That plastic thingie

On a recent walk, JWD asked, "What are those plastic thingies around the bottom of trees?" Nearly all the trees on the sidewalk strip of next door's condoplex have them.

I speculated wildly in my best authoritative librarian voice, which seemed to satisfy his curiosity. But mine was piqued, so later I turned to a favorite garden guide: The Truth About Garden Remedies** by Jeff Gillman.

Gillman's book is an encyclopedic examination of home remedies for the garden. You'll learn the history, theory, and practice of each remedy, along with Gillman's report on his own experiments to test the remedy. Myth Busters for your yard.

Turns out my fancy guesswork about the plastic thingies -- a "tree wrap" -- was darn close (protection against pests, lawn equipment, frost cracks). Gillman's conclusion is that they are largely unecessary, especially in Portland's climate, and that the plastic ones can do far more harm than good.

** Book featured for purchase : see bottom of page

Lenten rose by any other name

Christmas Rose, Lenten Rose, Helleborus.... are all names for the genus Helleborus, which I first learned of from a Martha Stewart article, lo, many years ago, long enough ago that the common "white" was the only color mentioned, and the only color I saw in gardens for several years.

Hellebore (pl.) bloom very early and reach their zenith around the beginning of Lent. My own interest in hellebore admittedly increased when color variations began appearing in American nurseries. But, at $15-20 more than their plain relations, not many of the flashy hellebore have made it into my garden, except for the "Black Magic" pictured below.

In Timber Press's Hellebores: A Comprehensive Guide**, authors Burrell and Tyler note that aside from a handful found in Britain and one in China, "the rest of the species fall in between, with the bulk of them centered in the Balkan region of the former Yugoslavia." This excellent book may be available at your public library, or you can support my garden by purchasing the book through the Amazon widget (at right).

Because of our shared Balkan connection, I nicknamed the dark beauty above Helleborus mavrud after the blood red wine indigenous to Bulgaria. Cut, the flower-like stems last a very long time in fresh water.

** Book featured for purchase : see bottom of page