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Creature comforts at McMenamins Grand Lodge
Located roughly 30 miles west from home, in the city of Forest Grove, I had not previously visited McMenamins Grand Lodge. That is until an appointment with a specialist took me out that way on a sunny...
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The winter garden at McMenamins Grand Lodge
It's always exciting to explore a new-to-me outpost of the garden-loving local McMenamins chain of pub/restaurant/hotel/movie theatres. I frequently visit my neighborhood Kennedy School, last March I...
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A trip to Seattle (for the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival) means new...
Last Wednesday we made the trek up to Seattle for the 2022 NWFG Festival, returning just last night. To be honest the trip felt like a bit of a step backwards to where we left off in 2020 when suddenly...
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February Bloomday, a day late
Somehow—when I wasn't looking—it became mid-February, Bloomday! Well, yesterday was technically Bloomday but I'm celebrating today, with photos of the things blooming in my garden, starting with...
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There was a garden show & other photos from up north
In past years my coverage of the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival was pretty extensive; photos of the display gardens, floral competition, plant vendors, and more. This year, not so much. The...
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Like a moth to flame, I'm back at the Elk Rock Garden
It seems every February I feel a pull to visit Portland's Elk Rock Garden the garden of the Bishop’s Close, this year was no different.Sarcococca, sweet box.My plan was to take just photos if I was...
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Visiting Mickey Hargitay Plants in Los Angeles
Last November my friends Ann and Evan visited the the Los Angeles area just a week or so before Andrew and I did, naturally I followed their travels with mine in mind. One of their stops was of...
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Returning to La Conchita, California—Part One
When Gerhard and I attended the Bromeliad Summit back in 2019 we stayed at an Airbnb in a small community just south of Santa Barbara called La Conchita. We only had a brief chance to check out the...
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The nursery at the John Fairey Garden
During my October trip to Austin, Pam Penick and I visited the John Fairey Garden in Helpstead, Texas. We had prior permission to visit, since the garden is only open on certain days—being the hostess...
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Visiting Pam Penick's garden again—Part One (I had it all to myself this time!)
As I've mentioned a time or two, I was in Austin back in October. During that visit I had the luxury of staying at Pam and David Penick's home. This meant I was able to walk out into Pam's garden (of...
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Visiting Pam Penick's garden again—Part Two
I wonder sometimes; do y'all like garden visits to wrap up in one tidy post? Or do you prefer two days worth of photos, a chance to see more detail? I decided to err on the side of more being more,...
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Manito Park's Gaiser Conservatory—our first stop for Conservatory Week
Andrew and I recently spent a long weekend up in Spokane with family, a postponed Christmas trip. While out running an errand with my brother (who now lives in Phoenix) we got the urge to drive by our...
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Bromeliads and ferns in the Volunteer Park Conservatory—Part Two of...
After my speaking duties at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle wrapped up, I took off to visit the Volunteer Park Conservatory on Capitol Hill. Like the Gaiser Conservatory I wrote...
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The desert garden of my 20's—Part Three of Conservatory Week
Today is the third and final installment in my look at the two conservatories that helped educate me on the magic world of plants. Today we look at the fantastic—if small—desert garden at the Volunteer...
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March blooms, for Garden Bloggers Bloomday
Last month my entry in the long-running Garden Bloggers Bloomday meme—hosted by May Dreams Gardens—came in a day late. This month I decided to log my report a day early, on the 14th. Actual "Bloomday"...
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Marcia, Marcia, Marcia...
While exploring the John Fairey Garden with Pam Penick last October, I was delighted to come across these colorful Marcia Donahue sculptures.Marcia's bamboo poles are often done in more somber, earthy...
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Beyond the blooms; a look at my March garden
It's been a long while since we've taken a walk around the garden, so while I was out there shooting for Bloomday I took some additional photos to share...Front garden pruning was one of many tasks I...
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My visit to the John Fairey Garden, in Hempstead Texas
I've teased you with posts about The John Fairey Garden Mosaic by Dixie Friend Gay, The nursery at the John Fairey Garden, and Marcia Donahue's sculptures at the JFG—I think it's finally time I post...
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Plants on mini-mountains, at the John Fairey Garden
We're back at the John Fairey Garden for one more post, this one about an interesting planting style I saw at the garden. I'm referring to the mini-mountains, seen here first, next to the parking lot.I...
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A March visit to Cistus Nursery
It had been too long since I'd visited Cistus Nursery, so late last week I set out for Sauvie Island. Naturally I started snapping photos of the plants in the display garden just as soon as I stepped...
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