I’ve agreed to open my garden to the 80+ bloggers who will be in Portland next week for the Garden Bloggers Fling. I’ve always avoided opening my garden to groups, it’s just not how I want to experience a very personal space. However these aren’t strangers, most of them are friends who I would happily invite into my private space, it just so happens they’re showing up en masse.
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Since agreeing to open I’ve been thinking a lot about how gardeners prepare for an “open garden”…of course most of them are focusing only on the garden. Whereas with my open I’m also part of a small group planning for the tour stops and needs of 80+ people over three and a quarter days. All of this was on my mind when I read this article in our local paper. I loved reading about how this couple was preparing for their open garden and naturally I had to check it in person.
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Walking through this garden I came to realize I have a lesser need for embellishment than others do. This is not a judgmental statement, many of my favorite people adore ornamentation, the more the merrier. But I have a different response, it keys me up and makes me uneasy. Less is more for me in that regard. Of course my style of gardening (affectionately referred to as "crammit") probably puts many more people on edge. They look at the plants, imagine their mature size, and start to twitch with the need to grab the shovel and do a little "pruning." Ah well, to each their own.
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This combination was breath-taking!
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Ditto here.
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The homeowners obviously put a lot of time and thought into this pathway. I enjoyed it immensely, in their garden.
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I do have a soft spot for a pair of mossy lions.
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Am I the only one who sees an owl above a compass?
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My Callistemon viridiflorus stopped blooming a week ago. How did they manage to get theirs to hold onto a few blooms for the open garden? I want to be able to freeze frame on my plants looking good right now!
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Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis' (the powdery silver leafed plant), I can't wait for my gifted little seedlings to grow like this.
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I have no doubt this makes the gardeners (homeowners) very happy. I just don't get it, it's that need for ornamentation thing. I'm obviously missing a few genes. I see space where there could be plants!
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Thankfully all I had to do was turn to my right and there were several beautiful Eryngium giganteum...
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I wanted to ask but the owners were deep in conversation with other visitors. Do you think that round is a new paver waiting to be dug into place? Are all the pavers that thick? Wow. That's a lot of work!
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This is my favorite idea to steal from this garden. Sedum rupestre 'Angelina' and Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop' massed together, love it!
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The garden was perched atop a very steep slope. They've done a great job of laying it out in such a way that it's all very livable.
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I eavesdropped on a conversation about moving this bad-daddy into place. Made me nervous just listening.
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Next to the deck off the back of the house was a gorgeous tetrapanax and stacked stone wall.
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The short runs on that fence should tell you just how steep the property is.
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The gate is ajar to the side yard. I didn't actually exit this way but retraced my steps back the way I came.
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Below is the view on the other side of the fence. Because of my particular mindset I'm sure I looked at the garden with an inspectors eye uncommon to other visitors. I want to thank the homeowners for leaving a few minor imperfections in place. They kept it real but yet managed to also look polished, it's a delicate balance and I came away with a renewed appreciation for making it work. So have you ever opened your garden?
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All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Since agreeing to open I’ve been thinking a lot about how gardeners prepare for an “open garden”…of course most of them are focusing only on the garden. Whereas with my open I’m also part of a small group planning for the tour stops and needs of 80+ people over three and a quarter days. All of this was on my mind when I read this article in our local paper. I loved reading about how this couple was preparing for their open garden and naturally I had to check it in person.
Walking through this garden I came to realize I have a lesser need for embellishment than others do. This is not a judgmental statement, many of my favorite people adore ornamentation, the more the merrier. But I have a different response, it keys me up and makes me uneasy. Less is more for me in that regard. Of course my style of gardening (affectionately referred to as "crammit") probably puts many more people on edge. They look at the plants, imagine their mature size, and start to twitch with the need to grab the shovel and do a little "pruning." Ah well, to each their own.
This combination was breath-taking!
Ditto here.
The homeowners obviously put a lot of time and thought into this pathway. I enjoyed it immensely, in their garden.
I do have a soft spot for a pair of mossy lions.
Am I the only one who sees an owl above a compass?
My Callistemon viridiflorus stopped blooming a week ago. How did they manage to get theirs to hold onto a few blooms for the open garden? I want to be able to freeze frame on my plants looking good right now!
Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis' (the powdery silver leafed plant), I can't wait for my gifted little seedlings to grow like this.
I have no doubt this makes the gardeners (homeowners) very happy. I just don't get it, it's that need for ornamentation thing. I'm obviously missing a few genes. I see space where there could be plants!
Thankfully all I had to do was turn to my right and there were several beautiful Eryngium giganteum...
I wanted to ask but the owners were deep in conversation with other visitors. Do you think that round is a new paver waiting to be dug into place? Are all the pavers that thick? Wow. That's a lot of work!
This is my favorite idea to steal from this garden. Sedum rupestre 'Angelina' and Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop' massed together, love it!
The garden was perched atop a very steep slope. They've done a great job of laying it out in such a way that it's all very livable.
I eavesdropped on a conversation about moving this bad-daddy into place. Made me nervous just listening.
Next to the deck off the back of the house was a gorgeous tetrapanax and stacked stone wall.
The short runs on that fence should tell you just how steep the property is.
The gate is ajar to the side yard. I didn't actually exit this way but retraced my steps back the way I came.
Below is the view on the other side of the fence. Because of my particular mindset I'm sure I looked at the garden with an inspectors eye uncommon to other visitors. I want to thank the homeowners for leaving a few minor imperfections in place. They kept it real but yet managed to also look polished, it's a delicate balance and I came away with a renewed appreciation for making it work. So have you ever opened your garden?
All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.