I had one case of RRD about Sept 2009, on a very tall mini (5 ft tall, so big for a mini). The bush looked odd in June, so I cut the odd cane off at the ground. However, the new growth looked weird and I dug the entire bush out in early Sept, plus three nearby rosebushes (2 HT and 1 miniflora). I dug deep and got their roots also. I wrote a letter and sent the key diseased canes to Dr. Jim Amrine at West Va. Univ. (by Fed Ex). Dr. Amrine confirmed it was RRD. He said it probably blew in from a highway that is about 3 miles from my house, that has woods growing around on either side. To Henry, I am not sure how he checked for RRD - sometimes by looking thru a microscope and seeing a dead mite; otherwise that he is knowledgeable of the symptoms - feathery, light green leaves, many needle-like thorns, thick stems, reddish growth and performed a visual inspection; or perhaps by another method. Fortunately, I have not had RRD since then. I planted petunias and garlic chives in the rosebed. (Farmers alternate crops.) This fall (2 years later), I transplanted micromini roses from a garden that was getting waterlogged just this year. So the micromini roses may make it or not. But they are 6 inches tall, so far. They do not have RRD, at least. They have 18" wire fences around them to protect them from rabbits and a raccoon. Also, to apply Round-Up so it does not affect neighboring plants, cut or saw a branch of the plant to be removed and paint concentrated Round-Up on the open cut with a paintbrush. For a big bush to be removed, make 2 or 3 cuts and paint those. Lastly, the MD Ag Extension Service does not care. I tried to report the RRD, but no one would take my report. Dr. Amrine made a note with his records.

This w/b my first season wintering my palms so we'll see how they do! I've got 2 windmills (planted outside this spring, they haven't grown much but the stems seem to have thickened up quite a bit), 5 sabals of some sort (not sure what kind, put outside in the spring, but still really small and can't say they've had much growth at all this year so I've wondered if I've done something wrong with them - but they have not died yet so I figure that's at least some sort of good sign!), and 2 banana musa's (put outside in the spring, they have grown tremendously - are between 4 and 5 ft now, and have lots of pups that I'm going to try to transplant to other areas in another week or so) - I'm in Dallas Ga too, and got my start on some of these thanks to NewHope, others bought at WM! :)

Amongst the best palms for the PNW would be the Windmill Palm, Trachycarpus fortunei, which is the palm in the pool photo. Other species of this genus to look for would include the more refined leaf form of T. wagneriana or T. takil. A smaller growing fan palm that is also perfectly hardy is the Mediterranean Fan Palm, Chamaerops humilis. There is also a lovely silver leafed version, C. humilis var cerifera. You might also be interested to try growing one of the hardier feather palms, such as Butia capitata, the Pindo Palm. Other subtropical plants that are often used in PNW gardens for a tropical effect would include the various Phormium hybrids, Cordyline australis hybrids and cultivars, and Beschorneria yuccoides. The silvery foliage of Astelias, which much resemble Phormiums in habit, are also quite hardy for Seattle, and would include the larger growing Astelia chathamica 'Silver Spear', and others such as A. nervosa 'Red Gem' or similar. Fatsia japonica is always a reliable tropical looking foliage plant. Usually not quite hardy as year round perennials in all but the mildest PNW locations, but great as temperennials, the Abutilons of all colors are great filler plants. Bergenia was already mentioned, but this is a great foliage plant that also blooms in late winter, and is fully hardy, coming from Russia. Winter deciduous subtropicals such as the various Hedychiums are also great, such as H. gardnerianum, H. flavescens, H. greenei. Cautleya spicata is also quite nice, and is quite colorful with summer blooms of red and yellow, and will even bloom in a fair amount of shade. My favorite Canna varieties for tropical flair would have to include the very tall growing C. ehemannii, which can get 10 feet tall, and has smaller rose red pendant flowers that cleanly drop off when done blooming. If you want dramatic foliage that is the equal of a Gunnera, you might also consider planting the Rice Paper Plant, Tetrapanax papyriferus, but this will probably be killed back to the roots in winter in most PNW locations. Melianthus major is another great foliage plant, but will often be killed back to the roots outside USDA zone 9a conditions. As to Acanthus, you should also look for the attractive A. spinosus, which has distinctive looking leaves. Acanthus does perfectly well in full sun in more coastal locations that don't get the baking summer heat of interior Oregon, but in its native Mediterranean habitats it will also quite willingly grow in full sun locations as well. In dry summer locations, it will go summer deciduous, and come back into growth with fall rains. In irrigated gardens, the yellowing, heat damaged foliage can simply be pruned off, and it will often push new foliage immediately if watered and fertilized, or can be allowed to wait until it cools off and starts raining again.

Putting down a mulch after you weed can prevent some of them from coming back from roots left behind. I use a lot of straw mulch, because it's cheaper than bark mulch, but I live on acreage so it's more acceptable than it might be on a city lot. I will also lay down newspapers or cardboard with a mulch on top to kill off weeds, much easier than pulling them all and it benefits the soil too. It won't stop blackberries, though. They'll just come up through it, as will thistle. Be careful of what you let go to seed. Birds will transport them to other areas and some can be invasive, choking out native plants. Your rhododendron won't have blooms next year where you trimmed it, just to warn you. It will the following year, though if you don't cut it back again. A lot of people whack them back to get a fuller plant. You'll learn a lot through successes and failures along the way, just as I still do. That's what's nice about gardening, you never quit learning. If I'd had the internet when I was gardening in my youth, I'd be way ahead by now! I started gardening before I was ten. My grandmother lived with us and she let me have a little plot in her garden, so I spent a lot of time tending that little piece of land. Then in my teens I took over the vegie garden. My grandmother had a small greenhouse that I grew cacti in too, so that was a fun diversion from the outside plants. Enjoy your days in the garden and take some pictures to show us your progress.