Visiting the Eyebrow House garden...

Marc and his wife Kayce bought the home in mid 2012, from an architect by the name of Edgar Papazian who had worked to remodel the 1941 home into something much more interesting. He gave it a name too, the Eyebrow House, I'm sure you can figure out why. 

The front garden is a masterpiece of geometric style, I love the restraint.
Plus, there are agaves! And bananas that are pouting because of our cool temperatures, imagine them lush...
The solid carpet of Leptinella squalida 'Platt's Black' between the pavers is a thing of beauty.
And then I turned to focus on the big agaves. Yes please!
Marc IDs these as Agave americana x protoamericana, and while they're not loving our cool and very wet spring they're still looking rather fabulous. I love the mix with the big rocks and yellow yucca.
We're walking along the side of the house now, towards the back garden, notice the tall Tetrapanax peeking over the fence. 
This is where I should mention that while Marc works within a design for the garden layout, he has very much taken over with an artists eye and a love for plants. I asked him how he got into gardening: "Owning a home. I have always been into design, and have a painting and photography degree. Plants are soothing. Gardening is a 3-dimensional painting, plus 4 seasons. A painting sometimes will tell you when it is done, a garden never tells you that." 

Sonchus canariensis, I think?
It's rare that I spot Arthropodium candidum 'Purpureum' (New Zealand rock lily, the mauve strappy plant) in a garden. I love that plant!
Schefflera taiwaniana sandwiched in between the side porch and basement egress window.
The Corokia contoneaster looks quite at home in a container.
Naturally there's a plant in the window well, Marc is a true cramscaper.
Moving into the back garden now; what a great space to hang out under cover...
Walking to the far side of the covered space and looking down this is what you see; a lush shady garden below. There were steps down into that space from from where I was standing, but they were a little steep with no railing, I didn't trust myself. Sometimes my foot/ankle still gets a bit funky (I'm coming up on the one year anniversary of the break) and I figured better safe than sorry.

So I retraced my steps backward, stopping to admire an agave, 'Blue Glow' I believe.
And to stare at the back side of the house, wow!

A fine patch of Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty'—actually there were two patches, they flanked the wide stairs.
Another nice clump of pouting bananas.
To the left of the bananas...
As I take the wide steps down into the lower garden, and pause to look back.
Dasylirion wheeleri underplanted with black mondo grass—what a dramatic combination.
There's something you don't see everyday here in Portland, an in-ground cycad.
Mid-level now, on my descent into the lower garden. It's tempting to sit for a spell and see if a beverage shows up on the side table. I love the repeated circles...
Butia capitata, if my memory serves.
I did not ask for ID on the unfurling fronds.
A pair of this wonderfully colored phormium flanked the entrance into the lower garden. I wish I would have gotten a pulled back photo of the pair.
Looking towards the NE corner of the garden and that luxurious hammock.
This section of the garden is where Marc's skill at combining different textures really shines. All the plants are green, but most definitely not boring. Marc's preference for a foliage garden rather than a floral one is is definitely something we share.

Looking at the backside of the covered seating area we visited earlier.
And now towards the NW corner.
I spent quite a bit of time slowly walking through this part of the garden, trying to focus on each individual plant. I'm certain I missed quite a few treasures though. 

There were lots of different aspidistra (cast iron plant)...
Fatsia polycarpa 'Needhams Lace'
See what I mean about texture? Also, so many different shades of green.
I spy a bromeliad dropped into the garden!
As I mentioned to Marc, I've never cared for this particular impatiens, with the pink center stripe. Here though, with the astelia it's magic.
Heading back up the steps, to the upper level of the back garden...
Those bananas again...
And the inviting seating area...
Here are a few orienting shots that I should have started this part of the post with, but I also wanted to stay in order I took photos. So, this is looking straight at the back of the house from the top of those steps I just climbed.
And now I've stepped up onto the back deck of the house and I'm looking down into the garden. To the left....
Center...
And right...
Sadly now I'm headed back out towards the street and it's a wrap on this fabulous garden visit! Fingers crossed I'll return again sometime soon. I must wrap up this post with Marc's words that bear repeating: "A painting sometimes will tell you when it is done, a garden never tells you that."