|
Garden Writers Symposium
Portland
September, 2008
September 21st
After breakfast we had sessions again until it was time to get ready for our
story tours and lunch on the coach. Oregon is renowned for its nursery
industry, which ships 75 percent of the stock grown in the state to cities
across the U.S. and Canada. Today, we visited two world-class wholesale
nurseries, both of which displayed their plants on site in extraordinary
gardens. Plants don’t just happen. These nurseries invest time, care and
attention to detail to deliver exceptional plants to local garden centers
across the country.
Iseli Nursery is nestled in the foothills of Mt. Hood with breathtaking
views of the mountain. The nursery is a pioneer in the production of dwarf
and slow-growing conifers and Japanese maples and has introduced numerous
cultivars of its own. Grown with exceptional care and craftsmanship, the
compact conifers, trees and shrubs provide landscapes with distinctive
structure, color and texture year round, as we saw in their demonstration
gardens that showcased more than 1,500 plants.
http://www.iseli-nursery.com/
Terra Nova Nurseries is a world leader in breeding and genetics. More than
500 perennials and annuals have been propagated through tissue culture,
which allows for large-scale introductions of new varieties. We got a
glimpse into the process of tissue culture and saw the results of the
nurseries’ efforts in the well-designed display gardens.
http://www.terranovanurseries.com/wholesale/
We returned to our hotel in time to get ready to meet for dinner – this was
in the hotel and very well set up. Tonight we were in for a very special
treat at it was Plant Nerd Night with Entertainment. Our host for this event
was Mike Darcy. NewsRadio 750 KXL, (Portland, Oregon) has hosted Mike’s show
‘In the Garden with Mike Darcy’ for 27 years. There are so many specialty
nurseries in Oregon that visiting them all is just impossible, regardless of
their expertise, interest, or beauty. So the local committee brought some of
the best to us – along with a bit of entertainment. A sample of their best
nurseries brought their specialties to show and sell. Each had a few minutes
to let us know about new introductions, plant history and breeding programs.
All offered door prizes for more fun (and acquisition). The local Chorus of
the Goddess Flora (a group of Hardy Plant Society of Oregon members)
serenaded us with original lyrics in praise of plants and gardeners,
including some composed specifically for the Symposium and the GWA. This
chorus was absolutely hilarious and had everyone in stitches … they should
be at all of our symposiums…
|
