Gardening Disclosures
Anne Jaeger
I’ve got a couple of gardening disclosures. Both require some effort on your part, so fasten your seat belt and hold on tight. We’re traveling again.
Sorta Secret #1
Oscar DeLa Renta, Nancy Kissinger and Martha Stewart share a fabulous secret. Of course, they’ve never discussed this driving passion between them and they don’t know that we know. If you know what I mean. So what is it? They all buy their dahlias right here in Oregon at Swan Island Dahlias. Which isn’t on Swan Island at all, it’s outside Canby.
Anyway, I got to thinking about this the other day while I was delusional about my own dahlias and smugly reassuring myself that this validates my overindulgence. If ever there was one, this is the time of year to partake in a lust for dahlias, since the flowers are in full bloom right now. One of the easiest places to overindulge is the dahlia festival which runs this Saturday, Sunday and Monday. (Info: Swan Island Dahlias 503-266-7711 or www.dahlias.com) You will be amazed at how many different kinds of dahlia flowers there are as you walk along rows upon rows of them. Oh, and if you have allergies this is the flower for you, since they have absolutely no scent. Eye popping beauty, yes. Fragrance, no. Either way, you’ll probably come home with arms full of flowers.
“Not so well kept” Secret #2
If you’re going to make it to Swan Island Dahlias in Canby, perhaps you can swing over to Salem to see the garden at the Oregon State Fair. What an amazing piece of work. Ten thousand new plants have been added to the “Hart of the Garden District.” Doug Hart installed the 2 ½ acre garden for free “I want people to walk through there and get the feeling I had as a kid and give the whole family a beautiful place to recharge their batteries between rides.” Although, it is so well planned and planted that once you get there, it’s hard to get up and leave.
Hart will give free garden seminars daily and I’ll be there several days as well. Show up Wednesday, August 27th at one or three o’clock and you can be part of the live audience for my gardening show which runs every Saturday night at 7:00 pm on (KGW) Newschannel 8. Then on Saturday morning, August 30th we’re giving away 2,500 plants at 10 am. You wouldn’t believe how fast those plants fly outta there. Maybe you can stick around a little later and I’ll show you how to build a really easy fountain out of a terra cotta pot. That’s at 1:00 pm on Saturday or we’ll share the joys of “Clamoring for Climbers” at 2:00 pm Sunday, August 31st.
So, if we’ve never met come by and say hello. I’d love to meet you. Maybe we’ll even get a chance to enjoy the “Hart of the Garden” together and answer some gardening questions along the way.
