The Garden Conservancy Tour 2014, garden #2

July 28, 2014, 8:13 am

≫ Next: From Pomarius to Bella Madrona, my photos from the Garden Bloggers Fling…

≪ Previous: Ricinus communis, it’s highly toxic and my favorite plant in the garden, this week…

This was officially the third garden on the tour, but the second I visited. Called the Manzanita Garden it was instantly my favorite.

Looking back now my favorite would actually consist of parts of this garden along with pieces from 2 others I visited later in the day. Still this garden was way up there on the amazo-meter...

These photos (above and below) were all taken on the public sidewalk...

The owners (Marina Wynton & Mike Pajunas) proudly display their collection of Portland PC garden signage. Do I sound a little snarky? Maybe just a bit. I'm all for each one of the practices shared here and do appreciate the idea the signs might cause a passer by to stop and read, and consider what they're all about. Still it's a little much for me...

This is the driveway, how about that sedum (and?) center strip...love it!

Here's what the tour program has to say: "Our gardens are a reflection of our deep appreciation for nature, art and home. We started designing and building the gardens together seven years ago, early in our relationship and they are a true collaboration. We have native hedge rows as well as mixed planting beds of native and non-natives, an eco-roof on the tool/garden shed, a rain garden, pollinator pathway plantings in the parking strip, permeable pathways, sculpture, vertical gardens, curvy steel-edged vegetable beds, a guest house and outdoor rooms all on a smaller than average city lot. The gardens are designed to please us and our neighbors, create habitat to attract insects and birds and have living spaces that are enjoyed all year round. We’re constantly tinkering with the planting beds, seeking ways to get more winter structure and color, how to fit in a few more perennials and edibles and always with an eye out for that just-right piece of art work for a certain spot. The mason bee box is in the wrong place...compost is on the way...We’re finding that just when we think we’re done, we each get new ideas that keep us refining and creating."

Just how small is this "smaller than average city lot?" Well it took a little hunting but it looks like the lot measures 55 ft wide x 87.6 ft deep, standard for Portland is 50 x 100 so indeed they're missing a few precious feet.

You'd never know it by walking the garden. Sure it's small but they've packed in so much!

Love the curvy veggie beds.

And baby heads.

See those twisty dark bars? Looks like a metal sculpture right?

Nope, that would be one of the namesake manzanita of this garden. I need to get serious about pruning mine to show off those legs and arms!

This bench was hidden from the rest of the garden. On a pathway...

That leads...

To...

This!

More than a few of us contemplated moving in.

The view out the window.

Do you see the tiny Buddha?

The chunky table and benches look so perfect in the spot. I suspect they were built by the owners.

I heard others marveling at placing a chair on such a tiny patio. Why not?

You know, say it with me..."if you look hard enough there's always an agave..."

The driveway and insect hotel were on the west side of the house, this is the east side.

At first I thought the bent boards were just warped. However upon further investigation I do believe it's an artistic flourish.

Love the planted roof on the storage extension, and REALLY love the gutter and downspout.

The front garden...

Yep, this one was pretty amazing...

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From Pomarius to Bella Madrona, my photos from the Garden Bloggers Fling…

July 29, 2014, 8:16 am

≫ Next: Nice green roof!

≪ Previous: The Garden Conservancy Tour 2014, garden #2

The fact I had already visited (and posted about) the gardens and nurseries on the 2014 Garden Bloggers Fling (as well as being one of the organizers), kept my camera from getting a real workout that weekend. An exception to this however was our first night at Pomarius Nursery. I arrived early to help Heather get things ready (not that she needed it) and as I walked into the nursery such a wave of happiness and excitement washed over me…

Here we were, with a gorgeous blue sky and a most beautiful nursery opening its doors to us…a magical evening was ahead! In just minutes I was going to be reunited with old friends I hadn’t seen for a year or more, and meet new ones for the first time, the first time face to face at least.

If you’re near Portland and haven’t been to Pomarius Nursery what are you waiting for!? This place is simply magical. I couldn’t help but run around snapping photos of the gorgeous surroundings…

Going into the weekend the one blogging goal I had was to photograph as many of the people as I could. Usually on a garden tour your aim is to not get people in the photo, those pesky humans who detract from the beauty of the garden. But the people are the reason for this event! Here are fellow Portlander’s Kate and Ann.

Sadly that is the only people photo I took at Pomarius. I just got all wrapped in chatting and meeting and didn’t pick up my camera the rest of the night. If you want to see a couple fun time-lapse videos of the bloggers night at Pomarius visit their Facebook page.

Fortunately I was in slightly better form the next day, here we are at Portland’s Lan Su Chinese Garden, that's Peter (The Outlaw Gardener, on the left) and Alan (It's Not Work It's Gardening!, on the right). The couple with their backs to me were not part of our group.

And now at Cistus Nursery, that’s Mark (left) and Gaz (right) of Alternative Eden fame.

They’re listening to Gerhard (Succulents and More) and Denise (A Growing Obsession) talk about her plant discoveries.

Here we have the sassy (that’s a compliment) Mary Ann (Gardens of the Wild Wild West) checking her phone and the always charming Heather (Just a Girl with a Hammer).

Inside the nursery there's Cistus owner Sean Hogan chatting with Lisa (Descubriendo hojas/Discovering leaves) who came all the way from Spain!

What do you suppose Darcy (Bloomtown Gardens, on the left) and Cindy (From My Corner of Katy) are doing? Photographing plants of course!

Jane (Mulchmaid), Scott (Rhone Street Gardens) and Vanessa (Garden Chirps)...

Left to right...Vicki (Playin' Outside), Victoria (with her back to me, Tales from Awkward Hill), Amy (Get Busy Gardening), and Helen (Toronto Gardens).

From L.A. where she's the genius behind Potted, Annette.

Okay Toto we're not at Cistus anymore, we've jumped ahead to Old Germantown Gardens (the one garden I will be posting about, eventually) and here's Mary Ann again. See what I mean about sassy, those glasses say sass.

At the Ernst/Fuller Gardens here's Kylee (Our Little Acre)...

And the owners/gardeners at Rhone Street Gardens...Norm, Scott and Boots.

And here we are, the final stop on the Fling, Bella Madrona. Surely everyone recognizes the god-mother of the Fling, Pam (Digging)...

Too many to name, all enjoying tasty treats...

And this one! Caper, one of the adorable pair of pugs who call the garden of Sampson and Beasley home. Together with Olive (the black pug) they entertained us all. Here, after rooting around in my bag for a good long time, he finally found the cookie I'd stashed from my sack lunch earlier in the day (thanks to Heather for the photo). I thought about hiding both pugs in my bag when it was time to leave, you don't know how tempted I was...

Okay just two more shots. After the Fling wrapped up I got to spend a bonus day with Gerhard, Mark and Gaz. Of course we returned to Cistus for plant shopping! Silly me should have waited to take a photo after the wagon was full (because you know it was)...

Thanks for making the trip to Portland everyone, I hope to see all of you (and many others) in Toronto, Canada next year!

If you’re curious I posted more on Pomarius Nursery here (a visit from 2011) and Bella Madrona (The Garden of Sampson and Beasley) here. There are many many posts about my visits to Cistus, here's the most recent. All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

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Nice green roof!

July 30, 2014, 8:03 am

≫ Next: Visiting Old German Town Gardens (finally)...

≪ Previous: From Pomarius to Bella Madrona, my photos from the Garden Bloggers Fling…

Portland is known as a green city. Both for our environmental practices as well as our rain-fueled, mossy-green, garden culture. Turns out we've also got some pretty fabulous green roofs...

What you don't see it? Look a little closer...

Nice...

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Visiting Old German Town Gardens (finally)...

July 31, 2014, 8:17 am

≫ Next: Silver falls fails, go for the licorice…

≪ Previous: Nice green roof!

This is a garden I've heard many stories about, but had never actually visited. Seems every time they open for Hardy Plant Society of Oregon members I'm out of town. When the GB Fling planning committee visited last summer to qualify the garden as one we wanted to include I was off celebrating my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary. So finally the Friday of the Fling I was here!...

I'd anticipated this vista, and knew the garden was huge, but reality far exceeded my expectations.

Also, I need to mention this garden isn't tended by a huge staff, it's all the work of the owners; Bruce and Jerry. Two very talented and hard working gardeners (rumor has it Jerry makes a mean batch of cookies too, I've still yet to experience that part of the visit...).

They've obviously perfected the art of the well placed container...

My memory is a little hazy (I did have to hurry through the garden) but I believe there is a series of small, shady ponds.

And then you're back out in the bright sunlight...

And just like that right back into the deep shade.

There were tall sentinels, both natural...

And man-made...

A lovely crimson blush.

And HUGE schefflera leaves.

In too dark of shade to get a great shot of the entire plant.

Oh, back out into the light...

Thirsty? I love the rock tucked in just so to keep the water flowing.

Now we're approaching my favorite part of the garden, the steep hillside climbing back up to the house level...

Annette up on the patio with a sea of agaves below.

The conifer next to the Yucca rostrata has an exotic protea family-like look about it, don't you think?

Up on the patio a tall, tall, tall, tetrapanax tops out next to a low wall.

Once upon a time blooming phormium were everywhere in Portland. Not so much these days (cold winters) so seeing these twisty seed pods was extra special.

Then I turned just a bit to my right and POW!

Looking back down to where I had been...

There was a green house too!

And finally before leaving I tucked into the house (cookies were just going into the oven) and back out on the deck to look down on another monster tetrapanax...

What a new way of seeing a beloved plant!

A better sense of the area below the patio and even the greenhouse (on the far right)...

This garden is truly breathtaking. There is something for everyone here and it's all magical. I am thrilled to finally have seen it!

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Silver falls fails, go for the licorice…

August 1, 2014, 8:11 am

≫ Next: The Portland Garden Conservancy Tour 2014, I'm all out of order now...

≪ Previous: Visiting Old German Town Gardens (finally)...

Last April I shared my idea for filling in new (winter death caused) gaps in the front garden plantings. I needed something to bind the smaller plants together while I waited for the Blue Pacific Shore Junipers to grow and be the glue. My solution = annuals. I bought several Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls' (silver pony foot) and Helichrysum petiolare (licorice plant), 5 of each. Photo taken the day I planted…

I decided the silver sheen and smaller leaves of the dichondra would look best in the open area around the agaves, optunia and cylindropuntia. Which meant the larger “felty” leaves of the licorice plant were destined for the upper areas along the house and sidewalk.

I made the wrong decision. Can you even spot the dichondra?

‘Silver Falls’ has failed in a big way.

It’s just sitting there, not doing a thing.

Seemingly not changed a bit since the day I planted it 3 and a half months ago!

Whereas the licorice plant has gone a little crazy.

Growing up and out and canoodling with its neighbors.

Obviously a better choice for my situation. However the title of this post is a little misleading, because when planted correctly ‘Silver Falls’ is a huge success…

The key evidently is that it needs to fall, gravity helps, this plant is not a great creeper.

So I’m calling the hanging Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls' my favorite plant in the garden this week and sharing the stats:

grown as a perennial in USDA Zones 9-11, a fast growing annual in the colder zones
eventually reaches 6ft wide (long?) and 6-12" tall
prefers well drained soil and doesn't need a lot of water
likes the sun and is heat tolerant

Any annual successes or failures in your garden this summer?

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

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The Portland Garden Conservancy Tour 2014, I'm all out of order now...

August 4, 2014, 8:01 am

≫ Next: Fatsia polycarpa 'Needham's Lace' a rebirth...

≪ Previous: Silver falls fails, go for the licorice…

This, The Urban Garden, was my last stop on the Conservancy Open Days tour but the one I feel like posting about next so what the heck. I'm jumping ahead.

I've driven by this garden on occasion but for some reason never stopped to do an "on the sidewalk" post about it. I wonder why? All of this goodness (below) is growing in the parking strip...

Looking through the parking strip to the house.

Oh the color!

The official lowdown on this garden: "The Urban Garden, with its wandering walkways, blends elements of texture and color for every season. Tight, purposeful plantings use the space well, bringing visitors enjoyment and offering a year-round outdoor living area. Despite its small size it is home to a diverse plant collection including conifers, evergreen shrubs and many perennials. The garden maximizes outdoor space with a colorful work shed and awnings and various sitting areas that allow for enjoyment of the different layers and heights of its beds. Bird watchers will love how wildlife observation is incorporated into the garden from different vantage points..."

I see they're growing the plant of summer 2014...

I've never been one to appreciate the bridge over a river of rocks thing, it's kind of "garden art-ish" to me and surely you know by now I am not a big fan of that.

This leaves me with a similar feeling.

I love this, just look at all those plants crammed into a tiny space along the house!

The view from our living room window features one of our neighbors big plastic waste receptacles, it drives me crazy and not in a good way. This is such a nice thing, a cute little corral for the unsightly.

I've got it! It's not so much the container (old wheelbarrow or wagon) but the plant choices that don't appeal to me. Taste is such a subjective thing.

Stock tanks in the driveway! Theirs are for ornamentals though, not edibles. I toy with making the transition but then I taste a sun ripened tomato and there's just no way I want to give that up.

Controlling the jasmine.

A peek into the back garden...

There were several shelters throughout the garden.

This one creates a private spot next to the garage. I didn't get a chance to ask but I suspect this where the owners dog is allowed to dig and "take care of business"...

Covered dining off the back of the house.

Even a little lawn.

This simple design for the side of a raised bed is hugely appealing to me, but I'd use my usual grey bricks...

Although I'm a big fan of using stock tanks as planters I've never gone for the waste can as a planter thing. What do you think of the look?

It's a small, and very full, garden. And believe it or not I didn't notice that flat platform in the middle when I was there in person, thus I didn't get a chance to ask about it's purpose.

This concludes another garden tour. I've got two more to share from the 2014 The Garden Conservancy (which was held the end of June), but those are for another day.

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Fatsia polycarpa 'Needham's Lace' a rebirth...

August 5, 2014, 8:09 am

≫ Next: Let's play "Where's Lila?"...

≪ Previous: The Portland Garden Conservancy Tour 2014, I'm all out of order now...

The photo below was taken last November, at that time I was singing the praises of my Fatsia polycarpa 'Needham's Lace'. I was also coming to terms with the fact I needed to move it to a better location, as it was leaning further and further out and blocking the entrance to the garden.

What I didn't know at that time was a severe cold snap was just ahead. While the plant survived, the growing tip was zapped hard. Come spring I moved it, and it struggled to live...

But live it did and what do you know, eight new "branches" began growing. The death of the growing tip acted like a pinching back and things were going to get interesting!

The problem was the old leaves looked ratty and were out of scale with the new growth. It took me a few days to work up the courage but finally I decided they had to go.

It's like an entirely different plant!

Tall trunk...

Kind of an odd shaped thing.

At least the trunk is attractive.

And those leaves are once again making my heart skip a beat.

Not that it was easy to cut off all of these...

But I think I made the right decision...

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Let's play "Where's Lila?"...

August 6, 2014, 8:36 am

≫ Next: Lupinus albifrons is my favorite plant in the garden (this week)…

≪ Previous: Fatsia polycarpa 'Needham's Lace' a rebirth...

"Where's Lila?" is a game I frequently find myself playing when I'm working in the garden. One minute she's there beside me and the next minute I have no idea where's she's gone...

And just when I think I've got her hiding places all noted she goes and discovers a new one.

Too easy...

Dark and relatively cool, the garage is a favorite spot.

Can you spot the pony? (okay yes she's a dog, but pony is her nick-name)

Under a table under the shade pavilion, she must be practicing her earthquake preparedness.

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Lupinus albifrons is my favorite plant in the garden (this week)…

August 7, 2014, 8:15 am

≫ Next: Bloomtown revisit, 2014...

≪ Previous: Let's play "Where's Lila?"...

I went out to do some watering the other morning and realized the leaves on my Lupinus albifrons were facing towards me, back at the house, to the east. Just the day before I'd been admiring them as I walked up the pathway and they were facing completely west. You've gotta love a plant that is so attuned to the light.

This photo (below) was my first ever sighting of Lupinus albifrons, at Portland Nursery back in 2012. It was growing in a display container and there were none for sale.

I hunted for one all spring and summer of 2013 and finally gave up and ordered a plant from Annie's Annuals. Here's a photo from late October of that year, it's all nestled into it's fall/winter holding home, it was such a such a tiny little thing (front row).

I've always been a sucker for the shape of a lupine leaf, add in the silver sheen to these and wow, it was a must have!

Planted as it is over a patch of black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens') the combo can look like a black and white photo...

This is where I should probably mention the main attraction for most people isn't those lovely leaves, it's the crazy big purple flowers. I have no need to see those flowers, I hope mine never blooms!

The stats:

hardy in USDA Zones 8-10
eventual size 3ft x 4 ft
low water needs, drought tolerant
likes full sun and lean, well drained soil
attracts butterflies and is deer resistant - Annie's says "When plants are young they may not have built up enough of the alkaloids that gives them a bitter taste & deters deer. Protect young plants until established"
native to California but can be found in other areas of western North America

According to Native Sons Nursery "this shrubby lupine often develops a gnarled trunk with age" oh I hope so...

My fellow blogger Tamara took the photo below on a neighborhood walkabout here in Portland last fall. After I inquired about it's location (and if I could use her photo) she walked by to see how it was looking, sadly it was nowhere to be found. Removed by the whim of a gardener or did our bad winter put an end to it? I'm hoping it was the former. So that's what's looking good and catching my attention this week, how about you?

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Bloomtown revisit, 2014...

August 8, 2014, 8:13 am

≫ Next: The Portland Garden Conservancy Tour 2014, The Melody Garden

≪ Previous: Lupinus albifrons is my favorite plant in the garden (this week)…

My first visit to the personal garden of Darcy Daniels (owner/designer at Bloomtown) was in 2011, you can see photos from that visit here. I recently stopped by for a follow-up and was excited to see how her garden has changed over the last 3 years...

The framework is essentially the same, but many of the plants have grown substantially, she's also replaced a few.

I remembered the creative metal edging, but not how she'd cleverly worked in the rocks.

Sigh, another gardener who's successful with Lobelia tupa (I am not)...

This is something that caught my eye in the photos, but not in person. See the metal railing on the right side of the steps? I need to ask Darcy about that. She's brought in many wonderful metal accents and structure but left what must be the original railing...I wonder why? She's still working on the ideal design perhaps?

I still don't care for Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web' (not even a little bit) but can appreciate that Darcy is growing it well...

This was a happy moment. I got definitive identification on an inherited hebe, Hebe 'Karo Golden Esk'...love this one and I'd recently bought a tiny one from Xera hoping I was guessing right.

The side yard full of healthy veggies and ornamentals...

Darcy's overwintering success...

This Fatsia I love...

So many beautiful plants!

Darcy's garden was the first for me with an outdoor rug.

I spotted this loquat in my old post and was amazed with how much it's grown!

Don't remember seeing the Rhododendron 'Ebony Pearl' last time, but probably just because I hadn't fallen for it yet.

Next door is a house I've stalked for years...

The one with the monster Agave ovatifolia. I knew they'd grown but it was amazing to look back at 2011 and see how little they were, thanks for opening your beautiful garden Darcy!

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The Portland Garden Conservancy Tour 2014, The Melody Garden

August 11, 2014, 8:07 am

≫ Next: It was time to get rid of the cucumber vine…

≪ Previous: Bloomtown revisit, 2014...

Walking up to this, the The Melody Garden, I couldn't help but fantasize about that tangerine house as the back-drop to my garden rather than the hideous split wall of taupe and burnt-brick that I have to look at. Oh how wonderful that would be...

The official scoop on the garden from it's owner: "My garden was born eight years ago, when Michael Schuster of Orient Drive Landscaping transformed a bleak weed-scape into a place of year-round interest with contouring and naturalistic planting and rockwork. The front now provides screening from the street. In back there are flower beds and a fish pond, set off by the lawn. I have fun modifying and adding to my yard with on-going experiments. It is now my own little world which I enjoy sharing with other garden geeks."

There were two features of this garden which really stood out to me.

The first was this island in the middle of the front garden. After you climbed the steps from street level the pathway split and you were forced to go left or right around the island bed. I liked that, of course just because I liked it doesn't mean I got a great photo of it.

The plantings were dense (a good thing) and while a few plants jumped out at me as interesting there were many that my eyes just glossed over. The Mahonia eurybracteata is particularly handsome and I wish I would have paid more attention to that gorgeous tree (Arbutus?) in the background.

If your wondering about the wet look to the garden this tour was on June 28th and a little rain did fall that afternoon.

I resisted the urge to snack on the pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana) flower, seems like that would be bad form...

Another striking Mahonia, M. gracilipes...

Okay another style question for you. How do you feel about labels on plants in private gardens? Obviously these are a step above leaving the plastic nursery tag visible but still I find them very distracting and have me feeling a bit like I'm shopping rather than appreciating a garden.

A pond VERY close to the house. I can just hear my husband saying "that seems like a bad idea"...

The second feature that stood out to me in this garden was the fact there were gardens on both sides of the home. So often one side is given over to the driveway and garage, but this lot was sandwiched between two streets allowing for the garage entrance to be at the back of the property, kind of like an alley but not creepy like one.

And just like that here we are back in the front garden and looking at that center island I mentioned (as well as the fabulous house next door)...

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It was time to get rid of the cucumber vine…

August 12, 2014, 8:07 am

≫ Next: The movable garden...

≪ Previous: The Portland Garden Conservancy Tour 2014, The Melody Garden

I love cucumbers, I love the foliage of the cumber vine…it’s a match made in heaven!

I especially love it when the vines start to take over and wrap themselves around everything…

However the love affair screeches to a halt when mildew spots start to appear…

And leaves start to yellow.

One day last week I became increasingly annoyed at the sight and decided it was time to make it all go away. That’s when I discovered just how many cucumbers were hiding in there. Funny thing I was growing a white pickling cuc and a lemon cuc. I got neither, just short, fat, yellow skinned ones (they were tasty though). So what’s a girl to do when she finds herself with an abundance of cucumbers and no desire to work hard enough to make dill pickles? Well she finds a recipe for refrigerator pickles of course!

This recipe really couldn’t have been easier (here if you missed the link above) and we’re loving the carrots and red onion I tossed in too. If you’ve got too many cucumbers and don’t know what to do give it a whirl!

So what am I doing with that empty stock tank? Using it to corral new plant purchases/gifts...

Some of these will be discussed in future posts, but below’s a marvelous pair that might not be. Can you guess what these plants have in common? They’re both “bird of paradise”...on the left/top is Strelitzia reginae and bottom/right is Caesalpinia gilliesii. One will go in a container and one should be hardy here if I place it right.

This one is a seedling of Melianthus villosus, gifted to me by one Practical Plant Geek.

Oh and I’m thinking about starting a fall crop in this tank and would love to hear any ideas you’ve got…

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

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The movable garden...

August 13, 2014, 8:13 am

≫ Next: Passiflora 'Sunburst' is my favorite plant in the garden, this week…

≪ Previous: It was time to get rid of the cucumber vine…

You never know where a chance meeting might lead. Lila and I paid a visit to Cistus Nursery awhile back, if I remember correctly it was early spring of 2013. While there we made the acquaintance of a new employee, Eric, and his dog, Rusty. Rusty took a liking to Lila, in a way she wasn’t entirely comfortable with. Once we put an end to that Eric and I got to chatting. He’s since left Cistus but we’ve managed to run into each other a couple of times since and now, months and months later, here I am standing in his garden with my mouth hanging open in awe…

I cannot believe I’m still in Portland. This is amazing.

Even more so when I start asking about all the specimens which surround me. Eric’s got a story about each one, and these stories are much more interesting than “oh I bought that at (some local) nursery”

There’s mention of Craigslist, trips to Seattle, Los Angeles, the Bay Area. These plants have been curated from far and near and are now all together in SE Portland. What’s more Eric’s currently renting while he searches for the home in which he’ll put down roots. Hence the title of this post, this is very much a moveable garden.

Most of it in containers…

All of it amazing.

Oh and we can’t forget Rusty, how cute is that little face?

So did you find yourself thinking "But what does he do with all these plants in the winter? This is Portland after all and it can get cold and it's wet!"...this is the answer...

It's the most fabulous garage greenhouse!

Amazing right? How happy these plants must be to get to spend their winter under glass, stylishly.

Here's a sad truth, Eric acknowledges he might be running out of space in the greenhouse.

How will he chose what gets to inside?

There's one less plant that will be calling for space, the white (although it looks a little green in this photo) echeveria in the front, to the left of center came home with me. It's big sister appears six photos down (it's blooming)...

This is looking back up the side of the house with the garage greenhouse behind me.

Now we've returned to the back garden...

How beautiful is that ghostly echeveria? I can't believe I got to take it's little sister home...

This is just beyond cool right? The steamer trunks are seating...

And that gorgeous brugmansia was just one of many throughout the garden, of course they're all going in the greenhouse over the winter.

It's dripping with flowers...

I'm not sure if that yellow bloomer on the left is Brugmansia 'Charles Grimaldi' or not, but I can tell you I did come home with a start off one of the resident 'Charles' (yes that's two fabulous plants that left with me!)...

I neglected to get a picture of the overall vine, but this passion flower covered the entire side of the garage greenhouse. It was amazing.

Okay, time to head home. I didn't get any photos of the small front garden on my way in, of course I wanted to stop and take pictures but that would have been rude! So I took a couple on the way out...

Wow, right?

There was a pair of these amazing verbascum, along with a million other things I didn't manage to photograph, what a smorgasbord of plant goodness! Thank you Eric for letting me spend a sunny evening in your garden, it's magical.

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Passiflora 'Sunburst' is my favorite plant in the garden, this week…

August 14, 2014, 8:04 am

≫ Next: Bloomday, August 2014

≪ Previous: The movable garden...

I’d been running internet searches for orange flowering vines when I ran across a listing for Passiflora ‘Sunburst’ on the website for Grassy Knoll Exotic Plants. It was beautiful, exotic and SOLD OUT. The fact it was a Zone 11 plant didn’t even get a chance to figure into the matter.

Just a day or so later I had a visitor from California, Max Parker. We were talking about the nurseries he planned to visit in the Portland area and he mentioned Grassy Knoll, what? This was the second time that name had come up, I had no idea they were local!

Fast forward to my annual spring nursery outing with friends and guess where we visited? Yep. Sadly the owner, Elizabeth, wasn’t around that day but her kind husband allowed us to shop (they are usually wholesale only) and I did purchase a small 4” start of that Passiflora ‘Sunburst’ just look at it now…

I bought it hoping for the orange flowers, but figuring since there were no guarantees the foliage was pretty wonderful all on its own...

Even in the beginning stages when it’s all folded up and showing it’s purple underbelly with green veining.

But wow, the flowers! They are a little smaller than your average passion flower, measuring about 2” across. But what they lack in size they make up for in color punch.

The first couple of blooms only lasted a day, but the most recent ones have hung around a bit longer before fading to this…

The stats on Passiflora 'Sunburst'…

hardy in USDA Zones 10-11
likes well drained soil in full sun to light shade
can grow up to 10-20 ft, mine was growing from a single stem which I accidently broke trying to weave it back down and around the trellis. It’s now branching in several spots
the flowers are said to be unpleasantly scented but I haven’t noticed a foul odor, unlike from my Eryngium venustum
oh and those yellow dots on the leaves, they're called nectar dots but I can't find a great explanation of what that means (at least pertaining to anything but cherries), anybody know?

So now that I'm head-over-heels for this plant I'm wondering about trying to over-winter it. Obviously it's not going to make it outside. Anyone have experience? I'm thinking about cutting it back a foot or so from the ground, digging it and potting it up for winter spent under grow lights. If anyone has other ideas or experience I'd love to hear about it. And of course I'm wondering about fabulous things in your garden which have caught your attention this week...please tell us about them!

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Bloomday, August 2014

August 15, 2014, 8:03 am

≫ Next: The Ferrante Garden, our last garden from the 2014 Portland Garden Conservancy Tour

≪ Previous: Passiflora 'Sunburst' is my favorite plant in the garden, this week…

It's August, it's Bloomday, and the garden is tired. Heck so am I! This summer has been full of sunny warm (hot) days and things are looking a little frazzled around the edges. I am not complaining, waking up to sunshine day after day is a blessing I do not take for granted. So here's my alphabetical Bloomday, and in case you don't know, links to all the blogs participating in this floral celebration can be found here.

Alstroemeria isabellana blooms, with seed pods in the background.

All my Canna's are NOID, I'm lazy that way.

This one does deserve special recognition though. It's blooms are quite lovely and delicate. In prior years it disappeared under the Musa basjoo foliage, however since last year several of my banana stalks bloomed and died the canna is a star again.

Chasmanthium latifolium

Clematis tibetana var. vernayi

Crocosmia 'Orangeade'

I am still completely head over heals in love with this one, it's just so so so good!

Echeveria 'Black Prince', two of the three plants are blooming. The third melted.

Echium russicum, on it's second round of blooms,

Eryngium agavifolium

Eryngium venustum

Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgundy' the leaves are still upright, but the flower fell over!

Euphorbia 'Excalibur', cut back at the beginning of July there are a few new shoots which are blooming.

Grevillea 'Neil Bell'...just too darn bright to photograph well.

Grevillea juniperina 'Molonglo', after the mass die off (winter cold) of these in the front garden I did go ahead and plant just one new plant in the back garden. Well see if the added protection helps in the future.

Grevillea 'Poorinda Leane'

And the star of the Grevillea show, 'Peaches and Cream'...

Hedychium 'Tara' in it's pre-bloom state, which I love.

Hibiscus syriacus 'Red Heart'...covered in blooms this year.

Kniphofia 'Pineapple Popsicle'

Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia

Lotus berthelotii, more red than orange. Boo.

Lysimachia nummularia

The first, and probably last, time I'll look down on Macleaya cordata blooms. Usually they're about 6 ft tall but I just dug these runners and planted them this spring.

Magnolia laevifolia, getting crazy and putting out a second round of flowers!

Paris polyphylla Heronswood form

Rodgersia 'Bronze Peacock', I'm not sure what's come over me this year but I've left these for months. Which I suppose means they're not really blooms anymore...

Salvia clevelandii, almost done.

Schefflera brevipedunculata

Schefflera delavayi

Have time for a quick story? I planted a Solanum pyracanthum in the front garden in 2006 it bloomed like crazy and even set fruit. Winter came and that was the end of that. So about a month ago I came home to a plant sitting on the kitchen counter. Andrew said the neighbor up the street (about a block and a half) gave it to him to pass on to me. It wasn't doing so good in her garden and she thought I would like it (orange spikes, ya know) and might have better luck with it. I thanked her the next time I saw her and she said "you know it was the oddest thing. I had one just show up one spring a few years ago, I didn't plant it, I kind of always assumed it was the birds dropping seeds. Then this spring this one shows up near where the old one grew." So do you suppose this plant is the grandchild of the one I grew 8 years ago and it came home?

And the August Bloomday finale, Thalia dealbata (hardy water canna) with a water lily in the back ground. Hope you're enjoying your August blooms!

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The Ferrante Garden, our last garden from the 2014 Portland Garden Conservancy Tour

August 18, 2014, 8:11 am

≫ Next: Drink your plants

≪ Previous: Bloomday, August 2014

Wow I really stretched that one out didn't I? Finally we're at the last of my posts from the Garden Conservancy's Open Days here in Portland back in June.

Don't ya just love a gardened hellstrip? I do...

I must really spend a couple of hours pruning on my arctostaphylos, soon. Less leaves, more branches.

All this beauty and we still haven't entered the garden!

Anyone know what this is?

Okay, here's the official word on this garden: "A wonderful large corner lot is home to a seven-year-old garden filled with luscious plants and quirky art. Foliage rules here, with featured areas of both shade and sun plants. I have a definite color scheme, focusing on black, chartreuse and burgundy. No pastels in this garden! Gravel hell strips frame both sides of the garden, containing plants that thrive with little water. The west-side garden is a lovely respite containing an angled deck that puts you right in the middle of all the plantings."

No pastels! I knew I felt at home here.

I love this crazy planted column.

Such restraint in the planting, I don't think I could be so good.

Great container! I wonder if it was made by the gardener herself?

She has an eye for great color/texture combinations don't you think?

I desperately need to find some pipes/columns like this, although I would prefer grey...

And I would love to have this on our fence.

Orange!

And a little rust. There's always rust.

Impatient me wants my Azara microphylla to be this size, now!

Where as I'm not sure if I'll let my Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' get to be this size.

Look, up in the sky, it's decorated power lines.

Someone wasn't pruning when they should have been.

The deck felt a little bit like a stage, but that's probably just me.

Another great planter.

This was such a fun garden to tour, I highly recommend you look into Garden Conservancy Open Days in your community.

↧

Drink your plants

August 19, 2014, 8:13 am

≫ Next: Garden Tour, 2014

≪ Previous: The Ferrante Garden, our last garden from the 2014 Portland Garden Conservancy Tour

I know, usually the saying is “eat your plants,” but why not drink them too? We recently enjoyed dinner at Mextiza and were about to order a nice smooth sipping tequila…

When down at the bottom of the menu I saw the word sotol, I had no idea! Everyone knows tequila (and mezcal) comes from the agave, but did you know there is also a liquor made from the dasylirion (sotol)?

A little info: “…unlike tequila, which is made in the state of Jalisco, and mezcal, whose denominación de orígen (D.O.) includes six states in central and southern Mexico, sotol's D.O. includes the northern states of Coahuila, Chihuahua, and Durango. Despite its long history, the millennium-old spirit remains relatively obscure in the United States and that's not likely to change significantly anytime soon. Even if sotol gained the visibility and popularity of tequila and mezcal, the supply wouldn't be able to keep up with demand. In fact, supply is already an issue-- sotol makers can barely keep up with the limited demand that exists right now in the market outside Mexico.” (source)

That supply issue is due mostly to the fact it can take a dasylirion 15 years to mature to the point it can be harvested to make the drink. Plus the “alcohol per volume” varies from batch to batch making labeling for sale a huge issue. So what did it taste like? Well I am not a hard alcohol lover, although I've had a few very smooth and tasty tequilas in the day, this was powerful. Smooth in the beginning, a flavorful middle with a burn going down. I enjoyed it, but I don't think I'll seek it out in the future, nor will I be harvesting my dasylirion to make alcohol.

Coincidentally David (formerly the Desert Dweller who now blogs at It's a Dry Heat) posted about enjoying a glass of sotol just last week. He was drinking Don Cuco (it was recommended), mine was Hacienda-de-Chihuahua (photo source)...

Sadly the restaurant Mextiza closed at the end of July, but if your a Portlander you still can visit their "other" restaurants, Autentica and Uno Mas. No word on whether or not they sell sotol...

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Garden Tour, 2014

August 21, 2014, 8:07 am

≫ Next: Agave weberi, my favorite plant in the garden this week…

≪ Previous: Drink your plants

There are times I am certain this blog is more for me than it is for my readers. Being able to look back at a visual record of my garden over the last 5 and a half years is priceless. Last year I did a comprehensive garden tour and I've referred back to those photos many times, so with that in mind I was determined to do a "tour 2014." However every time I went to take photos the light was horrible, I'd snap a few photos and then give up. So you'll notice this post is a collection of photos taken over a week's time. You'll see blue skies, and cloudy skies, but hopefully end up with a snapshot of my garden as it is Summer 2014. Yes this is going to be a lengthy, photo-heavy, post...

Editing these photos also drove home just what a discontented year this has been for me. The front garden is not looking as put together this year, due to the "glue" plants (Grevillea juniperina 'Molonglo') dying last winter. Replacements (Juniperus conferta 'Blue Pacific') have been planted but are not yet of size. They'll eventually knit everything together, at least that's the plan.

Here is the north side of the house (on the right side of the opening image, photo taken while standing in the neighbors driveway). Things over here have grown in nicely.

Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra'

Mystery sedum on the chimney (this one's for you Alan). I have no idea how it got there and I never, ever, water it.

Mahonia fortunei 'Curlyque'

The clematis growing in our back garden (behind that bamboo, on the other side of the neighbors garage) was reaching around, toward the light. I started trimming it back but then learned they were actually excited to train it up over the top of the door. It didn't take long to fill in.

Back at the northeast corner of our house now, looking south across the top of the garden. You can see just a slice of the sidewalk to the front door.

And the front of the house, it was just last year that all of these plants went in...when the giant rhododendron came out and before that the Pieris japonica. They've all grown a lot!

A garden can never have enough sempervivum.

Soft and delicate meets sharp and sturdy.

I love the view out my front door. Usually there's a creature, or five, buzzing and flying around out there.

Cotinus ‘Royal Purple'

Now standing in our driveway looking back towards the house...

Yucca rostrata, Eryngium agavifolium and Agave americana planted at the corner of the drive and the public sidewalk.

Eryngium maritimum

Looking back toward the street as I walk around to the south side of the house...

Where the veggie garden is. I've already blogged about removing the cucumber, but the basil and tomatoes are still going strong.

Have you grown Sungold? If not you really should. They are the tastiest...

This is another view that makes me want to hide my eyes, the entrance into our back garden. Yes I'm still happy that we removed the privet but I really REALLY don't like the openness of this view (even with the offending garage color blocking cropped out).

And this angle suffers from the loss of the loquat I moved to the lower garden (and then gave to the neighbor). Those big leaves really broke up all that fine foliage.

The former hydrangea area, being overtaken by a happy clematis.

The growing Nothopanax delavayi makes me very happy (those 3 tall shoots slightly right of center).

It's new foliage is wonderful.

Towards the shade pavilion...

And turning back around to look northeast. That lighter brown structure is the neighbors garage.

I still love my hibiscus (H. syriacus 'Red Heart') as much as the day I bought it. I just wish the Begonia luxurians I planted at it's base (a gift from the Outlaw) were hardy, the combination is a good one.

The palm is growing...

And the Melianthus major 'Antonow's Blue' has certainly recovered from freezing to the ground.

I've got big plans for this loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), it's gonna help hide the new view.

The Senecio mandraliscae have enjoyed their summer vacation outside in the ground.

Okay now were down on the patio (I neglected to take the important "approaching the patio" shot). Southwest corner...

Southeast corner...

Under the shade pavilion...

And now I'm under the shade pavilion and looking north.

I've intended to feature this aloe, A. marlothii, as a weekly favorite. Poor guy keeps getting passed over.

Banksia blechnifolia got the "fav" treatment last May.

Looking back towards our garage and my circle pot.

And a new view! Standing in the graveled, planted, area north of the patio where the privet (and ivy and vinca) used to be, looking south.

And in the very northwestest corner of our lot looking out...

A wider view.

I'm still thrilled I managed to track down this variegated daphniphyllum.

Persicaria 'Brushstrokes'...light on the brushstrokes.

The stock tank pond.

Which has been blessed with water lilly blooms practically nonstop.

Top to bottom: Clifford (our Magnolia macrophylla), Papyrus, Sammy (Yucca rostrata) and Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea'.

My most successful castor bean...

And finally I'll end this tour with my favorite early morning, coffee on the patio, shot. For a look back at previous years: Garden Tour 2013, A Comparison between 2005 and 2012, and for a different 2012 tour a post on Apartment Therapy.

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Agave weberi, my favorite plant in the garden this week…

August 22, 2014, 8:03 am

≫ Next: Tower o'spikes...

≪ Previous: Garden Tour, 2014

When I mentioned that Mr. Big, my Agave Americana ‘variegata’ was in danger of being unseated as the largest agave in my garden Renee asked who his competition was. At the time, and pretty much always, I completely forgot about the Agave weberi...

Why? I don't know, I guess because I see it everyday just outside the back door I don't really "see" it anymore. When I uncovered it from the mass of cucumber vine a few weeks ago I was surprised just how good it was looking. It was a gift from my friend JJ, someone had given her a trio, she kept a pair and passed one on to me, hmmm guess that was 2 years ago now.

Here's Lila for scale...

But wait, she wants to be sure you appreciate both ends.

Okay, she's outta here, enough of that silliness.

The stats on Agave weberi...

4-5 ft tall, 6-8 ft wide (in the ground)
full sun, low water needs
winter hardiness 10-15F
according to Mountain States Wholesale Nursery: "this agave is often seen in the southwestern Unites States and parts of Mexico, but only in cultivation, as there do not appear to be any wild specimens left.

What's looking good in your garden this week?

↧

Tower o'spikes...

August 25, 2014, 8:05 am

≫ Next: Echium wildpretii rescue...

≪ Previous: Agave weberi, my favorite plant in the garden this week…

I've always had an aversion to strawberry pots, the shape and the pockets. I find them vulgar. Yes I know, it's a weird opinion but it's mine. So imagine how surprised I was when I spotted this chartreuse number at Crate & Barrel and had to have it. Had to.