Comments and Questions

PDF | Print | E-mail

Monday, 26 July 2010 14:38

“Thank you for the beautiful job you did with the pots on my deck!  My deck is so put together now and we enjoy being out there, except for the heat.  Love it!  Love it!

Thanks again,

Michelle

PDF | Print | E-mail

Monday, 01 March 2010 14:38

“You cannot do any better than Shooting Star Nursery! I had a complicated request that required that the J&P roses I ordered online then be shipped to Christie at Shooting Star Nursery where she repotted them into decorative pots along with trailing plants and daffodil bulbs. The roses were delivered by the nursery to a young woman and her family in Central Point who had just lost her husband and dear friend of the place where I work. You can't ask for better or more compassionate service than that!! Five stars and up!

Thank you from all of us at Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay.”

–Vicki Chism

PDF | Print | E-mail

Tuesday, 26 October 2010 14:44

Question:

Do you carry any non-invasive bamboo that can grow in the Rogue Valley?

Answer:

       We have three kinds of clumping (non-invasive) bamboo and chose them all because they are cold hardy enough for the Rogue Valley and can tolerate some sun.  The more water you give them the better they'll look if you do have them in full sun.  But they would all rather get protection from afternoon sun.

They are:

Fargesia robusta- Ivory Column Bamboo (up to 20' tall)

Fargesia rufa 'Green Panda' (about 8' tall at maturity

Fargesia 'Great Wall' (can get 16' tall)

PDF | Print | E-mail

Thursday, 05 August 2010 14:44

Question:

 What would you do with the combined issues of needing drought tolerant, deer resistant, shade (under existing pin oaks) tolerant, and able to compete with surface and existing tree roots, and of course low maintenance as well. I'm in research mode and would love to see what you think would fit these combined layers, for the Talent area.

Answer:

    That is a difficult list of specifications but one that we get quite often.  Many natives would be good choices since they can handle summer drought and some are used to growing under other trees.   Mahonia repens, and Mahonia aquifolium, the two species of Oregon grape would be evergreen and provide winter color and spring flowers.   If you can handle something taller, the flowering currant, or Ribes sanguineum would be a good choice to attract hummingbirds.  Polystichum munitum or Western Sword Fern would look nice as a mass ground cover with drifts of Heuchera sanguinea (red flowered Coral Bells) to add some bright flower color.  Coast strawberry or Fragaria chiloensis would also be a nice mass ground cover and keep out weeds.  Other natives that like shade are Dicentra formosa- Bleeding Heart, Aquilegia formosa- Columbine.

Some other plants that aren't natives but would handle those conditions would be Sedums and Thymes for smaller groundcover.  At the outer reaches where there is more sun, you could try Manzanita varieties.  Rubus calycinoides or Bramble would probably make a nice evergreen groundcover. 

Another tough choice would be Rhus aromatica 'Gro-low' or 'Gro-low' Sumac, getting 2-3' tall and spreading 6-8' wide.  Sumacs are known for spreading rampantly but this is one you want to form a mass groundcover, it won't come up all over the yard.  It is a great choice for under oaks because it is drought tolerant and likes the same conditions.  It gets yellow flowers in spring, is fresh and green in summer and get brilliant red fall color.  It does lose its leaves in winter but has so many merits in the other seasons that is an appropriate low maintenance choice for that tough spot under oaks.