JACKSON COUNTY OR – Become a Master Recycler in 2017! Jackson County Recycling Partnership is now seeking residents of Jackson County to take part in the annual training course and volunteer service program. Participants gain a broad understanding of home waste prevention strategies, the local solid waste infrastructure, hazardous waste avoidance, […]
I eat a lot of salad, so I derive particular pleasure from growing some of the lettuces I consume. There are so many varieties to choose from: crispheads, butterheads, looseleafs and Romaines, not to mention fancy designer greens such as endive and arugula.
In fact, all of our modern lettuces (Lactuca […]
Jacksonville was bursting with magic that brisk December evening. White lights and pine swags, staples of a vintage Christmas, on each door and window beckoned passersby indoors for cozy warmth. The scent of holiday charm filled the air.
I walked into old city hall, sat, and anxiously waited to deliver my […]
We invite you to a ten-class learning adventure in food preservation arts. Students learn how to prepare garden produce for preserving, the ins and outs of food preservation equipment, and a host of other skills! Including, how to water-bath and pressure-can safely and efficiently; preparing fruits; vegetables, herbs, and snacks in a dehydrator; making delicious […]
“At Christmas, I no more desire a rose Than wish a snow in May’s newfangled mirth; But like each thing that in season grows.”
– William Shakespeare, “Love’s Labor Lost,” 1598
Oh, Willy, lighten up! Growing flowering plants in winter keeps gardeners gardening and brightens up our […]
In October, two girlfriends swept me away to a swank resort in Arizona for an early milestone (more like mileboulder) birthday celebration. I felt loved and pampered. Miravel offers top-notch service with fine accommodations and accoutrements tending to all of life’s comforts. Evening landscapes are replete with stunning high-desert […]
He looked like something out of the cartoons, a dazzling green blubbery caricature of himself. Given his lazy, lumbering gait, this little guy was in no hurry to get to his destination.
I inspected him closely, intrigued by his suction cup feet, the wrinkles in the fern-green folds of his skin, […]
“Using the proper layering techniques is essential for providing necessary warmth and comfort during the chilly days of fall and winter.” ~ Miss Rich, fashionista and blogger, January 2013
When I moved to Southern Oregon from Hawaii six years ago, I didn’t own a pair of closed-toed shoes, let alone a […]
The Jacksonville Garden Club is now taking pre-paid orders for beautiful holiday table arrangements, swags and baskets in a variety of sizes. On several days in late November, Jacksonville Garden Club members will be busy applying their artistic talents to freshly-gathered boughs, evergreens, cones and bows to make the arrangements, which […]
“Anyone who thinks gardening begins in the spring and ends in fall is missing the best part of the whole year, for gardening begins in January with the dream.” ~ Josephine Nuese, “The Country Garden,” 1970
For some gardeners, wintertime means growing cold weather crops or enriching garden soil with cover […]
I was walking downtown one bright mid-July afternoon and came upon a bee in the middle of 3rd Street. She was on her back spinning frenetically. I reached down and as her little legs grasped my pinky, I wondered, “Was she battling the residual effects of a recent mosquito spray?” […]
“Water is the vehicle of Nature.” ~Leonardo da Vinci, “Codex Atlanticus” c.a. 1600
The great “Renaissance Man,” Leonardo da Vinci, was obsessed with water. Over and over again he drew water—flowing, falling, whirling, raging, destroying. Da Vinci’s series of black and white sketches, called “The Deluge,” depicts a torrential apocalypse, perhaps […]
Here’s flowers for you;
Hot lavender, mints, savoury, marjoram;
The marigold, that goes to bed wi’ the sun
And with him rises weeping: these are flowers
Of middle summer, and I think they are given
To men of middle age.
~ William Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale, 1609
Every summer, my husband, Jerry, and I attend a […]
Jacksonville metal artist Cheryl Garcia is no stranger to creating alluring, larger-than-life metal flowers. Her famous poppies dotting the vineyards east of town may be seen on a daily basis by passerby’s as can her giant Fritillaria sculpture gracing the entrance to the Britt Festival grounds. This year, Cheryl has outdone herself with “Lavandula,” a […]
My first memories of lavender are associated with my English maternal grandmother—as her signature perfume, yes—but also as a tiny muslin bag full of this sweet-smelling plant which I used to sleep with, tucked into my pillow. I remember sitting on the garden wall as a child and making pretty little bags and weaving lavender […]
“Heat, ma’am! It was so dreadful here that I found there was nothing left for it but to take off my flesh and sit in my bones.”
~ Wit and Wisdom of the Rev. Sydney Smith, 1856
Reverend Sydney Smith (1771-1845) was an English humorist and writer who became a clergyman because […]
Artist and Gardener, a new shop in Jacksonville, is a collaborative effort—between a gardener with a love of nature, plants, flowers and animals—joined by an artist that loves to draw and paint them! In the middle is a natural love for antiques and home furnishings. The shop also represents other artists, including painters, jewelry designers, […]
The Jackson County Master Food Preservers presents Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes: How to Preserve Your Tomato Harvest, the third class in their canning and preserving series, at the OSU Extension auditorium, Saturday, July 16. Learn how to preserve your home-grown tomatoes for year-round enjoyment!
In this class, food safety and the types of preservation equipment to use […]
“Gardening in a small space shouldn’t restrict your ideas…Accept the challenge and discover new possibilities!”
~Philippa Pearson, Small Space Garden Ideas, 2014
When I was a little girl, I created a sitting area inside my closet and filled it with pillows, a lamp, books and toys. I called it my “roo”—not quite […]
At Hanley Farm, we grow food in a way that requires no irrigation, no machinery, and low labor beyond planting and picking food. Our objective is to demonstrate a simple way to grow food that is approachable to the general public. Everyone has the right to grow their own […]
The Medford branch of American Association of University Women (AAUW) will hold its 8th annual Garden Tour from 10:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday, June 11, 2016 – featuring properties in Central Point and Medford. The cost for the self-guided tour is $15 per ticket, with all proceeds going to local scholarships for women and girls. […]
Essential oils. We hear about them more and more these days and find them in many more stores than ever before. But what is an essential oil, how is it made and what are they used for?
Without getting too “sciency” or technical, an essential oil is the extracted volatile organic compounds of certain flowers, leaves, […]
“If you really want to draw close to your garden, you must remember that you are dealing with a being that lives and dies, like the human body with its poor flesh, its illnesses at times repugnant. One must not always see it dressed up for a ball, manicured and […]
Get set for Mother’s Day with beautiful bouquets and arrangements created from fresh-cut local flowers, or a unique plant. Home-baked goodies—cookies, brownies, scones, cakes, and candies—will also be […]
Let’s Pull Together is a community weed pull event, being held on Saturday, May 21, 2016, from 9 am – 1 pm at the Rogue Gold Sports Park & Ti’lomikh Falls, along the Rogue River near Gold Hill. This day of hands-on learning provides time to discover which weeds are really menacing and how we […]
Southern Oregon Historical Society’s Hanley Farm Heritage Plant Sale will be May 7 and 8, 2016 from 10am to 3pm, 1053 Hanley Road. Join the volunteers that make it happen!
Positions available include greeters (pass out maps and explain the activities), cashiers (for both food and plants), plant monitors (keep the plants orderly and tables full), […]
The Southern Oregon Historical Society is pleased to announce the Annual Heritage Plant Sale at the Historic Hanley Farm, May 7 and 8, 2016 from 10am to 3pm. Hanley Farm is at 1053 Hanley Road between Jacksonville and Central Point. Admission is free.
Three generations of the Hanley family lived on and worked this farm starting […]
There is a natural burst of energy that we all seem to feel in the spring. We can get overly-enthusiastic in our outdoor activities, like gardening, golfing … and we pay the price, usually in our lower back and shoulders. (Wednesday JoyFull Yoga chair & floor class at 10:00am & Fridays […]
Once I spoke the language of the flowers,
Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,
Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,
And shared a conversation with the housefly
in my bed.
Once I heard and answered all the questions
of the crickets,
And joined the crying of each falling, dying
flake of […]
The Jacksonville Garden Club’s 31st Annual Spring Sale will be held in downtown Jacksonville on Saturday, May 7th, 2016 from 10:00am to 3:00pm in the alcove next to the Post Office on Oregon Street. The sale features fresh-cut spring flowers arranged in bouquets by Club members. Interesting plants, handmade papers, candies, cookies, brownies, breakfast pastries, […]
Become a Master Recycler in 2016! Jackson County Recycling Partnership is now seeking residents of Jackson County to take part in the annual training course and volunteer service program. Participants gain a broad understanding of home waste prevention strategies, the local solid waste infrastructure, hazardous waste avoidance, […]
For each petal on the shamrock this brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck, and happiness for today and every day. ~Irish blessing
According to my family tree, I’m one-sixteenth Irish. One day, I’d like to visit the “land of my people;” however, until then, I’ll wear green and […]
“Plants and flowers aren’t simply pretty things to look at. They also have the ability to arouse our senses. They can be incredibly exciting – and erotic.” ~Sonia Day, The Untamed Garden, 2011
February we celebrate Valentine’s Day, le jour de l’amour, so perhaps there’s no better time for gardeners to […]
All classes begin at 10am and are located at the nursery unless indicated otherwise, space is limited so please be sure to register.
~During classes there will also be a sandbox, treasure hunt, and some kid friendly activities (children are still under parents supervision) as well as hot coffee and refreshments.
*denotes kid friendly class, bring your […]
“From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens – the garden outdoors, the garden of pots and bowls in the house, and the garden of the mind’s eye.” ~ Katherine S. White, Onward and Upward in the Garden, 1979
I found this quote in the Garden […]
At holiday times, the scent of fresh greens stimulates memories of holidays past and of tranquil moments in the woods. The Jacksonville Garden Club’s Holiday Greens Sale, with its beautiful arrangements, is a familiar event in downtown Jacksonville during Victorian Christmas. Less well known is the impact […]
Bring the refreshing scent of fresh greens and cones into your home or business for the holidays! The Jacksonville Garden Club is now taking pre-paid orders for lovely and reasonably-priced holiday arrangements in a variety of sizes. Ordering early enables the Club members to create their best work and ensures that you will have your […]
In the the winter of 1849, Amelia Bloomer published her first edition of The Lily, a newspaper devoted to women’s issues in which she advocated for less-restrictive female garments. More than three decades later, members of the Rational Dress Society daringly suggested that no woman should have to wear more […]
“Half the interest of the garden is the constant exercise of the imagination.” –Mrs. C.W. Earle, Pot-Pourri from a Surrey Garden, 1898
During summertime, when I’m working hard in the garden to get ahead of the insects and weeds, I don’t often feel particularly imaginative. It’s mostly during the relatively “off […]
Finding a sense of peace and beauty in your own outdoor living area is something that most everyone dreams of creating. Doing so can be accomplished by adding a simple potted flower pot placed on a patio to installation of an infinity pool, outdoor fireplace, outdoor […]
Departing summer hath assumed
An aspect tenderly illumed,
The gentlest look of spring;
That calls from yonder leafy shade
Unfaded, yet prepared to fade,
A timely carolling.
~William Wordsworth
September, 1819
If your enthusiasm and energy for gardening has waned from this summer’s triple-digit temperatures and smoky haze, then September may be just […]
Sarting new outdoor projects can be daunting, whether it’s the sheer size of the task or knowing that starting something is going to be a long and time-consuming commitment.
Projects around the house and specifically yard projects linger in our minds—some get done but others […]
Retaining walls offer stunning aesthetics and down-to-earth benefits by beautifying your home, helping with erosion control and water drainage, and providing privacy to outdoor living areas. Retaining walls also increase the value of your home, which is a great return on your investment.
If you are planning to construct a retaining […]
Here are other Jackson County Master Gardener services offered in August 2015. All are at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center, 569 Hanley Road, Central Point.
Why Is My Tree Dying?–Tuesday, August 4, from 7:00-9:00pm: Max Bennett, OSU Extension Service Forester, will offer information about tree care, causes of tree health problems, and how to […]
“And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.”–Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden, 1911
Speaking of secret gardens, did you know there are 20 demonstration gardens just five minutes from downtown Jacksonville? It’s true! […]
The Jackson County Master Gardener Association will host “The Lazy Gardener” from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center, 569 Hanley Road, Central Point. If you think gardening is too much work, Master Gardener Bob Reynolds will surprise you with tricks he’s learned from more than a half […]
From wall fountains to basin fountains, water features can be stylish and low maintenance, allowing you to create a serene oasis outside your door. Water fountains improve aesthetics, add home value and curb appeal, and establish a sense of balance and harmony in your landscape.
“I judge that the flowers of Lavender quilted in a cap and worn are good for all diseases of the head…and that they comfort the brain very well.” ~ William Turner, New Herball, 1551
Many of the students I teach at Rogue Community College tell me they hope to use their […]
“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.” ~ May Sarton, Plant Dreaming Deep, 1968
I agree that patience is becoming a lost art in our hectic, fast-food, fast-everything lives where […]
The Southern Oregon Lavender Trail (SOLT) comprises four lavender farms and a nursery in the Applegate Valley of Southern Oregon between Jacksonville and Grants Pass. We are local farmers who are dedicated to growing quality lavender, making handmade lavender products, maintaining the Applegate Valley’s agricultural heritage and contributing to the region’s development of a tourism […]