I think you might be confusing a couple of different issues here. Some people may not like the look of palm trees in Vancouver; that is of course their right. But the issue of them being exotic is different. It's true that our palms are non-native. There are actually only one or two varieties that grow here: the Chinese windmill palm and maybe the odd Mediterranean fan palm. It's just too cold for anything else. But neither of these is invasive in the least. When people object to exotics, it's generally because they become invasive, like Scotch broom or English ivy or Himalayan blackberry or carpet burweed or what have you. These invasive plants start to overrun their environment and cause real ecological problems. As for the pre-1950's, I'm sure these palms could have grown here, if anyone had introduced them. Climate maps are actually showing us getting colder here rather than warmer. Maybe the real problem here is a different kind of plant: sour grapes :)

OK - so I'm new to the PNW and new to GW. I think I've been responding to the messages as I get them but I'm not sure my responses are going anywhere. So...I found a reference to the Battle Ground garden club in the local paper-newspaper so I've got high hopes there, if I can remember to actually attend their meeting. Around here, crazy busy. 15 yards of compo-stuff, rented a sod-cutter, 13-hp tiller (thankyouthankyouthankyou I didn't have to shovel that), hand dug and transplanted a 12' maple (too close to the house), removed a 12' spruce (don't know what kind but way too close to the house). Turned out the spruce was planted in the ground on an impermeable plastic disc, wrapped in some sort of root-binding plastic, and STILL it thrived where it was planted. The blisters from last weekend are starting to heal so we're making plans to get at it again this weekend.

One Green World was at the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Fall plant sale today along with about 50 other specialty vendors. They had both olives and figs there. The sale is on tomorrow also and I'm sure they will restock in the morning. There is no entry charge and the sale is at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro. I believe it runs from 10 to 2 tomorrow. Check it out at www.hardyplantsociety.org. I've never had anything but top quality plants from OGW. My Atreano fig from OGW had a bumper crop this year and it looks like the second crop may even ripen this year! If you haven't ever been to the HPSO plant sales you are in for a treat. It is a dangerous place. I stayed under budget and then worked a volunteer shift.....after seeing all of the wonderful treasures others found my will power was destroyed and I had to go back for more........jwww

They are in 3-4 inch square blue pots. Not too big, but I paid 250 for the same size mail ordered two years ago from Fraser Thimble. So for 30 bucks it's not bad a deal. Due note that becuase it's already fall, they may look decievingly unimpressive. There should still be quite a few left (the other variety I remember is the pink Itoh Cara Louise). Just make sure you check the sale area, where there are vats and shelves of plants.