This first garden sighting happened back in mid-December, the same day I drove by Minh's spiky wonderland. The combo of the large Echium wildpretii and the gorgeous arctostaphylos are what caught my eye, and of course the deflated pair of echium on the far right.![]()
Once I parked and walked closer, I also saw the agave on the front porch and a couple other Echium wildpretii. A plant-palette I approve of!
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This large one is a super-beauty!
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I wonder if this pair bloomed earlier in the year and the short stalks are all that remain?
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This one looks nipped by cold.
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Super-spiky opuntia! And another well-cared for arctostaphylos.
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I like the rusty wheel/gear/reel (whatever it is) and wire.
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Looks like maybe a Yucca rostrata tucked back there?
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And a different kind of echium, maybe E. pininana?
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Another day (but equally nice blue sky) and I happened by a house I've visited before, the Latham's.
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The last time I drove by was August of 2020 (here), I wondered then if the large variegated Agave americana would stay outside over the winter, and since it was January 9th when I took these photos I guess the answer is yes!
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The wall treatment is looking great, this was Dale's answer to a blank wall that was frequently hit with graffiti.
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More agaves!
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The house next door is still rather ran-down, but it's opuntia patch is doing well.
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A few more shots of the sculptural Arbutus menziesii (Pacific madrone)...
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And the agaves...
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Did you do a double-take at the large form climbing out of the shrubs (above)? It's what remains of some former tree trunk, but really does look like a creature doesn't it?
Now proof that Portland tends towards overcast days in the winter months! I stopped to photograph this garden because of the dedication to repetition. Well, and there are agaves.
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Agave ovatifolia that is.
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This sign sent me off to look for summertime images of the garden and I was not disappointed, it's the one called "Ainsworth" in their online portfolio. It's a very different garden in the growing season.
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But the repeated elements of phormium, grasses, and euphorbia still hold up in the winter.
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And of course once the Agave ovatifolia get a little bigger—I think I counted 5?—they'll be stealing the show!
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