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Thuja plicata 'Whipcord' a hardy Cousin Itt?
Some of you might remember my excitement last August when I scored an Acacia cognata Cousin Itt after the Farwest Show here in Portland. Sadly it’s never looked as good as it did the day I brought it...
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A sunny Sunday full of garden visits…
It’s that time of the year here in Portland; the open garden season is in full swing! I took advantage of a (rare) open slot in the schedule and slipped out to visit a few. First stop (well actually...
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Acanthus sennii, yes…this is my favorite plant in the garden (this week)…
I’ve loved the Acanthus sennii in my front garden for years now even though it never gets much more than 7” tall each season (currently it's only 4"). Earlier this spring I picked up another (a friend...
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North to the Southern Hemisphere!
I made a very quick trip (less than 24hrs) up to Seattle a couple of weeks ago, but naturally I had to squeeze in a visit to City Peoples Garden Store (thankfully the friend I was staying with lives...
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Cones and pods and such...
One of the best parts of gardening is observing the strange things plants do. My most recent discovery involves my Magnolia laevifolia, after the flowers faded these started to develop all over the...
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An evening for garden visits...
Once high summer rolls around there are a few Monday evening open gardens through the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon. I love taking advantage of these later visiting hours, after all a warm summer...
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Sansevieria cylindrica, my favorite plant this week (and no, it’s not in the...
Since returning home from San Francisco and the Garden Bloggers Fling it’s felt like we’re running a bed and breakfast, one guest after another for the entire month! Not that I’m complaining, as these...
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The state of the agaves, summer 2013…
I started this series to document how my agaves, and other succulents, planted in the ground (as opposed to those in containers) were doing here in “wet” Portland, Oregon. “Wet” is in quotes because we...
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It’s a cliché but here I go…
Last week at this time I was strolling the beach at Lincoln City, Oregon. My family converged in Portland and then we all made the trek to the coast where we celebrated my parent’s 50th wedding...
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Clematis tibetana var. vernayi, my favorite plant in the garden (this week)…
Back in March when this Clematis tibetana var. vernayi (my second attempt at growing it, after the first failed miserably) went in the ground I flirted with the idea of adding another. The goal was for...
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I finally got to see the Miller Garden!
One of the gardens I was really hoping to see during the 2011 Seattle Garden Bloggers Fling was the Elizabeth Miller Botanic Garden. At the time I didn’t realize they require reservations, reservations...
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The Miller Garden, part 2
Yesterday we started our tour of the Miller Garden, located just north of Seattle. Today we continue the adventure starting out in the small parking area and then wandering down towards the Puget...
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Bloomday for August 2013...
I say this every month but really...it's August 15th already? How is that possible? Seems like just yesterday it was barely June...once again I went out to photograph flowers thinking there wasn't much...
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Foliage Follow-up, a favorite combination…
For Foliage Follow-up this month I’m keeping it simple and highlighting a favorite combination in my garden. So much color and texture and none of it from flowers…I see this scene at least 3 times a...
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Sleep, Creep, Leap, or something like that.
No doubt you’ve heard the saying “sleep, creep, leap” used when referring to growth in a newly planted garden, meaning the first year the plants sleep, the second year they creep and the third year...
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Bear Valley Nursery
You guys know me by now; I’m always up for a nursery visit! So while staying in Lincoln City, on the Oregon Coast, and I saw a sign for Bear Valley Nursery what else could I do? I had to visit.It was...
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It’s time to tour the garden...
Every summer I try and do a comprehensive photo tour of the garden. It’s great for me because it provides a record of the garden each year, and (I hope) helps you get an idea of the overall garden...
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Agave americana ‘striata’, my favorite plant in the garden (this week)…
I’m afraid you’re going to be underwhelmed at this week’s favorite. Maybe a little back-story will help? This is a story of persistence and luck.I first laid eyes on Agave americana ‘striata’ when I...
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The Oregon Garden
My adopted home state kicks “fanny” as far as the horticultural industry is concerned. I believe we’re 3rd in the nation, behind California and Florida for agricultural production. Want to visit a...
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