to pipe up if a topic is of interest to you. You never know what you'll find out!!

It also turns out that a lot of the PNW people who live in Washington have lived in OR and vice versa. Our only frustration is that the Pacific Northwest is too big for us all to easily get together at once.

Thanks for the welcome everyone. I came up here from Lawndale, CA. It's near LAX Airport. So even after ten years I still feel like I'm in paradise. I get a kick out of people who just have to 'get away', I can't help think "get away from what? We've got it all right here". I've been to Bloomers, they ordered us a blue spruce called Bakari (not sure of spelling) and helped us get it started. 5 years later it's still going strong. Greer's is another favorite, I love their 'distressed area' I got Hostas at half price because the slugs had gotten to them, next year they came up just fine and I had twice as many as I would have bought. Of course I have Rhodies, some have bloomed already, others just coming un strong. And we grow enough tomatoes for DH to share with all the neighbors. Orchids have been my first love for a long time, but I didn't try to grow any until I retired and moved here. Joined a Society five years ago and am enjoying it to no end. Again, thanks for the welcome.

Welcome Sally, We PNWers are quite the bunch. I'm from Pasadena, still LA county. LOL. Love it here will never leave. Been here 21 years.
Have fun and enjoy
And we love Pics. ^_^

hi sally.......... im right here on the coast in coos bay... welcome!!!!!

Hi, off to help my Mom celebrate her birthday tomorrow. We're going to take her to Seven Feathers so she can play the slots. She turned 94 on the 8th and this is the first chance we've had to go. She always grins ear to ear when I ask if she wants to go. After that I'll do some recent pics. Here's one of favorite orchids. It's a cymbidium (C. mimi) that's been wintering in my bathtub, under a skylight. It's still blooming and it's going to stay inside until this crazy weather decides to settle down.

That is absolutely glorious!!!!

I can see why that's a favorite. What a beauty!
Gwen

Sally - that cymbidium is awesome. Have fun at the casino and congrats and Happy Birthday to your mom!!

Welcome to the PNW gardening forum...
I moved here in 91 from So Calif and other than missing the family (which all moved here later) the ONLY thing I miss is the sun sometimes.
I love the coast we visit as much as possible.
Live in the Williamette Valley in Lebanon, on a iris, daylily farm and love it.
D

Casino day was a big hit, unfortunately we all left a donation, but we had a great time and a good lunch. Mom, DH and I laughed a lot. That's what these trips are for, memories. Had to work outside today and I'm bushed. I can't believe what the hot weather did to everything, including the weeds :-). Figured I should work while I could, they're still predicting rain.

D-- I'm with you, miss the family, but they do come up to visit and one of my sons is planning on moving here. I love it here, but sometimes the winter gets alittle long and I really miss being close to the ocean. That's why we have to go to the coast often. I used leave work, go park my car in a lot for lunch, watch the waves and unwind several days a week. We lived about 10 min. from the Redondo pier and spent a lot of time biking or walking there.
I envy you living on an iris farm, my small collection of rebloomers is going strong right now.
Hopefully tomorrow I'll get some pics, if it doesn't rain. Today was BEAUTIFUL!!

Hi Sally...I lived further away from the ocean but when troubled I would drive there. Now I have covered bridges and wonder lakes, rivers to go to...Our first child moved up about 6 months after us the other finally followed in late 05 so the family is here and all of love it better than we did in LA area.

Sometimes in winter we have to go elsewhere not so much for any reason than we stay at home because of business during the entire summer and by fall and winter I need to run away. LOL

D

When I was still working, I ran away every chance I got. You live where you work, so that's a big difference. The rain has started, so we'll see what tomorrow brings. My Mom always says "If you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes."

that is true. Tomorrow going to finish what is now called the old rose garden, 4 railroad ties x 2 long and then it is two deep. Going to plant dutch iris around edge, two crape myrtles on the ends then fill this area with Aril Bred Iris and annuals. The other big raised bed is the dahlia and sunflower bed and it is filled with weeds and need to get the dahlia and sunflower in now, so that is sun mon job...

D

Jonneys Magic AR

I absolutely love Jonneys Magic. That is gorgeous. If you have any extra that you could bare to part with, would you let me know.
Very pretty.
I was born and raised in San Diego and spend many years around Redondo, Hermosa, and Manhattan Beach. I do miss the warmth but not the Population now.
It was my solitude also but I can take a walk on the Oregon Coast beachs and find that same comfort. I buried one husband at sea and I have always felt comfort there.
Jan

This message was edited May 26, 2008 9:20 AM

Hi Jan

The sea has a calming to it for sure at least for me. The traffic, the noise, the crowds got to me big time

Jonneys Magic will be for sale next year...finally getting enough after two years to list, but will be listing Japanese, Spuria and more Arils next year.

Not really raining but super heavy mist and there are two workers and myself working trying to get the weeding caught up big time. Having a tour on the 12th and want the gardens even personal to be the best they can be.

Got two raised beds done over the weekend, both are 4 railroad ties by 2 wide and 2 high, one will be the display for just the arils and the other is the dahlias and the sunflowers.

Now changed clothes and heading out to the iris

D

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/851557/

this iris coop needs some help if you can!