Gold Flames Looking Good

I've been impressed with how nice the Gold Flame Spirea (Spirea japonica 'Goldflame' )are looking right now. The emerging foliage is a great orange-bronze color. This neat and tidy little shrub is planted a lot. It 'wears' many different outfits throughout the seasons- some more appealing than others, in my view. Right now - it perks up the garden-especially when planted in masses.

Later in the spring the leaves turn brighter yellow-green and it blossoms bright pink.






















And than in the Fall-it sports red orange brilliance.
Little plant changes it's appearance so drastically it
requires a very special place in your garden design.

Who's Blooming Now?

It's been a little difficult to clearly see the delicate blossoms that have been appearing all over Central Oregon- what with snow flakes, crazy wind bursts and hail chunks blurring our vision - but trees and shrubs ARE blooming. Here are a few that you might notice around town-

The native Serviceberry Trees and shrubs are just beginning their bloom. They are such airy,
sweet trees. Lovely white or pale pale pink flowers now; edible blue or black berries
in the summer, followed by red- orange Fall color.

You should be able to identify the Callery Pears-
tidy looking, often columnar shaped, with
sprays of white flowers.
They are almost finished- but they put on quite the show this year.














And now here come the crab apples!!





This is an example of a Prairie fire Crab. The Heartsprings Nursery has many
different varieties of crabapples. Stop by any Friday soon to enjoy the
blooms.

Heart Springs Nursery Specials: May

Hello! Great news--
HEART SPRINGS NURSERY , INC

Now Open April – September, 9am-4pm
Every Friday and 1st Saturday of each month
Monday- Thursday by appointment- just call first (541)280-7576







Save $$ with our exclusive email sales:
20% off of Cutleaf Lilac
(Syringa laciniata)6'-8' tall
fine textured blue green foliage, sprays of fragrant lavender flowers
and Palibin Lilac
(Syringa meyeri 'Palibin') 3'-4' tall- plant in full sun or partial shade
Purple buds open to fragrant pink blossoms



Send your email request to plants@heartspringsdesign.com
And receive information regarding upcoming specials and new plant arrivals!

SAVE ON FRUITS & BERRIES - Some Native Varieties, Too!
20% off
Strawberries, Currants, Gooseberries,
Chokeberries, and Chokecherries and Asparagus.






18430 WALTON ROAD, BEND, OREGON 97701
(corner of Collins and Walton Roads in Tumalo,Oregon.
Follow Highway 20 north just passed downtown Tumalo.
Turn left on Pinehurst Rd which becomes Walton Rd.
Turn right on Collins and park by the green gate)

“3 acres of plants that are as happy to live in Central Oregon as you are”
CASH AND CARRY ONLY!

Chris to Speak at Library "Food for Thought" March 9th!

Bend Public Library’s “Food for Thought” Presents

Sustainable Landscaping
Bend Public Library
Brooks Room
Monday, March 9, 2009, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.


(Bend, Oregon) – Sustainability is now the buzzword for all areas of our lives including gardening. How does one create a sustainable landscape plan? What special concern do we have here in Central Oregon? Find out how to achieve sustainability with your yard or garden from Chris Hart-Henderson in an informative session on Sustainable Landscaping at the Bend Public Library on Monday, March 9th from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Find out how you can create a sustainable garden that thrives in the Central Oregon climate.

Licensed landscape contractor Chris Hart-Henderson with over 20 years of landscape design and gardening experience in the high, dry, cold intermountain west and Central Oregon. She is the owner of Heart Springs Landscape Design and is passionate about creating exciting sustainable regional landscapes.

The program is free and open to the public. It is part of the Spring Gardening Series at the Bend Public Library. For more information about this and other Food for Thought programs, please call 617-7080, or visit us online at www.dpls.us.

Wildlife

I do love living in a place that enables me to randomly come upon wildlife. I regularly see cute spotted fawns, tiptoeing and zig-zagging hurridley away from my approach; fat yellow rock chuck waddling back to their burrows and golden mantled chipmunks twitching and sniffing the air. However, after nearly 30 years of said wildlife ravaging my garden, I’ve reached the point where my normally pacifist nature is buckling under the urge to hurt something cute. Tell me why these critters can’t develop a taste for- oh say, knapweed? But there you go- that’s life. In an attempt to find some balance, I’ve experimented with choosing plants that most of the time some of the vast assortment of Central Oregon wildlife tend to leave alone. Or at least not kill completely…maybe just nibble some and leave a little pile pulled out of the soil for your viewing pleasure. Oh wait. I need to rephrase. I do like living in a place where I can randomly come upon wildlife AND they’re not EATING MY GARDEN.

Most of these plants also do well with lean soils and less water but that’s another rant that I’ll save for next time.



Waterwise and Critter Resistant Perennial Garden for a Sunny Spot


Feather Reed Grass or Heavy Metal Switch Grass
Russian Sage or Blue Oat Grass
Caryopteris or English Lavender (Sharon Roberts or equiv)
Rocky Mt. Penstemon or Allium
Rudbekia or Gaillardia
Scabiosa or May Night Salvia
Moonshine Yarrow
Walker’s Low Catmint
Moonbeam coreopsis or Wild Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum)
Creeping Thyme or Creeping Oregano

Waterwise and Critter Resistant Perennial Garden for a Shadier Spot

Spirea
Tufted Hair Grass
Potentilla
Rocky Mt Penstemon
Allium sp
Cutleaf Bleeding Heart
Hardy Geraniums (Cranebill)
Lamium
Creeping Phlox

Other Good Bets with foliage interest for Water wise and Critter Resistant Central Oregon Spots
Yucca sp Festuca sp Germander ‘Berggarten’ Sage
Powis Castle Artemisia Snowberry