This is not what most people picture when you mention a "Portland garden"...heck there isn't a single rose, rhododendron or doug fir in sight!
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These plants don't belong in "rainy Portland!"
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Oh but they do...you'd be surprised how many people think Portland is a rainy, grey place 365 days a year. It's just not true. Our summers are dry, very dry. The joke is that the sprinkler gets turned off on July 5th and it's not far from the truth.
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This garden belongs to Greg Shepard, co-owner of Xera Plants. Xera is a local wholesale (and retail) nursery that grows "climate adapted plants for gardeners in the PNW"...
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As you might imagine the garden is planted up with Xera plants, although don't head over there to pick up one of these, as Greg tells me they sadly have no Agave bracteosa at this time.
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Since planting and getting things established Greg has provided no summer irrigation.
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Perfect location for that Caesalpinia gilliesii, don't ya think?
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That's Greg's dog Polly, it was a long, hot day.
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The backyard garden...
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I've ever seen a dudleya look this good in the summer, mine always go semi-dormant.
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And there was a pair!
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Did you spot that silver patch of goodness just beyond the dudleya? It's Lupinus albifrons, I was thrilled to see it here, and it was in the ground through last winter.
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Oh what's that!? Pachystegia insignis, and I just happened to score one recently at Xera, after ogling a huge one at their shop for years, and then this little guy.
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This one (Cynara baetica var. moroccana) I've loved and lost - and really should plant again.
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Rounding the corner of the path I was (I'll admit) a little startled by the stick. I thought it was a snake.
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We all agreed the subtle screening along the back fence with Azara microphylla was genius.
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But I've saved the best for last and we're heading back out front. The parking strip was probably my favorite part of this garden. It's just so perfect. Colorful, spiky, and crammed full of plants.
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I actually fell pretty hard for this grass, if I remember right it's Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues'...
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Yucca linearifolia, I believe...
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It's just all so wonderful, thanks Greg for sharing your garden!
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All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
These plants don't belong in "rainy Portland!"
Oh but they do...you'd be surprised how many people think Portland is a rainy, grey place 365 days a year. It's just not true. Our summers are dry, very dry. The joke is that the sprinkler gets turned off on July 5th and it's not far from the truth.
This garden belongs to Greg Shepard, co-owner of Xera Plants. Xera is a local wholesale (and retail) nursery that grows "climate adapted plants for gardeners in the PNW"...
As you might imagine the garden is planted up with Xera plants, although don't head over there to pick up one of these, as Greg tells me they sadly have no Agave bracteosa at this time.
Since planting and getting things established Greg has provided no summer irrigation.
Perfect location for that Caesalpinia gilliesii, don't ya think?
That's Greg's dog Polly, it was a long, hot day.
The backyard garden...
I've ever seen a dudleya look this good in the summer, mine always go semi-dormant.
And there was a pair!
Did you spot that silver patch of goodness just beyond the dudleya? It's Lupinus albifrons, I was thrilled to see it here, and it was in the ground through last winter.
Oh what's that!? Pachystegia insignis, and I just happened to score one recently at Xera, after ogling a huge one at their shop for years, and then this little guy.
This one (Cynara baetica var. moroccana) I've loved and lost - and really should plant again.
Rounding the corner of the path I was (I'll admit) a little startled by the stick. I thought it was a snake.
We all agreed the subtle screening along the back fence with Azara microphylla was genius.
But I've saved the best for last and we're heading back out front. The parking strip was probably my favorite part of this garden. It's just so perfect. Colorful, spiky, and crammed full of plants.
I actually fell pretty hard for this grass, if I remember right it's Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues'...
Yucca linearifolia, I believe...
It's just all so wonderful, thanks Greg for sharing your garden!
All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.