Beautiful semps you have there Tim, of course why wouldn't they be coming from PO. They have amazing plants.
I'm not sure about your Canby, OR soil, here in Dallas, OR we have a lot of clay. The fact that your beds are raise is a real bonus in this part of the country. I would definitely mulch with the gravel, under all the leaves and the bare ground. For us Oregonians we need to keep the leaves from laying on the wet winter soil.
If you pour a pitcher of water in one spot, how long does it take it to disapear? Try that with the soil already wet, if the pitcher of water disappears right away you should be good to go.
Looking forward to meeting you in person this coming Saturday in Rickreal.
