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A Closer Look at Winter Damage

But first, take a look at this gorgeous rainbow that we had on Friday! The five-day stretch of warm temperatures last week really jump-started the garden. Now that plants are putting out new growth, it is easier to see what kind of damage the winter left. Back in mid-January, we experienced five straight days of below-freezing temperatures. This caused much damage in Portland and areas where frigid winds were a factor. Here, we were fortunate to not get the wind and the cold temperatures were dampened by a blanket of snow. That said, it was a tough time for the garden and there are noticeable casualties but no outright deaths that I have seen. The bottlebrush ( Callistemon 'Woodlander's Red') did not like the cold at all. It was planted six years ago, in the north-facing garden no less, and I've not experienced die-back on it until now. A local expert said to cut it all the way back so that is what I did. If it doesn't make it, I won't be too distraught. It is

One Green World


Due to dental surgery, I was unable to do any garden work this week. Since I felt well on Tuesday morning (the day after the surgery) but was told not to lift anything over 5 pounds, I suggested to Michael that we make another trek to Portland to look for a new sewing machine. This saga has been going on for a long time.  A trip two weeks ago was fruitless but he discovered another sewing machine store that sounded promising and it wasn't too much of a headache to get to. This time proved to be the charm - he found the machine he had been wanting - and happy to find a store that he could trust for the future. Let's hope this is a happy ending!

Since One Green World was just right down the road from the sewing center and the saleswoman needed about 20 minutes to get his order together, we decided to kill time there. I first discovered this nursery a few years ago when I was looking for a loquat. 

I've been contemplating another eucalyptus tree ever since I lost ours last year. And One Green World has a big collection of eucalyptus trees. They are a small nursery but have a wide variety of unique plants, especially fruiting trees, berries, citrus, native plants and a great variety of plants that push the zonal limits.






The Variegated Buckthorne is actually a plant we carry at Yard N' Garden Land from time to time.

Of course, we didn't leave empty-handed. We left with three plants -

New Zealand Trailing Tea Plant (Leptospermum scoparium) is an evergreen groundcover with small leaves and white flowers. It is in the myrtle family. 

 Omeo Gum (Eucalyptus neglecta) has large blue-green
 leaves with a purple cast in cool climates.

Acacia (Red Stemmed Wattle) (Acacia rubida) - a fast-growing tree from SE Australia with red stems and yellow flowers in the winter.

Now to figure out where they are going and if I can keep them alive!

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. Sounds like a fun day. New plants and New Sewing machine. I bet that new sewing machine can make a stitch similar to that New Zealand trailing tea plant.

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  2. Glad you are on the mend, and happy for Michael for locating the sewing machine he cavorted, but where are you going to place those trees? Your garden always seem quite full to me :-D
    chavli

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  3. I know of no better use for a little free time than walking a plant nursery. Thanks for your introduction to this one, which when I checked into that trailing Leptospermum I discovered offers mail orders. Shipping to SoCal would be pricey but another source for unusual plants is always welcome ;) I hope you're healing well after surgery.

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