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Galega x hartlandii 'Lady Wilson'  On Monday, our garden was included in the HPSO Study Weekend. This is a four-day event that includes speakers, plant/art sales and garden tours. The event rotates every two years between the cities of Portland, Seattle, Victoria B.C. and Vancouver B.C.  It will be 2033 before Portland hosts again. I toured the Portland gardens on Friday and Saturday and will share some photos in my next post. The weather was perfect on those days. Not so much on Monday, the day for the Vancouver, Washington gardens tour, and by late afternoon, the temperature had reached 94. However, it wasn't too bad in the first part of the day, and that's when we received the most visitors. We didn't have an exact count, but making an estimate based on our guestbook, I would say around 200 people. It was a hectic but fun day! We had a lot of visitors from Seattle and areas north of us as attendees were making their way home. Every time we open our garden, there ...
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Gardening in the Pacific Northwest - a book review

I have always said that most of my gardening knowledge has come from books, a fact that pertains to almost every other aspect in my life as well. The first thing I did after moving here was find as many gardening books as I could that related to gardening in this region. I was excited when I heard that Paul Bonine and Amy Campion were writing a gardening book. I have met both authors - Paul is the owner of Xera in Portland, a fantastic nursery that offers lots of unusual and unique plants. Amy is a writer and photographer and we both are currently serving on the HPSO Board. They are two of the smartest people I know when it comes to plants and gardening in this region.

 This book is a great introduction and a must-have for recent transplants to the area (such as myself!). The first section deals with the all-important (and extremely complicated) subject of climate. There are eight climatic sub-regions in the Pacific Northwest. We live in the Willamette Valley and the weather here is far different from the entire eastern side of Washington and Oregon as well as the coast and other regions. The TV weather forecasters in Portland always give 3 separate forecast grids (Coast, Valley and Mountains). You have to understand where you are and what conditions you are working with!

 "Good Garden Culture" discusses the various types of soils in the region and how to improve them as well as tips on irrigation, mulching, and dealing with plant diseases and pests.

The largest portion of the book is a plant directory (Perennials, Shrubs, Vines, Trees) that lists the best plants for the region. A photograph of every plant is included as well as a description and growing requirements. This is where the book will get you into trouble. Although I grew many of the same plants in Alabama, there are exciting temptations here like Fuchsias, Cistus (Rock Rose), Grevillea, Choisya (Mexican Orange), Ceonothus (California Lilac), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos) and the list goes on.

A final section covers design facets and features photos of many private gardens in the region.

This book is a must-have for the Pacific Northwest gardener, full of valuable advice and highly recommended.


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. sweetbayJanuary 21, 2018 at 2:23 PM

    Sounds like a great book! I wish NC had a book like that, as hardiness zones range all the way from zone 5a in the mountains to 8b on the coast. However, NC doesn't have nearly as much difference in rainfall across the state as Washington does! The diversity in climate across Washington is amazing.

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    1. Amy CampionJanuary 22, 2018 at 11:14 AM

      Timber Press also has a book titled Gardening in the South: The Complete Homeowner's Guide.

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  2. Amy CampionJanuary 22, 2018 at 11:16 AM

    Thank you for the review, Phillip! Glad you are enjoying the book. It should be especially useful for experienced gardeners such as yourself who are new to the area.

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  3. debsgardenJanuary 24, 2018 at 6:40 PM

    Sounds like a great book! Definitely would be on my list if I ever moved to the PNW. I wish there was a similar book specific to Alabama. (Is there?)

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    1. Phillip OliverJanuary 24, 2018 at 8:52 PM

      Hi Deb, YES, there is also Gardening in the South by the same publisher (Timber Press).

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  4. Rainy Day GardenerJanuary 27, 2018 at 6:17 PM

    Great review! I got the book at Xera's opening last weekend. Signed and all! I'm excited to read it. I wish I would have had this when I first started gardening all those years ago.

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  5. PNWwx manMay 11, 2025 at 9:21 PM

    Thanks for the information, I will have to check the book out.

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