Win a $40 gift certificate to Joy Creek Nursery! JCN opens for the 2017 season this Saturday, February 25. (They do mail order, too.) But first, a visit to this amazing nursery in Scappoose, Oregon, 20 miles northwest of Portland.

I was invited to Joy Creek recently, along with some of my garden blogger friends, by co-owners Maurice Horn and Mike Smith. Tamara Paulat and Ricki Grady had a delicious spread waiting for us.

Mike took us on a tour of the display gardens. Joy Creek Nursery has incredible display gardens, though this past winter has been rough on them. The most spectacular event was a storm that was predicted to drop 4 to 6 inches of snow. Mike said it dropped 18 inches of the white stuff.

He showed us plants that had been damaged, evaluated the damage, and explained his plan of action.