HPSO Open Gardens: Darcy Daniels

A note about my photos, I don't know exactly why—maybe it was the rain?—but I was using my phone that evening, instead of my camera. The quality of the photos isn't great...

I love seeing a cotinus with the "smoke" blooms that give it the common name of smoke bush.
Darcy's driveway is for planting, not parking...
...and her extra-wide hellstrips, with their raised planters, are full of exuberant plantings.

Darcy's great eye for design is evident in the metal edging and especially the way it meets the rocks.


Fabulous combo! Sedum ‘Blue Pearl’ and Artemisia versicolor ‘Seafoam’.
This is a good time to share Darcy's description: "As with all gardens, mine is ever-changing and evolving, so if you've never come by, or it's been a while, please come see what I've been up to. As ever, plantings emphasize foliage, form and texture, and are designed to deliver a steady seasonal flow. Small is BIG here: I've got a variety of functional and living areas packed into my small lot. The front slope is bounded by a crisp steel and stone retaining wall and the parking strip garden is framed by raised beds made of curved flat-bar steel, woven in a sinuous, basket weave pattern. On the upper level is a stone patio, surrounded by plants."

Darcy invites visitors to have a seat right at the top of the stairs...
More seating off to the left.
With marvelous foliage all around...

The colorful fern is Doodia media and is now on my lust list.
Another large porch for plant pots.
Wowsa look at that dark leafed loropetalum!
HPSO asked the garden owners to put out a sign-up sheet so they could see how many folks visited the open gardens that evening, naturally Darcy accompanied hers with a lovely arrangement.
More from Darcy: "Go deeper into the garden through a narrow space along the south side of the house. What was once a driveway is now a plant-filled garden, framed by a curvaceous steel border. A well integrated detached structure in the back garden serves as my studio and guest space. The back garden is built for outdoor living, with three separate areas for people to enjoy. The garden has been featured in a number of national publications, including "Fine Gardening", "Sunset", "Better Homes & Gardens", and others."Struthiopteris spicant, syn. Blechnum spicant
I think the wide yellow leaves (blades?) are Carex siderosticha 'Banana Boat'.
So many plants in a narrow space! The small tree at the end is a Metapanax delavayi.
In the back garden now, and the rain is really picking up.



Clever variegation matching with the hosta and pyrrosia!
The rain didn't really make one want to sit and chat, unfortunately.

Love the planter under glass...
Rhododendron 'Ebony Pearl'
Another clever touch, this is an upcycled bit Darcy removed from the interior of a piece of irrigation hardware—it's being used to train a vine. 
Maybe Rhododendron williamsianum?
Another fern I was lusting after, Adiantum hispidulum.
I'm back out front now, with just a couple more shots of the hellstrip plantings.


Of course I had to take a peek next at Darcy's next door neighbor's garden, as there are a couple of big Agave ovatifolia living there.
And one of them was blooming! Maybe it still is? Sadly I haven't been buy since I snapped these shots.