General « In the Trees

Fancy Ferns

13 05 2012

Yesterday saw the opening of the local Farmer’s Market; the 25th season opening, to be precise. While I admired the amazing array of edibles, the art creations, and the delectable breakfast options, my focus was on finding some new ferns for my growing collection.

The Pearson Nursery stand did not disappoint. Over the years, they’ve become my go-to nursery for highly affordable, quality shade plants. Tens of fern varieties, and some very tempting young Japanese Maples grafts; I settled on some old favorites and two new-to-me fern varieties. I hope these will do as well as all the other “Pearson” ferns.

Athyrium otophorum (Eared Lady Fern)
Height: 18″
Zone: 5-9
Part shade/shade, deciduous

Athyrium standishii (Upside Down Fern)
Height: 12-36″
Zone: 6-9
Part shade/shade, deciduous

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Tags: Athyrium otophorum, Athyrium standishii, deciduous ferns, Eared Lady Fern, Upside Down Fern
Categories : Ferns, General, New plants

Earth Day 2012: In Praise of Natives

22 04 2012

Hardy and reliable, tolerant of dry Summer months, and pest resistant; the native plants in my garden are true winners in my book. When I first started the garden, I passed over many natives in favor of showier non-natives (nons), seductively described and photographed on plant tags, books and online.

Fast forward to 2012. While many of the sexy nons are strutting their stuff in the garden, many are no more. Some of the nons required more TLC than I gave them, others just didn’t like the shade, the water logged soils, the dry Summer months, or being tramped on by a series of willful dogs. Without exception, all the native plants are going strong. In more recent years, I’ve added steadily to the collection of native plants. The native may some day become the largest collection in the garden as I replace fussy little nons with their more robust bird-friendly cousins.

So on this Earth Day 2012, I want to share my top six native plants which are truly earth and resource friendly:

Polystichum munitum (Western Sword Fern)

Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar)

Gaultheria shallon (Salal)

Ribes sanguineum (Red Currant Bush)

Darmera peltata

Vaccinium ovatum (Evergreen Huckleberry)

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Tags: Darmera peltata, evergreen ferns, PNW native plants, Polystichum munitum (Western Sword fern)
Categories : Favorite plants, General, PNW native plant

Spring has Sprung?

8 04 2012

It looks and feels a lot like Spring here in the Portland area.

The sun is streaming through the trees and Hummingbirds are fluttering by their feeder, dipping in to a fresh batch of nectar, carefully prepared by my dear husband last night.

The garden is slowly drying out after record rainfall in March. Wellies are still a must to venture into the back garden, unless you want muck-encrusted shoes, or cold wet feet. I’m not complaining; it’s been a long and busy Winter, and I can think of nothing more therapeutic than some quality gardening time outdoors.

There’s plenty of color to keep me company as I clear last Fall’s pine needles and the debris from Winter.

Daffodils, which I plant as annuals to ensure blooming here in the shade, are brightening up the moss lawn.

The flowering currant bush Ribes sanguineum, at the edge of the wetland area is adding pretty pink to a gray area in the garden

Close to, but screened off from the corgi runway, a lovely pink camellia vies for attention. If only I knew the name of this variety.

In the front garden, safe from the corgis, but subject to inspection by “The Ladies”, our neighbor’s hens, the pink and white bleeding hearts Dicentra spectabilis are just starting to nod their heads to Spring.

Two dozen delft blue and pink hyacinths perfume the way leading to the front door. Mud-splattered and a little worse for the weather, these darlings bring great cheer to a very shady and mucky spot. To be planted every year, from here on.