danger garden

Some of you might remember my excitement last August when I scored an Acacia cognata Cousin Itt after the Farwest Show here in Portland. Sadly it’s never looked as good as it did the day I brought it home. It’s just not as lush and full...

In fact you could say it’s “balding”...obviously the container life is not agreeing with it.

Of course that didn’t stop me from falling in lust all over again when I saw these recently at Bauman Farms…

So fabulous!

However as I looked to the top of the display I noticed something else, another plant with that crazy “cousin itt” look. I must have been really intrigued because I didn’t take a single photo of the display. As I was reading the (less than helpful) tag Andrew walked up behind me. Turns out he’d been eyeing this one too. I give you Thuja plicata 'Whipcord'...

Awfully cute right? And best of all hardy to zone 5! From Klehm’s Song Sparrow: “Discovered in a Oregon nursery, this unusual form of the Western Red Cedar is distinguished by long, thick glossy thread-like tendrils. Slow growing, multi-branched globe shaped mound. Dark green foliage turns bronze in winter.” I’m so happy with this little guy I can almost overlook the fact that I bought a conifer (!!??!!) and that it might eventually be 5’x5.’

Of course that wasn’t the only thing I bought. How can you pass up a perfect Agave ‘sharkskin’ for only $12.99. You can’t!

That one on the left (below) with the label lying across it is now in my garden.

Andrew was also drawn to this Cupressus glabra ‘Blue Ice’ but one conifer at a time is enough for me, after all I have my reputation to consider.

I leave you with an image of these fabulous succulent plantings. Since they were in this exact spot last summer when I visited Bauman's I’m guessing they stayed right here all winter. Not bad!

It’s that time of the year here in Portland; the open garden season is in full swing! I took advantage of a (rare) open slot in the schedule and slipped out to visit a few. First stop (well actually the second, but we don’t need to talk about the first, trust me) was the garden of my friend Tamara. As you might remember she generously shared images from her Australian vacation last winter.

This is the first time I've visited her garden and I have to be honest, I have a serious crush on her house! A Mediterranean gem right here in Portland! She recently painted the front porch this fabulous charcoal color, it is so perfect with the plants.

A blue sky, white stucco...*sigh*...

The front path pavers are new too.

The garden is about 3 years old, except of course for the established trees and shrubs.

Time to check out the back garden...

Last June the garden was part of the Backyard Habitat Certification Program Tour. Every year the program sponsors a tour of about 7 gardens in the Portland metro area, all of which are certified either gold or platinum in the program. Over 200 people showed up! While this strikes fear in my heart Tamara says it "was great fun to share ideas for small urban spaces and still be a cool garden while helping out the bees and birds." (the program is a collaboration between the Audubon Society of Portland and the Columbia Land Trust). So with that experience under her belt opening for fellow Hardy Plant Society members must have been a breeze!

I heard her husband talk about laying the pavers, I love the tight pattern.

I was unable to capture the size of these Podophyllum they were huge!

Tamara practices tough love for her tender plants. They either make it or they don't.

Although she did admit to tucking a few of them up in containers against the glass doors and under the chairs when the winter weather was particularly ugly.

This beauty caught my eye.

It's a pittosporum she picked up at the Cistus Nursery tough love sale last fall.

Can you believe it? Just a buck or two, damn.

If I were going to grow Echinacea I these might be the ones.

Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Glauca' another conifer I wouldn't mind having.

This colorful shed was in one corner of the back garden.

And this fabulous green-roofed structure in the other (they're all looking at the blue shed).

The roof was just recently finished so the plants haven't had a chance to really fill in. Can you imagine how magnificent that blood grass is going to look lit by the evening light?

These blooms were already glowing.

One last look at this beautiful garden, before we....

Visit my friend JJ's garden! I've taken a zillion photos of her space so I didn't plan to take more...but that darn camera just jumped out of my handbag!

Tablescape in the front garden.

My asparagus fern is in the very same container! (great minds)

The annticipation builds as you enter the back garden...what will I discover this time?

More containers! (I think she's pulled ahead in our "contest")...

This Agave 'royal spine' came from our trek to Flora Grubb spring of 2012.

Why do mixed plantings always look good in other people's gardens but not mine?

I've always loved her garden lighting, but as I was leaving her garden I noticed it in a new light, since I've finished my galvanized dish planters...well, I simply must steal them (or at least the idea), they would be perfect in my garden!

Onward! The final garden visit of the day wasn't open to the public, it was a special perk for us Portland Garden Bloggers as Jane (MulchMaid) opened her garden just for us!

I thought I was immune to the charms of the crocosmia.

Not this one! Just look at that orange on orange coloring! Crocosmia 'Corona'...

Jane's Eucalyptus pauciflora ssp. debeuzevilli was even better than I thought it would be. Of course you can't tell from this picture...

And she has agave pets! Lot's of them, oh and a dyckia too.

The path leads to the patio off the back of the house.

She shared this combo in a "favorite plant" post a few weeks back. It's even better in person.

Zantedeschia 'Flame'...simply perfect, Jane shared that as the flower ages it changes color, getting darker and darker.

When I shared an image of my Acanthus mollis last Bloomday Jane complemented their subtle coloring. Now I know why. Her's are knock your socks off dark! Maybe because they get more sun than mine?

Pampas Grass taller than the palm!

Right about here is where I started to wonder about the transition into the Northwest Territory.

You see Jane has the most rare of things, a gardening spouse. Mr. Mulchman gardens in (as you might have guessed) the NW corner of their lot. And although he has a distinctly different style than Jane I think they've managed to make the whole work quite well.

And that's some impressive use of large river rock.

Finally we close down the afternoon with a look at a grouping on the patio. Seems Jane is an orange lover too! Thank you Tamara, JJ and Jane for letting me visit your lovely gardens.

I’ve loved the Acanthus sennii in my front garden for years now even though it never gets much more than 7” tall each season (currently it's only 4"). Earlier this spring I picked up another (a friend had asked me to be on the look-out and while grabbing her one I thought “what the heck” I probably need another one too) and wow…its gone crazy!

It’s my fav this week because I’ve been enjoying watching it react to the sun and heat to protect its tender new growth. Here’s a close up taken early in the morning.

And here’s the same plant later that afternoon.

The super dark stems are pretty cool too...

And of course I have to mention the spikes!

I wonder if mine will ever reach the proportion of the plants I saw at the Chelsea Physic Garden last September?

Here's the plant description from Cistus Nursery: A most unusual species from the highlands of Ethiopia, a shrub to 3 ft or more with silvery green leaves to about 3" wide, ruffle edged and spined, and spikes of nearly red flowers in summer and autumn. Full to part sun; medium or better drainage; and summer water in dry places. The tops are frost hardy into the low 20s °F, dying back but resprouting with vigor to at least the low teens, lower USDA zone 8, and even lower with mulch.

And the short but sweet description from Dancing Oaks Nursery: With dark green spiny leaves (perplexing to non plant addicts) and exotic vermillion red fall flowers on 4 foot stems you'll find a place for this Ethiopian native.

So I have to ask, what is your favorite plant in your garden right now?

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

I made a very quick trip (less than 24hrs) up to Seattle a couple of weeks ago, but naturally I had to squeeze in a visit to City Peoples Garden Store (thankfully the friend I was staying with lives nearby). Since I was just there a month ago I didn’t expect to buy anything, silly me. I was very tempted by these Tea Cup Taro (Colocasia esculenta ‘Tea Cup’)…

Wouldn't it be fun to watch them fill with rainwater and then tip over, pouring the water on the ground?

But instead of the Taro I picked up a Pseudopanax x 'Sabre'...

...which I’d been lusting after ever since seeing it in the “hobbit” garden at last year’s NW Flower and Garden Show.

Only hardy into the upper teens this one is a risk, but a one I’m willing to take, especially because it was a nice gallon-sized plant for only $13.99. Other times I’ve seen it in nurseries it’s been much bigger and much more expensive.

Happy score!

As I was paying for my “Exotic, evergreen shrub from New Zealand” (so says the Cistus description of this plant) I remembered the Pacific Connections Garden in the Washington Park Arboretum, which as luck would have it is conveniently located just up the street from City Peoples!

Since my visit last October I know the gardeners picked up a huge quantity of plants from Cistus. I wonder if they’ve been planted? I had to go check it out. First the Zew Zealand section...

Oh man...I want this plant SO BAD! Grevillea x gaudichaudii...

Isn't it fabulous?

No I didn't take any cuttings. Yes that would be wrong, doubly so for me since they would have just died anyway. Moving on...

Now we've wandered into the New Zealand section...

I so want my libertia to bloom, just so I can get these fabulous seeds!

That's kind of funny.

A hebe island in a sea of purple.

Back when Andrew Keys was visiting he picked up a couple of these Hebe (H. ochracea) from Cistus. I wasn't sure that I liked them but seeing them here...WOW!

Pittosporum divaricatum I believe? I love this plant.

Art?

Or a clever screening device? Sadly I didn't have time to investigate as I was late to meet up with my friend. Besides it's good to leave a little mystery for next time...

One of the best parts of gardening is observing the strange things plants do. My most recent discovery involves my Magnolia laevifolia, after the flowers faded these started to develop all over the plant…

Okay not really everywhere, just where there had been flowers. Some are double, others are single…

There are lots of pairs.

And there's a good sized cluster.

I did some investigating and couldn’t find any images, or mention, of these online. Of course what you typically see develop on a magnolia is cone shape with brightly colored seeds. Here’s what the ones on my Magnolia macrophyllia look like right now.

C lick here for a great image after the cone has dried and the orange seeds are visible. Finally I learned this isn’t a cone after all: “The fruit of the magnolia looks like a cone. Is it actually a cone or what is it? Although it may look like a cone, it is actually an aggregate fruit that is woody. This flowering structure has changed little over millions of years. Magnolias are some of the most primitive of all flowering plants, but the seeds are enclosed in the fruit during their development, and therefore they must be classified as angiosperms, not as gymnosperms-the group to which conifers belong. As the fruit matures, scale-like areas on it split apart and the seeds, covered in a red fleshy aril, are exposed as they are in gymnosperms.” (source)

Since we're looking at interesting pods and cones lets take a peek at a couple of others. The Alstroemeria isabellana is crazy with Martian eyes! The hummingbirds love the flowers on this plant, is it normal to have one, or two, buzz a plant like every fifteen minutes?

I am thrilled that my (less than a year old) Amsonia hubrichtii is producing these cool bean-like seed pods.

My friend Bridget gave me this Cardiospermum halicacabum (Heart seed/Balloon vine), I've got it growing up a dead Musa basjoo stalk and I'm so excited to see those green puffs (and eventually the heart seeds).

It's an excellent year for the Hesperaloe parviflora, I think there are 9 seed pods on 3 plants.

Even the Manfreda undulata 'Chocolate Chips' has gotten in on the action. Looks like ~~four~~ make that three (the little one fell off after I took this picture) pollinated flowers!

So back to my Magnolia laevifolia, naturally I cut one of the little berries open and discovered the outside is just a thin coating, like an M&M (a little thicker) and then inside is a pea sized green seed. I’m pretty excited to watch how they mature. Will the outside turn darker? Will they eventually crack open or fall to the ground before they open? I’ll be watching. This stuff is better than TV…

Once high summer rolls around there are a few Monday evening open gardens through the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon. I love taking advantage of these later visiting hours, after all a warm summer evening is my favorite time to relax in my garden, it's nice to see what other people's gardens are like in that "magical hour." Of course on the downside the lighting in photographs can be funky, especially on a tree lined street like the one this home is on...

The side yard was a little sunnier. Natually I wanted to kick back in one of those chairs and hope someone would bring me a cocktail.

Such happy healthy plants!

I'm no good with the artful empty pot thing. I'll always end up sticking a plant in there!

I assume this is a blooming Veratrum nigrum...

Mine hasn't bloomed yet, it was nice to get a preview.

A cleverly hidden work area is behind that art glass...

This seating area (starting with that container above) is in what must have been a driveway in it's former life. You'd never know it now.

This water feature was very stylish in "real-life" I'm afraid my photo isn't doing it justice.

Orange, everyone loves orange (or so it seems)...

I should have asked someone to stand next to that astelia, it was the largest one I've ever seen. No way that has just been in the ground a couple of years so it must have lived through the the PKW's (phormium (and astelia) killing winters). I should have asked the garden/home owner but there was another visitor bending her ear.

Any guesses on the tree? An Albizia julibrissin and there wasn't a speck of bloom litter underneath (that I saw)...

So in this shot I'm leaving the garden we just visited and heading next door. These were side-by-side open gardens, how wonderful to have a neighbor who takes gardening as seriously as you do!

In front of the second garden, looking backwards down the path towards the first...

Huge podophyllum, I really need to move mine.

Yes it was as soft as it looks. Anyone know what it is?

Those translucent panels did an excelletn job of obscuring the "other" neighbors front yard as I swung around the house on the path towards the back garden.

Looks like the leaves on her Rhododendron sinogrande suffered a little scorching like mine did. It's tough on plants to go from cloudy, rainy and 70 degrees to sunny and 97 in just a couple of days time!

The light was making it hard to photograph (plus there were several people in the garden) but there are small bits of colored glass mixed in with the gravel here...

I rarely see the green Castor Bean, everyone seems to prefer the purple leafed plants.

I imagine youthful visitors to this garden enjoy playing with this mosaic.

That's a Schefflera delavayi in the middle, recently planted in the ground but having survived a brutal winter or two in a container.

This is the magnificent "gate" between the two back yards (the previous one with the huge astelia and the Albizia julibrissin and this one). I like how friendly, yet also private, it is.

Hey what's that in the container? Yep a Pseudopanax x 'Sabre'...

Nice!

This covered seating area came off the back of the house...

And there was a second seating area off another part of the house. This character was hanging out on an end table.

Back out front ready to leave I snapped a shot of the seating area on top of the garage. No space wasted!

En-route home I stopped at one other garden and was happy to see this Twisty Baby Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia 'Lace Lady'). It's a favorite of mine ever since I first spotted it at the Seattle Garden Bloggers Fling in 2011.

The use of groundcovers in this garden was fabulous! This is more Leptinella x 'Platt's Black' than I've ever seen in a single place.

I can't remember which ~~Leptospermum~~ Ozothamnus 'Sussex SIlver' (thanks Matthew and Max) this was but I wanted to take it home with me!

Leaving that open garden I glanced across the street and had to go take a closer look....

Spikes in the hell strip...

And on the other side bamboo and abutilon...

Dang we've got a lot of gardeners here in Portland!

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Since returning home from San Francisco and the Garden Bloggers Fling it’s felt like we’re running a bed and breakfast, one guest after another for the entire month! Not that I’m complaining, as these are all friends and family here to visit and enjoy Portland’s amazing summer weather.

So what does this little tidbit have to do with “my favorite plant?” Well when I was making up the guest bed for the third time I found myself focusing on the Sansevieria cylindrica sitting on the nightstand. It has been ages since I really looked at it, poor thing. I guess it had mentally become furniture after moved it downstairs, out of the way of our Christmas tree about three years ago, and then forgot about it.

Yes three years! Three years in the basement with very little light, practically no water. I mean surely I’ve watered it at some point in those three years? (I did water it right after taking these pictures) Doesn’t it look amazing all things considered? Sure the leaves look a little deflated and it’s rather “splayed” (a sign of not enough light) but it’s still alive…

In better days, when it was in front of a window in the living room, it bloomed. I remember the flower as being very fragrant at night.

So yes, I am blogging about a houseplant, in the summertime when there are plenty of other plants to focus on; I think this one deserves a little praise. There’s a reason sansevieria are in offices and malls all over the world, they’re tough!

The stats:

Hails from Angola where it can reach 3-4 ft tall and 2-3 ft wide
Hardy in zones 10a-11
Prefers cool sun/light shade
Needs little water. According to San Marcos Growers: “This plant can go weeks between watering (3 week irrigation intervals are suggested); the one thing that usually kills a Sansevieria is overwatering.” (something I definitely haven't done!)

And yes I really did just put pictures of our cheesy basement "guest corner" on the internet, evidently I have no shame...

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

I started this series to document how my agaves, and other succulents, planted in the ground (as opposed to those in containers) were doing here in “wet” Portland, Oregon. “Wet” is in quotes because we are anything but right now, having only seen a trace of rain since June 27th. For those of you who don’t know this is typical for us, summer’s are warm and dry (some would say hot, some would laugh) and winters are cool and wet.

My last “agave report” was made December 27th and things were looking good. The rest of the winter was unremarkable for the most part, and I kind of forgot to do a spring follow-up. Now it’s August! My dad was right when he said time goes faster the older you get. Shown above and below is my oldest "in ground" agave, Agave americana. It was planted the summer of 2010, are those of you in the desert laughing? Can you imagine how big this guy would be if it had been in the ground in in the SW United States for 3 years?

Agave ovatifolia, also smaller than you would think after a couple of years in the ground. I believe the stunted growth can be blamed on a lack of water during the summer months, when these plants are actively growing. What can I say, I'm kinda stingy with the water!

This one has been identified by an reader as A. lechuguilla. I'm still not 100% on board with that ID but whatever it is, it's looking good. The Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis (Cow’s Tongue Prickly Pear) behind it finally grew a new pad this year too.

Here's the southeast corner of the front garden, next to the driveway. These Agave americana have been in the ground since spring of 2011. The smaller one on the right almost died the winter of 2011/12, it's making a slow recovery.

While I would be thrilled to see these explode with growth I'm also happy they're not out-growing their space and poking people walking down the sidewalk.

They certainly aren't lacking drama...

This Echinocereus triglochidiatus v. gonacanthus hybrid sailed through last winter. I thought the babies at it's base would be bigger by now though.

Maihuenia poeppigii

A pair of Echinocereus triglochidiatus new this spring.

Opuntia x rutila in the front with Opunita basilaris ‘Sara’s Compact’ behind.

Agve bracteosa

The new (this year) Puya chilensis backed by an NOID (full of buds!) opuntia.

Agave americana var. protoamericana, part of the agave rescue this one just went in the ground this spring.

More A. bracteosa (there are several)...

My oldest A. parryi 'JC Raulston' (planted spring 2011) which has produced several pups I've been able to share with friends. You can see another on the right.

I kept meaning to take a picture of the curling bark on my Arctostaphylos x ‘Austin Griffiths' but never did. Earlier in the summer every branch had curls.

I added 2 more 'JC Raulston' this year, thanks to a "buy one get one" sale. Here's one...

And the other...

This one is older, having been in the ground since spring 2012.

I wanted to empty a couple containers of less than stellar agaves so another trio of A. americana went in the ground this year too, so far so good.

A. ovatifolia twins with another A. americana in the front.

This little Agave montana has got to be the runt of the bunch, barely haven grown at all.

I think every bit of water it should get is sucked up by the tetrapanax behind it, of course it shades the poor guy too.

This is one of the newly planted (when the rhody came out) Agave ovatifolia along with it's friend the Manfreda ‘Macho Mocha.'

The second A. ovatifolia

Unknown Cylindropuntia from my visit to Hillside Botanical Garden.

It had a little issue last January with rotting on the tip, but the new growth seems to say everything is okay now.

This one also came from Hillside Botanical Garden, doesn't it look like one of those ridiculous parking lot blow-up guys with the waving arms?

This was supposed to be a photo of multiple agave and aloe pups, you'll have to look close.

Agave americana 'NoPo'

This one came from the Cistus Nursery tough love sale last fall, no tag. Any guesses?

This photo is deceiving as the A. weberi is about 3ft accross. It's being over-taken by ginger mint which I thought I'd eradicated from the container before the agave went in. Oh and the reason this one is included in the report is because this container is too big to move so he stays right here, in the driveway veggie garden year round.

Aren't those the most amazing spikes?

Now we're in the back yard. These guys have been dug in prior winters but I think I might leave them this year. We'll see.

Here's the newest agave planting which just went in last June. Everything seems pretty happy so far.

The group next to the patio stairs is being overtaken by zealous Dragon's Blood Stonecrop.

Since winter seems to be the best time to cut back the stonecrop, when it looses it's leaves, I think I'll let them battle it out until then.

And here's the other planting next to the patio, at the north end.

The A. gentryi ‘Jaws’ is going crazy! (that's a good thing).

Finally here's my A. attenuata 'Ray of Light' getting to vacation in the ground for the summer. It was down to just 3 leaves and not looking good this spring, I figured it would enjoy a stretch in the soil. Since it's very much not hardy (melting in the low 30's) it will have to be dug before winter (which thankfully still seems so far away!).

Oh wait one more! Check out this tiny seedling, the smallest cactus in my garden...

Those rocks are 3/4-1" across so that gives you an idea just how tiny he is. I'm guessing it might be an Opuntia humifusa since they've bloomed and set fruit fairly close. It makes me very happy to think my garden is worthy of cactus seedlings!

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Last week at this time I was strolling the beach at Lincoln City, Oregon. My family converged in Portland and then we all made the trek to the coast where we celebrated my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. The weather gods were good to us as we had moody skies...

Sunny skies...

And just enough wind to fly a kite...

Uncle Andrew helped the nephew build the requisite sand castle...

While the plant nut (that would be be) wandered the beach in awe of the aquatic plants and animals washed ashore. I know beach shots are horribly cliche but I can't resist, I was mesmerized,

I think this is called Rockweed.

And this is Feather Boa Kelp.

Sea Palm

Did you spot the lady bug in this shot?

Eventually we tore ourselves away from the beach and headed down to Newport, OR. First stop, a light house.

With some dangerous looking white rocks just beyond.

You probably figured out why they are white?

Ah yes, someone in the Parks Dept thinks they're pretty clever...

Our next stop, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, which had nice plantings and a stream leading up to the entrance.

We're you wondering what that sign said?

I love Sea Anemone and couldn't help thinking about how fabulous they'd be in a water feature in my garden.

Which would only be made fabulouser by the addition of Sea Stars!

Thanks for tagging along on my high-summer beach vacation!

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

Back in March when this Clematis tibetana var. vernayi (my second attempt at growing it, after the first failed miserably) went in the ground I flirted with the idea of adding another. The goal was for it to clamber up and about the pair of metal trellis I had put in place to visually obscure the patio from the entrance to the garden. Never one for a great deal of patience I wanted instant impact.

Thankfully I’d seen this same clematis overtake an entire fence in my friend Scott’s garden and I was able to find the strength to resist the temptation. Instead I added an annual vine on the second trellis (Tropaeolum peregrinum) and hoped for the best. I was not disappointed!

Late July and the clematis had covered the first trellis and jumped over to the second. I tore out the Tropaeolum and started weaving the clematis down through the squares.

This is the tricky angle, the jump from trellis to trellis is about a foot and a half. I'm aware of how scraggly this could look if I don't keep a careful eye on things.

Of course while the foliage is nice the lemon-peel blooms are what I love about this plant.

Actually I should admit there is another vine, Ipomoea multifida, mixed in. I really didn't intend to plant a third but when I saw this one at a nursery I grabbed it, having grown it years ago, I loved the foliage. The clematis had the last laugh though, swallowing it up and only letting the scarlet flowers be seen.

The stats on the clematis:

perennial vine/climber to 10ft high
hardy in zones 7b - 10b
prefers dappled shade to full sun and well drained soil with average water needs

My path to success with this plant has been a long one. I owe a special thanks to Sean Hogan of Cistus Nursery for gifting me this plant not once, twice, but three times. The first time I planted it but it never came back from it's winter nap. Having heard of this unfortunate turn, and knowing how much I loved it, he brought home a second plant from the nursery with the intention of giving it to me during a party at his house. Unfortunately another guest thought it was for him and made off with it. Third time was the charm though as he made sure this one made it's way to me...however as luck would have it that was right before I left town for a visit to London. Not wanting the nursery container to dry out in our September heat it went on a field trip to my friend Patricia's house for safe keeping while I was away. The long and winding road comes to a happy end here.

One of the gardens I was really hoping to see during the 2011 Seattle Garden Bloggers Fling was the Elizabeth Miller Botanic Garden. At the time I didn’t realize they require reservations, reservations that typically “sell out” the same day they are made available. Only 500 visitors a year are allowed access to the garden, and no tour buses thank you very much.

Why is it so hard to see the Miller Garden? It’s located in an exclusive gated community north of Seattle. As you might imagine the neighbors aren’t thrilled with the idea of garden tourists overrunning their well paid for peace and quiet.

The garden is the creation of Betty Miller (who passed away in 1994). The Millers moved into The Highlands in 1949, their lot occupies 5-acres and runs all the way to the Puget Sound. The Highlands was an Olmstead designed project and the first gated community on the West Coast. All reports are Betty Miller planted with zeal, not caring if the million dollar view was obliterated, the garden has a strong framework of native plants, and not your typical ones.

The tour on which I was finally able to visit the Miller Garden was arranged by the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon (HPSO), Richie Steffen (curator at the Miller Garden) kindly agreed to take a dozen HSPO members through the garden. So on a cloudy Wednesday morning in July (during the tour titled ‘Rare and Choice Plants of the Miller Garden’) Richie charmed us all with tales of the garden, it’s creator and of course the plants!

One of my favorite stories was of the rivalry between Betty and a friend. They were always in competition to see who could have the newest, rarest, most desirable plant in their garden. Afternoon tea parties became an opportunity to show off their latest acquisition. I believe that friend was Ione Chase, of the Chase Garden, however I am relaying on a foggy (month old) memory and poorly scribbled notes so I could be wrong.

I do remember however that Richie credited Betty with the introduction of my beloved Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass) to the United States. Thank you Betty!

What follows are my (greatly whittled down) 40 photos from the area around the house and woodland garden behind. Tomorrow I’ll share an even larger group of photos taken on the sunnier west side of the house facing the Puget Sound. Sadly I won’t have plant i.d. on every beautiful specimen. If I don’t mention a name and you’re curious please ask in the comments and I’ll try to track it down.

Here Richie is pointing out the beautiful (and late, in July!) bloom on a Rhododendron glanduliferum.

Betty Miller desperately wanted a stone driveway from the main road down to the house but once the bids came in it was deemed too expensive and regular old asphalt was used. However anytime a pothole developed the maintenance guy was instructed to dig it out large enough that stones could be used for a patch.

If my notes are correct that is a Blechnum novae-zelandiae (fern) next to a fabulous rhody ("teddy bear" is the only name I can seem to find for it).

This is the largest Rhododendron stenopetalum 'Linearifolium' (Spider Azalea) I have ever seen. It was breathtaking.

I've forgotten what tree Richie said these huge cones came from, aren't they amazing?

Woodwardia unigemmata

Serious plant lust...

And of course every amazing garden has to have a drool worthy stand of Impatiens omeiana...

Finally we end this part of the visit with a plant in a container up near the house. It was one of the first plants I noticed when I arrived and I hadn't recalled ever seeing it before. I fell hard and fast. I asked Richie about it and he confirmed it was a ginger (Zingiber malayensis). He even mentioned where he'd bought it, just up the street. Sadly I didn't have time to visit that nursery but managed to locate one in Portland the week after I got home. Thank god, this one could have caused me sleepless nights.

Tomorrow we return to the Miller Garden and visit the sunnier west side of the garden...

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. If this post appears anywhere but danger garden it has been reposted without permission.

Yesterday we started our tour of the Miller Garden, located just north of Seattle. Today we continue the adventure starting out in the small parking area and then wandering down towards the Puget Sound.

Any notion I had that this wouldn't be a garden for me was instantly dispelled when I saw this yucca, isn't it hot?

And these sexy Arctostaphylos remains. I believe this was once an A. 'Howard McMinn'...while I certainly don't want any of my Arctostaphylos to pass on it's not so bad to be left with this right?

This stone patio and seating area overlooks the lower garden. We'll start off down the stairs in a minute (just out of frame to the left) but first let's look around the parking area.

Do you spy the Echium (E. pininana I believe) on the left? Front and center is a huge Corokia Cotoneaster...

I wandered away from the group to snap this photo, and then I forgot to inquire what this amazing specimen might be.

Aesculus hippocastanum 'Wisselink'

I thought I'd got the name of this one (on the right) but sadly I didn't. Anybody know?

Quercus pontica with a fabulous trough.

Quercus pontica close-up.

Trough close-up.

Richie Steffen, our guide for the day, had a story about the origin of this magnificent stone container. All I can remember is it came from China.

Adenanthos sericeus (Woolly Bush)! It was blooming with it's teeny tiny little red flowers but I couldn't capture them. Thankfully my plant has since bloomed and I'll be sharing them tomorrow for Garden Bloggers Bloomday.

I think that must be another Adenanthos...

Oh my...instant plant lust! Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida'...I will find a space for this plant.

I'm thinking maybe where the Privet is now. I need one of these...

The garden even had a small collection of carnivorous plants...

And a Schefflera!

Schefflera delavayi

I believe this is Fokienia hodginsii. Richie didn't touch on it during the tour but I swooned and Fokienia hodginsii is on the handout of memorable plants.

Gotta be Wollemia nobilis

We've made our way down to the overlook. A nice large wooden deck that overlooks the Puget Sound and is filled with a potted plant collection.

What a view...

The blue foliage plant is one I really wish I would have remembered the name of.

Wow...that' a field of rodgersia!

And how I would love a greenhouse like this...wouldn't you?

And what about a propagation area? Nice huh?

Here we caught a glimpse of the neighbors house. Not quite the understated abode which the Miller's called home.

I believe the plant on the right is a heather, but I don't know which one.

So that's that and we're back at the bottom of the steps which lead up to the parking area.

I'm not wanting to leave.

Another Wollemia nobilis?

I could easily get lost here but I don't think we've come back around that far to this must be a second one.

So ends a lovely adventure. I want to again mention my visiting the Miller Garden would have never been possible if not for the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon. If you're anywhere near Portland, Oregon, you really should consider membership. After this July tour just a couple of weeks later (in August) I was able to attend a lecture by Bleddyn and Sue Wynn-Jones of Crug Farm Plants and I've visited multiple open member gardens. Next month I'll be attending a lecture by Fred Weisensee of Dancing Oaks Nursery called "Tropicalismo Lives"...(hardy plants that give a garden that tropical look). Heck I even know of people in California and Washington that are members of the HPSO...it's that good!

I say this every month but really...it's August 15th already? How is that possible? Seems like just yesterday it was barely June...once again I went out to photograph flowers thinking there wasn't much blooming and was amazed at what I found. That's the beauty of this Bloomday tradition, it makes you stop and look and take note. In roughly alphabetical order...

Aloe dorotheae, I know it's not quite yet a bloom but it's gonna be and I can celebrate that.

Abutilon hybrid 'Fairy Coral Red'

Acanthus mollis, slowing down and dropping bits but still, it counts!

Adenanthos sericeus (Coastal Woollybush), just the tiniest little flowers. I love it. Of course the Aeonium on the right almost count as flowers but no.

Chasmanthium latifolium back-lit.

Chasmanthium latifolium as it looks without drama.

Eucomis Oakhurst or is it Sparkling Burgundy? I've mixed them together and honestly lost track of what's what.

Ditto.

Grevillea juniperina ‘Lava Cascade’ starts the Grevillea show...

Grevillea juniperina ‘Molonglo’ framed by Verbascum bombyciferum 'Arctic Summer'...

Grevillea victoriae 'Murray Queen' just keeps making promises of an amazing show but isn't letting go...open open open!

Grevillea'Poorinda Leane'...this is why I love Grevillea. Look at that flower!

Hesperaloe parviflora

Hibiscus syriacus 'Red Heart'

Ipomea horsfalliae...before, during, and after.

Kniphofia, one of the Popsicle Series, don't ask me which one. Behind it are multiple blooms of Eryngium venustum.

Lobelia laxiflora. This was a random impulse buy at Garden Fever (a nursery near me). Little did I know it gets to be huge (sure the tag said that, but who reads those things?)...

Lotus berthelotii (Parrot's Beak)

Macleaya cordata flowers look like they're gonna become more than this but really not so much.

This is very exciting! I came back from the beach to discover my Musa basjoo is blooming!

It's not the most gorgeous bloom in the world but it's very exciting.

Meanwhile the Musella lasiocarpa (Chinese Yellow Banana) just keeps on unfolding layers.

Opuntia NOID - how cool are these? They start out yellow and then on the second day (and there after) are orange!

I am in love with my Salvia discolor, if we have a mild winter and it lives great, if not I'll be buying one again next year.

Sempervivum NOID

Sempervivum NOID, yet another. Look close...they remind me of the Sea Anemone I wanted to bring home from the beach, only a pink version.

And finally Verbascum bombyciferum 'Arctic Summer.' A friend who was visiting last month asked me about this plant. She wanted a name and was trying to describe it..."you know, the one that looks like sprayed foam but with yellow flowers"...

That's a wrap on this Bloomday from my garden. Click on over to our hostess Carol's site for blooms, blooms, and more blooms!

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. If this post appears anywhere but danger garden it has been reposted without permission.

For Foliage Follow-up this month I’m keeping it simple and highlighting a favorite combination in my garden. So much color and texture and none of it from flowers…

I see this scene at least 3 times a day when I return home from walking the dog, sometimes even more than that. It never fails to thrill me. Left to right is Brachyglottis greyi (used to be known as Senecio greyi), Amsonia hubrichtii, Canna x generalis 'Tropical Bronze Scarlet,'Agave ovatifolia, Yucca rostrata, Rhamnus frangula (Fine Line Buckthorn).

Want to see what foliage is thrilling other garden bloggers around the world? Pam hosts “Foliage Follow-up” on her blog Digging the 16th of every month. Click on over to her blog for links to more fabulous foliage.

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

No doubt you’ve heard the saying “sleep, creep, leap” used when referring to growth in a newly planted garden, meaning the first year the plants sleep, the second year they creep and the third year LOOK OUT cause they’re gonna leap. Combine that bit of folklore with the reputation Cotinus has as a fast grower, and my Cotinus ‘Royal Purple' should be about the size of our house by now, but it’s not. It’s been deeply sleeping for several years, and just recently showed signs of waking up. Almost overnight several long rambling arms developed, splaying this way and that.

The leaves on the new arms are larger, and darker, than the “old growth.”

New growth...

New growth...

Old growth...

And in a treat only Mother Nature could provide they’re flopping right up next to the Eucomis blooms and making a lovely color echo.

And the Cotinus and Arctostaphylos 'Austin Griffiths' are actually reaching out to touch "fingers" (okay...leaves) it’s very sweet.

Oh and that Arctostaphylos never suffered any sleeping issues, it leaped right away and I love it for that.

I should be frightened about this new development but actually I’m thrilled. I’ve been waiting for this darn plant to get a little out of control so I can cut it back hard in the spring, resulting in bigger and darker foliage.

You guys know me by now; I’m always up for a nursery visit! So while staying in Lincoln City, on the Oregon Coast, and I saw a sign for Bear Valley Nursery what else could I do? I had to visit.

It was surprisingly good. You know how we “big city folk” can get ideas about the hinterlands. I expected a lot of pansies and petunias. Maybe an exotic crocosmia or two (that area is positively infested with crocosmia), no…it was way better! Plus they had a great selection of those specific to the beach landscaping essentials, like the lashed together timbers for mounting a pair of concrete seagulls…

And who among us doesn’t need a big chunky rusted chain and some wire wheel rims?

Okay I’m being a little sarcastic but I really did think the selection was fun. Heck they even have picnic tables and phormiums…

And a planted trough which it looks like some critter might have been digging in.

Nice dyckia…

And there were even agaves! (there are always agaves if you just look hard enough)

I love helpful signage…

Oh what’s that…

Interesting,. I like it and it will look even better once it fills in.

These were labeled Yucca whipplei but I don’t think that’s what they are (growers label, not a nursery label). Perhaps actually Yucca baccata?

Nice

And yikes!!! “Snow on the Mountain” sounds so peaceful and sweet. I’d never heard of this common name, Bishops Weed is the one I know. I looked it up online and found these frightening words: “Fast growing and beautiful -- even grows under maple trees! It's hard to imagine a more versatile, yet beautiful ground cover than our Problem-Solver Snow-On-The-Mountain. Grows fast covering the ground in record time. What's more, this lovely 8-10" tall, green and white variegated beauty will grow in any soil or location -- rich or poor, wet or dry soils!” OMG...run run run as fast as you can away from this plant.

In an attempt to clear my mind I decided to try and be arty…

Oh look, bathrooms! With a planted bed pan...

I know the gunnera caught your eye but look to the far left, top shelf. We'll revisit those plants at the end of the post.

The gunnera.

And these yucca! I was very tempted. Look at that crazy variegation!

Even all white...I passed thought.

Yikes! Here's "truth in advertising" image for the wire vine (Muehlenbeckia axillaris)...

Even the poor frog is choking on the stuff!

So this...Agave 'Mateo' was what caught my eye earlier, on the top shelf.

Of course it came home with me! A hybrid of Agave bracteosa (known) and Agave lophantha (speculated) it's reportedly hardy down to 10-15F...

What's not to love with that subtle tone on tone stripe? The only other one of these I've seen was very very small. This one has presence! The moral of the story? You never know what your going to find. Thus you need to stop at every single nursery you come across.

Every summer I try and do a comprehensive photo tour of the garden. It’s great for me because it provides a record of the garden each year, and (I hope) helps you get an idea of the overall garden layout, since I tend to focus on close-ups pretty regularly. We’ll start this tour in the front garden, as though you were just stepping out of your car for a visit…

Right away your intrigued by the tetrapanax (or at least I hope you would be) and need to walk over for a closer look...

But then you come around to our driveway to see things from this angle...

Before heading back to the front to get a closer look.

That darn tetrapanax again...

And the north side of our house. I had a visitor comment recently this part of the garden feels noticeably under-planted, when compared to the other parts (which are crammed full). Yes, and it's taken great self control! I want to plant more but our houses are so close in this part of town and I'm trying to be considerate of the neighbors. They shouldn't have to fight back a jungle to get out of their car (right?).

So let's take the same path the mail man does, that's why there's such an expanse of open space here.

This is the area recetnly freed from Bishops Weed and a pair of old Pieris japonica. I am absolutely in love with the Feijoa sellowiana (Pineapple Guava) in the large container (there's another one at the far corner, which you can't see here)...

As well as this combo...

And the Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold with it's big leaves. It completely hides our a/c unit this time of year!

A final glance back over your shoulder before heading around to the south side of the house...

...and the driveway veggie garden. Right to left the containers are full of rosemary and basil, cucumbers and pole beans (lush...but not a single darn bean), and the stock tank on the far end has a trio of tomatoes.

The Agave weberi had almost disappeared under a mass of ginger-mint, but I cut it back a week or so ago.

The large black container, on the far left, also holds a tomato plant.

I'm very disappointed in my tomatoes this year. Such silly short little plants (2 out of 3 in this container). Thankfully several friends have been unloading their extra tomatoes on us so we're not going without.

Okay time to enter our private paradise, the back garden...

On your left Fatsia polycarpa 'Needham's Lace'...

On your right a "totally wrong for the spot but I'm loving it as long as it's alive" Acacia pravissima. It's grown at least 3-feet this year alone...

Let's just walk straight down to the patio, we can come back and look at the rest of the garden later.

It's tempting to head over to the shade pavilion, but since it's such an over cast day (all the better for photogrphy) let's not.

After all there's so much to see on the patio!

I was seriously considering a post called "overplanted" and shots like this would have been included. I am afraid I've got to start editing or else I'll be losing some of these!

The Gunnera (big leaves, dead center) hasn't put on a lot of growth this year, but what it has produced has managed to stay green and upright (instead of crispy brown and flopped over) so I'm thankful for that.

Ready to check out the upper garden?

Ya, that's a lot of plants crammed in a small space, I know.

The Trachycarpus fortunei is starting to look like it just might become a real palm (you know, with some height)...I hope so! (and look, the sun is starting to break through the clouds).

Those large bright green leaves to the left of the orange circle pot belong to Bocconia frutescens (Tree Poppy).

As do these fabulous little berries.

Looking towards the back of the house and the new area planted up just this spring.

Of course it's already becoming a mashed together riot of plants...and such is my garden! Thanks for coming along on the tour! (the end)

I’m afraid you’re going to be underwhelmed at this week’s favorite. Maybe a little back-story will help? This is a story of persistence and luck.

I first laid eyes on Agave americana ‘striata’ when I visited San Marcos Growers in 2009. Since it was growing in their display garden without a name (two photos below) I called it Agave ‘marmoleum’ because the random stripes on the leaves made me think of marmoleum (the new fangled version of old fashioned linoleum).

Thankfully their Randy Baldwin commented on that post and gave me the name, and my search started.

The next time I ran across it was at the Ruth Bancroft Garden in 2012. It was in their behind-the-scenes nursery, we’d been allowed back there to look at the plants and were pushing our luck trying to buy a couple. I passed on this specimen, I wanted it badly but there were other more healthy looking things calling out to me.

So after that, when I finally did end up with a Agave americana ‘striata’ in my hands I didn’t even recognize it for what it was, it looked so bad. Here it is when I bought it home last fall as part of the agave rescue…

Pretty pathetic right? And those random yellow stripes were just faintly visible. Early this spring I planted it up in a container and placed it in the driveway, near the vegetable stock tanks. I figured this was the best place for it to get a lot of heat (southern exposure, concrete, and a dark wall) and I’d remember to splash some water on it frequently, whenever I waterd the vegetables.

It has rewarded me with lots of new growth and those random yellow stripes I wanted. Now I’ll just need to decide if it goes in the ground next spring or gets potted up to a larger container.

The stats:

Reaches 6-8 ft wide and 4-6 ft tall (in the ground)
Wants full sun and is drought tolerant (and of course not moisture tolerant)
Hardy to 15-20 F
Native to Mexico

Do you have a favorite in your garden this week? Please share it in the comments below, and if you've got a blog post about it include the link so we all can find it!

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

My adopted home state kicks “fanny” as far as the horticultural industry is concerned. I believe we’re 3rd in the nation, behind California and Florida for agricultural production. Want to visit a nursery? We’ve got an amazing selection of nurseries, there’s no way one could ever hope to visit them all (I’m trying!).

So we must have a few pretty amazing botanical gardens right? Well…we do have several remarkable specialty gardens. The Chinese Garden, The Japanese Garden…those are wonderful, top notch. We also have The Leach Botanical Garden, The Bishops Close and a fabulous group of city parks and rec areas including Forest Park and the Hoyt Arboretum. But what about this place called The Oregon Garden?

According to their website The Oregon Garden is an “80-acre botanical garden, featuring more than 20 specialty gardens showcasing the diverse botanical beauty that can be found in the Willamette Valley and throughout the Pacific Northwest” (source). I last visited the Oregon Garden in 2006 and in all honesty was a little underwhelmed. It’s since under new management and 7 years has probably allowed a lot of smaller plants to mature, it was time I go back.

What did I find? The garden was impeccably maintained. We’ve had a very dry summer but the plants were still looking spring-fresh. Weeds? There weren't many. So why aren’t I gushing?

These first 7 photos were all taken outside the garden, adjacent to the parking lot

The garden feels more commercial than botanical (several of those specialty gardens within the garden are very heavily branded, more like shops within the garden - where you couldn't actually buy anything). Plus each area had its own signage and labeling which makes the garden feel disjointed.

Also, I wasn’t inspired. The most interesting area I saw (get ready for this) was the conifer garden. It presented these plants in a way that showcased them, set them apart for their features. Plants that can be so easily taken for granted as that green (or blue) backdrop for perennials were allowed to shine.

Now I don’t want to sound like I didn’t enjoy the outing, or would discourage anyone from going. Neither is true. After all the garden is full of beautiful plants, why wouldn’t you enjoy that? Heck I even found a couple of new to me plants I want to learn more about. No, I guess what I’m trying to convey is a feeling the garden is aiming to please those who are more likely to shop at a big box nursery, rather than an Oregon specialty nursery, why not aim a little higher? There are so many amazing plants we can grow here in Oregon, why not expose people to more of them and while you’re at it aim to educate with better signage and labeling?

I have to admit I did enjoy this sign stuck into a nursery pot, although it does seem a little haphazzard

Okay with that bit of constructive criticism (you are still with me right?) let’s enjoy the beautiful bounty of The Oregon Garden. Before you enter the garden there is a sales area, I liked that...although there wasn't anything I had to have.

Just outside the visitors center we stopped to eat a quick lunch from the cafe, I could critique the cafe too but this isn't a food blog. On to the plants...

First stop was the water garden.

There were flowers...

Fishes...

More flowers...

And frogs! Sadly he jumped into the water when I reached for the camera. You'll just have to trust me on the frogs.

It was interesting to eavesdrop on people as they walked up to this. Some saw the sun, others an octopus. I can't remember which it was supposed to be.

Anyone know what this vine is?

Olives! Olea europaea (Olive 'arbequina')

This is totally random but I loved it wanted to take it home and put it in my garden.

Yes I know, it's practically as big as my garden!

That's a lovely loquat...

And this! What might it be? A protea???

I haven't found much on Hakea microcarpa yet, but I'm curious and have been researching. According to Florabank it should be hardy here and this tidbit from OSU is interesting. Take a look at the flower here, nice huh? Of course the fact it was whacked back is a bit concerning...

Next stop the Drought Tolerant Garden. We approached this garden from the wrong side I'm afraid. There was outdated signage (they irrigated in 2011, what about since?)...

And labels that had obviously fallen away from their plants.

However on the upper side there were several gorgeous (and very happy plants) including this Grevillea victoriae 'Marshall Olbricht.'

Bright kniphofia, but I don't know which one.

This signage was helpful...

Calycanthus I believe...

Nice foliage combinations...

And of course who doesn't love a blooming crocosmia...

Conifer alert! We're not yet in the official conifer garden (I think this might have been the Monrovia garden) but I loved this one! Pinus strobus 'Contorta' (Contorted White Pine). Not so impressed?

Look closer...

This piece reminded me of those big rebar bougainvillea trees at The Getty Center, only of course there wasn't any bougainvillea.

So here we are in the conifer garden, this Abies concolor 'Candicans' (Colorado White Fir) was positively glowing.

So powdery...

Why would you look at that! Somebody planted some agaves (Agave havardiana) in the conifer garden! I wish I could say it was me doing some guerrilla gardening but no.