Oregon Gardener

Oregon Gardener Focused on year-round gardening in Oregon’s mild, rainy climate-perfect for lush greens, native plants, and sustainable growing.

Bare, needle-strewn dirt under your Douglas fir isn't a lost cause. One low native groundcover already carpets deep-shad...
09/30/2026

Bare, needle-strewn dirt under your Douglas fir isn't a lost cause. One low native groundcover already carpets deep-shade forest floors in parts of western Oregon, and whether it takes off in your yard comes down to one condition most gardeners never check before planting. Hint: it has nothing to do with light.

The best part is that these plants are built for our wet winters and dry summers, so they get fuller each year with very...
09/30/2026

The best part is that these plants are built for our wet winters and dry summers, so they get fuller each year with very little fuss. Here are twelve tough natives worth planting once and enjoying for decades.

Picking the right ones means less rot, less guilt over drowned nursery finds, and more birds and bees visiting when food...
09/30/2026

Picking the right ones means less rot, less guilt over drowned nursery finds, and more birds and bees visiting when food is scarce. Here are nine rain-loving plants that turn a wet winter into something worth looking forward to.

That pot of perennials still waiting by the garage and the bag of bulbs you swore you'd plant are running out of runway....
09/29/2026

That pot of perennials still waiting by the garage and the bag of bulbs you swore you'd plant are running out of runway. Right now, warm soil and the returning rain let western Oregon roots grow all winter while the sky handles the watering. Wait until the ground turns cold and soggy, and they'll just sit there sulking until spring.

Think the fix for a neighbor's new deck staring into your kitchen is a tall fence or a row of arborvitae? A living scree...
09/29/2026

Think the fix for a neighbor's new deck staring into your kitchen is a tall fence or a row of arborvitae? A living screen of Oregon natives hides you just as fast in our wet winters and dry summers, and it feeds the Anna's hummingbirds while it does it.

Grandma's plum jam. If those three words make you a little misty, you already understand why plums belong in a Willamett...
09/29/2026

Grandma's plum jam. If those three words make you a little misty, you already understand why plums belong in a Willamette Valley yard.

Clear the gutters, open up the drains, and cover exposed soil before the first big storm, because that's what keeps wate...
09/29/2026

Clear the gutters, open up the drains, and cover exposed soil before the first big storm, because that's what keeps water off your foundation and your topsoil out of the street, while the leaves in your beds stay right where they are.

One detail about your spot decides which ones settle in with the fall rains and which ones sulk by next August.
09/28/2026

One detail about your spot decides which ones settle in with the fall rains and which ones sulk by next August.

It's not quite the villain it's made out to be. Still, a fine-textured bunchgrass native to western Oregon earns a spot ...
09/28/2026

It's not quite the villain it's made out to be. Still, a fine-textured bunchgrass native to western Oregon earns a spot in the right yard, as long as you know what it won't do before you tear anything out.

Here are ten natives worth rescuing before the sale signs come down.
09/27/2026

Here are ten natives worth rescuing before the sale signs come down.

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