One variety of verbena flowers opens like fans and cascade down the side of a pot. Another shoots up 5 feet, dances in the wind and needs little water. See the unique features of verbena bonariensis.

Passion flower is one gorgeous flower and vine. NW gardeners have good success with this very tropical looking beauty. See if you’d like to try it.

There's a simplicity to both lavatera and hollyhock. One becomes a nice blooming bush, the other makes a tower of flowers. Try lavatera for easy beauty.

After you cut back your supply of daylilies, plant some garlic. Many varieties are available at garden centers. Try something new.

There is a dazzling array of iris varieties to choose from today. In fact it is hard to choose. This story shows how easy it is to plant them, once your choice is made.

Homeowners who like to garden have a rough time keeping their garden from the deer. But there are some plants they really don’t like. I’ve got a list for you in this story.

For me, it’s hard to leave empty handed after a visit to Hulda Klager’s Lilac Botanic garden in Woodland WA. I fell for a gorgeous dark purple lilac called ‘Glory.’ Now it’s time to plant!

Now's the time for some garden confessions. No, everything I plant doesn't grow. I make plenty of mistakes as you'll see here. Honestly, I learn more from the plants I kill, than what survives so quickly in our tremendous NW growing conditions. Take a look. Have a laugh.

One day is all you get from each daylily flower. BUT, there are so many buds waiting to flower, the plant will keep on blooming for more than a month. There are lots of varieties to choose from.

My love for peony's began when I met Rick Rogers way back when. He specialized in growing peony's on their own roots-- most commercial peony's are grafted. Rick also placed most, if not all the peony's in Portland Chinese Garden downtown. We're lucky for the planting and care advice he offers so generously. Thanks Rick.

If you pull weeds when they're small, your garden is a step ahead. But WHAT'S a WEED? And what isn't. Most of us share the same weed crop. And Chip Bubl knows weeds. Bubl taught OSU's Master Gardener weed program for years, and was always an engaging expert on the subject. This is a good introductory primer on Weeds 101.

Spring has sprung, and that's when the clean up begins. If you cut back perennials the summer show will begin. This is how Danny Hills of LonesomeVille.com does it. You should see the Lonesomeville garden & their amazing pottery. Fantastico!

Cottage Gardens pop in spring like a big party favor of flowers. Then, there's work to do winding down spring and making way for summer blooms. This is how Danny Hills of LonesomeVille.com does it.

You'll find some great ideas in this "secret garden." Voted one of Portland's best. Take a peek.

If you buy a plant and don't find out it's roots are wrapped around the pot trying to strangle the plant....what do you do?

Ornamental grasses are fall show stoppers. There are lost to choose from and adore! Here’s a list of choices to take home.

Two Issues: What do you do about mushrooms popping up in your lawn? Cause for alarm? Find out here. And what's blight on tomatoes? It's a really bad fungus. See what to do here.

Butterfly bushes come in many shades of purple. But there are many other colors that will knock your socks off. After seeing this plant again, I want ‘Sungold’ YELLOW!

You want to garden, but you don't know where to start. Here's your chance to volunteer at Crystal Springs, a captivating city garden, and learn how to plant and care for your own garden along the way. 5801 SE 28th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97202 503-771-8386

Portland's pioneer Camellia breeders made this glossy leafed flowering shrub available to city homeowners in quantity. Most of us grow either Camellia in one of two groups: Japonica or Sasanqua. One might be better for our wet weather... Lots to choose from in either group!

What's the best day of the week to buy plants? I gotcher answer here.

Lovely story about a lovely lady. The Cedar Mill Garden Club honors a 100 year gardening friend in their group. What a joy.

Oregon is losing native White Oaks. These grandfatherly/motherly giants are important to 200 species. You can see a spectacular stand of White Oaks at the Oregon Garden in Silverton. If you have a White Oak on your farm/ranch and want to save it—funding is available through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/

I take my notebook and my smartphone to garden shows. Here's why you should consider doing the same.

I grow these lilies. Lots of them. There’s nothing like them!!! Planting Lilies is so easy. Dig a hole, Plop the bulb in. Then stand back! A Northwest genius breeds her lilies to look fantastic and thrive in our wet winter climate. You gotta see what Judith Freeman has done to lilies! Her new catalogue is out with lots of beauties for sale. http://www.thelilygarden.com/

Growing from seed is in Rose Marie Nichols McGee's blood. Nichols Nursery has been selling great and unusual seeds for years. If you grow your own vegetables and flowers, Nichols specializes in rare and old favorites seeds. www.nicholsgardennursery.com

Roses delivered by mail arrive without any soil. They call this "bare root"... planting them isn't hard. Dig big, add compost, cover the rose stems and wait. From sticks to flowers: Planting roses bare root is very rewarding indeed.

Most roses are grafted. The flowering top of the rose is spliced together with the roots of another variety on the bottom. If you buy these "hybrid" roses-- here are some good tips to grow by.

People who grow roses, really KNOW roses. That's why I listen and turn to them as experts. Here's some tried and true rose pruning techniques.

No matter how much roses cost, we want them to look fabulous for as long as possible. Here are some tips to keep them beautiful.

If rose flowers as large as cabbages are your idea of garden bliss-- you'll be over the moon with the selection of old garden roses at Heirloom.com. We learn the merits of ‘The Legend’ Roses.

Poinsettia flowers are so festive around the holidays. But when the plant drops all its leaves, the plant doesn’t look so good. When this happens you can rescue the “flowers.” Here's how to make the flowers last a very long time.

Take little sticks from your hydrangea, and make a brand new plant. This shows you how to take cuttings and make them grow into plants.

Making and Moving Plants The experts call it "dividing." But when you are making TWO plants from one, isn't that really called "adding." Learn how to increase the great plants in your garden and share what's left. Here: Cape Fuchsia & Japanese Anemone.

Searching for a plant that flowers in the bleak days of winter, and survives a good snow? Think no farther than HELLEBORE. See offerings from one of Portland Nursery's growers.

Got garden problems? Got questions about how to fix 'um? Your Master Gardener will answer your emails or phone calls. And here's why Master Gardeners volunteer to give you answers! http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/metro/questions

In Oregon, Master Gardener Fairs are fantastic places to find great prices and healthy plants. One grower tells us why she used to participate every spring in the Clackamas County Master Garden Fair in Canby. Clackamas Event Center 694 NE 4th Ave, Canby, Oregon. www.Cmastergardeners.org

Sure they're beautiful, but the perfume has been bred out of many modern roses. These roses are known for their heady fragrance.

You can find great prices on bulbs if you wait until late fall. After the first rush in September, they're half price in October. That's when you go for it! Here's what to look for when buying bulbs, not matter what the price.

For several years, popular Detroit Lake, east of Salem, went dry. The resort town rallied to bring the beauty of their town back. They succeeded without water in the lake. I give you a list of what plants they used to light up the town, too.

If you've got one lily, you can make more. Here's the 1-2-3 on making more lilies. All my lilies come from www.TheLilyGarden.com. See: Lily Genius.

The popularity of Lavender is booming. This grower gives us the cheat sheet on growing this Mediterranean flower herb. http://www.oregonlavenderdestinations.com/

Only two things you gotta know if you want to change your hydrangea from pink to blue. Or visa versa. Here are the tips to color shift hydrangeas.

Keep plants hydrated in the heat. Tips on the best ways to water, and tricks for watering while your on Summer Vacations.

Some plants need help in the fall. Keep your garden looking good in winter with tips on hellebores, coleus, daylilies.

Make your garden look tidy over winter with these tips. Garden Author Barbara Blossom Ashmun https://www.amazon.com/Married-Garden-Barbara-Blossom-Ashmun/dp/1590281934

This guy's a big deal. When it comes to Ornamental grasses, Dutchman Piet Oudolf transformed the gardening world with its graces. He gives us some of his favorite suggestions in this story. Oudolf designs outta this world gardens with bold perennials and grasses. He designed public gardens in London, New York, Toronto, Chicago and the Netherlands.

Foxgloves are biennials, and a cottage garden favorite. And I can't help myself...I let them reseed all over the place.

Three generations of one family have grown, bred and sold dahlias on an Oregon farm. The Dahlia Festival is held every August and is something to behold! Stunning! See: www.Dahlias.com

World renown expert Raymond Evison lives on the island of Guernsey but he travels the world with his new clematis'. Raymond Evison Clematis Nursery began in 1984 and here he shares his knowledge of his favorite plant: Clem-AW-tis. RaymondEvisonClematis.com

If you want unusual plants you can grow at home, head to Cistus Design nursery on Sauvie Island. Sean Hogan and his former partner Parker Sanderson (who passed away several years ago) searched the world for amazing Flowering Maple, Eucalyptus, Gardenia and more. www.Cistus.com 22711 NW Gillihan Rd, Portland, OR 97231 (503) 621-2233

Day lilies are fairly care free. But there are some tricks to make them look their best.

LoneSomeVille.com is not only a one of a kind pottery studio, but the garden is beyond compare. Here they experiment with edging their garden with clay tiles. The look is clean and simple beauty.

Any branch that falls, or is pruned can make a beautiful border. A border that shows where the grass stops and the garden begins. (Whether you're aware of it or not, your eye looks for clues to make sense of where a garden stops and starts.) Lonesomeville.com garden has great edging ideas.

TheGardenCorner.com sells THE biggest flower baskets in spring. The basket is a 10 gallon pot. You can plant your own, or you can buy the expertise provided by years of planting experience.

You can help plants bloom much longer if you prune it. Tracy Disabato-Aust, the author of "Well Tended Perennial Garden" (one of my absolute favorites) explains how to stagger bloom times with perennial flowers.

I can not say enough about the beauty, and indestructibility of lilies I've planted from www.TheLilyGarden.com. The plant geneticist, Judith Freeman is a genius, delightful, and devilishly smart about breeding lilies. Judith's work (her lilies) revolutionized my garden. Thank you Judith, for bringing such fantastic lilies to our gardens.

Mum's (Chrysanthe-MUMs) are resplendent in colors. The flowers pick off when Dahlias trail off. This expert shows us how to produce the best looking Mum's possible.

Common rust -phragmidium- is a plant fungal disease. It's orangey dots stick to the back of leaves and destroys roses, hollyhocks and snapdragons. Rust is tough to control. Here are tips to stop its spread.

Garden plants and trees are Oregon's number two crop.. topping 2 million dollars. Where do all those plants go?

How Kiwi growers figure out if kiwis are ready to pick. And expert tips on getting them ripe enough to eat at home.

If you love organic rose care... this is for you. A gardener shares his homemade rose spray recipe and I'll share mine. Both recipes are made with products found in your kitchen.

Pansy, Primrose, Fuchsia, Rose--I'm always amazed which flowers will survive a snow. Here are the hardy and not so hardy frosty plants.

A seed collector shows us how to harvest and store seeds. And she shares her favorite Seed Catalogues.

Here's a short and quick list of garden jobs to remember in the fall. You'll see my Dad mowing my lawn. Dad died just after his 93 birthday in 2016. I sure appreciated his help in my garden while I was a single mom, an anchor, reporter and gardener. Thanks Dad.

Most gardens have parts of their garden that don't freeze right away, or stay warmer than the rest. These are "micro climates" and if you find them at home, you'll be able to take advantage of their warmth for garden plants.

We don't have all the room in the world to plant trees (nor the crew to help) so let's choose our trees wisely. Here are suggestions for flowering, winter interest and smaller trees for your yard.

It's a little plant. It loves shade. And it's easy to grow. Try Tiarella!

The 'Gift of Life' Rose was sold and planted to spread the word about Oregon Organ Donations count. The grower stopped producing this rose as of 2016. Planting and selling roses are good fundraisers. We also learn from Portland Rose Society Board member Rich Baer-- how to plant a 'bareroot' rose at home. http://www.portlandrosesociety.org/

An rhodie expert in Sherwood grows rhododendrons from all over the world. If you think rhodies are too "common"...this is a real eye opener in color, style, and size.

Primroses are inexpensive. And they fill every pot with color. Plant in Fall, they'll bloom into winter and next spring.

A Portland couple won a competition looking for the best pond. If you're considering a pond, there's something here for you too.

There are many myths about peony's. Learn how to plant and care for this gorgeous spring flower. January is the last chance to plant.

Plant Natives Boskey Dell Natives grows and sells native plants. Plants that help soil, earth and water. www.boskydellnatives.com/ 23311 SW Bosky Dell Ln, West Linn, OR 97068 (503) 638-5945

Sick, injured and recovering, many patients find a renewed sense of wellbeing as they prune, pinch and enjoy gardens built to aid in their recovery. This garden therapy program received many national awards for excellence.

This gardener shows us how she starts so many seeds every year at home.

Lots of people grow banana's in the NW. Here's the man who started the craze. Rare Plant Research is a wholesale nursery, BUT once a year Burl Mostul opens up his Italianate Villa and sells his exotic, specialty plants. There's also food and wine. Rare Plant Research: 11900 S Criteser Rd Oregon City, OR 97045-7705 (503) 780-6200

Artist colony makes whimsical garden art. I am the proud owner of several outdoor "Buttons" in my garden.

Some flowers will survive a frost or light snow in the northwest. Others won't. Here's a cheat sheet to care for plants you can save and reminders about caring for our feathered friends when the temperature drops.

How florists dry flowers to keep them looking real. This Oregon company is no longer in business, but the art of flower preservation lives on.

Making very natural plant supports from a few sticks and a vine to hold up plants in your garden.

Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan bought huge topiaries from this Oregon business. See how they shape a shrub into a remarkable green work of art.

Your old coffee grounds can make your garden soil a little fluffier. And if can add fertility around your acid loving rhodies, azaleas.

N & M Herb Nursery grows a great selection of kitchen and garden herbs. Owner Rosie Sullivan is an expert at growing herbs in the NW. N & M Nursery 11702 Feller Rd NE Hubbard, OR 97032 (503) 981-9060

These pictures show you what happens when a Casa Blanca lily gets a "whiff" of Round-Up Herbicide. If the wind blows just right, and passes by gently-- it changes the Lilies genetic code and puts it into overdrive. This will likely be the last year for this genetic mutant.

You can grow orchids in the Northwest, OUTSIDE. These orchid varieties aren't exotic, and they're not as tall. But the flowers will survive winters in Oregon and Washington.

Alfalfa pellets (available at Farm Stores) are a natural fertilizer for your plants. Sprinkle them on and your flowers do the rest.

Sellwood Neighborhood has its own Dahlia, called 'Sellwood Glory' but few gardeners grow it. Here's the story of how the dahlia was created, and you'll meet the man who won awards for it. Dick Beyerly.

Deadheading plants. What does that mean? Simply said, you cut the old dead flowers off in order to keep the plant making flowers. Here are the tips for topping off flowering plants.

In some parts of the NW the Cup & Saucer vine is a perennial. In colder regions it's a annual-- dying after the first frost. I've had it last several years in my garden, then a thick snow finally ended its beauty.

One woman owned the land. Her new renter wanted to turn part of it into a garden. What grew, was a friendship, a garden and a "backyard" they could both enjoy. Thank you Millie, and thank you Penny. What a joy it was to see the fruits of your labor.

Clematis that flower in summer are easy to prune. Just cut it all off in fall or winter. Spring bloomers get a snip right after they bloom. See it in action here.

Claire Martin is the author of 101 Old Roses. And Martin has plenty of experience with roses of all kind. He supervised the most fragrant, and most beautiful botanical rose garden: The Huntington Botanical Garden. Martin lists his top three favorites.

Aphids are tough on roses. Kill them without spending a dime. And find out how my old Heirloom Garden Rose is doing now.

If you only have room for one (or two) trees, this expert gives a show and tell on some beauties. www.bloomrivernursery.com

This was a great learning experience. I had NO idea grape growers can estimate their yield the year BEFORE the vines leaf out! This and other amazing facts await you in this story from the Sonoma Valley.

Our lavender expert has some tough love for gardeners growing lavender. He spent 7 years developing one of the great varieties 'Buena Vista'. So he knows a thing or two about getting the best out of this herb/flower.

I treasure this interview with Ruth: A Garden Pioneer. Ruth was 96 years old in this interview, and the weather was over 100 degrees outside. It didn't bother Ruth at all. In the 1950's when America was planting grass outside every house, Ruth Bancroft did the opposite. Ruth planted cactus. She's a revolutionary thinker in dry gardening. (Ruth turned 107 yrs old in 2016!!!) http://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org/

Plants give us very important medicine. Think: Aspirin=Willow. EthnoBotanists believe there are plants with undiscovered uses-- EthnoBotany is the study of how we use plants. The many desert plants were used productively by Aztecs, and native americans.

Berkley Botanic Garden experts give us a primer on attracting the birds (hummingbirds) and insects (butterflies) we want with the right plants.

Grow a pretty neat little flower or vegetable garden in a bale of straw! Rose Marie Nichols McGee of www.nicholsgardennursery.com shows us how. I tried it and the straw bale was a fun little garden.

When you're choosing an apple tree, there are some things you should know. An OSU expert shows you some smaller apple trees and shares her favorites. AND, there's new research on very productive cherry trees. She answers the question: Can I grow fruit organically?

Heather roots don't like to sit in wet soil. In this story we learn good locations to plant, and how to plant it.

Going with Native Plants is great, if you know what plants were here when Lewis and Clark arrived. This expert from Berkley Botanical Garden tells us why being choosey about NATIVE plants is worth the time. www.boskeydell.com

Ever wonder who created the modern Shasta Daisy or the Russet Potato? It was Luther Burbank. And he hung out with the other genius' of his day-- Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. The other smarty-pants guys couldn't hold a candle to Burbank's green inventions.

Elizabeth Gamble's grandfather started Proctor & Gamble. But Elizabeth created a world class collection of plants surrounding her 1902 family home. Roses, Iris, Elizabeth made the garden a showplace, which is still open for visitors today in Palo Alto, California. https://www.gamblegarden.org/

Apparently you can take a firm pruning hand to conifers when you don't like their shape. It may take awhile to bring the tree back to the shape you like, but go slow, step back and take a look at your work and snip again.

Many gardeners plant their bulbs in rows, like soldiers. But that's not how they grow in nature. If you want your daffodils or tulips to look like Mother Nature planted them--- try this.

You can cheat mother nature with by layering bulbs. Plant them in fall, sit back and enjoy the succession of blooms next spring.

This home orchid grower sure has a green thumb. One orchid grew into hundreds in the greenhouse of Orchid lover Besta Libby. Great woman and a great gardener.

Tomato Expert James Baggett revolutionized tomato gardening in his lab at OSU. Baggett pioneered varieties that would thrive in our NW rainy, unpredictably hot/cold spring and summer weather. The guys a genius and we're growing better tomatoes because of him. Thanks, Dr Baggett.

This is not the small impatiens you plant in flower baskets. Impatiens glandulifora takes off like a rocket and soars 16 feet in my garden. The white, pink and purple flowers produces nectar at a very high rate, so bumble bees, honey bees and moths love it. The plant dies in fall, but you can control it by plucking out seedlings in spring.

If you pull weeds when they're small, your garden is a step ahead. But WHAT'S a WEED? And what isn't. Most of us share the same weed crop. And Chip Bubl knows weeds. Bubl taught OSU's Master Gardener weed program for years, and was always an engaging expert on the subject. This is a good introductory primer on Weeds 101.

If you buy a plant and don't find out it's roots are wrapped around the pot trying to strangle the plant....what do you do?

1. Buy bulb. 2. Plant. 3. Water. 4. Grow. What more do you need to know? Yeah, you better watch here to find out. Thanks. The Management.

Ornamental grasses are fall show stoppers. There are lost to choose from and adore! Here’s a list of choices to take home.

Two Issues: What do you do about mushrooms popping up in your lawn? Cause for alarm? Find out here. And what's blight on tomatoes? It's a really bad fungus. See what to do here.

There’s no faster way to kill an Amaryllis. Learn why too much love makes this flowering bulb act very naughty.

The thrill is gone. The amaryllis flower show is over. Now you can't say goodbye quite yet. Don't. Make it bloom again next year. Show you how, here.

Free Garden Lessons You want to garden, but you don't know where to start. Here's your chance to volunteer at Crystal Springs, a captivating city garden, and learn how to plant and care for your own garden along the way. 5801 SE 28th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97202 503-771-8386

What's the best day of the week to buy plants? I gotcher answer here.

Lovely story about a lovely lady. The Cedar Mill Garden Club honors a 100 year gardening friend in their group. What a joy.

This guys KNOWS tomatoes. Use his soil recipes when you plant, and you'll swear by the results. Great info!

I take my notebook and my smartphone to garden shows. Here's why you should consider doing the same.

Growing from seed is in Rose Marie Nichols McGee's blood. Nichols Nursery has been selling great and unusual seeds for years. If you grow your own vegetables and flowers, Nichols specializes in rare and old favorites seeds. www.nicholsgardennursery.com

Poinsettia flowers are so festive around the holidays. But when the plant drops all its leaves, the poor plant looks naked. When this happens you can rescue the “flowers.” Here's how to make Poinsettia look better, longer.

Put down your 10 gallon hat (LOL) pick up a 10 gallon plastic container and make yourself a huge basket of flowers for summer. You can do it! Here’s how.

This guy's a big deal. When it comes to Ornamental grasses, Dutchman Piet Oudolf transformed the gardening world with its graces. He gives us some of his favorite suggestions in this story. Oudolf designs outta this world gardens with bold perennials and grasses. He designed public gardens in London, New York, Toronto, Chicago and the Netherlands.

Got garden problems? Got questions about how to fix 'um? Your Master Gardener will answer your emails or phone calls. And here's why Master Gardeners volunteer to give you answers! http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/metro/questions

Keep plants hydrated in the heat. Tips on the best ways to water, and tricks for watering while you’re on Summer Vacations.

Our romance with garden fairies started long ago. And they are still spreading their fascination in gardens everywhere.

Restaurant Chefs want the freshest herbs to cook with. We talk about picking herb for peak freshness. This chef grows a herb garden to get the freshest of the fresh at home.

Every basket you buy is created according to a "recipe." The recipe tells flower basket makers what plant goes where in the circle. You can do it too. Personal Note: My hair has just grown back enough to take off my cancer wig. I was recovering from a rare blood disease, requiring surgery, chemo and radiation. Here you see, my hair is just growing back! Yay!

It's never too early to learn gardening. Here, 3-4-5 year olds plant petunias and learn some natural science at Montessori School.

The "Plant The Promise" campaign for drug awareness is a long standing tradition in some schools. Students make a drug free pledge and plant red tulip bulbs in October. They bloom in April, during National Alcohol Awareness Month. And remind students of the importance to stay drug free.

Try these money saving tips to keep your geraniums or coleus plants alive over the winter, and revive them in spring.

Ball, Proven Winners, big plant company's choose between thousands of plants looking for varieties you'll buy. Then local garden producers visit Plant Trials to select plants to offer you, the home gardener. This is a look behind the scenes.

Sale plants are a great buy, IF you know what to look for. This story tells you how to choose perfect, and cheap, plants.

My 2 year wait for the 7 foot shade lily (Cardiocrinum giganteum) to bloom is rewarded. An event to be celebrated. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the next generation to bloom. But it was worth the wait.

Poinsettia's come in so many colors and sizes these days. Enjoy the choices and find out how to keep them alive at home.

I get some fun mail from home vegetable growers who tell me of their 18 pound zucchini or harvesting a thousand cherry tomatoes off ONE plant. Home gardeners grow the most amazing vegetables. Let's marvel with the rest of 'um over some strange veggies.

Some Orchid 101 tips on growing from florist at the Orchid Exchange. This Portland business allows you to replace your orchid with a new variety when it stops blooming! You're plant will always be flowering! Orchid Exchange 404 NW 12th Ave Portland, OR (503) 295-6899

Author Sandra Fuller gives us advice on finding good farmers markets in almost every city.

Fall bulb planting can be fast, and exciting. Our expert, Parker Sanderson passed away many years ago, and as he shares his rich knowledge I can't help but think what a great person we lost. Answers: Does Oregon soil need bone meal for bulbs? www.Cistus.com

A seed collector shows us how to harvest and store seeds. And she shares her favorite Seed Catalogues.

Do NW bulbs need bone meal? And why to visit Hoyt Arboretum in fall.

An Oregon man grew so many Giant Lilies (Cardiocrinum giganteum) he started selling them. He are his inside tips.

I did this project with my daughter when she was about 8 years old. She's now a 3rd grade teacher with a Master's Degree. Good, Good Memories here. You'll make some if you try a few projects together. Awwwww! Garden Author gives us a great garden project for kids: Making homemade "seed tape" to create a child's initials in flowers.

What qualities ensure success when buying bulbs? Choosing the best bulbs requires more than just weeding out the rotten ones. Find out what to look for, here.

This gardener shows us how she starts so many seeds every year at home.

These tips will help you keep the flower and leaves on your poinsettia longer.

Oregon man loves growing the best daffodils in the world in his garden. Luckily this collector sells daffodils too. www.cherrycreekdaffodils.com/

Save the seed, buy a kit or make your own. Saving Seed is Easy to do!

There's a difference between Morning Glory and Bindweed. Morning glory lasts one season. Bindweed is hard to kill. Here's how to get rid of bind weed.

Deadheading plants. What does that mean? Simply said, you cut the old dead flowers off in order to keep the plant making flowers. Here are the tips for topping off flowering plants.

This story fascinates me, still. You can get Heirloom seeds that the first pioneers brought over the Oregon Trail and grew at Fort Vancouver, Washington. Beauty was a luxury in their day, but a few seeds scattered at Fort Vancouver brightened even the harshest life.

I picked up heirloom seeds grown at Fort Vancouver by pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail. In this story I plant them in my own acre garden. Those pioneers knew the value of seeds, and the varieties I grew really performed great.

Many tulips still have their old world fragrance. Learn which varieties to plant, smell and enjoy.

What it takes to grow a thousand pound pumpkin. Local grower grows them BIG and tells you how.

The OSU Food Innovation Center spends all its time cooking up new ways to cook, serve and preserve fruits and vegetables. Let's see what the food scientists can do with too many tomatoes!

Going with Native Plants is great, if you know what plants were here when Lewis and Clark arrived. This expert from Berkley Botanical Garden tells us why being choosey about NATIVE plants is worth the time. www.boskeydell.com

Yes, not too long ago, the trees in Forest Park were mowed down. A shocking revelation today, but the clear cut served the city of Portland very well. Here's the story of how it all happened

If you need any more proof that gardening is good for the soul and the mind—here it is. Gardening programs help heal children who got off to a tough start in life.

Only the richest Sultans could afford bulbs at one time. In the 1600’s madness over tulip was in high gear. This author tells us the mistake the rest of us make when planting.

See what an artist sees as she captures her garden in watercolor. This gardener shows us her favorite plants as she picks up her brush.

Monrovia started in 1926. Today they grow thousands of plant and shrubs for garden centers in fields outside Dayton, Oregon. One of four of its growing regions in the country. Monrovia.com

Hulda Klager gave everything to her lilac passion. She lost her husband as he tried to save her lilac bushes from destruction. She never stopped pioneering new lilac varieties. By the 1920's Klager had 200 new varieties to show at this amazing lilac garden and nursery outside Woodville, Washington is on the Natl. Register of historic places. The garden is run by volunteers and sells Hulda's lilacs to this day.

Gadget ideas keep gardener Gordon Sorenson's working smart, not hard. His NW Canna lilies bloom in April and instead of watering begonias daily...he waters every 10 days. You'll enjoy his ideas, maybe use some yourself! Thanks Gordon.

Barbara Block gardens in the winter, inside. Under gray Beaverton, Oregon skies, Block grows unusual, tropical and hard to grow flowers and fruits. Who needs a greenhouse when you've got a sunroom...

Isn't it fun to visit new gardens? Elaine Hudson has her hands full with a spectacular garden in the Columbia River Gorge. Gorge gardeners are a hardy breed, they have to fight the strong, drying "Chinook Winds" from the east and colder conditions in winter. Good ideas here.

I will always be grateful to have witnesses the ingenuity of Les Bugajski's garden. Les was a master craftsman and a generous spirit with a fantastic garden in Vancouver, Washington. Bugajski passed away several years ago, his talents are not forgotten. http://obits.columbian.com/obituaries/columbian/obituary.aspx?n=les-joseph-bugajski&pid=124323639

Edmunds roses moved out of Oregon several years ago. Last I heard, the propagation fields moved to California and the Oregon operation closed. But the business name is still active. At the time of this story, Phil Edmunds showed us inside an Oregon Rose propagation and retail nursery... And Phil gives us some tips on making our own rose plants at home.

We can't all afford the artistry of expert sculptors in our garden. But that doesn't stop us from enjoying their talents. Meet a man who forges garden art from imagination. Then, reconsider stone as art, not just rocks.

When your love for gardening spills over, you gotta share. Here's a Portland gardener who found a way to enjoy her own garden by making more plants for others.

I've never forgotten this garden. It no longer survives, a housing development took its place. But the idea's continue to inspire me. Ron Wagner is the genius behind this artful garden. Not too long ago, I ran into Ron again and told him the lasting effect his garden had on me. It was great to see he was still gardening at that time.

This gardener was water wise long before it was hip. Her garden of rocks and lots of plants takes no extra water. That's why they call it Xerascaping.

John and Lila Leach spent a lifetime together traveling on mules and looking for new plants. Their story and their garden is still alive at the garden they left behind. Leach Botanical Garden: 6704 SE 122nd Avenue. Portland. LeachGarden.org

Rae Selling Berry kept a remarkable plant collection from 1938 to 1973 at her Dunthorpe garden, including many rare alpines gathered on mountain hikes. Upon her death, her friends tried to keep her garden and plant conservation (protected seed plants) going in the Northwest. In 2010, the garden was sold and the plant conservation program moved to Portland State University.

This garden at the far end of Portland's Forest Park is legendary. Bruce Wakefield and Jerry Grossnickle have poured all their time, energy and lust for plants into this spectacular garden.

You'll find some great ideas in this "secret garden." Voted one of Portland's best. Take a peek.

If school children have trouble figuring out math and natural sciences-- have them plant a garden. They'll never forget the lessons they learn. This two acre school garden is a source of education and wonder in Tigard.

Sure the kids got some help. But this garden peaked their interest, and city leaders are crossing their fingers that this neighborhood corner will bring friendship not foes, together.

Portland has been in the midst of a neighborhood garden revival. After garden expert and crusader Jane Pepper started the trend in Philadelphia—Portland asked her to share her knowledge in our neighborhoods. Pepper brought the concept of making neighborhoods vibrant by encouraging people to gardening together to Portland.

Gardening in the Columbia River Gorge is wicked. You fight the strong, drying East wind and need creativity to protect your garden and keep it from drying out. Elaine Hudson explains how she did it.

Ornamental grasses are fall show stoppers. There are lost to choose from and adore! Here’s a list of choices to take home.

Rose shows aren't stuffy affairs. They are simply amazing. Especially when you know every rose was grown outside, with the same weather your garden endured!

This garden proves what one determined gardener can do. Gretchen Hayhurst built trellis', benches, even a potting shed! Great role model for the rest of us. I wanna be like her when I grow up!

Margaret Willoughby grew up in Tasmania but she grew into gardening here in the Northwest. Margaret has moved since showing us this garden, but I still grow a plant she gave me. I call it 'Margaret Willoughby.'

You want to garden, but you don't know where to start. Here's your chance to volunteer at Crystal Springs, a captivating city garden, and learn how to plant and care for your own garden along the way. 5801 SE 28th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97202 503-771-8386

Joy Creek Nursery has a sublime selection of clematis. Maurice Horn is an internationally respected clematis expert. He gives us advice about when to prune this lovely vine. JoyCreek.com 20300 NW Watson Rd, Scappoose, OR 97056

Travelers passing Alta Stapleton's Gresham garden couldn't help but stop and take a peak. Alta called it her "Friendship Garden" and there were 7 acres she primped and planted for travelers to enjoy.

Growing from seed is in Rose Marie Nichols McGee's blood. Nichols Nursery has been selling great and unusual seeds for years. If you grow your own vegetables and flowers, Nichols specializes in rare and old favorites seeds. www.nicholsgardennursery.com

While Ferguson's Fragrant Nursery was still in business, it was a sight to behold. Amazing gardens built by Danielle and her husband "Fergie." And they sold a wonderful selection of great smelling plants and tells us about them here. When Fergie passed away, Danielle and her friends tried to keep it going. Shuttering the doors to Ferguson's Fragrant Nursery must have been so very difficult. We were blessed by the Ferguson's talents for friendship and gardening. I hope it rises again!

This Portland, Oregon public garden is a thrilling experience. All the elements are beautifully and carefully represented inside the walls of this inner city garden. Learn how to plant the Lotus Flower in your pond or fountain.

Jack Richards from Salem Oregon was the florist for President George Bush' Inauguration. Twice. Richards had legendary style and flower arrangements!

Ever wonder how nursery's decide WHICH plants to grow in bulk for you to buy? Here's your answer.

The Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden is a special place. Crowds gather at Mother's Day...but the fountain, spring and plants are a natural wonder-- which got its start thanks to rhodie breeders like Ted VanVeen. Who started his rhodie/azalea nursery in 1926 Here's a great article he wrote in 1982 about growing Rhodies pre-1926: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v36n3/v36n3-vanveen.htm

Searching for a plant that flowers in the bleak days of winter, and survives a good snow? Think no farther than HELLEBORE. See offerings from one of Portland Nursery's growers.

Some growers will often open their doors to garden groups if they're not too busy and you call ahead. Being Nice Matters. Harts Nursery used to offer regular tours of its huge growing operation in Jefferson, Oregon.

In Oregon, Master Gardener Fairs are fantastic places to find great prices and healthy plants. One grower tells us why she used to participate every spring in the Clackamas County Master Garden Fair in Canby. Clackamas Event Center 694 NE 4th Ave, Canby, Oregon. www.Cmastergardeners.org

The city was sending a bulldozer the next day to make way for a highway project. Alice and her friends dug in and saved her backyard garden so she could replant a new garden later.

For several years, popular Detroit Lake, east of Salem, went dry. The resort town rallied to bring the beauty of their town back. They succeeded without water in the lake. I give you a list of what plants they used to light up the town, too.

Tsugawa Nursery started long after George and Mable spent WW2 in a Japanese Internment camp. Mable started the nursery from nothing in 1981. The nursery thrives today along I-5. Meet the strong woman who's love of gardening got it all going. Mable passed away in 2011, her work continues: http://obits.columbian.com/obituaries/columbian/obituary.aspx?n=mable-tsugawa&pid=153389570 Tsugawa Nursery, Inc. 410 E. Scott Avenue. Woodland, WA 98674. (360) 225-8750

The popularity of Lavender is booming. This grower gives us the cheat sheet on growing this Mediterranean flower herb. http://www.oregonlavenderdestinations.com/

If you want unusual plants you can grow at home, head to Cistus Design nursery on Sauvie Island. Sean Hogan and his former partner Parker Sanderson (who passed away several years ago) searched the world for amazing Flowering Maple, Eucalyptus, Gardenia and more. www.Cistus.com 22711 NW Gillihan Rd, Portland, OR 97231 (503) 621-2233

LoneSomeVille.com is not only a one of a kind pottery studio, but the garden is beyond compare. Here they experiment with edging their garden with clay tiles. The look is clean and simple beauty.

Past the pronto pups, and funnel cakes there was a gorgeous green oasis at the Oregon State Fair in Salem. A garden planted and cared for by one Oregon grower for years. MY thanks to Harts Nursery: Glen and Doug Hart, for their willing spirits, dedication to volunteerism and to helping the rest of us understand gardening.

Once upon a time, the first lady of Oregon loved gardening. Sharon Kitzhaber put her personal touches and flair into the Governor's mansion garden. She added color to the grounds at Mahonia Hall -- and perhaps her influences stayed long after she left.

I can not say enough about the beauty, and indestructibility of lilies I've planted from www.TheLilyGarden.com. The plant geneticist, Judith Freeman is a genius, delightful, and devilishly smart about breeding lilies. Judith's work (her lilies) revolutionized my garden. Thank you Judith, for bringing such fantastic lilies to our gardens.

Mike Donahue anchored the news in Portland, Oregon for 40 years. If you know Mike, this story taps into his reflective spirit and dedication outside the newroom. Journalists respect him, and his unfailing fairness informed his work on and off camera. I only learned his love of rose gardening when I worked with him during his last decade in the business. Donahue is a great rose grower. Thanks Mike. Take a look.

Ball, Proven Winners, big plant company's choose between thousands of plants looking for varieties you'll buy. Then local garden producers visit Plant Trials to select plants to offer you, the home gardener. This is a look behind the scenes

Harts Nursery grows plants for many big box stores and other growers. Glenn Hart is a second generation nurseryman, who doesn't garden at home--- but his wife Nancy sure does! Glen shows off Nancy's garden, because she's too shy. Thanks Glen & Nancy.

The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist are great gardeners, bakers and educators. Their garden is Heavenly! They run several Montessori Schools in Portland Oregon and they tend the most amazing garden surrounding their 1920's villa in the Columbia River Gorge. www.fsecommunity.org/bridalveil

Darcelle is a famous drag queen by night, and a gardener by day. This garden is as she says "perfectly accessorized!" http://www.darcellexv.com/show.php If you haven't watched Darcelle in action-- this is a wonderful documentary: http://www.opb.org/television/programs/oregonexperience/episodes/

Mum's (Chrysanthe-MUMs) are resplendent in colors. The flowers pick off when Dahlias trail off. This expert shows us how to produce the best looking Mum's possible.

Portland's Royal Rosarians pick the best home rose garden every year. This garden is full of perfect, fragrant, untattered, roses in bloom. Take a tour with the home gardener. Learn shortcuts along the way!

Garden plants and trees are Oregon's number two crop.. topping 2 million dollars. Where do all those plants go?

If you love fresh food and want to know where your food comes from and how it's grown, Farmer's Markets are the key to healthy eating. Growers bring their own fruits and vegetables along with pride in how they grow and harvest.

See winter bloomers in full flower. Elk Rock is the name of a Portland garden (open to the public) and started by a gardening pioneer who traveled the world for new plants. Elk Rock is something to see.

School is a great place for kids to learn natural sciences, math and making good vegetables grow.

An rhodie expert in Sherwood grows rhododendrons from all over the world. If you think rhodies are too "common"...this is a real eye opener in color, style, and size.

A Portland couple won a competition looking for the best pond. If you're considering a pond, there's something here for you too.

A dahlia judge tells the secrets to award winning dahlias. Got one at home?

Sick, injured and recovering, many patients find a renewed sense of wellbeing as they prune, pinch and enjoy gardens built to aid in their recovery. This garden therapy program received many national awards for excellence.

Lots of people grow banana's in the NW. Here's the man who started the craze. Rare Plant Research is a wholesale nursery, BUT once a year Burl Mostul opens up his Italianate Villa and sells his exotic, specialty plants. There's also food and wine. Rare Plant Research: 11900 S Criteser Rd Oregon City, OR 97045

Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan bought huge topiaries from this Oregon business. See how they shape a shrub into a remarkable green work of art.

N & M Herb Nursery grows a great selection of kitchen and garden herbs. Owner Rosie Sullivan is an expert at growing herbs in the NW. N & M Nursery 11702 Feller Rd NE Hubbard, OR 97032 (503) 981-9060

Helen Schoen has passed, but if you want to know why she was the first female president of the American Rose Society-- just look at her garden. Helen had a rose named after her and loved to shows the garden and roses she was famous for. Helen often opened her garden for worthy causes, like work programs for the unemployed. Thank you Helen, we learned from you and enjoyed the beauty you created.

Oregon man loves growing the best daffodils in the world in his garden. Luckily this collector sells daffodils too. www.cherrycreekdaffodils.com/

Once upon a time, Lily Miller Seed company was started in the Northwest. Here's the story of the man who started the brand.

Want hummingbirds? They'll arrive in droves if you take Abby Crouch's advice!

This gardener grows scads of beautiful flowers in order to have enough to give to a local hospital. After heart problems landed him in a hospital bed, he decided to give back weekly-- from his heart. He tends his garden, chooses the most perfect blooms of the day, and creates special arrangements to display in the hospital lobby. His work always brings a smile, inspirational goodness, and brightens the waiting rooms for patients and staff.

Herbs to grow. For Food. For Show. And great tip on easy herb drying method. Visit the nursery and pick a new herb to grow: http://newleafgreenhouse.com/

Dahlias grown on Suavie Island in Kathy Nelson's garden. Another example of home gardening that once turned into a business.

This story fascinates me, still. You can get Heirloom seeds that the first pioneers brought over the Oregon Trail and grew at Fort Vancouver, Washington. Beauty was a luxury in their day, but a few seeds scattered at Fort Vancouver brightened even the harshest life.

I picked up heirloom seeds grown at Fort Vancouver by pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail. In this story I plant them in my own acre garden. Those pioneers knew the value of seeds, and the varieties I grew really performed great.

A Butterfly gardener, photographer shows us what to plant to bring the "winged wonders" into our yards. The plants that feed them, and where they lay their eggs.

One woman owned the land. Her new renter wanted to turn part of it into a garden. What grew, was a friendship, a garden and a "backyard" they could both enjoy. Thank you Millie, and thank you Penny. What a joy it was to see the fruits of your labor.

Peony is a fleeting flower. The beauty fades in spring. That is--unless you buy them dried or diy. Two growers show us how they got the perfect "forever" flower.

If you only have room for one (or two) trees, this expert gives a show and tell on some beauties. www.bloomrivernursery.com

This was a great learning experience. I had NO idea grape growers can estimate their yield the year BEFORE the vines leaf out! This and other amazing facts await you in this story from the Sonoma Valley.

A mansion and elaborate gardens built with gold mine money outside San Francisco. "Filoli" as it is called, was built between 1915-1917. There are 16 acres of formal English Renaissance gardens. The mansion and grounds are on the Natl. Trust for Historic Preservation. http://www.filoli.org/

Ruth was 96 years old in this interview, and the weather was over 100 degrees outside. It didn't bother Ruth at all. I treasure this interview with Ruth: A Garden Pioneer. In the 1950's when America was planting grass outside every house, Ruth Bancroft did the opposite. Ruth planted cactus. She's a revolutionary thinker in dry gardening. (Ruth turned 107 yrs old in 2016!!!) http://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org/

Plants give us very important medicine. Think: Aspirin=Willow. EthnoBotanists believe there are plants with undiscovered uses-- EthnoBotany is the study of how we use plants. The many desert plants were used productively by Aztecs, and Native Americans.

Berkley Botanic Garden experts give us a primer on attracting the birds (hummingbirds) and insects (butterflies) we want with the right plants.

Ever wonder who created the modern Shasta Daisy or the Russet Potato? It was Luther Burbank. And he hung out with the other genius' of his day-- Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. The other smarty-pants guys couldn't hold a candle to Burbank's green inventions.

Elizabeth Gamble's grandfather started Proctor & Gamble. But Elizabeth created a world class collection of plants surrounding her 1902 family home. Roses, Iris, Elizabeth made the garden a showplace, which is still open for visitors today in Palo Alto, California. https://www.gamblegarden.org/

You never know what's in the soil your hands are mucking with. This farm owner was alarmed by icky looking larva of the hover or syrphid fly. The insect looks nasty, but its favorite meal is aphids and other nasty bugs.

You can easily kill aphids organically. Here's one recipe. It lasts until the next hard rain. Another treatment? Spray your aphid eaters with a really strong jet of water. They fall, and they can't get up.

The NW has a native bee. It never bites and doesn't cause any trouble. The mason bee hatches just at the right time to pollinate Oregon fruit trees, and busies itself with with putting more babies away for next year. Mason Bees are easy, easy and they live to pollinate and reproduce for next year.

Mason bees are Oregon's native bee. See the bees as they’re born! They live to pollinate trees and flowers in early spring. Encourage some to live in your yard!

Today, some gardeners call bearded iris "grandma" irises. And wouldn't you know it, Grandma grew these iris' for a very good reason: Iris give a full range of colors and aren't demanding in any way. Bearded Iris-- beautiful simplicity.

We gardeners love gifts. But we're really partial to gifts we can use, OR are so darn cute and clever we can't pass it up. Here are a few suggestions that might be welcomed.

Jeff Cox gardened on HGTV for years. Then he wrote a book. Today Cox shows us how to make a compost bin that gets a little help from some wiggly friends.

Moles are tough to keep up with. The cinch trap is one cure to reduce the mole population in your garden. But remember, they cultivate the soil you can't get to without digging deep. (Just sayin') Besides, my cat “Hilary” makes a starring appearance in this video!

Got garden problems? Got questions about how to fix 'um? Your Master Gardener will answer your emails or phone calls. And here's why Master Gardeners volunteer to give you answers! http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/metro/questions

Our romance with garden fairies started long ago. And they are still spreading their fascination in gardens everywhere.

Keep plants hydrated in the heat. Tips on the best ways to water, and tricks for watering while your on Summer Vacations.

The right tool makes any garden job easier. Here we get a buying valuable buying guide for choosing which garden tool fits your needs from the man who wrote the book on the subject. Smith & Hawkin: Tools. www.redpigtools.com/

Different birds like different seeds. But they all eat one seed. Give birds this seed and they'll all happy. Questions Answered: How often to clean feeders. Chickadee food, distract Scrub Jays. Black Oil Sunflower seed uses.

Finding an easy Christmas Tree stand we don't have to wrestle with, and allows tree to get water. Some Amaryllis reminders and we'll find out just how many cherry tomatoes a home gardener harvested from his volunteer plant.

A Butterfly gardener, photographer shows us what to plant to bring the "winged wonders" into our yards. The plants that feed them, and where they lay their eggs.

Aphids are tough on roses. Kill them without spending a dime. And find out how my old Heirloom Garden Rose is doing now.

Christmas, birthdays, just because. Garden stuff makes great gifts. Garden inspired gifts are easy, and rewarding to give.

The OSU Food Innovation Center spends all its time cooking up new ways to cook, serve and preserve fruits and vegetables. Let's see what the food scientists can do with too many tomatoes!