Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska, Jim Pojar, A. MacKinnon, and Paul B. Alaback, Lone Pine Pub, 2004, 528 pgs. ISBN-13: 9781551055305
This book was recommended by a number of my plant friends when I first arrived in Oregon. I needed some help to identify plants on my property and this book was just the thing. It comes in hardback, but I prefer the paperback version which is very durable and easy to take with me on hikes and travels.
The pictures in this book are very useful and include both flowers and foliage which helps with identification during the non-blooming periods. The book focuses on herbaceous flowering plants, but there are sections for trees, shrubs, ferns, and aquatics plants. Now that I'm rehabilitating a pond on my property, the aquatics section has been very handy. The book includes a notes section with information about historical uses or interesting lore about the species.
Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades, Updated 6th Edition: The Complete Guide to Organic Gardening 6 Updated Edition, Steve Solomon, Sasquatch Books. Seattle, 2013, 356 pgs.
ISBN-13: 978-1570618970
Whether you are new to the Oregon Coast or have gardened here for years, Steve Solomon's book will be a much thumbed reference for all types of vegetables. The latest version, a special updated 6th edition, addresses issues of soil, seeds, compost, watering, planting times, harvesting and so much more. Steve Solomon, who founded the Territorial Seed Company, was one of the early advocates of organic gardening and benefits of small-plot vegetable gardening in the Pacific Northwest. The advice is practical and suitable for all skill levels.
When I first moved to Oregon and encountered the diminutive but fiery vine maple (acer circinatum) I was immediately enchanted.
Vine maples really shine in a coastal garden. They are uniquely adapted to our mild temperate climate with the result that it takes only a minimum fall in temperature to extract the dazzling display of red, gold, and yellow color.
Once the leaves have dropped, the vine maple continues to provide a winter focal point offering lovely variegated grey and white bark. This is especially striking with trees that have been pruned to showcase multi-trunked structure, somewhat like a crape myrtle. Allow the top of the tree to grown into a spreading leafy canopy. Keep the canopy thinned to allow wind passage and light to reach the interior.
Vine maples have a streamlined profile so can be place closed to structures or paths. Placing bulbs, small shrubs, or groundcovers under the vine maple makes a nice plant grouping. The maple will provide partial to full shade to all those wonderful shade loving natives. Try a vine maple anchored planting by a stream, water chase, or drainage area.
Maintenance is simple. Give the tree some shelter from direct ocean wind. Planting the tree on the inland side of a house or structure is just the ticket. As a native, the vine maple does not require fertilizer, but will benefit from topdressing of compost annually. The tree will appreciate a weekly long-slow watering during the dry months but will probably endure without it. Prune to shape the tree into your desired shape.
LCMGA always has a number of vine maples available during our annual spring plant sale.
