California’s Central Valley is renowned as one of America’s most productive agricultural areas, though it has been severely abused for years. What’s less known is that the Willamette Valley is a fertile area with copious natural water and rich soils, comparable to the Central Valley. It was home to famous production of vegetables, fruits and nuts, and still is. Let’s not abuse it or pave it to death, please. It’s also home to one of the densest growth of plant, shrub and tree nurseries in the world. The Oregon Association of Nurseries is a group formed of fiercely independent plant growers, many operating on less than 5 acres. For Unilocalers, their famous and free online resource is the Nursery Guide, a huge database of over 5,200 plants grown by over 400 growers, primarily within driving distance in the Willamette Valley. You can also get a hardcopy for $ 14. See . It helps to look up the Latin name first and search on that. Latin names can be found online and in books, like the bible: The Western Garden Book. Everyone planting more than a garden should have one and the used ones are not really out of date. They also have other exciting offerings like Digger Magazine and the Forklift Training Program on DVD. Many of the nurseries are wholesale, but if you sound like a landscape contractor, phone ahead to make an appointment, show up with a pickup, not a SUV, and in boots, you can probably buy from them, especially with cash. Keep in mind there is no money back guarantee on wholesale plants.