Latin Name: Lavandula viridus
Site and Soil: Full sun and very well-drained soil. Drought tolerant evergreen
Hardiness: Hardy to 10° F.
Size at Maturity: 2 ft in height by 3 ft feet wide.
Flower Color: pale yellow
Bloom Time: late spring into summer
Pests & Diseases: No pests or diseases that we’ve seen on our plants here in Portland.
USDA Zone: 8

The post Yellow Lavender appeared first on One Green World.

A great form of rosemary with erect branches and extremely aromatic foliage. This clone is unique for its white flowers, rather than the typical purples and blues that are usually seen.

Latin Name: Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Albiflorus’
Site and Soil: Full sun and very well-drained soil.
Hardiness: Hardy to 0° F.
Size at Maturity: 3 ft in height by 4 feet wide.
Bloom Time: Spring
Pests & Diseases: No pests or diseases that we’ve seen on our plants here in Portland
USDA Zone: 7

The post White Rosemary appeared first on One Green World.

Take a look below at the second spring here at the nursery!

Many Mahonia species rejoice at the first sign of the rains returning by pushing their cheerful flower spikes that erupt into yellow spires that attract hummingbirds from October through February! We love these winter flowering plants and have them planted throughout the nursery to brighten the garden in the winter months. 

It begins again! Even if we water them all summer long, the loquat trees will wait for the return of the rains and cooler temperatures to resume some modest vegetative growth and some not so modest, wholly vivacious and seductive flowering! One of our favorite parts of fall and winter in the garden is smelling the extremely fragrant loquat blossoms wafting from many yards away. Here’s to hoping they all set fruit next year!

This San Jose Osmanthus is about to steal the fall fragrance show and shower us in the heavenly wafting fragrance of fresh apricots for many weeks to come! This is also an evergreen variety that will keep its deep green foliage throughout the year.

Bupleurum fruticosum keeps its flower show going well into fall, attracting many a native pollinator, and the Grevilleas keep opening their spidery protea flowers all through winter. Come and get it hummingbirds!

Rosemary comes alive again in the fall with its tiny blueish purple flowers and the bees are loving it! 

Tips for Planting in Fall

1. Only plant varieties that are proven hardy in your area. Putting in that hardy citrus from a gallon pot probably isn’t the best idea, but planting many of our native shrubs and plants that enjoy growing during the cooler season as well as those that are easily hardy in your area is always a great idea.

2. Be sure to water in your new plantings even if it’s the rainy season. Getting rid of those air pockets will help them to start spreading their roots into the surrounding soil immediately.

3. Mulch heavily! Fall plantings often begin growing again after finally escaping life in a pot, but excessive growth too late in the season can zap them when frost comes. Mulching heavily helps to keep the root system protected from extremes in temperature and keeps winter and spring germinating weeds from moving into your new planting area.

4. Consider your zone. If you are in zone 6 or below, we generally don’t recommend planting this time of year, as plants may not have enough time to harden off sufficiently to survive winter temperatures. For colder locations, spring planting will give your plants the best chance of successfully establishing.

The post Second Spring – Growth and Flowering in the Fall appeared first on One Green World.

Latin Name: Santolina chamaecyparissus
Site and Soil: Full sun and very well-drained soil. Drought tolerant evergreen
Hardiness: Hardy to -10° F.
Size at Maturity: 2′ in height by 3-4′ feet wide.
Bloom Time: late spring long blooming
Pests & Diseases: No pests or diseases that we’ve seen on our plants here in Portland.
USDA Zone: 6-9

The post Gray Santolina appeared first on One Green World.

A great selection that has a more greyish-silver hue to its leaves than the typical rosemary. Salem Rosemary is also a particularly fragrant clone that will leave your hands smelling of heavenly rosemary all day long! Easy to grow selection so long as soil is well draining and planted in full sun.

Latin Name: Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Salem’
Site and Soil: Full sun and very well-drained soil.
Hardiness: Hardy to 0° F.
Size at Maturity: 3 ft in height by 4 feet wide.
Bloom Time: Spring
Pests & Diseases: No pests or diseases that we’ve seen on our plants here in Portland
USDA Zone: 7

The post Salem Rosemary appeared first on One Green World.

While most fruiting plants need a fair amount of water throughout the growing season in order to produce heavy crops, a few come from Mediterranean climates similar to ours that have wet, mild winters and warm or hot, dry summers.

Even for growers who don’t have such a pronounced dry season, planting a Mediterranean garden provides a uniquely beautiful plant palette with no added cost to your water bill. All of the plants presented below will thrive with little to no summer water once they’re established, and many, such as Ceanothus and Manzanitas, require great drainage and no summer water or else they will face a premature death.  It’s possible to plant an entire dry garden, or even a just a section of your garden, that receives no summer water once it’s established.  Maybe just providing a handful of splashes with the garden hose to keep it looking lush throughout the hot dry months of summer.  

For all those wanting to experience the Mediterranean in their own backyard, we have some helpful grow tips below to help get you started!

Tips for Growing Mediterranean plants:

1. All of the plants listed below love full, hot, all day sun! Planting these in the places on your property that have blasting heat will make them happiest!

2. Plant in well-draining soil and, if necessary, amend with gravel or pumice to increase drainage. Many commonly grown herbs like lavender, thyme and rosemary will have a prolonged life and avoid having dead looking centers or getting extra leggy if they are planted in an area with excellent drainage! 

3. Water deeply and infrequently, preferably in the early morning, to establish.  Mediterranean plants tend to fail in irrigated gardens or very wet climates. To establish Mediterranean plants you’ll need to water for the first summer or two. After that, only give them 2-3 waterings throughout the growing season to keep them looking lush.

4. Refrain from watering after the first week of September. Though it can be tempting to keep watering and pushing that vigorous new growth through the hot days of September it can cause many woody plants to head into the cold of winter with wood that hasn’t been fully ripened and vascular tissues that haven’t gone dormant. Many of these plants actually have drought-induced dormancy and cutting back on the water late in the season will help them harden off for winter. 

5. Fertilize minimally, if at all.  Most of these species have all they need in our native soils and fertilizing can cause excessive and weak growth.  The recent wind storm was a severe reminder that it is better to have strong branches than fast growth.  Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither were all the olive trees that surrounded it.  Also pruning excessively vigorous growth, especially in olives, can help create a tree that is denser, stockier and stronger. 

Enjoy the fruits, flavors and aromas of a beautiful dry garden! Many Mediterranean plants actually produce much tastier fruit, figs being a prime example, or more aromatic foliage, such as in lavenders and rosemary, when they haven’t been given any summer water. Life can still be lush in the dry garden!

Recommended Mediterranean and Dry Garden Selections:

Figs

Olives

Manzanitas

Rock Rose

Rosemary

Lavender

The post Growing Dry Gardens and Mediterranean Plants appeared first on One Green World.

One of our favorite spillers for walls or terraces, Trailing Irene Rosemary grows only 6 inches or so high but spreads up to 6 feet! Makes a lovely evergreen spiller over a wall or rock, or can be grown as a ground cover under your new fruit tree. Pairs especially well with figs and olives and suppresses any weeds that might try to pop up. Flowers are a beautiful light blue and cover the plant in spring.

Latin Name: Rosmarinus officinalis 
Site and Soil: Full sun and very well-drained soil.
Hardiness: Hardy to 0° F.
USDA Zone: 7
Size at Maturity: Grows 6 inches in height by 6 feet wide.
Bloom Time: Spring
Pests & Diseases: No pests or diseases that we’ve seen on our plants here in Portland

The post Trailing Irene Rosemary appeared first on One Green World.

Mozart rosemary is an excellent low growing selection of rosemary with a mounding habit to around 3 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Bright blue flowers that emerge in late winter are one of the best attributes of Mozart! Very tough and super aromatic. Selected by the late nurseryman Ed Carman of Carman’s Nursery in Gilroy, CA. Nancy is still running the nursery down there and it’s fantastic! Go check them out.

Latin Name: Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Mozart’
Site and Soil: Full sun and very well-drained soil.
Hardiness: Hardy to 10-15° F.
Size at Maturity: 3 ft in height by 6 feet wide.
Bloom Time: Spring
Pests & Diseases: No pests or diseases that we’ve seen on our plants here in Portland
USDA Zone: 8

The post Mozart Rosemary appeared first on One Green World.

Named for its strong, straight stems that make perfect barbeque skewers! No need to season your meat when the seasoning is on the skewer! Barbeque Rosemary is fast growing, upright and takes very well to pruning. Flavor and aroma is excellent and pair perfectly with BBQ!

Latin Name: Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Barbeque’
Site and Soil: Full sun and very well-drained soil.
Hardiness: Hardy to 0° F.
Size at Maturity: 4 ft in height by 4 feet wide.
Bloom Time: Spring
Pests & Diseases: No pests or diseases that we’ve seen on our plants here in Portland
USDA Zone: 7

The post Barbeque Rosemary appeared first on One Green World.

Spice Island Rosemary is the top choice for culinary purposes. Excellent for fresh use as leaves or stem skewers, as well as, being the number variety for dried Rosemary leaves. The plant has an erect upright stature and long internodes (space) between the leaves. This feature makes plucking the leaves quick & easy for cooking or drying. But don’t waste the stem because they are perfect for making veggie or meat skewers for the BBQ. The taste qualities are clean, citrusy, and not as overpowering as regular Rosemary. The aromatic properties are the best feature of Spice Island. You can smell this one from far away if a breeze is blowing. Hands down the most pleasantly aromatic Rosemary we have ever offered.

Latin Name: Rosemarinus officinalis
Site and Soil: Spice Island should be planted in well-drained soil in full sun.
Hardiness: Zone 7
Size at Maturity: 3-4 ft. in height.
Pests & Diseases: Spice Island Rosemary is susceptible to root rot in waterlogged soils. Spider mites can become an issue on Rosemary if not treated.

The post Spice Island Rosemary appeared first on One Green World.