My Garden, Tour 2015, Part 2 - The Private Parts

So here we are, walking into the back garden 2015 style (2014 tour here). I split this year's tour into two parts (yesterday covered the public side) because I have so many photos of the back garden that I wanted to share, that's your warning - this post is going to be a long one...

Looking to your left, the brown wall is the side of our garage.

And to your right.

Having walked a little further down the pathway toward the patio I've turned around...

This is kind of a confusing transition, but if you look back at the top photo you can see I'm now in the corner opposite the entrance. If I had just walked straight ahead this is where I'd be. The Melianthus major 'Antonow's Blue' was perfect this year. It filled the available space, but yet played nice with the neighbors.

I can't ever remember the name of the dark leaf plant. I've grown it as an annual for a few years now and love it. Maybe I'll try digging and overwintering it this year. Maybe.

The Trachycarpus fortunei has also had a good year.

You might recall the strip in front of the palm was all newly planted this spring (about 2 and a half feet out), it's filled in considerably.

I purchased a pair of tiny Rhododendron sinogrande and planted them somewhat near this older one. Someday (far far away) there might be a little R. sinogrande forest here.

Lupinus albifrons

The dead-end - which some of you thought I should plant up - however since Lila loves to hide half in the Hakonechloa and half out, I think this area will stay as it is.

Clifford celebrated his 10th birthday this summer!

To the right as you head down to the patio, an Agave-mound.

Euphorbia bicompacta var. rubra, another one that I look at and wonder about letting it go, vs. digging it up. We'll see.

As I write this post, on September 30th, most of the Syneilesis aconitifolia is yellow, what's left that is - I've cut some of it back.

Love this plant!

The Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato vine) never did really take off with crazy growth. It's probably in too much shade.

And down to the patio...

Looking back at last year's tour I am shocked at how all the things planted in the "former privetlands" have grown. Or maybe the better way to say it is, this is the size I always thought they were...I'm shocked at how small they were last year. At the bottom of this photo is one of the original Agave-mounds...

Aloe dorotheae

A glance back at the upper yard and the house.

So much growth! Next year the Paulownia tomentosa gets coppiced...

I wonder if the PVC hut I fashioned for this Agave ovatifolia last autumn will fit this year? (he's grown a lot). Guess it's time to be looking into that...

While not completely hidden, the neighbors offending garage paint job is at least obscured, yay for that!

One more angle on this area...

And we turn to get a look at the shade pavilion,

Have I shared this little guy before? I picked up both the plant and the pot from two different vendors at the The Oregon Cactus & Succulent Society sale at Portland Nursery in July. I thought they made a great pair.