My Type

What is your type? Tall, dark and handsome, or sophisticated and suave, perhaps a weakness for blondes? We all have a type; it is the form and color we are repeatedly drawn to without thinking.

My type is short, blonde, straightforward, tidy and reliably early. I speak not of a mate, but of my type, in plants. This is exemplified in one of my favorite plants Ranunculus ficaria, also known as Lesser Celandine.

Its heart-shaped leaves emerge early, often appearing in January or February. This is followed by a steady show of buttercup-like flowers from creamy white to deep golden yellow. Flowering usually tapers by April or May and the handsome foliage remains until frost. During exceptionally hot, dry summers or if exposed to sun, this ephemeral perennial will go dormant, disappearing completely.

It is a tidy plant, forming gently spreading clumps that reach about 6 inches tall. It prefers shade and moist, free-draining soil. Its compact size and tidy habit it makes it a perfect selection for a groundcover in shady areas or for in-between pavers on the path less traveled.

Lesser Celandine has clear, golden flowers over rich green foliage; however there are several tempting varieties:

Albus – Lustrous green foliage with creamy white flowers that have a curious purple-blue tinge to the outside of the petals.

Brambling – Handsome foliage has extraordinary mottling in bronze, silver and green with golden flowers.

Brazen Hussy – Luxurious bronze foliage provides exceptional contrast for simple, golden flowers.

Double Mudd – Similar to Albus but with full double-petal blooms that display the outer purple blush.

Flore Pleno – Full, double-petal flowers of classic golden yellow.

I will always be drawn to early, handsome, straightforward blondes; they have stolen my heart. Find your type at your Local Independent Garden Center.

Project: Tomato Cage Makeover

How do you make a tomato cage look good? They are basic utilitarian, structures that look best completely cloaked in their supportee. Though I admire their functionality, I secretly detest their look. Every year I sigh at their annual debut and impatiently count the days until they are completely obscured. As I lamented their debut this year, I realized there was something I could do to make my tomato cage look good. This is how I achieved it. Armed with a standard tomato cage, a hammer, pliers, heavy duty adjustable pliers, gloves and safety glasses (rough sandpaper is optional) I set towards my task.

1)Put on gloves and safety glasses (no one likes wire in the eye!). Flip the tomato cage upside-down. Place two feet firmly on the top support rung and brace the whole structure against your leg.

2) Using heavy duty adjustable pliers, grip one of the wire legs about three inches from the end and twisted away from yourself and downward until a nice curlicue shape is achieved. Then using the pliers, grip about one inch from the bottom rung and bend the wire slightly inwards. This gives a more pleasing silhouette. Repeat this step for each leg. Keep in mind that tomato cages that have already been painted or coated are likely to chip or flake during the reshaping process.

3)With the upper portion complete, put one foot firmly on the top rung in between vertical supports, then lifted it up, and pushed it down, bending the wire back and forth. Repeat this step until all the joints break and the top rung breaks free (a hammer can also help with this step). This will create three new legs. Once the new legs are all completely free, use pliers to bend them slightly inwards and if necessary sand the bottom of each leg where the joint was, as it can be sharp.
Don't be too forceful during this step because ideally you’d like to maintain the shape and integrity of the structure. I found gripping firmly at the second rung joints was best. If the remaining joints were compromised, reinforce by wrapping with a finer wire.

If you’re inspired you can also embellish with wire, beads or paint. Place around perennials, annuals and vegetables that need a little support. This simple flip softens any tomato cage and adds a little whimsy to an otherwise Spartan garden standard.

Field Trip: Dry Creek Falls, Oregon

My background is firmly rooted in horticulture. But like any truly plant-obsessed person, my adoration of plants does not stop at the proverbial garden gate. Wild plants of all kinds are infinitely fascinating and gorgeous. The seasonal, regional, and genetic distinctions give endless distraction. While in search of these botanical treasures, if one can tear their gaze away, one frequently finds oneself surrounded by natural beauty in the form of alpine meadows, ancient forests, waterfalls and geological wonders.

I am fortunately unencumbered and able to travel the state, region and occasionally even to other countries, to see new plants and revisit beloved favorites. Mainly I achieve this through hiking (though any friend or family member of mine will attest, all trips with me involve a stop at one garden center, minimum).

With plants, it doesn’t matter if I’ve seen it a thousand times: the first bloom of the season, the first burst of lush growth, the first blush of fall color. All hold an endearing intimacy, akin to seeing a dear friend after a year’s absence. When repetition does not dull an experience, in sighting boredom but instead cements an unwritten kinship. It is both this bond with cherished favorites and the search for something new that brings me across the miles.

Photo: The falls at Dry Creek Falls.

Photo: Broad-leaved Stonecrop, Sedum spathulifolium intertwined with moss in boulder scree.

Photo: Boulder scree area with thick layers of moss.

Photo: Rattlesnake Plantain, Goodyera oblongifolia, later in the season it will have stalks studded with white blooms.

Photo: Rattlesnake Plantain, Goodyera oblongifolia; note the variation in the variegation of the leaf. Fantastic!

Photo: Western Trillium, Trillium ovatum. An early blooming ephemeral woodland plant.


Dry Creek Falls is a well-traveled trail about 40 miles east of Portland, Oregon in the Columbia River gorge. It is a low trail, not ascending above 700 feet.

A Spring To Do List

The sun’s power is magnetic; it draws us towards it, out of buildings and out of sweaters to bask in its warmth. And to witness the life, that it coaxes into the earthly cycle we call, seasons.
This time of year is by far, my favorite when every sunny day is treasured and every plants hovers upon the precipice of miraculously bursting into full exuberant bloom or lush leafy growth. There is so much to do in the garden and every action is filled with potential – dividing perennials, planning a new bed, deciding what seeds to buy for the vegetable garden. I often think that gardeners are the most optimistic and forward thinking variety of human. They are always thinking of what’s next: the next season, the next plant to trial, the next project.
Entering this season of activity and potential with a plan helps to focus your effort and allows you to track your achievements, and a list is often, the simplest way to plan. I have divided the list into rainy and sunny day activities, so that you can make the most of each day.

Rainy, Cold or Snowy Days:
~ Reference any notes from the previous year including written notes, pictures, and receipts or invoices.
~ Visit a Garden Show to get ideas and information.
~ Perform any necessary research about plants, materials, construction, tools and techniques keeping in mind that there are lots of local people with tons of knowledge including garden center employees, master gardeners, neighbors, college/university outreach centers, informational meetings & seminars, and annual garden shows.
~ Plan placement and features of garden beds (including location, orientation, materials, plants and soil required).
~ Peruse seed catalogs and make selections.
~ Clean and Organize Pots.
~ Start seeds indoors or in a greenhouse.
~ Sharpen and oil hand-tools.
~ Perform basic annual maintenance to garden power tools and the lawn mower to prepare for service.

Photo: Northwest Flower and Garden Show 2015, Seattle, Washington.


Sunny Days:
~ Edit plants that need to move.
~ Divide perennials.
~ Plant Bare-root Fruits and Vegetables including fruit trees, small berries, rhubarb, horseradish and asparagus.
~ Start planting sturdier perennials, including perennial herbs. Wait until the weather and soils warm in April or May for Tender Perennials, like Agastache and Salvia etc.
~ Pot up perennials, shrubs or trees that are in containers.
~ Tidying Evergreen Perennials, cutting-out old, weathered foliage to allow fresh foliage to shine.
~ Cut-back Ornamental Grasses.
~ Add Compost into the soil and/or as mulch.
~ Refresh bedraggled container plantings with fresh spring color.
~ Clean and sanitize greenhouse (relatively warm day required).
~ Clean sidewalks, patios and pathways with pressure washer or scrub brush.
~ First Lawn Mowing.

Photo: Add color to the landscape.

The sun and the season of potential are coming. Be prepared by using this simple list to achieve your gardening dreams. For additional information and materials visit your Local Independent Garden Center.

Photo: Visit your Local Independent Garden Center.