A garden writer for our Portland newspaper once used the phrase "all plants, all the time" to describe a couple of local nursery owners. She was expressing thanks that these individuals are so extremely focused on finding, propagating and selling plants that it consumes their lives (as you might imagine I feel the same way). I thought about this description recently while explaining to a friend why he didn't want to be my "friend" on Facebook. I'm not on Facebook to share other facets of my life (and yes, there are others), I am on Facebook to be a part of the horticulture community. I realize to some this may look like my life is all plants, all the time, and I don't think this is a bad thing!
I then started thinking about another friends recent observation that our house is filled with botanically inspired artwork (all plants all the time). A string of rainy weather had me indoors looking at these images and thinking they would make a fine blog post...
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I'm starting above the fireplace mantel, a place you're all familiar with from my recent wreath obsession as well as annual Christmastime posts. On the bottom (below) is a drawing of Euphorbia grandicornis, from the book Decorative Cacti. Above that is a picture Andrew made for me as a Christmas gift when we were dating.
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On the far right of the picture are basalt lumps. Spokane has the most amazing outcroppings of basalt and my house was bordered to the south by a tall natural wall of rock. The wire symbolizes holes I'm digging to plant in (if you scroll up you can see a figure representing me approaching from the left, with a plant to go in one of those holes).
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Next is a black and white photo of a trio of saguaros.
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I bought this at the Seattle Goodwill in 1992-ish and it's hung in every home I've lived in since. I haven't changed a thing, it's famed exactly as it was when I found it, thanks B. Anderson.
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This is a print Andrew bought me for Christmas one year, it was part of a larger theme. A few of the others you'll see in the dining room were also part of that year's haul.
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These two ladies (?) are walking through a field of opuntia and carrying baskets of opuntia pads on their heads.
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After reading Color: A Natural History of the Palette Andrew got to wondering if maybe they were harvesting the pads for cochineal.
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This group hangs over the couch.
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Aloe concinna, also from Decorative Cacti.
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The pair of magnolia prints were an antique store find years ago. I had them reframed and still love them as much as the day I found them.
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This is the dining room wall, sorry about the reflections, there is just no good way to take photos of glass!
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Moving clockwise, we start in the upper right with a print from Schoolhouse Electric by Makelike. Schoolhouse doesn't offer it any longer but you can still by it direct from Makelike. Also for any of you who've admired the wallpaper at the Xera shop here in Portland - also from Makelike.
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Another from Andrew, a screen-print of an Agave americana. I love the super close-up.
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This print was a gift from fellow blogger Kelly Kilpatrick.
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I've admired the work of Amelie Mancini for years and still can't believe I have a print of hers on my wall. There is a bit of an error in the print, can you spot it? (agaves aren't in the family cactaceae)
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I bought this card at Flora Grubb and framed it. The artist is John Bell.
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Finally there are a couple of framed post cards. This one "A Cactus Garden" is old...
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And this one is new, purchased at the Huntington Gardens. No doubt a reprint of an old card. Looks like it's a little crooked doesn't it?
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After taking that last shot I turned and saw part of my collection of vintage cactusware, I have plates too!
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More of Andrew's artwork, this is a close up of one of the cylinders he calls "burger king crowns"...
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These hang in the kitchen and are from a 2008 gallery show.
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weed devil blooming
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heart dropping out of a devil
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competition drinking from green bottles with a red devil
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These hang in our media room (actually the second bedroom but we use it for the tv/desktop computer/etc). They're West Elm circa 2006-ish.
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There are 6 total, metal mounted on a wood box.
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If you're curious this is actually the most representative of the wall color...
![]()
There are two of Andrew's works hanging in our bedroom.
![]()
Naturally the plant shapes are my favorite part.
![]()
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Our tour wraps up in the bathroom with this fabulous photo of an Agave victoriae-reginae printed on aluminum. It was a gift from Gerhard (Succulents and More) who is also the photographer.
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So there you have it, all plants - all the time!
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All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
I then started thinking about another friends recent observation that our house is filled with botanically inspired artwork (all plants all the time). A string of rainy weather had me indoors looking at these images and thinking they would make a fine blog post...
I'm starting above the fireplace mantel, a place you're all familiar with from my recent wreath obsession as well as annual Christmastime posts. On the bottom (below) is a drawing of Euphorbia grandicornis, from the book Decorative Cacti. Above that is a picture Andrew made for me as a Christmas gift when we were dating.
On the far right of the picture are basalt lumps. Spokane has the most amazing outcroppings of basalt and my house was bordered to the south by a tall natural wall of rock. The wire symbolizes holes I'm digging to plant in (if you scroll up you can see a figure representing me approaching from the left, with a plant to go in one of those holes).
Next is a black and white photo of a trio of saguaros.
I bought this at the Seattle Goodwill in 1992-ish and it's hung in every home I've lived in since. I haven't changed a thing, it's famed exactly as it was when I found it, thanks B. Anderson.
This is a print Andrew bought me for Christmas one year, it was part of a larger theme. A few of the others you'll see in the dining room were also part of that year's haul.
These two ladies (?) are walking through a field of opuntia and carrying baskets of opuntia pads on their heads.
After reading Color: A Natural History of the Palette Andrew got to wondering if maybe they were harvesting the pads for cochineal.
This group hangs over the couch.
Aloe concinna, also from Decorative Cacti.
The pair of magnolia prints were an antique store find years ago. I had them reframed and still love them as much as the day I found them.
This is the dining room wall, sorry about the reflections, there is just no good way to take photos of glass!
Moving clockwise, we start in the upper right with a print from Schoolhouse Electric by Makelike. Schoolhouse doesn't offer it any longer but you can still by it direct from Makelike. Also for any of you who've admired the wallpaper at the Xera shop here in Portland - also from Makelike.
Another from Andrew, a screen-print of an Agave americana. I love the super close-up.
This print was a gift from fellow blogger Kelly Kilpatrick.
I've admired the work of Amelie Mancini for years and still can't believe I have a print of hers on my wall. There is a bit of an error in the print, can you spot it? (agaves aren't in the family cactaceae)
I bought this card at Flora Grubb and framed it. The artist is John Bell.
Finally there are a couple of framed post cards. This one "A Cactus Garden" is old...
And this one is new, purchased at the Huntington Gardens. No doubt a reprint of an old card. Looks like it's a little crooked doesn't it?
After taking that last shot I turned and saw part of my collection of vintage cactusware, I have plates too!
More of Andrew's artwork, this is a close up of one of the cylinders he calls "burger king crowns"...
These hang in the kitchen and are from a 2008 gallery show.
weed devil blooming
heart dropping out of a devil
competition drinking from green bottles with a red devil
These hang in our media room (actually the second bedroom but we use it for the tv/desktop computer/etc). They're West Elm circa 2006-ish.
There are 6 total, metal mounted on a wood box.
If you're curious this is actually the most representative of the wall color...
There are two of Andrew's works hanging in our bedroom.
Naturally the plant shapes are my favorite part.
Our tour wraps up in the bathroom with this fabulous photo of an Agave victoriae-reginae printed on aluminum. It was a gift from Gerhard (Succulents and More) who is also the photographer.
So there you have it, all plants - all the time!
All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.