What cool things have you added this spring?

Wow nice greenhouse!

Today I visited Tsugawa's in Woodland since they were having a buy 2 get one free on their Hellebores. There were only a couple left and none of them were "to die for" but I did end up bringing three home.

I also went down to a Plant Sale at the Clark County Event Center (fairgrounds) and ended up walking away with 7 tomato plants, an Incrediball Hydrangea (I have been looking for this everywhere!!!), and a Mari Gras Hellebore which is stunning and puts Tsugawa's to shame.

I also bought all the materials I need to build two 8'x4' raised garden beds and two grape trellis. I built my bean trellises today and will be building another tomorrow for peas - then I can be done with these darn things!

I couldn't believe some of the tomato plants today. A couple of them were blooming already and 3-4 feet tall ( at the plant show). A couple others were 2 feet tall for 2.50!
Anyhow later on I build a bean trellis.

Great deal on the greenhouse!


DBower, So, what time were YOU there? I'll bet we walked past each other at least once...

DB and Suzybell, are you coming to the Roundup here in August? It is going to be fun.
What did you make your raised beds out of? You have been a busy builder bee. Post pictures, please!
Sharon, your special cuttings and the blueberries are still just bathing in the cloner. One of the hollies has a little root. I potted up the hydrangeas today.

Hey susy, I was there from 1:00-2:00pm, I was the one running around from booth to booth at lighting speed (I had to hurry so I could be back in time to pick up my daughter from school).
You know that there is another plant sale May 7th near 78th street ( the WSU growing area). I will be there too :) Since you are in Vancouver I'll let you know that Hi-school pharmacy or Ace hardware (I can't remember what it is called) next to the Walgreens on Fourth Plain and Main has large tomato plants for 2.50, I will be picking up 1-2 Sungold tomorrow tomorrow since for the size they are a great deal and will go fast (they are not ordering anymore).
I am making the beds out of treated lumber. I had contemplated cedar BUT was told this would hold up better, especially since I didn't want to seal the cedar. In retrospect I wish I would have just gone with cedar. Anyhow, I will be putting plastic around the sides to try and minimize the amount leaching into the soil. I got the directions from sunset magazine.
I will post pics once everything is completed and I figure out how to load 2 yards of dirt home to fill them in;)

I too like the GH Lynn. Is your DH pointing where he wants you to go when your bad. LOL Is it easy to choose where to put the GH? I want one but have to build mine on to the house to get space so I don't have to take out any plants. I am thinking to elevate it off my 2nd story dining room it faces SWW. I need a place to overwinter my up zone plants. The reason I have been quiet is because you all are about 2 months ahead of me. I have my hellabores just blooming. Lets see you guys were talking about them in Feb. Hmmmm Zone 4. We have snow flurries the last 2 days and plan on 4 more. It isn't sticking but today our nursery opens and we are dressed in sweaters and long johns. I can't show any pictures because I lost my camera on a road trip to Michigan 2 weeks ago. Bummer.

I have been such a bad girl, PLEASE send me to the GH! That is my favorite retreat, especially when the weather outside is nasty.
Would your GH be a sunroom addition to your DR? Does it get morning sun since it faces SWW? Mine gets so HOT when the sun is out. I wish we had a deciduous tree nearby to provide shade.
I was just wondering what you were up to since I haven't seen any recent postings from you. Snow flurries still? Ugh. Too bad you lost your camera. What are you going to replace it with?

Dbower, LOL, we WERE there at the same time-I was there from around 1 to about 3:30. I really like Millennium Farms veggie starts-they have great varieties of peppers and tomatoes. Thanks for the tomato hint, but DH found the "Salsa Kit" at Costco a week or so ago-Four tomatoes, four chile peppers for $14, and I'd already bought a Sweet Million tomato, so I don't get to add any more this year-that's potentially a LOT of tomatoes for two of us-I'm not even sure where we'll put them all.
Yes, I'll probably show up at the WSU sale as well, we'll see. :)

Do you know about the Naturescaping Garden bare root plant sale this weekend in Brush Prairie? 10am to 4pm, REAAALLY good prices...perennials $1, trees from $8, shrubs $3-6....
http://www.naturescaping.org/

Lynn, I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it yet-it sounds like you're planning a great event, though.

Hi Sofer, good to see you, sorry about your camera and the snow. I sympathize with the zone thing, I have it too with lilies-folks in TX are already posting blooming lilies while mine are feet from blooming yet-I had to quit looking, lol.

I just had to put this on today. It is not even close to the number that are around, but you can at least get a taste of what the goldfinches are doing at our place. I've never seen so many in the 8 years we've lived here. I may go broke buying Niger thistle, even at Backyard Bird prices, the lowest of any I know.

We, too, had to jet through the show at the Fairgrounds early this morning (freezing!), and hope to get back this afternoon after a wedding.

...and I am so happy to see the lilies at 4" high which means they have not succumbed to the passing feet of dogs, or devoured by the evil slugs that torment.

I just got back from Squak Mtn Nursery. I brought home magnolia 'Butterflies', a 6' italian Plum, some very prettiful roses, lavenders, more callies & annual nonsense that I indulge in every year.
Annie is the Rosarian there - she took lots of time to explain how to create an "own root" rose from one that is grafted. The advice now is to plant deep - about 4" above the bud union, which will cause the existing canes to root. The outcome is an "own root" rose which no longer has to rely on the grafted rootstock, and is stronger, with more robust growth. Some of the Hybrid teas will not work with this method, as they tend to be weak growers to begin with. She named a few, but I'll need to research this more to come up with a more comprehensive list.
Roses are not easy in the PNW, unless you live in a warmer/dryer area. I feel they are a worthy shrub, though, so i am trying to find out what can be done to mitigate the problems inherant with a cool, maritime climate.
I lost quite a few from the past 2 winters' weather - all of which were grafted. Even the own root varieties suffered - but they are humming along with exceptional new growth. The grafted ones are black & dead...

Steve - good to see you. Hope your Sweetheart is well & enjoying the beginning of a new Spring. I think you lost your camera on one of those tropical journeys you took. LOL - better go back!

Helloooooooooo Laurie - I know you're out there somewhere! Hope you are resting from your labours & enjoying some warmth & sunshine!!!

Sue - did you get any Lilies from the co-ops on DG? I did not exercise restraint. Now I have to plant them IN THE GROUND.

Lynn your greenhouse is only the beginning. Soon you'll need a bigger one. Then that too will become full. LOL

Katye:

When I lost 35 roses in one night a number of years ago, I swore off (as well as swore "at") grafted roses. I started buying only from Heirloom Roses in St. Paul, Oregon, that raises and sells only "own root" roses. Since that time, we've had many. Our microclimate where we are located is a bit cooler than Portland, and we've not lost a rose to weather, even during this horrible last winter. In fact our problem is that the roses get humungous! I was speaking with Mr. Clements one day (the man who started Heirloom) and he said that if we read in their catelogue that a rose would be 3-4' tall, in this area to plan on 6'. That concept has served me well.

Jackson and Perkins now has a number of "own root" roses available, as do other growers. I still like Heirloom best, but you have to start with exceedingly small plants. That is a bummer.

Well I finally have something over Zone 8. Roses grow like weeds here and no fungus or winter death. Our dry climate lets us spray water on the leaves and nothing happens. Though I usually soaker irrigate. I went to the nursery Kayte and bought only a PH meter and lots of blood meal. My DW on the other hand was not so fortunate. This last week I have been sucking up all the mulch on my beds and chipping it smaller and after cleaning up putting 4 " of compost I grew last year on the whole soil surface. I then remulched the beds thinner so my chickens can get to the bugs and worms. I suspect this year will be the most dramatic plant growth I ever have even though it is still Feb here. I ended up with over 5 yrds of home made black gold!
Lynn yes the room will be open by sliding glass door to the house. I never have to worry about too hot because our evenings in the hottest days drop below 70F. I am converting my front porch into a Lyndall sun room/GH. This is the porch. I think I will wrap it around to the left of the picture and use it for solar heating.

OK.. I added something else today.

It was glorious morning that rapidly turned too cold to do much outside, which forced me to go check out what was left at Ritz in their going out of business sale.

I got nice macro lens to take pictures of all my new flowers as they appear! I'd put one up but I am still learning to use it. First time I've been happy to find bugs on my tomatoes.

Ginger

Billr - all my own-root roses are from Heirloom except for a few. I know what you mean about the smallness of the plants, but they grow exceptionally well in about the 3rd year. One I have - Darlow's Enigma, has doubled it's height from last year. Now if patience is all it takes, well.....yes - worth the wait! And the size at maturity - I have a miniature that is now pushing 4'. So I did take heed of their advice when siting.
Speaking of size, I am in a quandry about what to do with a mis-labeled Hinoki Cypress. The tag was for the dwarf variety - very slow growing. This one is full size & outgrowing its space. This has happened before & it really ticks me off.
Just planted the Magnolia. Done - yay! But I found my Sambucus split at the trunk (freeze-thaw damage) & what i thought was indestructible - Buddleia, met its demise. Same thing with the freeze/thaw situation. Next year they all get blankies.

Billr, I wouldn't be surprised to run into you at Backyard Bird buying Niger seed-we're going through it at an incredible rate, too. They're my DH's favorite birds, so he's really happy to see so many.
As far as the garden show, DH and I had a deal-I'd go yesterday and concentrate on plant shopping, and we'd go back together today to see the exhibits.

Katye & Bill, I saw an interesting Magnolia at Tsugawa's this week. It had really soft yellow petals so I thought it might'be been "butterflies', but the tags were marked 'Sundance'. What was interesting is that there seemed to be some variation in blooms between plants with the same tag. Some had the large Magnolia blooms, and others had smaller ones, same soft yellow, but shaped like M. Stellata and a little bit smaller. Was one mis-tagged, or is that a seedling strain or something?

Kate, No, I didn't get lilies in any DG co-ops this year, but I got a few from the lily society and picked up some at plant sales this spring-including some yesterday. Most are going to be in pots this year while I see what ended up where after I had to move some unexpectedly last fall. How many did you order?

At the sale yesterday I added a couple of nice Hostas, an Abutilon Red Tiger-I've been kicking myself for not getting one last spring, a couple more trilliums, decided to take a chance on Lewisia again, and I don't remember what else.

Ordered too many! Montego Bay, Sunny Crown, Tigrinum splendens, Ivory Pixie, Fata Morgana, Diamonds, GoldBand, Bonbini, more Triumphator & Muscadet, Tiger Woods, Landini & Centerfold.
I am looking for Red Tiger - it's not easy to find.

I've got a "Blood Tiger" that I put in last year. I loved the color. It threw tons of bulbils, but I haven't seen many sprouts. I don't know how well it will do this year. I rescued it after getting half-chomped by a slug, so it may not do much other than make a fatter bulb. I'll share if it throws more bulbils, otherwise I got it from Buggy Crazy:
http://buggycrazy.vstore.ca/product_info.php/pName/blood-tiger-soldout/cName/lily-bulbs-asiaticla-lilies

oh, and you ordered some really nice lilies, too! :)

Or, did you mean you were looking for the abutilon too?

This message was edited Apr 26, 2009 10:41 AM

Thistle, what size is your GH? It looks REALLY nice and roomy.

Oh how I would love a greenhouse! Someday I will convert my ancient 1904 garage into one, but that is a few years away at best. Lynn enjoy your new GH!

Lynn
My greenhouse is 30 x 48. We bought a commercial kit and my husband and dad built it.
We had previously had a small one made out of the old milkhouse 10 x 12 I think but there was never enough room after the first couple of years. Now it's a milkhouse, junk storage again. I think this one has been in place about 9 years now. I need to replace the plastic next year, it's already 4 years older than it's supposed to be before replacement. If your ever in the neighborhood stop by.

I would love to have a GH like yours. I already have an 8x12 that we bought a year ago, so this is my 2nd little one. I think I have already outgrown it, and it's not even up yet!
We go to the Tacoma area quite often, so I would love to stop by and meet you. D-mail me with address and phone number so we can co-ordinate!

Lynn I'm in the wee little Lakewood not the Tacoma Lakewood. We are called North Lakewood and we are about 40 miles north of Seattle, but I'll still Dmail you and if your ever in the neighborhood stop by.

I wondered where everyone was! You are all over here! I'm out on DG looking for 'action' and notice this thread with hundreds of posts and I haven't even seen it yet! No way can I read all those posts, but I have to comment that I could not believe BillR posted a photo of Del Rio! My DH and I spent three lovely years in the desert there back in the day. My first child was born there. I taught school at a little private Episcopal School in town. It was my first 'real' job after college. We had a great time there, even though there was 'nothing' to do. So we had to spend our time walking around in the desert, exploring, going to Big Bend National Park, having lots of pets until the child came along, etc. Yep, it was really ,really boring!!

Re roses, I concur about the 'own root' scenario. I've been planting my grafted ones deeply for several years, but I agree that hybrid teas just are weak plants in general so that doesn't do that much good. The ones I've bought from Heirloom Roses over the years are just glorious plants starting in the third year.

Since this is the 'cool things' thread, here are some of my new cool things. I'm adding another shrub border this year and I am trying to discipline myself to plants that are hardy to at least zone 7, but my strength in the face of this restriction depends on the day. Yesterday I received an order from Hardyplants.com (excellent packaging and nice plants, by the way). Here's what I got:
Sophora davidiii
Sysyrinchium palmifolium
Cestrum parquii
Callistemon 'Eleanor'
Astelia 'Silver spear'
Abutilon megapotamicum (to replace my very old plant which succumbed to our winter this year after many years outside)

I've grown Musa lasiocarpa from seed this year, and I have the Musa bajoo I got from our old friend Gordon at his house last year, so those are going in. I also have, from seed this year, Dicentra scandens, Amsonia hubrechtii, Salvia argentea, Clematis stans, and lots of other cool stuff. I have several acacias growing from seed. I'm trying to put more shrubs in the borders because they are less work.

I am sorry to read about Kayte's cistus because I broke down and bought one today. I hope I don't regret it. It's for the front border, which is full sun (pretty much, anyway) and sharp drainage. I needed more shrubby things for that area and I lost so many hebes. I also bought a cool new juniper called 'Pancake' which has very soft needles and is almost completely flat. It's going by the pond area.

Pix found this thread - now where are Laurie & Tills?

out in the garden, digging, weeding & holding court for the slugs, no doubt...

From what I can see, Mary has gotten very side-tracked with Facebook and the games on there . . . looks like she's having a good time!!

Kathy, I think you were the person a while ago who gave me a LOL on my pink and white Jacobs ladder. Well I kid you not... :)

The blooms start out white..change to pink and finally to lavender.
Will try to get all three colors in one shot soon. :)

Pixy, Sounds like you added some really neat things! I wasn't familiar with most of them, but of course had to look them up (inquiring minds and all that!) and it looks like a fun collection of new kids. I especially liked the Sophora davidiii...have put hardyplants.com in my list of sites to check out but am NOT I repeat NOT going to look this spring :*).

Beahive, that is one fantastic jacobs ladder! I missed the original post about it but just love it! Do you know the name? I am thinking that it is a must have!

Julie I have to look up every plant mentioned! And I can never remember those complicated names.

Bea - is that Polemonium called Apricot twist (or something like that?)

Judi, I am with you! I have all of my plants documented with the latin names, but couldn't come up with most of them on the spot if you held a gun to my head. Then you throw in the fact that a lot of people here like things that are less common, and you have to have a garden encyclopedia with you just to keep up!

I know that the official name is the better way to talk about plants to avoid confusion, but I am apparently just horrible at latin! On the other hand, I can give you the cultivar name of almost every one of my roses and daylilies just by looking at the bloom (combined I have close to 1000 different ones). Selective remembering I am thinking.....

Bea - I don't remember (not really so unusual), but thanks for posting. That's a beautiful polemonium. I passed up some at the nursery today - I just don't have the right spot for them. But I love to see yours!!

Katye..You were very close . My Jacobs Ladder is called Apricot Delight!

While looking for the marker...look what I found!

I know Jacob's Ladder is supposed to be fairly easy to grow, but I've never been very successful with it for some reason. Maybe it needs more sun. They are so pretty, and my neighbor doesn't even have to try with hers. They are taking over part of her garden. I like the Apricot one.

Now, about Latin names, I happen to love them. They roll off the tongue in a decidedly delightful way, but I've always liked the way some words sound. I'm generally happy with common names, but there are so many new plants being introduced from the southern hemisphere that they have no common names here yet. I consider it a way to exercise my brain to try to remember them. I have to keep learning something or the grey cells will go dormant. Of course, the people who name these plants have made it a job in and of itself to keep up with the recategorizing, renaming, etc, which seems, frankly, ridiculous, but I guess they need to get paid for something. Anyway, I feel a little like a 4 year old delighting in the newness of being fluent in the use of verbal skills when I get to say things like 'Corokia cotoneaster' (Sooo delightful!) or 'Sysrinchium palmifolium' (Soo poetic!) .

Where is Laurie lately?? I miss her.

I miss Laurie and Tills - they must be busy in their gardens.
I like words, too. My favorite is the Russian word for pencil - in the English alphabet it is karandage, with a very soft ending. My other favorite for many years, not just since the H1N1, is Mexico. What a nice word.
The Latin plant names still confuse me! I need to read the chapter in that big fat plant book over and over. I do the two crossword puzzles in the daily newspaper but the problem there is I feel smart at the beginning of the week and dumb by Saturday!

So.... yesterday I bought a bird bath and planed a nice herb garden around it.

Bee Balm
Orange Mint
2 kinds of thyme
variegated sage
lavender
rosemary

all things supposedly not favored by deer.
Of course in this nice weather one month away from summer all should be well right??? So I planted them.

Yeah.....I woke up this morning to WHITE GLOP ALL OVER EVERYTHING.

It's still glopping.

I guess today I'll set up my worm bin.

Ginger

OOH, the herb garden is going to smell lovely! Thumbs down to 'white glop' at this time of year. That is so unfair!!

Portland, here is my recipe for feeling dumb by Saturday: First, label many plants with Latin names, using dark ink and large letters (this keeps from having to remember them outright). Then, when feeling less-than-brilliant, walk the garden and say the Latin names out loud to yourself. You can put them together with inflections as in sentence structure. No one speaks Latin anymore so no one will know that you are saying virtually nothing. Try this, with feeling: "Impatiens arguta dicentra scandens, et dodonea viscosa purpurea cannomois grandis. Amen."


See? The little grey cells are already waking up! You impress not only yourself and your neighbors, but any bishops who may be passing by!

I agree Julie with your dilemma about names. I have taken it one step farther. I enjoy and plan on garden design by selection of plants by looks texture etc. This is what I retain. Therefore I only remember these. I agree that it is hard to partake with Dgers on this site without it but I have no other ways. My work keep me saving a new word every 1 to 5 hours with changes in Medicine/Diagnostics/Upgrades and my storage center is full.
Pixy I envy your ability to recall and retain. I don't seem to be able to do that anymore. Well unless you want to talk about history, medicine, or any other area I am currently into. Most people appreciate my garden without names. Here in Montana you can be simple. LOL

Now, if we had all started as ayoungster learning the Latin names it would be much easier. Maybe I should teach my grandkids the scientific name as well. The 4 yr old surprised his mother as they were looking though a garden book and he told her the names of things. He retains info. very easily. I only told him forsythia and grape hyacinths once.

Pixy, LOL! Now I know how I will be practicing my latin names!!! And fortunately, I don't have any neighbors to look at my like I have lost my marbles! Maybe by this time next year I will be more proficient! With all of the wonderfully exotic things you grow, I was surprised to hear that you aren't overly successful with Jacob's Ladder. I'm not either. My mom (next door) on the other hand has wonderfull success..just like your neighbor. The tags say shade garden plant, but Mom's most successful ones are in quite a bit of sun. That just might be the secret here.

Sofer, I don't have the same excuse as you do regarding the latin...I run an autobody shop, so the necessary terminology is fairly simple. I have always admired people in any kind of medical field as there is SO much complicated information that you HAVE to retain to be good at what you do. No wonder your storage center is full! The plus side is that a garden is just as beautiful no matter how you refer to the plants in it. A rose by any other name...

Ginger, Your herb garden sounds wonderful. What a treat for the senses! Huge Huge bummer on the snow... it is seriously about time for winter to end!!! Warm blessings headed your way (for what it's worth from a rainy cold mountainside!).

Jan, Sounds like you have a very bright grandson! My neice and nephew have been learning spanish at the same time they have been learning english, and at five, my nephew knew way more of the language than I have ever been able to retain...even after a year in high school spanish and three quarters of it in college. Go figure....must be definitely better to learn when your hard drive isn't totally full of useless trivia!