Happy First Day of Spring!

Happy Spring!

Spring Bulbs

Fall is the time to plant your garden beds full of hope using spring bulbs.  It is best to buy them sooner rather than later so you can get a good selection, and plant them anytime before the ground freezes, but not too early, the soil should be around 55 degrees for best root development.

Bulbs like well draining and nutritious soil, otherwise they might drown or rot.  Some companies say that not much fertilizer is needed until spring, but since the soil in Central Oregon is almost sterile, I do suggest that you mix in some compost with a little bone meal to your planting area for best results.

Plant the bulbs where you will appreciate them the most, taking care to ensure that they get some sunlight. Daffodils need at least six hours of sun to really do their best, and look stunning when planted together with Muscari or other blue flowering bulb.

There are many shade tolerant or light shade varieties, usually called woodland varieties. Some of these are Squill, Snowdrops and Winter Wolf's Bane.  I would love to one day plant a woodland area with thousands of bulbs, allowing them to create a carpet of spring color, wouldn't that be amazing!

This is an image of English Bluebell taken by Clive Nichols at Coton Manor in England, stunning.

Other varieties to consider are Allium, Fritillaria, Camassia and Snake's Head.  Whenever I see these in a landscape it always makes me stop an extra moment to enjoy the view.  Do something different these year, plant Alliums and Fritillaria's!

Allium

 

Fritillaria

 

Camassia

 

 

Snake's Head

 

I think these Snake's Head would look great in a meadow planting, they bloom early to mid season so could be followed by Columbine (perennial, not a bulb) and Daisy.

 

 

Spring bulbs bring much joy and promise.  They are like a fantastic secret hidden under the cold soil waiting to surprise you come spring.  Plant bulbs in masses and add a smile to your garden.



 



It's that time of year for . . . patience

I was out on Monday doing a little yard clean up for a client and I do believe it was the first of more very nice, not too cold Spring days.

The crocus and snowdrops are up, the daffodils and hyacinth are beginning to poke their heads through the soil, and the hellebores are coming along as well.  I must say that I think Spring is here.

I do love Spring, all the promise of a new season, warmer weather, going outside without putting on layers of clothing and getting to play in the garden again.

But before we get too excited . . . . . wait.

We will get more freezing weather and storms and our planting season doesn't officially begin until Memorial Day weekend.  Most of us (me included) have gotten excited and planted things too early that got bit by a freeze and was lost.

What you can do is clean up.  Prune out any broken or damaged tree limbs. Trim down those ornamental grasses and perennials from last year.  Rake up your pine needles and add a hefty dose of compost to all your planting beds. Plan how you want your yard and/or garden to be like this year if you haven't already.

Soon you can also plant trees, shrubs and hardy perennials since the soil is no longer frozen.  When planting, build up a water well to hold the water in around them.  And, remember to water them regularly by hose until your irrigation system is turned on.

Speaking of irrigation, I highly recommend Miller Irrigation if you don't already have a company you are happy with.  I know Scott Miller and his family and they are knowledgeable good hard workers.  You can get a hold of them at 541-388-0190 to help you get your system turned on and tuned up.

Happy Spring!

Spring has SPRUNG!

With the temperature hitting 50 degrees latey it sure feels like spring is on it's way.  My tulips are beginning to poke through the soil, the insects have started coming out from their winter hiding and I'm thinking it's time to paint the toenails again.
Wait, but isn't it just March?  Yes and this is one of the most unusual winters we've had in a long time but rest assured, the freezing and snowy weather will return, and hopefully before we all become too accustomed to these unseasonally warm days. Though, I am getting very, very accustomed to these nice days and the temptation to forget cold days is getting more and more difficult to resist.  But do remember, the only predictable thing about Central Oregon's weather is its unpredictability.

With all of that in mind, it is time to begin a bit of the spring clean up.  That means its time to trim back all your ornamental grasses and perennials and to get on top of your weeds.  There is a reason weeds are weeds, they are the most tenacious little buggers.  How they could have survived that deep freeze we had in December I don't know, but I'm predicting this will be a bad year for weeds (good for them, bad for us).  Make sure to stay on top of them because with this lovely spring weather they are really get a good start to the growing season.
My favorite weeding tool is the Hula Hoe.  It cuts the bottom of the roots of the young weeds and scraps along through the soil rather well and does a great job in pea gravel.  Just remember to get at the weeds while they are young and then it will be a much easier job.
Here is a picture of the Hula Hoe:

 

For cutting back your spent perennials such as your daisies, iris's, and the like, cut them back quite close to the root crown to allow room for the new growth.  For your grasses, cut them back leaving 1 to 4 inches of old grass depending on the size of your grass.  Idaho Fescue grass can be sheared back rather shortly, a string trimmer works great for this job. Karl Foerster grass is a larger grass and should have a few inches of old grass left.  You can use a hedge or string trimmer for the bigger grasses but just be careful not to let the string get tangled in the tall grass, that's a mess.

It is also time to prune your shrubs.  The first steps to pruning (same for trees) is to prune out any dead, broken or diseased branches.  Then take a look at the overall structure and see if it needs to be opened up. Some shrubs like to be prune well every year, but others can go a few years without any serious pruning.  

The spring blooming shrubs like Lilac should be pruned right when their flowers begin to fade since they form buds on old growth.  Redtwig Dogwoods are mainly grown for their lovely red color during the winter time, and that good color comes from new growth, so prune those now.  Prune out up to one third of the oldest branches down to the ground for the Dogwoods.

A good website for general pruning techniques can be found at Sunset Magazine Pruning Techniques ( I love Sunset Magazine!).

Now that you have your weeds under control and your plants cut back, it's time to add your yearly application of compost or bark mulch to help suppress weeds, retain moisture, and if using compost, add nutrients to the soil.

If you have fewer plants, just spread the compost around the base of the plants, but if you have a more densely packed area, spread the compost all around.  Remember that plants get their nourishment from the soil and the healthier your soil, the healthier your plants.  Compost is a better option for overall health of the garden.  Synthetic fertilizers are temporary fixes and create fertilizer addicts out of plants and deplete the soil over time.  Using compost and organic fertilizers works to create a whole web of happiness from the worms, to the insects, birds and bees who all work in unison to help you create a healthy and happy garden.

If you have more specific questions about your landscape, or would like to talk about getting a design, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Send me an email from my profile page.  Happy gardening!

Spring Wildflowers

It's that time of year when the snows have melted in the mountains and the wildflowers are coming out. A week ago I took a hike with my family to Outlook Mountain in the Ochoco's to see how those flowers were faring. Turns out we were a little early for the spectacular display this area is know for, but there still were many for us to find.
In another week or two the whole area will be just popping with flowers.

The Mountain Bluebells were all over the trail like this one in the photo above.


As was the Arrowleaf Balsamroot below.

The thing I like most about wildflowers in the
desert is the fact that you have to really look more closely to find them. They are more like hidden little gems than obvious ornamental displays. I feel rewarded when I do find one and they are usually very rewarding with their gentle beauty.
This is one thing living here has taught me, to look for beauty in different ways. I look at the bark of the trees in the wintertime and admire their color and texture since the lushness of their leaves are gone. I appreciate the subtle color tones in the rocks and boulders and the twist and curves of the old juniper tree branches.

My daughter really enjoyed trying to walk around and she learned how to smell (or at least put them to her nose) the flowers. In this site, it may not look like it but I found quite a few different kinds.




I made it to the lookout! Behind me looks West towards where we came. We could just barely make out the Cascade Mountains. It only took us a little over an hour from Bend to get there but it looked so far away.





This is what inspires me about living here in the "High Desert", you can bike or drive to areas within close range that are lush and beautiful and full of beauty. And it usually won't rain on you while you're out enjoying it.