Willamette Valley home to major nursery industry and farming. It was a Mecca that drew pioneers all the way across the country.

See Sunset WESTERN GARDEN BOOK or Sunset NATIONAL GARDEN BOOK for brief climate description.

Gardening is GREAT here. I don't know what USDA zone we are, but you can really grow a LOT here. Like Ron said, there are MANY nurseries here that ship all over the country. The weirdest thing you'll find is that everyone's lawn goes brown in summer because they don't water them. LOL!

As far as hole digging, it depends on where you live in Portland as to what you get. I read all the time about the "clay soil" here. I doubt it's anything like yours. Could be wrong though, I've not gardened in Virginia. I mostly have lots of rocks in my dirt. Whenever I dig holes, I get a pile of rocks, between pebble size and as big as my two fists together. Post holes are a definite PITA because of this. At least it drains well!

When are ya going to move?

Welcome, Tonya, from another fairly recent transplant! Yes, it's really USDA zone 8 here, and the gardening is fantastic. I moved from zone 5 so I've been in heaven with the much larger palette of plants available; it wonÂt be such a drastic change for you, although the climate is going to feel different. One thing that I continually have to explain to people back where I came from is that it doesn't rain here "all the time," although fall through spring can be pretty gray and wet! I happen to like it but itÂs not everyoneÂs cup of tea. Also, I was used to downpours where an inch or 3 in a day wasnÂt uncommon, along with crash-bang thunder and lightning storms; here it's more in the form of drizzle and light rain. I hardly ever hear thunder. Summers, however, are sunny and dry -- and no humidity -- I love it. SO much more pleasant than those hot, sticky days in the Midwest! Although the lack of rain in summer is a huge change for me, I'm learning what plants do well in those conditions. It's been a blast to learn so much that's new!

Have you visited here yet? Be sure to check out some of the gardens and nurseries in the area when you have time  that will give you a feel for what grows here. And the folks on the forum have been really helpful and welcoming to me, and IÂm sure will be the same to you.

Again, welcome, and have fun exploring in your new home!

I think you'll love it-- wonderful rose and lilac area, and there are species gardens that you'll enjoy. Be sure and go through some of the older districts to see what has been done in the way of rose gardens, etc.. Plenty of rocks, but manageable. Just do something cute w/all the rocks you dig up :) (Mt. Hood can be thanked for the rocks- blowing its top in years gone by, lol..)
I'm up in WA, but lived in Astoria (you MUST get out to see Astoria- just follow the river to the ocean...) and consider myself an Oregonian, having been born and lived there. Lilies, too. Go down to Brookings- that's the lily land, there. I'm excited for you!

I'm in SW Washington and have NO rocks in my yard, but people living on a ridge may have a lot. Portland may be more hilly and therefore more rocky. The cool nights in summer here make gardening quite a bit different, and also winters are very mild as long as it is raining, so I like rain in winter. You won't find as many bugs and pests here, and I think fewer fungal diseases as well. Plants that need a lot of heat won't do well here.

Tonya
You are moving to garden nirvana! Go on line or to the book store and you'll find that a large percentage of the premier specialty nurseries in the country are here; roses, hydrangeas, maples, hardy fucshias, and clematis to name a few. There is not enough time to visit them all. Depending on where you live, the soil can be a heavy clay but it is acidic and the rhodies, and azaleas love it. Lots of gardening groups, great local nurseries, and garden tours to enjoy the gardens of others.

This is The Wet Zone 8.

Check out the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon site. The plant sales in April and September are great! You will find nurseries from around Oregon and Washinton at this sale...sort of like one stop shopping..

SG

Here is a link that might be useful: HPSO

Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement. I was a little excited, but now I just can not wait to move!! I'm coming out there for a job interview/house hunt in May. It sounds fabulous. Of course all I've heard about is rain, rain, rain from everyone on the east coast. But it seems it's just kinda damp. Makes everything green! Kind of like England I think. So, if I have rocky clay and y'all have rocks, where does the fertile sandy loam live? Must be the midwest. Thanks again!

We have some similarities in background (U're from Virginia--I've lived in Richmond, Va for 2 years and more recently, in Baltimore, Md area) & am now up in Seattle area. Here's my best take:

TEMPERATURE
This is a mild climate: summer high's are usually 70's or 80's--U can usually count the # of 90% days in a summer on one (occasionally two) hands. It is not Virginia, with 4 solid months of mostly 85%+ highs spanning May to September. In the winter, U can also usually count the # of freezing nights on your fingers & toes. Normal lowest low of the winter is usually somewhere in the 20's (for me this 04-05 winter, I'd estimate my lowest-low of the winter was about 26%, although I live only six blocks from Puget Sound, so it was a little warmer than most in the area)

PRECIPITATION Forget the thunderstorms--much less thunder & lightning here. Total rainfall is about the same (35-40 inches) but here, 90% of it falls (mostly in the form of rain--very little snow) between October & May. Thus U have this "wet" season & the "dry" summer season.

SOIL Much quicker-draining--notice that U will not see "puddles" holding standing water the way U do in the East/Midwest. Soil is rockier & more gravelly. For the most part, it will be easier to dig here--but you'll hit more rocks while digging. Soil is generally acidic, which is also true in the East.

Overall, this is a much more favorable climate for most plants. Only drawback is some of your Southern favorites (hot weather vegetables like peppers, corn & tomatoes) and heat loving plants like crepe myrtles will survive, but not thrive here, at least not the way they do back East.

It is great in Oregon, gardening included. I have been here for 13 weeks now and am just harvesting my first onions. Roses are ALL doing well, very little blackspot. All other native plants are thriving. I find that it is a gardener's paradise. I moved from Huntington Beach, CA USA and the gardening there was in oil soaked soil. This is a great improvement. I love buying plants from the local fundraising organizations. I find unusual varieties and excellant prices for my budget.

Good luck with your move, the closer you get the more excited you will become. Hold your hat on!!

I was lucky, three years ago I moved my family to Vancouver, Wa. right across the water from Portland. Better schools (Evergreen Dist.), nicer communities, no state income taxes (though I do pay Oregon taxes since I currently work in Portland).

I've coined a phrase since I've come here...If you plant it, it will grow. It's absolutely amazing what grows around here. In addition to the flowers (roses and such) I also planted two apple trees, right next to two apricot trees, right next to a cherry tree!

I lived in Virginia, Charlottesville. It was OK. Nothing like being on the West Coast though!

What I miss most from my 20 years in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia are the tomatoes and corn. What I was happiest to leave behind was the humidity. Here in the PNW you can sleep at night without air conditioning during the summers, grow just about anything your heart desires and be assured that your green thumb will get such a workout that you'll wear off whatever moss might grow on it. Welcome to our part of the country!

Sue