Online Information
I find these websites brimming with helpful information, photos and descriptions:
Great Plant Picks (GPP)
Our premier resource for finding outstanding and reliable plants for the Pacific Northwest. This is an educational program of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden in Seattle, WA.
Oregon State Landscape Plants
Information from our state’s largest university on identification, performance and cultural requirement for some 1,800 (mostly woody) landscape plants
O.S.U. Master Gardeners
Trained volunteers who offer respected advice on your gardening questions. Use their hotline or ask your question online. They also offer a catalog of research-based, peer-reviewed publications.
egardengo
An inspirational website for all gardening skill levels. Well-known garden designer Darcy Daniels shares her passion for plants and winning combinations. Features loads of irresistible photos and plant information.
East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Offers information and workshops on native plantscaping & raingardens–everything for promoting healthy soil and water!
METRO – Native plants for Willametter Valley yards booklet
Lists natives which will thrive in the Willamette Valley. Their site also has myriad tips for natural gardening, recycling and sustainable living.
Monrovia
Wonderful photos plus information about reliable and exciting, new varieties of garden plants. This California-headquartered wholesale nursery has large growing ranges right here in Dayton, OR. You will find their plants in quality retail nursery yards.
Washington State University- Clark County Extension Pacific Northwest Plants
A valuable database for identifying and caring for plants of our region.
Blooming Advantage
A wholesale grower in Cornelius, OR that has a search/filter feature on their website to help you find plants that meet your criteria. Their plants are carried at retail nurseries throughout the state
Annie’s Annuals
Located in Richmond, CA but a great resource if you are visiting the Bay Area or use their mailorder service. Excellent plant descriptions–an inspirational website!
Missouri Botanical Garden
Look up complete descriptions of 6,800 plants through their ‘Plant Finder’ resource
San Marcos Growers
A wholesale nursery north of Santa Barbara that has thorough descriptions of many plants appropriate for our Mediterranean climate. Why not try something exotic while you are at it?
Perennial Resource
Advice and descriptions of thousands of perennials through their affiliation with Walters Gardens, Inc. of Michigan and the Proven Winners program.
Perennials
You can’t have too many perennials! Lovely photos and showcase of varieties. Through Heritage Perennials.
Iseli Nursery
Even though this is a well-respected wholesale grower out of Boring, OR, you can spot their beautiful conifers and specialty trees at the best area retail nurseries by their distinctive, green triangular plant tags. Their website photos and descriptions are helpful as well as inspirational. Investing in the addition of conifers to your garden is one of the most rewarding things you can do.
Recommended Nurseries To Visit
Garden World
Ten acres of locally-grown quality plants, especially conifers, right next to I-5. If you haven’t stopped by, you should! Also have an excellent website for reference.
Cistus Nursery
An intriguing nursery on Sauvie Island (take a trip and get some fresh produce while you’re at it!) offering unusual plants from the Mediterranean and southern hemisphere for OUR gardens.
Dancing Oaks Nursery
A treasure worth every mile getting there (it’s in the central Willamette Valley near Monmouth). An outstanding display garden will inspire you to load up your vehicle with unusual shrubs, perennials and whatever else you can fit.
Joy Creek Nursery
Another outlying resource (near Scappoose) that supplies an amazing variety of perennials, grasses and other plants to give your neighbors something to ask “what is that?’ Accompanied by inspiring display gardens.
XERA
How can we be so lucky? This grower of rare plants has a small, immaculate retail outpost in southeast Portland. Their plant tags are informative and entertaining—you can also find their quality product at many local retail nurseries.
Sebright Gardens
If you have a hankering for hostas, this is your place! Inspirational display gardens in a lovely country setting, along with a hoop house brimming with hundreds of hosta varieties (some are their own introductions) and other shade-loving perennials.