What cool things have you added this spring?

Ahem, THIS IS SPRING!!!??? This was taken 2 mins ago!

It's snowing in Bend? What's the forecast for the rest of the week? Wow, I had no idea you were getting that kind of weather. Guess I better pay more attention to that part of the forecast on the local station! Nice arbor, by the way. Is it wood? What do you grow on it?

By the way, my s-i-l has successfully transplanted Lysamachia, Stonecrop, and Eupatoreum (Joe Pye), among other things, from our yard to hers. Ever grown any of those?

yep.. someone else just told me it is snowing in Bend.....grrrrr

The other issue I have is deer.

The stonecrop is Sedum right?

I just bought a bunch to plant on the hill and was going to spend the next few weeks splitting it off into more... Now I found out it is high on the tasty list for the large brown yard munchers..

Ginger

Yes Bill, it's snowing and we're supposed to get 1"-3" tonight. Yipee!

Thank you and yes it's wood, we grow hops on it.

Bead...

When my in-laws lived in Mtn. High, they had LOTS of those large, brown creatures. It was really the pits, because they would have great things planted in the yard, and it seemed like no matter what they did, they couldn't keep them out. And for that subdivision, you couldn't put up a deer fence (like that would help!). If alliums are great deer resistors because of the smell, I wonder if similar plants wouldn't be as well, i.e. related to the onion or garlic family.

We used to keep the donkeys and goats in the front yard and the deer never came in.

Once we didn't have horses in the back we moved the donkeys and goats to the back where they had more room.....

I hate to consider moving them back. I know they're happy back there.

I heard they don't like rosemary and lavender. I really don't have a problem filling my yard with garlic and onions either. They would go well with the chicken eggs...


Ginger

Ginger you and I are on the same page when it comes to animals. I've learned some restraint in my old age so don't have quite as big a menagerie as I used to. Once my husband told me that if I got another animal he was leaving home, I told him not to forget to write. He's still hear though.

Kathy my Darmera is in morning shade and afternoon sun, very dry ground too. It's not supposed to like it there but it really does, it gets huge.

Oooh, Linda, that's great. Mine won't get so much sun, but the ground does stay moist there, judging by the green grass. I'm really surprised at how the winter didn't even make it blink.

My petasites, which is still in a pot, is coming back, too. I'm so surprised. I hear it can be invasive, though, so I'm not sure whether I should sink it in a pot - any thoughts?

On Mother's Day, May 7th Kruckeber Botanic Garden Foundation is having a plant sale: http://www.msknursery.com/index.htm

I've learned the same thing.

As the kids (7) moved on with their animals I didn't get more.
The dogs are all close to the same age so when the time comes it's going to rain...

The 19 yr old cat will be first though I am betting....

Donkeys are mine and we kept a few of the old doe mommy goats and hens that saw the kids through 4H. Figured we owed them a good home for the remainder :)

and still have the rooster we hatched in a shoe box. Funny, all those chickens are 5-7 yrs old and still going strong.

Beadmom I also have 7 kids but as they gradually left home they didn't take their cats & dogs to college with them. I still have an old cat that belonged to my daughter in high school and she now has two others! Go figure!

Ginger and Judi, I only had our DD but I managed to wind up with THREE OF HER CATS! And now she has THREE MORE!!! LOL!

Susan105

Well I guess we instilled a love for animals in our kids! You reap what you sow.....

Yep... We still have all their dogs and cats but they took care of the horse and goat herds.....

Ginger

Ginger, you're funny!

It's my only hope :)


Ginger

Kathy I have two patches of petasites here too. Neither one seems to be invasive but again in the right spot I see how it could take off. If it gets too happy dig it out and pot it up. It's relatively easy to move.

When my daughter left home she took the chickens with her (go figure) but left me her horse, son moved out and couldn't take his dog so he's mine now. All I have left is 2 horses, 1 dog, and 2 cats, down from a high of 7 horses, 3 dogs, 4 cats, and a flock of chickens. But when my daughter visits she brings my grand-dogs ( 2 big rottweillers) with her and it becomes a zoo again.

Good to know, Linda. I'm so thrilled to get these plants with big leaves - I had no idea they'd do so well here. But if they could survive this last winter, then they are in like Flynn!!

How does your greenhouse grow?

Oh OH... I have grand-dogs too.....

I love my grand-dogs!

Beau is a schipperke (sp?) /basset hound cross.. Somehow he looks like a lab with very short legs. (see picture)

Roxy is borrder lab. So both my grand-doggies are black/white.

Ginger

I had a friend with a Schipperke. Pretty cool dogs. Does your grand-dog have those upright Schipperke ears? Cute picture.

Ohhh what a cute puppy. I love puppies. My younger doxi got 2 teeth pulled Wed. and she does not feel good.

Probably feels good not having those painful teeth, though!

Nope.. he has little flap ears.

Ginger

Hmm. I love those little Schipperke ears and curly tails. They are small dogs, so does the Basset Hound in him make Beau a bigger dog?

Is the picture you posted Roxy or Beau?

He is a little dog, really, smaller than a basset... That picture is Beau.

Ginger

Oh, he is little then, and that's not a puppy picture. Very cute!!

Ginger, he is adorable!

Mortswife, my Hunter had a tooth pulled a few months ago, and he wasn't happy about it either, but seems much happier now that the yucky thing isn't in there anymore. Looks kind of goofy though as it was one of his canines!

My old doxi has almost one side toothless. We sometimes laugh at him when his lip gets stuck. He doesn't like to be laughed at. Most old men don't!!

I GOT HOPS!!!

Yes I did.. Doing the happy dance. Susan was right..East Side Gardens.

Got me 8 Nugget Hops 2 to a bucket planted and starting to show a little already.

Somehow some Lemon balm and the nasty deer retardant snuck it's way into my cart too....
That deer retardant..WHEW....I almost barfed smelling it. Then I tried another brand....brainiac....I almost barfed AGAIN.

I really wanted the Walter (Somebody) Walking Stick Tree but at $200 I might go over to Lowes and get the twisty Filbert instead. IT looks kinda the same.


I did NOT find the Dahlias that are already started that Walmart is supposed to have... but I did find some Candy Onions, Tulips and self watering pots.

Planting Shopping, Planting Shopping.. The perfect weekend...

Ginger

Ginger, where is Lowe's up there. And remember, I am not very familiar with Bend. I can get to Costco, Penney's, and China Sun Buffet [mmmmm good]. Cheryl

North... on Hwy 97 if you leave China Sun heading north turn right on Empire and get on 97 north. It will be on your left at the light at Cooley.


Ginger

Hey Ginger!
If you were looking at Henry Lauder's Walking stick: @ $200 (!), it should be in a 5 gal pot & a very nice sized.
I had one: "had" because it was one that had been grafted onto common Corylus (Filbert) root stock. It reverted & is now a full blown Filbert tree with none of the twisted characteristics of H.L.W.S., reaching about 12' high.
All this to say - if you find one that is a price you like, ask if it is grafted. If so - DO NOT BUY IT! If you must have one - get one that has been grown on its own roots. I have been looking for one on its own roots without success. Perhaps Lynn might want to start some from cuttings? I can provide - there are 3 or 4 small branches left on mine. If I do find one i will Dmail you with info. Well - if you want one, that is!
My folks live in Bend & I have been summoned to visit them come hell or high water! so transport isn't an issue.

I visited squak Mtn nursery today & scored many good things - one of which I'll go back for: Magnolia Butterflies" - it's a yellow beauty & a replacement for the one I had that got iced a couple winters back. speaking of getting iced: I have lost all my big white cistus - looking more closely at them showed the bark split open around the larger branches. No more of those - can't afford to lose them again.
Also, found an beautiful cultivar of ribes - huge pale pink flower clusters, and probably shapes up similar to White Icicles.
Daphne 'Lawrence Crocker' - a small one that will reach 12" X 24", with light purple very fragrant flowers - in bloom now. I've had one for several years & it's done well, so I bought 3 more.
Callies & some golden w/ red picotee edge Begonias, Some dk purple leaved geraniums w blue flwrs 'Midnight Reiter', and my very fave pelargonium 'vancouverii'.
Lobelia Tupa, Berberis 'golden carousel', Gaillardias 'Oranges & Lemons', Erysimum 'Apricot Twist', Nepeta '6 hills giant', Nepeta 'Little Titch' ( a mini), Pulsatilla 'Red Clock' (replacement), and 2 more trellises (trelli?).
Now out to move the Hostas & all the fun stuff for the shady area. I will be visiting the chiropractor Monday!

This message was edited Apr 18, 2009 4:10 PM

This one was at least in a 5 gal..... big..about the size of a large goat.....

I would love one but really, $200 is a lot of daylilies :) The filbert was pretty good size and it was $40 so that would leave an extra $160 for...uhhhmmmmm.... daylilies.....

Ginger

Thanks Ginger

LOL - did it want to butt you?

Just my wallet!

Ginger

Ginger, sounds like you came away with quite a haul! I am still fascinated with the whole hops in the garden idea...will love to see how they do for you! And yes, you are on your way to being a full blown daylily addict when you start measuring the cost of other plants in terms of DL $$ LOL!

Katye, Sorry to hear about your winter losses. I have never had a problem with winter damage to my cistus before, but this year they look horrible. The ones I looked closely are still alive, but will need to be cut back dramatically I think. Sounds like you got a bunch of nice stuff to take your mind off of winter losses, though! I will have to look up that Daphne. I love the ones that I already have, and would love to add a smaller variety. I just added Daphne transatlantica 'Eternal Fragrance' which is also a smaller one, and am excited to see how it does.

So...questions on the Henry Lauder Walking Stick for anyone who might know. Isn't it the same as a plant labeled a "twisted filbert"? I bought the HLWS several years ago, and it appears to be a grafted form. My question regarding the difference between the HLWS and a twisted filbert, is that the branch that I assume is coming from the graft on mine is still contorted, but has not bloomed. The main portion of the tree is still about 3' high, but the branch I am talking about is up to about 7'. I know that if this branch is from the graft, it is not from a common filbert as they are very straight growing trees (I have two in another area). So, any opinions on what I might have?

It is really hard to get a picture of where it is as it blends into the background. It is by the leg of the arbor in the center of the pic..you can make out the flowering section down at the bottom, but everything from mid pic up is what I believe is coming from the graft.

A better shot of a branch on the tall portion. Definitely not common filbert.

That is not a sucker - a sucker from the graft will be thick & straight. Looks like you've got a real nice one there. Has it produced any leaves yet or any catkins?

When I was on a search for one last year, I spoke with a Nursery owner about these. He told me my experience with the suckering was extremely common, and many folks complained. he indicated that there are some wholesalers who are selling own root Corylus avellana, but not widely available. Monrovia is one of those he mentioned. Also, they also come in a purple/red leaved form. Have not seen any of those around here.

Katye, The two monster stalks have not produced catkins (the smaller portion of the tree is full of them), but they leafed out last year and was definitely filbert. I have plants that sucker, and was thinking about cutting these this spring but because they had the contorted form I decided I didn't care if they were suckers as they were the form I was looking for, so I left them alone. If these brances are in fact part of the HLWS, I definitely have enough to volunteer cuttings. I think that Lynn was actually successful in starting one of these too...remember looking at a nicely rooted cutting in her GH that had the same fuzzy bark and was just starting to leaf out. Didn't recognize it at the time, but now examining mine closer (especially the smaller branches) I am fairly certain that's what it was.

Also, as I went back out to examine mine closer, I saw that it still had the tag on the bottom. (Yes, I tell myself that I will always remember what something is and where I bought it...then I forget within a week! This is why I write things down!) Anyway, I bought this plant four years ago ...at Lowes... as a "Contorted Filbert" rather than HLWS. I remember that it was in bloom, and the price was right compared to all of them that I had seen in nurserys, and I assumed that it was the same thing without the fancy name on the tag.

As for the red form, I just ordered one this year. Right after I got my one little stick planted, my Mom told me that she had seen them in two or five gallon pots (can't remember which) at Sam's club in Auburn...a much larger plant than mine at about the same price. :'( Oh well, mine will grow up.