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The littles
Here's a newish nursery in my area that's been quickly making a name for itself, Illahe Rare Plants (and they do mail order). I took this photo at the Salem Hardy Plant Sale last September. Their booth...
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'twas Hortlandia
As I wrote in Monday's blog post, last weekend was Hortlandia, the spring plant sale which brings many of our Portland-area nurseries together under one roof. Today I share my haul, mainly because I...
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Ventura Botanical Gardens
I visited the Ventura Botanical Gardens as part of a trip to Southern California last November.This was my second visit, the first was back in late 2015 (coverage here). Back then I was surprised by...
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Logs in the urban landscape
Every time I drive by this log-filled hellstrip I think "I really need to stop and take photos" but I'm usually headed home and don't have the time.However, one cloudy afternoon last week I made the...
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Opening day! (at Secret Garden Growers...)
Last Thursday was opening day at one of my favorite local nurseries, Secret Garden Growers, You know you've arrived when you see the witch crossing sign... (pardon the bad photo taken from inside my...
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It shouldn't be, but it is...
Many gardeners here in the Pacific Northwest are still tallying the plant losses from the one week storm that wreaked havoc in an otherwise benign winter. Just this last week I've discovered my 10 year...
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The Hume and Johnstone gardens
Today we're headed back to June in Vancouver BC and the 2023 Study Weekend garden tours. First up is Diana Hume's garden, if I'd been with friends (or not on a tight schedule) I might have found that...
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The Girardin garden; places to play, swim and relax
This stop during the Vancouver BC Study Weekend event felt different from the rest, like the garden was specifically meant to be enjoyed as an extension of the house. I do wish that we'd have been...
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Elk Rock Garden of the Bishop’s Close, now home to the Hardy Plant Society of...
Back in January of 2023 I wrote about visiting the Elk Rock Garden of the Bishop's Close for what I feared might be the last time. The property had been put up for sale and it looked prime for a...
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No. That is not a funnel holder.
We took down the walls of the shade pavilion greenhouse on April 21st, or as Andrew had taken to calling it, the plant fort. It's such a good feeling, Having all of the garden open again, even if it...
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A walk around my spring garden
Spring is doing its best to try and make me forget about the damage of winter. I appreciate the effort and I'm enjoying the heck out of it. But I'm still feeling the burn! That said I want to share...
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A collector's shade garden, in Vancouver BC
The Ketchum garden was another one of last June's Study Weekend stops that everyone was talking about ("have you been to the...?""what did you think of the...?"). Because I'd heard the buzz I was...
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South of the front steps; a bit of land reworked
Winter was not kind to the area just south of our front door. The main issue was the near death of the Feijoa sellowiana (pineapple guava), the leafy shrub in the large container. Photo from last...
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Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden—a June visit
On my way back to Portland from the Vancouver BC 2023 Study Weekend event I made a stop at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden in Federal Way, WA. I tend to visit the garden in February (on my...
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More from the RSBG last June
We're back at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden for the second half of my visit last June, 2023. If you've read any of my previous posts on the RSBG you know it's not just Rhododendrons—there...
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The Saadien garden by the sea
This was the first garden I visited on the last day of the 2023 Study Weekend event in Vancouver BC last June. It was such a special spot that I saved it for my last post. I believe the land you see...
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Bamboo, rats, and table fungus
How's that for a blog post title that makes you squirm? Winter did a number on the screening plants in the NW corner of the back garden. That building (a two-tone garage, see the full ugly here) had...
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A long weekend away; plant shopping and gardening
Last week at this time I was up in Spokane, WA, for a long Mother's Day weekend with my mom. We celebrated as any gardening mother and daughter would; we spent one day plant shopping (with a break for...
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The Morris Arboretum and Gardens at the University of Pennsylvania
Today I'm returning to the gardens I visited in Pennsylvania last September as part of the Fling, I still have so many to share with you!Andrew and I arrived in the Philadelphia area a few days before...
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The fernery at the Morris Arboretum and Gardens
It is time, on to the fernery!Truth be told, I've been a little hesitant to post this series of photos, fearing that I just wouldn't be able to do this area justice—it's absolutely magical.Built in...
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