The Saturday morning on which Alison, Peter and I set out for points north (the trip I'm calling our Kitsap adventure) we met up at Peter's garden. I was quite thrilled when he asked if we wanted to look around prior to piling into the car, I was afraid I was going to have to bend his arm. Yep that one...
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Of course he's pointing at this flawless combination of Yucca gloriosa 'Bright Star' and Agave ovatifolia...in the front garden.
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Seeing his Schefflera delavayi (below) reminds me of my first visit to this garden, back in 2012. We'd corresponded a lot by the time that visit rolled around, and he'd just begun writing his popular blog, The Outlaw Gardener. The words I wrote in that 2012 post still ring true today: "Peter is a true plantaholic, and one with great taste. Every random plant that I mention (and I like to think I’ve got a few obscure ones) he either has, or knows about and has considered purchasing." He stumps me on plants regularly, for example that yucca to the left of the Schefflera, I didn't recognize it's leaves and I asked what it was. Yucca rigida! Yep. I yucca I do not (yet) have...
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Much of the "art" in Peter's garden is subtle...
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But then there's also a lot in the not-so-subtle category, like this "fire-pit" filled with split wood, glass flames and big red Canna leaves. Not one to leave a possible laugh behind, he completes the picture with marshmallows ready to be roasted.
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And there are plants EVERYWHERE. Cramscaping doesn't even begin to describe it, I kneel at the foot of the master...
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In case you don't follow his blog I should also mention Peter is a glass artist (as well as a teacher, a choral director, gardener, blogger, part time nursery employee...) so that explains a lot of the custom glass-work you'll see throughout the garden.
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The metal-tube piece came from a building in Tacoma, Peter told me the story, but I had left home at 6 am and hadn't yet consumed enough caffeine to remember it...
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One of my all-time favorites in this garden...(the old man and the...)
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Yikes, that's me!
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He threatens to get rid of the bamboo, but hopefully that will never happen.
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Tomato goddess
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Looking back towards the house...
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Oh my!
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Proof aliens have taken over, at least here in this garden.
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More wings! These hanging over the approach to the "danger gardenette"...
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Which is so large now (and features so many gorgeous specimens) I think it needs to shed it's "ette"...
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Oh look, over there...it's the greenhouse! (we'll visit in just a bit)...
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Peter and I both bought that strange little stump-like bromeliad in the center clay pot. Mine started pushing out a bloom about a month after I got it home. No sign of a pup yet either.
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Seeing that luscious pink-tinted Bromeliad made me determined to buy the next one I saw, which of course I did at our next stop, Valley Nursery.
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Oh my, the bamboo!
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Peter's been tucking bits and pieces into the trunk of this Trachycarpus. I look forward to the day my pair of T. wagnerianus are tall enough for this treatment (because my T. fortunei is already getting the vine treatment).
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He also purchased a box of ball-moss online. For a moment I was confused when saw them, because I brought back a bunch of ball-moss from the Austin Fling, was Peter in Austin? Nah...
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Blushing!
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I've been appreciating the blue Hibiscus syriacus a lot lately, I didn't used to care for it.
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The day was mostly overcast, which allowed for better photos, but every once and awhile I saw a bit of blue, this one to go with the Hibiscus.
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Time to explore the greenhouse...
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Want!
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Here I think Peter was making a naughty remark about the potted plant he's holding.
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If I ever think I've acquired too many Bromeliads, I'll just think of Peter's stash.
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Okay, back out to admire the last bits of the garden...
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Angelica stricta ‘Purpurea’
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Another plant that I've warmed to, Persicaria 'painter's palette'. I got a small piece from Vanessa at our spring plant swap, and planted it out in June. That thing has dealt with our summer drought by not wilting even once, despite my forgetting to give it a drink.
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It was almost time to leave, but not before we admired a new pot purchase...
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Took in the view...
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And appreciated the King's chair, where he has his morning coffee and survey's his leafy kingdom...
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Weather Diary, Aug 30: Hi 75, Low 59/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Of course he's pointing at this flawless combination of Yucca gloriosa 'Bright Star' and Agave ovatifolia...in the front garden.
Much of the "art" in Peter's garden is subtle...
But then there's also a lot in the not-so-subtle category, like this "fire-pit" filled with split wood, glass flames and big red Canna leaves. Not one to leave a possible laugh behind, he completes the picture with marshmallows ready to be roasted.
And there are plants EVERYWHERE. Cramscaping doesn't even begin to describe it, I kneel at the foot of the master...
In case you don't follow his blog I should also mention Peter is a glass artist (as well as a teacher, a choral director, gardener, blogger, part time nursery employee...) so that explains a lot of the custom glass-work you'll see throughout the garden.
The metal-tube piece came from a building in Tacoma, Peter told me the story, but I had left home at 6 am and hadn't yet consumed enough caffeine to remember it...
One of my all-time favorites in this garden...(the old man and the...)
Yikes, that's me!
He threatens to get rid of the bamboo, but hopefully that will never happen.
Tomato goddess
Looking back towards the house...
Oh my!
Proof aliens have taken over, at least here in this garden.
More wings! These hanging over the approach to the "danger gardenette"...
Which is so large now (and features so many gorgeous specimens) I think it needs to shed it's "ette"...
Oh look, over there...it's the greenhouse! (we'll visit in just a bit)...
Peter and I both bought that strange little stump-like bromeliad in the center clay pot. Mine started pushing out a bloom about a month after I got it home. No sign of a pup yet either.
Seeing that luscious pink-tinted Bromeliad made me determined to buy the next one I saw, which of course I did at our next stop, Valley Nursery.
Oh my, the bamboo!
Peter's been tucking bits and pieces into the trunk of this Trachycarpus. I look forward to the day my pair of T. wagnerianus are tall enough for this treatment (because my T. fortunei is already getting the vine treatment).
He also purchased a box of ball-moss online. For a moment I was confused when saw them, because I brought back a bunch of ball-moss from the Austin Fling, was Peter in Austin? Nah...
Blushing!
I've been appreciating the blue Hibiscus syriacus a lot lately, I didn't used to care for it.
The day was mostly overcast, which allowed for better photos, but every once and awhile I saw a bit of blue, this one to go with the Hibiscus.
Time to explore the greenhouse...
Want!
Here I think Peter was making a naughty remark about the potted plant he's holding.
If I ever think I've acquired too many Bromeliads, I'll just think of Peter's stash.
Okay, back out to admire the last bits of the garden...
Angelica stricta ‘Purpurea’
Another plant that I've warmed to, Persicaria 'painter's palette'. I got a small piece from Vanessa at our spring plant swap, and planted it out in June. That thing has dealt with our summer drought by not wilting even once, despite my forgetting to give it a drink.
It was almost time to leave, but not before we admired a new pot purchase...
Took in the view...
And appreciated the King's chair, where he has his morning coffee and survey's his leafy kingdom...
Weather Diary, Aug 30: Hi 75, Low 59/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.