If you are into “zonal denial” and enjoy pushing the boundaries, then perhaps a lemon or lime tree may be worth your time and effort. Make no mistake however, the Pacific Northwest is not Florida or California and you won’t be able to just plant a citrus tree in the backyard and in a few short years start harvesting your very own navel oranges. On the other hand, when planted in a container, Meyer lemons and seedless Bearss limes will do okay - provided you follow some simple procedures…
During the months of May and June one of the all-time favorite plants of local gardeners, the peony, is bursting into bloom. There are many excellent peonies available to utilize in our landscapes; including herbaceous cottage types in all sorts of colors (and varying fragrances) and larger growing tree peonies too. I would never scold anyone for growing either of these types (since I do as well), but I want to bring attention to another fabulous peony option… what is known as the intersectional or Itoh Peony.