Hornbeams (Carpinus) may be lesser-known trees, but their toughness and versatility makes them suitable in a variety of landscapes, including as street trees or for screening. It’s no surprise that they’re becoming more popular. Tiffanie Baker, manager of sales and production at wholesale grower Bountiful Farms Nursery Inc. in Woodburn, Oregon, has been growing shade trees for 23 years, including three European hornbeams: Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’, C. b. ‘Frans Fontaine’ and C. b. ‘Lucas’. Those are the three most popular grafted hornbeams grown at the nursery, and most are grown pot-in-p ..read more

Espaliers are multitasking space-savers in the garden. By using the vertical plane, they multiply your available growing space — letting you fit in more plants, which is always a good thing. They can form a privacy screen on a support or elevate a drab wall.   Fruiting trees are a popular choice for easy-to-reach harvests, but many flowering or evergreen plants with flexible branches make beautiful espaliers. In design, they can be simple or artfully woven. Ahead experts share their favorite ways to use this crafty technique.  “Espalier” is a French word meaning to train a wood ..read more

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and for that special mom in your life, here are a few gift ideas available from Al’s Home & Garden, Portland Nursery and Landsystems Nursery. Al’s Home & Garden recommendations by Jennifer Harmon. Burgon & Ball gardening gloves and kneelers: Stylish and comfortable, the gloves feature padded palms and fingers for comfort and a gathered wrist to keep out debris. The kneeler is padded with memory foam and saves your knees from rocks and gravel. Lavender: Keeps giving year after year and contributes to a beautiful and pollinator-friendly garden ..read more

New to gardening? Learn to “Grow Your Own” with a practical guide to gardening from the Master Gardeners at Oregon State University Extension Service. The booklet has everything you need to know for someone who’s just beginning their gardening journey. For more information and to download ..read more

Join Washington County Master Gardeners for a fun-filled day and get a jump on spring gardening. Shop for amazing plants, ask questions of Master Gardeners, get free ‘how to’ guides and visit the Education Garden for ideas. There will also be activities for children and gardener gifts for that special mom in your life. Gardenfest is Saturday, May 4 from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. at Portland Community College Rock Creek, 17705 N.W. Springville Road, next to the greenhouse. Admission is free. Download flyer More gardening events at Plant Something Oregon Get your free copy of the PSO Retail Nurseries and G ..read more

For most of us, dandelions are obnoxious weeds. They’re something to be pulled, yanked and banished from well-manicured lawns. But consider this: Their leaves are edible, and according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, they’re full of vitamins A, B, C and D as well as minerals such as iron, potassium and zinc. “Dandelion greens top all fruits and vegetables for iron content,” according to Al Shay, instructor in the horticulture department at Oregon State University. You can use them in most in recipes that call for spinach, he said. Just take care not to eat dandelions from your l ..read more

With today’s smaller lot sizes and smaller front and back yards, trees might be the last thing that you would think of planting. But in celebration of Arbor Day this year, we asked an arborist Kevin Carr at Bartlett Tree Experts and tree expert Nancy Buley at tree grower J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. for recommendations on five great trees that would be suitable for a small lot. From J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. Buley said these recommendations are well-suited to the Pacific Northwest, have beautiful flowers, healthy summer foliage and good fall color, are easy to care for and have excelle ..read more

Most gardeners would like to think of themselves as being good stewards of the earth — people do what they can to care for and nurture our planet. With the electronic age that we live in, we are often bombarded with information, some useful and some not so much. The gardening world is also full of myths, and it can be difficult to decipher what is true and what is not. It can also sometimes be difficult to know, as gardeners, what role we can play to help our environment. A question or topic that is often mentioned is that of carbon sequestration. What does it really mean, and what practices ..read more

Join Clackamas County Master Gardener Association for the annual Spring Garden Fair. The event began as a small fuchsia sale and has grown to a two-day event with more than 100 vendors and 8,000 attendees. The fair celebrates its 40th year and is Saturday, May 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Explore a wide range of annuals, perennials, and specialty plants, all carefully chosen to thrive in our Pacific Northwest climate. Browse booths with specialized gardening supplies, tools, and captivating garden art crafted by local artisans, adding personalized touches to ..read more

Sometimes my most frustrating days at work end up being the most productive and inspiring in the kitchen. It’s as if I just need to forget about work and lose myself in something that’s all about making a meal that makes you and a loved one feel good. That was the case a few weeks ago. I really didn’t want a complicated meal and I didn’t want to spend a lot of money either. So while I was roaming the grocery store aisle, the idea of poaching fish with cucumbers hit me. I’ve poached fish many times before with other veggies, but never cucumbers. I thought that a layer of cucumbers would be pre ..read more