This past summer I enjoyed a three-day tour of Portland area private gardens, public gardens, and nurseries; a trip hosted by the Northwest Horticultural Society. While Seattle and Portland have been long-time rivals in many matters, both are wonderful cities for garden lovers and keen plants people.
I advise calming the competitiveness and instead celebrating our neighbor to the south by becoming acquainted with The HPSO Quarterly, published by the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon. Many plant society publications have no content of interest to non-members. This newsletter is the exception to that, with many articles that will be valuable to gardeners throughout the Puget Sound region.
For example, a recent article included an in-depth look at the newer hybrids of crocosmias. Written by Tom Fischer, the editor-in-chief for Timber Press, this article is both witty and informative. “Rather than planting boring old ‘Lucifer’, why not try the searingly scarlet ‘Hellfire’ or ‘Lana de Savary’?”
The same issue (Summer 2017) crosses the border into our state with an exploration of the Wildlife Botanical Gardens in Brush Prairie, Washington. This is a new garden to me, but it is now on my must-visit list.
Other articles profile passionate horticulturists, highlight garden wildlife or outstanding designs, and even review new books in the HPSO library! Every issue of this publication I read cover-to-cover; I recommend you do the same.
Published in the November 2017 Leaflet Volume 4, Issue 11