Hover Dish planters from Pot, Inc. (how excited am I?)

May 22, 2014, 8:13 am

≫ Next: Trachycarpus fortunei is my favorite plant in the garden (this week)...

The brightly colored Hover Dish hanging planters from Pot, Inc. have created quite a stir. They’re good looking and functional, two things that are surprisingly hard to find together in a hanging container, thus I’ve gushed about them repeatedly. I still can’t quite believe it but I am the lucky recipient of a Dolga pot (in limon) and a Flango pot (in nemo) courtesy of Pot, Inc…

Even though I’ve seen these in person I was a little surprised by how big they were when I unpacked them here at home. Like when you see the sofa in the furniture showroom and think “that’s about the right size” and when you get it home you realize your living room is not a furniture showroom. Clearly these were meant to hang in only one place and that was under the shade pavilion…

Perfect! The only problem is there isn’t a lot of light under there, so what to plant them up with? I chose painted ferns for the Dolga, a nice contrast with the lime green color and they’ll appreciate the bright shade. Just for fun I added a bit of Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), I picked up a whole bundle for only $5 at the pet store (meant to be used with your reptile tanks perhaps?).

Planting the Dolga was extremely easy because of the angle of the sides. I plopped a plant down in the center and then leaned others (evenly spaced) around the sides, fill it up with soil and presto!

So I'd figured neither of these would get enough sun for succulents to be successful, but watching the light move through the space I realized the Flango (in back) got substantial morning and afternoon sun.

What the heck, succulents!

I love these planters! If you’re in the Portland area I know Bob Hyland is carrying them at his shop Contained Exuberance, if you're not then Pot, Inc. does mail order. And if you’re a blogger coming to the 2014 Garden Bloggers Fling here in Portland you’ll have a chance to take one home with you as a raffle prize...

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Trachycarpus fortunei is my favorite plant in the garden (this week)...

May 23, 2014, 8:13 am

≫ Next: Mr. Big gets a new home…

≪ Previous: Hover Dish planters from Pot, Inc. (how excited am I?)

This week's favorite, my Trachycarpus fortunei, has been in the ground for 4 years, in a container for a couple before that. And why is it my favorite this week? It finally actually looks like it's becoming a palm TREE!

When we first moved to Portland, and I started to notice palms around town, their hairy trunks were a little off-putting.

But as I've become accustomed to the shag it seems perfectly natural, especially in the winter when it looks like they're wearing a warm sweater. For those who don't like the look you can strip them, as shown in this post from Mark & Gaz at Alternative Eden.

We planted our palm to mirror the one our neighbor John planted against his house...

Of course that was years ago and that palm (John no longer lives there) is now over the roof...

This is my only Trachycarpus fortunei, although I have two Trachycarpus wagnerianus, one of which you see in this photo...

The stats on Trachycarpus fortunei

hardy in USDA Zones 7-11
likes sun but is okay with partial sun, not drought tolerant
evergreen and reaches an eventual height of 15' -30' (depending on who you listen to, and no doubt the climate of where it's planted)
native to to central China, south to northern Burma and northern India
flowers are yellow (male) and greenish (female), with male and female flowers produced on separate trees - my neighbors tree blooms yellow, mine has yet to bloom

That's my fav...what's looking good in your garden this week? Please tell us about it!

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Mr. Big gets a new home…

May 27, 2014, 8:06 am

≫ Next: #12

≪ Previous: Trachycarpus fortunei is my favorite plant in the garden (this week)...

Last winter I promised my oldest and largest (although it’s in danger of losing that part of its title unless it puts on some serious growth this summer) agave, Mr. Big, a new home come warmer weather. Exactly what that home would be was in question until I determined what his root system was like. He’s been in the same tall metal container since 2007, it was starting to rust out in places so I thought getting him out would be an easy matter. I was wrong. Out came the angry tools, a metal handled flat edge screw driver and a mini sledge hammer. This project became serious.

About 10 minutes into the job I heard a voice, the voice sounded a lot like Heather (the most safety conscious and prepared person I know) “I see you’re being very careful to avoid those agave spikes…”

“…but have you even considered the rusty metal edges you could cut yourself on? And when exactly was your last tetanus shot?” Yikes! All of a sudden I felt like I was earning my blog name on this project alone...

So let’s just thank Heather and say I was very careful. No blood was drawn and Mr Big (Agave americana 'Variegata') broke free.

There were a few thick pup producing growths (see the fourth photo above) but all in all his roots were pretty minimal. I potted him up in a big black plastic nursery pot and placed him inside a tall green container I scored from my friend Bridget.

I’d planned to leave this container empty, you know, because empty containers make a statement. Evidently not in my garden. Empty just wasn’t possible.

He didn't get planted directly in the container because I very much want to keep Mr. Big alive over the coming winters and the pot with in the pot will allow us to easily (relatively speaking) remove him and keep him under cover when the weather turns. Now I had to come up with a way to hide the rim of the black plastic pot…I won't be able to put up with seeing that for very long.

Andrew suggested burlap. I liked the naturalness of it, and the color goes well with the fence. Plus I have several weathered (mildewed) pieces from attempts at winter protection. I can’t say I love it, but it’s better than the black plastic and I've sense added a bit of Tillandsia usneoides too, which is odd but fun. Do you have any ideas?

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#12

May 28, 2014, 8:13 am

≫ Next: Sedum ochroleucum 'Crested Centaurus' is my favorite plant in the garden (this week)…

≪ Previous: Mr. Big gets a new home…

On March 22nd we borrowed the truck from Andrew’s employer and headed east to Burns Feed Store in Gresham, Oregon. Our mission? To purchase stock tank #12. Twelve galvanized stock tanks! We must live on acreage right? Nope our urban lot measures 45.36’ wide by 111.2’ deep.

So many choices!

However I'd done my homework and knew just how large a tank we were after, yes that's my attempt at measuring and staking out the new tank below. This was to be our new "full sun" stock-tank pond located in the former privet lands. There are so many more water plants that can grow in full sun, I'd filled the old tank with soil and was thrilled to be getting a new, larger version.

At 4 ft round this was going to be fun to fill!

Of course right now it also looked very exposed and "farm-ish"...

I may be biased but I don't think any of our other 11 tanks really scream out "tank farm!"...here's the first we bought. It helped fill the gap between our house and the neighbors garage, at the end of their driveway.

Next up where the trio next to the patio. All full of bamboo...

The tetrapanax and gunnera tanks anchor the SW corner next to the shade pavilion.

This pair is the summer veggie garden in the driveway, planted up shortly after taking this photo. They also act as the pot ghetto during the plant "buying season" here they were holding my purchases from Rare Plant Research and a couple plant gifts from a friend.

Two more tanks were added to the SE corner, behind our garage.

And finally, what I thought was our final (#11) tank on the edge of our driveway helping to hide the neighbors backyard. There had been a wall-o-photinia there but we came home one day to see he'd cut it all down. The bamboo helped to obscure a myriad of unsightly things.

But this post is supposed to be about #12, so here it is filled with water and plants...

I love this Arundo donax 'Gold', which was bought before moving Mr. Big into the green container to it's side. Their yellow and powder blue stripes compliment each other nicely.

I overwintered this umbrella palm (Cyperus involucratus)...

And recently purchased my annual Cyperus papyrus...

Another new purchase Thalia dealbata (hardy water canna).

And of course my water lily, Nymphaea 'Marliacea Chromatella' purchased at Hughes Water Gardens. We also brought home a few tadpoles from Hughes (they have a per customer limit of 6), so far I know there are still at least 3 alive. No froggies yet though...

I just had to include another close up of that Arundo.

Before I shared an image with the agave (sans the burlap surround I later added).

With other pots grouped around it I think (I hope) it looks less tank like. Okay, #12, I think that's finally the last one...

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Sedum ochroleucum 'Crested Centaurus' is my favorite plant in the garden (this week)…

May 29, 2014, 8:05 am

≫ Next: The (former) privet-lands, now…

≪ Previous: #12

I don’t normally like fasciation (or cresting) of plants, especially succulents. While some prize the odd growths that appear, they usually make my skin crawl. However (being a woman of contradictions) I adore cockscomb flowers (Celosia cristata) and still fondly remember seeing this Cryptomeria japonica 'Cristata' (Cockscomb Cryptomeria) back in 2009...

So imagine my surprise when I discovered a crested sedum!

We made an impromptu overnight trip up to Tacoma, WA, last weekend and stopped at Bark & Garden in Olympia on our way back to Portland. I discovered these little oddities tucked in with the rest of the sedum and sempervivum.

I wanted them all, but settled for two.

The most bizarre two of course...

I accidentally broke off a piece getting them out of their nursery containers. Being a sedum I’m sure it will take root and grow with ease.

There isn’t much to discover online about Sedum ochroleucum 'Crested Centaurus' and in fact most of the photos show regular (not crested) sedum.

I did learn that Sedum ochroleucum is native to Europe and Turkey, and at least one website listed it as hardy to USDA Zones 4-9. It will be interesting to watch how these grow, if the plant increases in size and stays crested, or if bits revert.

So that's my current favorite. Anything new, bizarre, or just plain fabulous in your garden this week?

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The (former) privet-lands, now…

May 30, 2014, 8:05 am

≫ Next: It's a FROG!!!

≪ Previous: Sedum ochroleucum 'Crested Centaurus' is my favorite plant in the garden (this week)…

This week's blog posts have all featured small bits of what I will always think of as “the privet-lands,” so it's high time we look at the big picture right? Yes, I think it is…but first a reminder…

The photo above was taken right before the guys showed up to remove the privet, the one below right after they completed the fence.

And here is a series of three images showing what that area looks like now, under slightly stormy (yet sunny) skies...

Did you notice the loquat I moved (and posted about here) is gone? It just kept looking worse until I finally came to terms with the fact it wasn’t going to pull through without a trip to the intensive care unit. Here’s how it was looking the day I dug it out…

I potted it up in some rich potting soil, gave it a dose of fertilizer and adopted it out to my neighbor who is keeping it watered and in the shade until it grows some new feeder roots and can once again be planted out, in her garden. Then I planted this in its spot…

It’s a Daphniphyllum macropodum v. humile and was a gift from the kind Mr. Hogan at Cistus Nursery. He’s probably wincing looking at that photo because he’d encouraged me to give it a careful pruning, but I like its crazy Dr. Seuss look! What you can’t see (but I was trying to show you in the photo below) is how blue the undersides of the leaves are.

And look at all that growth at the base just ready to explode! This plant had been their propagation plant for years (producing lots of cuttings, hence its odd shape), I hope it will be happy living out the rest of its life here in my garden.

Speaking of gifts there’s another loquat! This one came from my friend Peter (the Outlaw). It had been kicking around his garden in a nursery pot for a while and he assured me it needed to find a happy place in the soil. Don’t worry it’s not quite as close to the fence(s) as it looks in this photo…

My long suffering Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' finally has the light it wants (believe it or not it was planted under the privet in that top photo, not in this same spot though).

I couldn’t resist planting my new Acacia dealbata in front of it, the foliage combo was just too good. Its eventual size says I’m crazy but we’ll deal with that when/if it happens.

And while we’re talking crazy I planted a Paulownia tomentosa (Empress tree) too! Why? Because the words "FAST GROWER" Kept appearing when I looked it up, and after all I've got that view to hide.

How much do I love my pair of Azara microphylla? So very much...

As do I love the Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop' shared with me by Alison, and now I understand why she kept telling me I'd have more in no time...

Persicaria 'Brushstrokes'

Astelia 'Red Devil' was in the speckled container next to Mr. Big but it didn't seem happy in the container so in the ground it went.

Check out the intense new foliage on my Rhododendron 'Ebony Pearl'...

And it just gets better!

Another Persicaria, this one P. runcinata 'Purple Majesty' via Scott.

Here are a couple of plants I've previously blogged about the variegated Daphniphyllum and Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida' joined by a unknown hebe (big, green, bottom of photo).

Grevillea australis

Close-up

And a view new to me, I looked up after taking that last photo and liked what I saw.

Sean (Cistus) also made sure I had a couple of Pittosporum illicioides 'Strappy' to work in here and there. Behind the one below is an orange blooming crocosmia, from Scott. Are you getting the idea a lot of these plants came from my friends? Indeed! I am lucky to know so many generous gardeners and nursery owners.

Speaking of, a variegated ginkgo also from Peter, a gift when he first visited my garden years ago. This poor tree had been in a container on the patio, it's finally in the ground now!

The potted collection continues to evolve. L-R is Pseudopanax ferox, a new Puya coerulea var. coerulea and of course Mr. Big.

Close-up...

This is Maytenus boaria 'Green Showers'...

And this is what it will look like in a few years, with those long weeping green branches (photo taken at Cistus).

I'd threatened to put my Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea' in the ground but instead just planted it up into a larger pot and now it's hanging out behind the tank pond, leaning over and mingling with the water plants.

So all of those fabulous plants and even I can almost forget the nightmare above of the former privet-lands...the new view! I've planted the area with the goal of things growing up and hiding the view. Luckily some of the plants in the upper garden area are destined to provide screening as well.

The plant just to the right of the Yucca rostrata (Lil' Sanford) is Stachyurus salicifolius, which can reach 8ft tall...

And the other loquat (every garden needs two, right?) is just ready to explode with growth now that it's out from under the privet cover, eventual size could be 20ft tall and 15ft wide.

And besides all the new planting space there is another upside to the new view, more sky and a view of tall trees in the distance...

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It's a FROG!!!

June 1, 2014, 8:47 am

≫ Next: Learn from my mistakes #11: look up dummy...

≪ Previous: The (former) privet-lands, now…

It's a rare there's a Sunday blog post here but we've got to celebrate something fabulous. Do you see him?

I first spotted him on Friday evening, but he made a Saturday appearance as well. So far I think he's a lone amphibian (a Pacific tree frog) but I have high hopes he'll have some friends soon. I am thrilled!!!

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Learn from my mistakes #11: look up dummy...

June 2, 2014, 8:06 am

≫ Next: A return to Jungle Fever

≪ Previous: It's a FROG!!!

I searched all around the garden for the perfect spot to plant this Yucca baccata, a gift from a friend. Finally I decided it was tough enough to be the spiky accent I wanted next to the front steps. It needed to be tough because on the days we get newspaper delivery it tends to end up on the plants rather than the porch...

Funny thing though, I didn't think about what was hanging directly above it.

A thirsty container, one I try to water every other day until the water runs out of the drain hole in a steady stream.

A steady stream that waters a plant that doesn't need it, and doesn't want it. Smooth move eh?

In a reverse of sorts...bits of the Spanish moss I tucked in around the painted ferns in my hover dish planter are falling off...

And decorating the bromeliads below, that's fun.

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A return to Jungle Fever

June 3, 2014, 8:11 am

≫ Next: Lomatia tinctoria is my favorite plant in the garden, this week…

≪ Previous: Learn from my mistakes #11: look up dummy...

The day prior to Memorial Day Weekend my husband surprised me by saying “we need to go away for the holiday weekend.” An unexpected statement because I’m usually the one pushing for weekend get-a-ways. So what glamorous destination did we decide on? Maybe a nice little town on the Oregon coast? A swank resort on the Columbia River? An overnight trip Mt Hood? Nope…Tacoma, Washington, I know…we dream big. Try to contain your jealousy.

He had a not-so-secret agenda of course, used book stores. I don’t have to tell you what I decided to do with my time. First stop, Jungle Fever. My friend the Outlaw did a recent post on this fun place and since it had been a few years since I’d visited, well it was time...

I've stared at these Stachys ‘Bella Grigio’ at a couple of nurseries. I am so attracted to them but also wonder if their white-ness wouldn't be a bit too much...

Ha! Even Jungle Fever has fallen under the spell of the Digiplexis 'Illumination Flame'...

I always mean to purchase more sarracenia, I love the one I've got and should have a couple more.

I didn't let this Puya coerulea var coerulea slip through my fingers though, I couldn't since those barbs held on tight once I picked it up...(in other words it came home with me)...

That's a nice Schefflera delavayi...

A little pricey for me though (not that I need another one...).

One of the best parts of a visit to this nursery is strolling up the sidewalk and touring the owners personal garden. Sure there's a lot behind the fence that you can't see but the bits you can see are downright fabulous...

Grevillea 'Canberra Gem' perhaps?

It's a figbottle tree!

I love this so much! Bottle trees aren't usually my thing but the execution here is perfect.

All of this plant goodness is just surrounding the public sidewalk!

At first I was jealous at how good his veratrum still look (mine has browned up a bit)...

But there are a few here down for the count as well.

I think it was the last time I visited that the twin to this agave was in bloom (see that post here, all the way back in 2011!)

These super wide steps through the parking strip are my favorite hardscape element in this garden. Of course the fact they're half covered in plants makes them all the better.

Although the big boulders are pretty sweet too.

Grevillea 'Poorinda Leane' perhaps?

There could be tigers back there...

Looking back from where I came.

Those steps from the other side...

Not only did his Aloe striatula live through the winter but it's going to flower, pretty amazing! Mine is coming back from the roots, which is wonderful.

Finally we end this visit with a nice "only in the Pacific Northwest" shot, agave and fern...

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Lomatia tinctoria is my favorite plant in the garden, this week…

June 5, 2014, 8:15 am

≫ Next: Oh look...

≪ Previous: A return to Jungle Fever

Never heard of it? Neither had I, until I spotted it in my friend Peter’s garden last fall. I can’t remember exactly why it caught my attention but as soon as he said the words “hardy” and "Protea family” I knew I needed one. Luckily we were about to embark on a day long plant shopping adventure and I satisfied my plant lust that very afternoon, at Far Reaches Farm.

Here’s what Far Reaches has to say about L omatia tinctoria, who’s common name is the Guitar Plant: “Choice evergreen Tasmanian Proteaceae family member whose vaguely guitar shaped flower buds open to a wild riff of white flowers that will have you playing the air trowel. Hardy to a normal zero degrees and drought tolerant when established. Needs no fertilizer.” (not sure what a "normal" zero degrees is vs. an abnormal one?)

Later that day we visited The Desert Northwest, where they also grew my new found fav, their description: “Who draws the crowd and plays so loud, baby? It's the guitar plant! Actually, the soft, fernlike foliage alone - deep green, very finely dissected leaves with bronze new growth - could draw a crowd. But it also produces showy spikes of white or cream flowers in summer, which someone apparently thinks look like little guitars up close (but much quieter). This Tasmania endemic has been in cultivation for a while, though still very rare, and it's much hardier and easier to grow than given credit for, thriving easily on any reasonably well-drained soil in sun or part shade. Hardy to about 5 - 10 °F.”

Nobody seems to mention the scent of the flowers but when I was taking these photos it was very strong, not at all unpleasant but not something you would necessarily seek out.

I think the red stems are an especially nice bonus paired with the lacy green foliage.

As always I'm curious if a certain plant has caught your eye this week, if so please tell us about it...

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Oh look...

June 6, 2014, 8:07 am

≫ Next: More from our trip to Tacoma…

≪ Previous: Lomatia tinctoria is my favorite plant in the garden, this week…

I'm sure you all know the feeling. You're drawn into the garden because the light has hit *something* just right and caused you to pause. Last night it was the Rodgersia 'Bronze Peacock' bloom spikes (and let's be honest, the foliage too)...

But while admiring the rodgersia my eyes traveled to the Paris polyphylla...

Wow!

Turning to head back inside (dinner needed to be made) I paused to appreciate the Callistemon viridiflorus. It really is torture to have to be anywhere but in the garden this time of year...

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More from our trip to Tacoma…

June 9, 2014, 8:03 am

≫ Next: A little structure...

≪ Previous: Oh look...

After my visit to Jungle Fever I headed to Portland Avenue Nursery (no, I wasn’t home sick). I had a vague memory of visiting here years (and years and years) ago and I wanted to see what it was like now.

My visit fell on a Saturday and since I have the luxury of doing most of my nursery shopping on weekdays it’s always a shock to see families out shopping. This was the weekend for (what seemed like) all of Tacoma to be out stocking up on annuals and veggie starts. Hundreds of dollars were being rung up left and right, after this stop I hit 3 other nurseries and everywhere there were carts overflowing with colorspots and tomato starts. It was truly eye opening. But of course my eyes were aimed elsewhere…like on these amazing tree ferns!

I can’t lie, I am drawn to this foliage.

No desire for a hydrangea though.

What is it about dark foliage!?

And dark tipped leaves and blossoms? This one on a Ligularia ‘Little Rocket’…

I’ve missed my disporum blooms this year.

And I’m still thrilled when I spot a schefflera…

This one is S. brevipedunculata, $41.99.

Great combination of pittosporum and loropetalum! And it was interesting to see the Monrovia label on the pittosporum. Being sold as ‘Tasman Ruffles’…

You know of course, there is always an agave…

These were A. ‘Silver Surfer’, $21.99.

Yucca elata, someday I’m going to spring for a nice big one of these. The tiny starts I keep bringing back from New Mexico just aren’t happy.

Scarlet Torch Bottlebrush, aka Callistemon rigidus ‘RutCall’, I hope anyone who buys this realizes it’s probably not hardy here. Online it’s listed as Zone 8 but yet the tag says “benefits from winter protection in zone 8”…

One thing is for sure, it’s been well pruned (yes, that's sarcasm)...

Rhamnus frangula (Fine Line Buckthorn), I planted one of these last year and I've loved it throughout the seasons.

Someday it will be this tall!

Here's the best price I've seen yet for these container size raspberies.

These were only $27.99, still I passed. In fact I didn't buy a single thing at this nursery, a pattern I didn't repeat at my other stops.

This is my entire haul for the weekend (minus the crested sedum which I'd already planted)...

I somehow lost my Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern) over the winter, it's extremely cold hardy (Zone 2) so I'm not sure what happened. Now I have another! The dark foliage of Thalictrum 'Evening Star' makes me swoon. I do have one but managed to break off most of the new growth a couple of weeks ago, this one is going in a different (safer) spot.

And those little yellow/green leaves were just too adorable to leave behind. They belong to Meconopsis paniculata...

This group looks more like me right? The puya on the right came from Jungle Fever, on the left is a pair of Yucca desmetiana 'Blue Boy'. I've had mixed results overwintering these plants but keep trying.

Besides one of them was a double, how could I pass that up?

Finally, another double, an unlabeled agave. It has definite A. parryi characteristics but it's leaves are so petite, almost like a cross between A. parryi and Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'...

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A little structure...

June 10, 2014, 8:06 am

≫ Next: Brachyglottis greyi is my favorite plant in the garden; this week…

≪ Previous: More from our trip to Tacoma…

I've previously shared my love for extreme pruning. Not the kind where the home-owner or yard care crew decide to cut everything into cubes and lollipops because it's easy, but the kind where a little artistic talent is needed, think Pearl Fryar. Now I know this one verges on the dreaded "mushrooming" of a Japanese maple but ya gotta respect the precision of those lines...

At the same nursery (Portland Ave, in Tacoma) I discovered this treasure...

It's old! (okay not as old as me, but still...)

I want this in my garden!

This however, it gives me the creeps. I do love a Blue Atlas Cedar but not the weeping ones.

It's huge!

Inside looking out.

Nice job following the roof line...

This is a birch, and if I read the label correctly is going for a mere $459.99...

Can you imagine how fabulous it will be in a few years?

Of course the trunk needs a little love too...

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Brachyglottis greyi is my favorite plant in the garden; this week…

June 12, 2014, 8:13 am

≫ Next: The Friends of Manito Park Plant Sale, 2014

≪ Previous: A little structure...

Brachyglottis greyi, or maybe you know it as Senecio greyi, is one of those plants I’d been eyeing for years before finally making the purchase. What took me so long? The flowers are ugly!

I’d see it in the nurseries and fall hard every time for the blue/grey, spoon-shaped, felted foliage with dense, white, powdery undersides. Add the thin white outline around the edge of each leaf and wow, gotta have it! But then I’d remember the flowers. I finally came to my senses last year and realized I cut the flowers I don’t like off other plants, why not this one?

Since one of my favorite things about this plant is the underside of the leaves I got lucky with its placement. Planted next to the front steps I can see the backsides glowing even from inside the house.

Pretty fabulous no?

Pinching the plant to keep it compact and get rid of any flower buds has made for a very full little shrub.

I’ll let it grow over the summer though because last year I saw this image (source). And would really like to recreate something similar next Christmas with cuttings.

The stats:

common name Daisy Bush, native to New Zealand
broadleaf evergreen shrub, to 4-5 ft tall and 6 ft wide, although reportedly easy to keep smaller - an important feature for where I planted it!
likes sun, does well in coastal environments
cold hardy to USDA Zone 8
drought tolerant, deer resistant

So about those flowers...as usual when I decide I must have something I fall for it in a big way, I planted two Brachyglottis greyi last summer, one in a place where I don't see it up close and personal every day. It managed to flower when I wasn't paying attention, I guess they aren't that bad...

So have you ever not bought a plant because of the look of it's flowers? Do you ever cut the flowers off your plants? And of course I want to know what's looking good in your garden this week...

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The Friends of Manito Park Plant Sale, 2014

June 13, 2014, 8:13 am

≫ Next: June 2014, Garden Bloggers' Bloomday...

≪ Previous: Brachyglottis greyi is my favorite plant in the garden; this week…

I’ve written before about our trips home to Spokane, WA, in June and the Friends of Manito Park Plant Sale. Last weekend it was time once again to make the 360 mile trip to visit family and one of my favorite parks.

The Friends of Manito is a non-profit group that supports Manito Park by providing funds to improve the park. The plant sale is a huge fund raiser for them, the sale is outdoors and starts early! Open to members (which I am not) at 8am and the public at 9am. This was one of those rare years when it wasn't raining. And yes, they have shopping carts! (if you're lucky enough to score one)...

The organization behind this sale is beyond amazing. A month or so before the sale they publish (on their website) a list of the plants which will be available, divided by type (edibles, vines, shrubs, grasses, sun, shade) as well as a photo album. Naturally I'd been studying these both and had a list. Naturally that list was tossed aside when I spotted a special section devoted to specimens and extras from the conservatory which they'd decided to sell.

This was beyond amazing, look at those curls! I believe it's a slightly misshapen Agave vilmoriniana. It was just a little to wild and a little to $ for me to be seriously tempted.

These caught my eye, but the price was a little high when I consider I don't really "need" another colocasia.

But then I was awe struck. So much so I just went into acquisition mode and forgot all about taking pictures. You see there are some agaves you can (fairly) easily find in size XL and then there are those that you rarely do. At least in my experience Agave victoriae-reginae is one of the rarely-do's. And here I was face to face with one. It had to be mine! Here you are seeing it dressed for moving, Andrew packed it up really good for it's trip home, so it didn't flip over when he took curves at 80+ mph...

It is a thing of beauty.

And yes, only $45. FORTY FIVE DOLLARS! It measures 21" across and 14" tall (not counting the container, just the "above ground" part of the plant)...

Here it is unboxed and in the terracotta container it came in. I'm still deciding exactly what I want to do with it, cotainerwise.

Honestly the box Andrew packed it in is pretty great to. The banana's, the big hand holding the little hand...

But let's look at that agave again shall we?

Okay, back to Spokane...now we're taking a look at where my agave has spent the last few years of it's life. This is the Gaiser Conservatory and it's under renovation.

Thankfully you could still visit the two side wings, only the center section was closed. This is where Spokane gardeners come to dream of warmer climates, they also do a fun Christmas display.

This is the smaller twin of my new treasure.

I love hearing peoples reactions when they see this big boy. For many of them it's the first time they've seen such a grand specimen agave.

This gorgeous powder blue number is dreamy.

Although it's label had me scratching my head. I've not known Agave parrasana to have this form, I think of it looking more like this, or this.

The orange blooming Echeveria was a nice addition.

This was pure perfection! Labeled as Leuchtenbergia principis, or Prism Cactus, I've also known it as Agave Cactus. This is the nicest one I've seen.

This one caught my nephews eye (not literally). He was was rather perplexed with the collection of letters in it's name.

Back outside we glanced at the Duncan Gardens before entering the other wing of the conservatory.

I wasn't able to get the name of this crazy bloomer.

Or this fabulous Aralia (?)...

It's new growth.

Just a couple more photos, we're on the way back to the car but had to walk through the Joel E. Ferris Perennial Garden.

So lovely...

After leaving the park we stopped briefly at a favorite overlook of downtown Spokane. It's not big, or tall, but there are a lot of bricks...

And finally, one more look at my Agave victoriae-reginae. Besides being a beautiful big agave that I've wanted for years, it's extra special because it came from a horticultural haven in my hometown. A part of my past that was very important to me, I miss dearly and try to visit every time I go home...

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June 2014, Garden Bloggers' Bloomday...

June 15, 2014, 8:36 am

≫ Next: Dark and handsome, for Foliage Follow-up

≪ Previous: The Friends of Manito Park Plant Sale, 2014

I went out to photograph for this post planning to get just a few floral highlights, you know...to keep it simple. The next thing I knew I was cataloging, trying to capture each and every flower in the garden. I missed a few but here's most of what's blooming here in my NE Portland garden in June. If you want to see what blooms other bloggers are sharing from their gardens, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens, our hostess.

Alchemilla mollis, yes mostly blurry but right there in the center are a couple of in-focus flowers...

Brachyglottis greyi, this was my favorite plant in the garden last week, despite those silly flowers.

Canna, short and with no I.D., let's just call it grocery store canna...

Callistemon viridiflorus, just about finished blooming but it kept a couple for bloomday.

All three of my Callistemon ‘Woodlander's Hardy Red’survived last winter, although all had varying degrees of damage. This one's just getting started with the blooms.

This one is a little further along.

Ceanothus impressus ‘Victoria’

Cerenthe major 'purpurescens'

Curculigo crassifolia JSM

Echeveria 'Perle Von Nürnberg'

Echium russicum is just about done with the show.

As is this tiny Echium wildpretii. Just purchased this spring it decided to bloom, I wanted it to stick around and get that nice big rosette of silver foliage, ah well...

Eryngium alpinum

Eryngium giganteum, not so "giganteum" since it too decided to bloom shorty after purchase.

A new eryngium, who's name I can't remember.

Euprhorbia 'Excalibur'

Genista aetnensis

Grevillea 'Peaches and Cream'...yay! It lived through the winter and there are a ton of blooms getting ready to open.

Grevillea 'Superb', this is one I brought back from The Ruth Bancroft Garden last summer. This bloom has been open for a little over a week.

This one is just getting started.

Also from The Ruth Bancroft Garden, Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder' looking like it's thinking about blooming as well...

Lysimachia nummularia (Creeping Jenny)

The last Magnolia macrophylla bloom of the year...

Opuntia santa-rita, not quite in time for bloomday but what the heck...

Paris polyphylla - Heronswood form

Peltoboykinia watanabei

Rodgersia 'Bronze Peacock'

My first Sarracenia flower, one of a pair.

Here's the other...

Saxifraga x longifolia

Sedum 'Vera Jamison' with the spent blooms of Parahebe perfoliata...

Syneilesis aconitifolia

Verbascum olympicum

There are 17 yucca bloom spikes in the front garden, oh what a show it will be when they open! Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard'...

And plain old Yucca filamentosa.

Finally, did you know daylillys make great cut flowers? I accidentally broke this stem of an inherited (NOID) plant last week and it's been going strong and blooming away non-stop...Happy June Blooms to you!

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Dark and handsome, for Foliage Follow-up

June 16, 2014, 8:25 am

≫ Next: Wildlife Wednesday

≪ Previous: June 2014, Garden Bloggers' Bloomday...

It’s no secret I have a thing for dark foliage, I love the contrast of the dark purple, burgundy, brown or almost black leaves with the green of the garden. Last week I realized I've upped the darkness in the garden quite a bit this year, so I thought for this Foliage Follow-up (hosted by Pam at Digging) I'd give you a glimpse at the dark side of the danger garden…

Aeonium 'Silk'

Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop'

Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop'

Newly planted, Acaena purpurea. I've watched this ground cover in other gardens and decided to finally try it out for myself. (horrible photo!)

Canna 'Australia' (one of several) with Albizia julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’ visible at the top and Ricinus communis (Castor Bean) to it's right.

Another canna, perhaps Canna 'Australia' but I'm not 100% sure.

Ricinus communis (Castor Bean)

Albizia julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’

This is the year for the Cotinus ‘Royal Purple', finally! After 3 (4?) years in the ground it's finally decided to do something.

Cotinus ‘Royal Purple' with Eucomis oakhurst

Geranium maculatum 'Elizabeth Ann'

Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum 'Hindwarf'

Ophiopogon planiscapus (black mondo grass)

Pennisetum 'Vertigo'

Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Atropurpureum’

And look! It's the tiniest little black flower...

Leucadendron 'Ebony'

Rhododendron 'Ebony Pearl'

Only the new growth is dark on the Rhododendron sinogrande, but it's pretty fabulous...

Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'

Thalictrum 'Evening Star'

Yucca desmetiana 'Blue Boy'

Zingiber malaysianum 'Midnight'

A bit of a cheat, but with that dark "V" it goes so well, Persicaria runcinata 'Purple Majesty'

Okay I'm in full on cheating territory now, what the heck! Aloe dorotheae..

Aloe marlothii

And finally the dark, peeling bark of the Arctostaphylos x ‘Austin Griffiths'...

Isn't it fabulous?

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Wildlife Wednesday

June 18, 2014, 8:09 am

≫ Next: Schefflera brevipedunculata is my favorite plant in the garden; this week…

≪ Previous: Dark and handsome, for Foliage Follow-up

No doubt many of you have heard we had an unexpected visitor early one morning last week. To say it was a surprising visitor would be an understatement. You see we live in urban Portland, not in the suburbs or the outlying area. One does not expect, in an urban area, to wake up and find a bear in ones back garden, but we did. No lie.

Andrew woke to a horrible crashing in the back garden, he thought someone was back there stealing plants and containers. I woke to him standing at the bedroom window, at 3:15am, saying "you're a bear"...

In case you're having a hard time picturing it here is an artists rendering of the event. With certain artistic flourishes included, because that's what artists do...

Which brings me to a book my husband, Andrew, grew up with, a book called "Nobody listens to Andrew." In the book a little boy named Andrew tries to tell his parents, his siblings, his neighbors, anyone and everyone that there was a bear in his bed. Much like when "my" Andrew called 911 to report a bear was in his back garden and nobody believed him. "Are you sure?" they asked..."we thought he was crazy" they said...

But indeed it really was a bear. And thankfully it was a very careful bear. Not a leaf, branch or flower was damaged. And just like in the book there was a happy ending and Mr. Bear was taken away, in the book to a zoo but in our story back to the wilderness.

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden, artists rendering created by Sutter Wehmeier, book words by Elizabeth Guilfoile, illustrations by Mary Stevens. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

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Schefflera brevipedunculata is my favorite plant in the garden; this week…

June 19, 2014, 8:11 am

≫ Next: A return to the gas-station nursery...

≪ Previous: Wildlife Wednesday

Schefflera brevipedunculata is first and foremost (and obviously) a schefflera. Ya’ll know I am head over heels for the scheffleras. And while I’ve always been pleased to have this plant in my garden I’ve never been “in love” with it like I am my other schefflera. You see I fell for, and dreamed about, S. taiwaniana and S. delavayi long before they were mine. Schefflera brevipedunculata is a plant I stumbled upon one afternoon and snatched up.

Early this spring when I moved the “too big for the space” Fatsia polycarpa 'Needham's Lace' I thought long and hard about what to put in its place. Logic said it should be a mid-sized perennial, something better suited size-wise. But darn it, I had this wonderful “multi-stemmed shrub or small tree” that needed a place in the ground and I like seeing something evergreen in this spot. Something kind of large.

So here it is, and I’m loving it. The leaves are smaller than the Fatsia, so maybe even if it starts to lean out into the path it will still be okay?

Speaking of the leaves I accidentally broke off one of the two growing tips earlier this spring. On some level I knew it was like “pinching back” and it would recover.

But seeing that glorious silver new foliage fall to the ground was heart-crushing. However there is a happy ending and I now have 3 growing tips rather than two.

And the older one is going to bloom, not that their blooms are anything to write home about.

So why is this plant my favorite this week? Because as I pass by it I’ve come to really focus on, and love, the strange leaf pattern of 3 held above 5 ...

The stats on Schefflera brevipedunculata:

evergreen shrub, hardy in USDA Zones 7 thru 10
likes partial shade to full sun (although I doubt the bit about full sun)
needs regular watering
10 to 15 feet tall and wide (!!!)

Monrovia's description: From the mountains of Vietnam comes this unique multi-stemmed shrub or small tree with umbrella-like palmate leaves. Stunning tropical foliage emerges pale fawn in spring, maturing to rich deep green. Mid-summer flowers are followed by purple fruit. Adds excellent texture to the landscape. Makes a superb container plant in colder climates. Newly recognized in the Flora of China, the name of Schefflera brevipedunculata is a work in progress. A close ally to Schefflera alpiinia this unique shrub may indeed prove to be a variety of it.

Is there anything you've noticed looking especially good in your garden this week?

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A return to the gas-station nursery...

June 20, 2014, 8:08 am

≫ Next: Visiting my first open garden of the year...

≪ Previous: Schefflera brevipedunculata is my favorite plant in the garden; this week…

I first visited Judy's Enchanted Garden last April (2013, that post here) and liked what I saw. So when I found myself with a hour, or so, to kill during our recent trip to Spokane I thought I'd check it out and see what they're up to...

As I mentioned previously this garden center is located in an old gas station building.

But it's all about plants now...

To be honest I did have a bit of an agenda in checking out Judy's, I'd heard my friends at Petula were delivering to them. I was curious to see these more "edgy" plants and how they were doing in the Spokane market, I'd say pretty well.

Euphorbia flanaganii

Dyckia ‘Burgundy Ice’ and 'Nickel Silver'

Popcorn cassia, on the right. I'd never heard of this one and loved the look of it instantly. As I was putting it into my wagon Judy herself stopped to comment on what a cool plant it was, she told me to smell the foliage and then the common name made sense.

Turns out there's a lot to smell here!

Look at that sweet foliage...

Hesperaloe available in Spokane, happy days!

Such a selection of healthy plants!

Larix decidua 'Prag'

Trochodendron aralioides

Spokane is perfect for growing Portulaca...

Eupatorium capillifolium 'Elegant Feather'

Certainly everyone knows what this is, being the "it" plant of the year.

Polygala virgata 'Portola'

How did I know that's what the purple bloomer is? Because I read the San Marcos label. San Marcos plants available in Spokane, yay for that!

So here's my haul, I grabbed one of those Eupatorium, I remember it from my plant lust partner's garden and had to have one. I also got one of those small Artemisia 'Silver Brocade', it's getting awfully close to 'dusty miller' territory but hopefully I continue to like the look as it grows bigger.

The "popcorn" plant (Cassia didymobotrya) buds have started to turn the glossy black mentioned in the Annie's description. This one will most likely be an annual here in Portland unless we have a particularly mild winter.

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