Rainy Side Gardeners
Plant of the Week (2012)
Every week (give or take) we feature a plant from our gallery.
Plant of the Year for 2012
For the last week of 2012 we chose our favorite from the year's Plant of the Week's selections.
We would love to hear which of these plants are your favorite in the comments below!
December 29, 2012
Rhododendron orbiculare
ROUND-LEAF RHODODENDRON
Pink bell-shaped blossoms and round, evergreen leaves.
Previous Plant of the Week
December 23, 2012
Allium karataviense
TURKESTAN ONION
This bulb grows a spunky, short ornamental onion with a large flower globe.
December 16, 2012
Fatsia japonica
JAPANESE ARALIA
Fatsia offers a bold tropical look to the Northwest garden.
December 2, 2012
Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'
SMOKE TREE
'Royal Purple' has leaves which change color throughout the seasons.
November 18, 2012
Narcissus cyclamineus 'Elizabeth Ann'
CYCLAMINEUS DAFFODIL
The blossom has slightly reflexed pure white petals and a slightly frilled, pink-rimmed, bowl-shaped trumpet with a green eye.
November 11, 2012
Penstemon 'Blackbird'
BEARD TONGUE
This perennial has many flowers per panicle and can have up to 75 flowers on a well-grown plant.
November 4, 2012
Lavandula 'Tucker's Early Purple'
ENGLISH LAVENDER
This is one of the earliest of the English lavenders to flower, with exceptionally fragrant blossoms in mid June and again in the fall.
October 28, 2012
Blechnum spicant
DEER FERN
... looks its best in a mossy woodland setting with plenty of moisture and acidic soil.
October 21, 2012
Isotoma fluviatilis
BLUE STAR CREEPER
Blue star creeper is a choice ground cover between pavers.
October 14, 2012
Kalmiopsis fragrans
UMPQUA RIVER KALMIOPSIS
How many shrublets can boast they have a wilderness area named after them?
October 7, 2012
Campanula medium 'Calycanthema'
CANTERBURY BELLS
This classic biennial is excellent as a cut flower and a must for the cottage garden.
September 30, 2012
Jasminum stephanense
JASMINE
Years later, it climbs underneath the deck roof hiding some of the ugly ...
September 23, 2012
Dichelostemma ida-maia 'Pink Diamond'
PINK FIRECRACKER FLOWER
In Southwestern Oregon and Northwestern California, the species naturally grows on grassy slopes and open woodlands.
September 16, 2012
As an ornamental gem from the saxifrage family, it is outstanding as a full sun to partial shade garden plant.
September 9, 2012
Helleborus x nigersmithii 'Ivory Prince'
IVORY PRINCE LENTEN ROSE
Exquisite, upward facing ivory flowers with tinges of pink and streaks of green, adorn this wonderful late winter flowering perennial.
August 26, 2012
Sedum oreganum
OREGON STONECROP
Drought tolerant in our maritime climate, these can be tucked in anywhere there's well-drained soil.
August 19, 2012
Acer rubrum 'Fairview Flame'
RED MAPLE
This maple tree feels right at home in our winter wet soils.
August 12, 2012
Enkianthus campanulatus 'Red Bells'
REDVEIN ENKIANTHUS
Racemes overflow with beautiful pendent bells every spring.
July 29, 2012
Lilium columbianum
COLUMBIA LILY
From alpine heights to sea level, Columbia lily grows in forests, thickets and meadows.
July 22, 2012
Ipomoea purpurea 'Grandpa Ott's'
MORNING GLORY
This deep purple flower was the inspiration that helped start the The Seed Saver's Exchange.
July 15, 2012
Parahebe perfoliata
DIGGER'S SPEEDWELL
Once established this Australian native is drought tolerant, a bonus during our extended summer dry spell.
July 8, 2012
Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin'
ELFIN THYME
The name 'Elfin' conjures up images of elves dancing on this diminutive herb's tiny, aromatic leaves.
June 24, 2012
Heuchera 'Marmalade'
ALUMROOT, CORAL BELLS
The undulating leaves are outstanding with their autumn-like hues.
June 17, 2012
Birds, rodents, deer, bear, foxes and coyotes, all relish the small, bittersweet fruits of the Osoberry bush.
June 10, 2012
Fuchsia 'Pat's Dream'
It covers itself with hundreds of flowers from June until first frost.
June 3, 2012
Passiflora caerulea
BLUE PASSION FLOWER
The flowers evoke the feeling of being in a tropical rain forest.
May 26, 2012
Fatshedera lizei 'Aurea Maculata'
ARALIA IVY, BOTANICAL WONDER, TREE IVY
A rare moment in nature produced this inter-generic cross—Fatshedera lizei.
May 6, 2012
Antirrhinum majus 'Double Azalea Apricot'
SNAPDRAGON
The double flowers add some apricot zest to the garden jumble.
April 29, 2012
Origanum rotundifolium 'Barbara Tingey'
ORNAMENTAL OREGANO
Heavy laden with showy bracts, this herb is best when draping down rock walls, containers or hanging baskets.
April 22, 2012
Veronica gentianoides
SPEEDWELL
A charming mat-forming perennial with pale blue flowers with darker blue veining.
April 15, 2012
Smith's fairybells are dainty-looking flowers that hang pendant from smooth stems.
April 8, 2012
Dwarf Oriental lilies such as this one are great candidates for pot culture.
April 1, 2012
Beautiful red and chartreuse adorn this succulent’s new foliage in spring.
March 25, 2012
Flower color is improved when grown in our naturally acidic soil.
March 18, 2012
Cosmos bipinnatus 'Sea Shells'
SEA SHELL COSMO
Cosmos with a beautiful twist.
March 11, 2012
Rosa 'Dream Weaver'
CLIMBING ROSE
Once established, this rose has proven to be disease resistant.
March 4, 2012
Clematis 'Freda'
ANEMONE CLEMATIS
Pink flowers smother the dark burgundy foliage--a stunning combination.
February 26, 2012
Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'
BLUE ANISE SAGE
The blue hue of this blossom is outstanding.
February 19, 2012
Rhododendron orbiculare
ROUND-LEAF RHODODENDRON
Pink bell-shaped blossoms and round, evergreen leaves.
February 5, 2012
Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'
GOLDEN JAPANESE FOREST GRASS
Beautiful ornamental grass that's as graceful as a waterfall.
January 29, 2012
Lamprocapnos spectabilis
BLEEDING HEART
Popular perennial with foliage that mixes well with ferns and other shade tolerant plants.
January 22, 2012
Flowers open a light green, coloring to a rosy pink and by fall turning bronze-red.
January 15, 2012
Rhododendron occidentale
WESTERN AZALEA
This is found in thickets around moist areas, seepages and creek sides in the mountains and foothills along the Pacific coast of southwest Oregon to southern California.
Plant of the Week (2013)
Plant of the Week (2012)
Plant of the Week (2011)

Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton
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