Here in Oregon, we are blessed with an abundance of rain. One of the simplest, and greenest, ways to manage water from a roof and other impervious surfaces is to send water into a shallow depression in the ground filled with plants tolerant of periodic flooding. Homeowners can stem the tide of polluted runoff threatening rivers and streams by setting up a simple ‘rain garden,’ which is beautiful as well as beneficial. The carefully selected plants absorb the water and release it slowly, reducing the risk of flooding, as well as neutralizing some of the toxins present in runoff.  Landscape designer Amy Whitworth will share tips for this sustainable, earth-friendly strategy.   Class is free, please call to register:  503-649-4568.

Our own Beth Rose will share her passion for this interesting insect.  Every year about this time, we start hearing from our customers interested in mason bees – and so we are happy to start our speaker series in 2009 with this topic.  Beth is an expert on mason bees and loves watching their habits in her own garden.  She will share the easy steps you can take to bring this friendly native insect into your garden as well.  You won’t get honey or wax from these hard workers, because they focus all their time and energy on pollinating.  If you have an edible garden or fruit trees, you will want to know about mason bees!  We will have starter houses and replacement tubes available by then as well, so that you will be ready when the bees are. Class is free, please call to register:  503-649-4568.

Here are just a few of the things blooming at the nursery now…

Camellia sasanqua 'Yuletide'

Cyclamen 'Something Magic'

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Dianne'

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Pallida'

Helleborus 'Ballerina Mix'

Pansies, pansies, pansies!

We get questions all the time about how to prune correctly– everything from fruit trees, grapes, blueberries, rhododendrons, and other ornamentals like roses, etc.   It can get confusing, can’t it?  So I wanted to let you know there is a wonderful opportunity to learn from the experts, and in a format that will allow you to actually prune!  And its free!  The OSU Extension Washington County Master Gardeners and the Tualatin Valley Garden Club are once again hosting their annual educational workshop on Saturday, February 14, 9 AM to 12 noon.  It will be at the Wold home, at 8580 SW Wold Drive, Aloha.  (Directions:  Take Farmington Road to SW Grabhorn Road.  Follow Grabhorn past the Jenkins Estate to SW Wold Drive.  Signs will be posted.  Please consider carpooling, as parking is limited.)  If you have questions, call the OSU Extension Office, 503-821-1150.

We realize that it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for many people social networking sites are becoming an increasingly important way of sharing information and connecting with one another.  We now have a page on Facebook,  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Farmington-Gardens/19397284985, and invite you to visit us and become a fan!  Our blog entries will automatically post to our page, and we will be posting our events there as well as on our other sites.

After being out of town for a couple of weeks, I was eager to see how our vegetable garden at FG had fared during our harsh winter weather.  The outcome was mixed:  the mini-hoop house provided insufficient protection for the loose-leaf lettuces inside (they’ve melted into gooey piles), but the spinach looks pretty good, and in fact we could begin harvesting.  Outside and at the mercy of the elements, the Swiss chard took a beating and has been trimmed of its withered foliage; amazingly it is already showing signs of new growth, so it won’t be long until it looks healthy again.  The onion starts are hunkered down, but should send up new growth when the weather warms up a bit.  The perennial herbs look a bit dazed, but should recover with time and a haircut.  All in all, not too bad an outcome for our Arctic Blast of 2008.  I hope your gardens have survived as well.

As our weather stays cold for the next several weeks, and we huddle around the fire, many of us begin plans for our spring gardens.  As you make plans for seed starting, I wanted to give you a heads-up about a new product, due to arrive in January, which we are excited about!  CowPots are a green alternative to plastic pots for seed starting, and have many terrific advantages.  But first, what are they made of?  They were invented by dairy farmers in Connecticut, who were looking for creative ways to use the abundant, nutrient-rich manure produced on their farm.  These clever guys have created a pot that:

• grows sturdier, healthier plants
• goes directly into the soil with the plant; it fully decomposes with no throw-away
• encourages root development
• avoids plant stress
• adds soil-conditioning natural nutrients to your garden
• is convenient and time-saving
• is easy to handle, odor-free, non-toxic
• 100% Made in the U.S.A.
• reduces non-recyclable plastics
• reduces dependence on foreign oil
• reduces municipal waste
• promotes recycling of agricultural waste to horticultural benefit
• made from a highly renewable resource
• nutrient-rich

Wow – no wonder they are talking about these pots on NBC’s Today Show, Larry King Live, Dirty Jobs, and more.  They will cost a little more than the everyday plastic starter pots, but when you factor in all the benefits your little seedlings will receive with the built-in nutrients, it starts looking pretty good.  Not to mention the bonus points you get for ’green’ and ‘sustainable’.  I can’t wait to try them out.

P.S.  If you’d like more detailed information on this product, visit their website: http://www.cowpots.com/

Just kidding, there are actually a few odd plants that do like to bloom in winter.  Camellias are the most obvious at the moment.  Soon we’ll be seeing the bulk of the Hellebores come into bloom, and Winter Jasmine, Pink Dawn Viburnum, and Winterhazel will come out later.  We’ll keep you posted, and hopefully turn this into a good resource to find out what looks good at the moment.