Alyga: This weekend is a free plant swap worth the drive northeast to Redmond, WA as we've brought home more than imagined. Amazing that it's all free & lovely plants of all types from trees to dahlia tubers. Perennial vegetables & fruits of all types as well if that's your interest also. The parking lot gets filled to the max, so be sure to arrive by 10am if you can. If you have a wish list that is also helpful as someone will likely direct you to it elsewhere in the parking lot! People trade from the backs of their cars as well as drop off plants in a free area near the church entrance. Jim has a crew set up & serve hot coffee/tea as well. We've been in pouring down rain as well as sunshine & still gardeners everywhere with pots and plants. Enjoy, Corrine From the Pacific Northwest Garden Exchange Forum Posted by greenelephant Woodinville WA (My Page) on Fri, Sep 24, 10 at 14:20 You are invited to share in your "Autumnal Abundance" Saturday November 6, 2010, 10:00 AM to Noon Church of the Holy Cross 11526 162nd Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052 Jim Eichner host 425-223-7249 cell anytime. November is an excellent time to divide and conquer your garden: move woody plants, empty containers, divide perennials, gather seeds and store frost-tender tropicals. While we are at it, it is time to exchange and share plants and talk about the highlights of our summer gardens. Here is a link that might be useful: Green Elephant Plant Swap Details & Directions

I live outside of Atlanta and have ferns in my wooded damp backyard. I no longer cover them to protect the new growth during the late freezes that we get. They grow right back. I plant ferns anytime during the year - it doesn't seem to matter. My biggest challange is finding their favorite spots in the yard. I can plant 3 of the same ferns in different areas and one may thrive while the others eventually die out. Some varieties just don't like our soil/weather and they die out in a couple of seasons. The best luck I've had with non-native ferns is Autumn Fern. It must love our soil and weather. No matter where I plant them they grow very well they stay stately and green all winter. Good luck on your fern garden

Since Ian Barclay occasionally reads/posts to this forum and runs a nursery in WA that specializes in water-wise gardening in the PNW, I think that his perspective is important. He sells Ribes speciosum (http://desertnorthwest.com/catalog/plants_western.html), and here is his take: "Hardy to about 10 F" "It is one of the few drought-deciduous shrubs we can grow in the Northwest." "Although native to central California, IT DOES FINE IN MILDER NORTHWEST GARDENS, occasional leaf drop notwithstanding." (my emphasis) If you have a problem with me SUGGESTING Ribes speciosum for a relatively mild climate like Portland, I can't image what you think of Ian for SELLING the plant to PNW customers. Be sure to express your displeasure the next time that he posts here.

Don't forget pomegranates, but it's important to pick one of the hardier russian varieties, 'Crimson Sky', or possibly 'Parfianka' may be able to do well through the winter. Quince is another one, generally a fruit for cooking but there are a few less common varieties that are tolerably edible raw. I'm talking about Cydonia oblonga, not your more common ornamental flowering quince. The fruits are pretty fragrant when ripe. Chinese Bayberry may be a rare one for consideration. flavor and color like blackberry but both tree and fruit strongly resemble the Mediterranean strawberry tree (even though there's no relation). There's also Che fruit, which has a flavor reminiscent of watermelon and figs. How about lingonberry? It's related to cranberry but better more subtle flavor without the bitterness. There are some less common citrus that may be able to grow outside where you are, though not as good tasting as supermarket citrus and usually full of seeds. Some of these can be used to make delicious baking recipes, similar to calamondin. Would sour cherry count as exotic? There's also a cherry bush hybrid called "Carmine Jewel" with flavor like sour cherry but as sweet as regular cherry. Very cold tolerant too.