Five years ago, my wife bought me a plant for my office. Formally labeled as Zanzibar Gem, which sounds like a treasure in a video game, it commonly is referred to as a ZZ plant. This blossoming green specimen is native to eastern Africa and adorns the shelves of many homes. Not only that, but apparently this glossy, semi-succulent piece of nature is technically poisonous. Even though its toxicity is remarkably low, the irony is not lost on me whenever I water it to keep it alive. While I am skeptical of claims that indoor plants provide air purification, there have been interesting studies that show ZZ plants may actually offer this. Regardless, however, none of those fascinating facts about the ever-so-popular ZZ plant is the reason why my wife got it for me as a gift. The real reason behind her graciousness is that they are remarkably hard to kill. In other words, ZZ plants are the foolproof plant for people lacking green thumbs, like me.
Whether you are a plant expert or have limited knowledge of the subject, taking a family outing to the Portland Nursery will be worth it. Split between two locations, one on Stark Street and the other on Division Street, there is a ton going on here. Every time I go to the Portland Nursery, I am amazed at all of the gorgeous items they have for sale.
On Saturday and Sunday, September 20th and 21st, the Greater Portland Iris Society is hosting its Beardless Iris Sale at the Stark Street location. A wide range of irises will be available for purchase, and a portion of the sales will go toward gardening-related educational programs. No reservations or tickets are needed for this either. Do I know anything at all about irises? Absolutely not. I think they are beautiful flowers, and I plan on picking some up for my home. Absolutely yes.
At the Portland Nursery’s Division Street location, there will be their Seed Saving class on Sunday, August 31st. This class will focus on assessing seed appearance, ripeness, and viability, as well as learning collection techniques and storage needs. While this event is free, registration is required. Make sure to grab your tickets while you can.
The Stark Street location will also be hosting a Slug Hunting: Know Your Enemy class on Saturday, August 30th. Here you will learn about the behavior and biology of slugs and how they can affect your garden. Did you know that a single slug can lay up to 500 eggs in a season? I must admit that while I am aware of how much destruction slugs can do to someone’s beloved garden, I do have a soft spot in my heart for them. I’m not exactly sure why that is the case, but it is true, nevertheless. Any of these classes would be great to attend with family members for a unique, low-key outing.
Their website offers a wealth of helpful tips for gardeners, including how to care for specific plants and attract bees. They also have a Gardening with Kids section that includes many valuable tips for taking on projects with your little ones. However, I would recommend going to their location in person to ask any questions you have directly to their friendly staff. Their knowledge base is vast and can help you with pretty much any gardening conundrum you may be facing. Interested in finding ways to have more hummingbirds and butterflies visit your garden? The Portland Nursery’s helpful team will be able to assist you with the endeavor. As a result, consider meeting with your kids to discuss their ideas about their yard. Once a plan is set, take a family trip to the Portland Nursery to obtain the necessary materials to make it a reality.
The Portland Nursery traces its roots (pun intended) back to 1907 when it existed as the Portland Wholesale Nursery. It was then in the 1920s that Avery Steinmetz purchased the company and cultivated its status in the nursery trade. Steinmetz established a new standard for commercial horticulture, which remains common practice to this day. He would later sell the Portland Nursery in the 1980s at an intentionally low price. His one ask was that this nursery carry on the mission of being an oasis in the city for people who loved plants just as much as he did. I can warmly say that the current owners have lived up to this expectation. Every time I’ve gone there, I’ve come across something of interest.
So, take a family outing to the Portland Nursery. Pick up some plants and gardening equipment to take back home. If I can keep my ZZ Plant going strong after nearly 5 years, I’m sure your family can too.
Alex is a devoted husband and father born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He is a professional artist, author, and advisor for both Yale and Harvard University’s arts departments. His books, ‘Selling Leonardo: The Art World’s Greatest Scandal’ and ‘Holy Ghost: Decoding Leonardo da Vinci’s Final Painting’ are available wherever books are sold.