Gardening With Brenda

PROFESSIONAL HELP: Tips from local leaders in their industry Brenda Powell • GARDENING

Let's

Plant

By Brenda Powell

IT'S TIME TO PLANT! LET'S GO OUTSIDE AND DIG IN THE SOIL, GET OUR HANDS DIRTY, AND BREATHE IN THE FRESH AIR.

We're like bears exiting their hibernation cave or butterflies escaping their cocoon. Soak in the sun, drink in the fragrance of Daphne, and enjoy the beauty and color of the spring flowers. And plant berries, spinach, Swiss chard, radishes, lettuce, peas, potatoes, dahlia tubers, roses, and pinks. I see a very delicious salad in our future.

What about that forgotten corner of the yard? Maybe it's time to add some hardy fuchsias for the hummingbirds, bee balm for the bees, Oregon grape for the birds, and purple coneflower for the butterflies. No blank spaces? There's always room to add some color: pansies, marigolds, geraniums, or native Iris.

Maybe you live in an apartment. That doesn't mean you're left out. Many plants grow great in containers, including blueberries and raspberries bred for small spaces. You can even grow tomatoes and bush zucchini. Add in some zinnias and basil. You have dinner, dessert, and a bouquet, too.

Why should we garden? Gardening lifts our spirits, reconnects us with nature, and helps us relax. It's good exercise. Produce tastes better straight from the garden. It makes us happy. Plus, the earth doesn't like bare ground. Clear a patch, and within a few weeks, something starts to grow. It might as well be something that benefits the other beings around us.

If gardening just isn't your thing, at least get outside. Take a walk in your landscape, a park, the woods, or someone else's garden. Feel that sense of peace that nature brings. Maybe you'll encounter a hummingbird, a ladybug, or another small creature. Let happiness bubble up inside of you.

We've been through a lot, but now it's spring. So let's get outside. It's time to throw off the cloak of darkness, stretch our unused muscles, and garden!

www.GarlandNursery.com

Brenda

Brenda Powell is a fourth generation owner of Garland Nursery in Corvallis.

Follow her writing at garlandnursery.wordpress.com