An afternoon at Cistus, talking about the Portland Botanical Gardens

I spent the afternoon of October 6th out on Sauvie Island at Cistus Nursery and Rancho Cistus (home of Sean Hogan and Preston Pew) touring, visiting with other plant people, and hearing the latest on how the planned Portland Botanical Gardens are progressing.

The weather was magnificent, I think Mother Nature was blessing the event.

I walked Sean and Preston's home garden first, this photo and the above are from the desert island bed at the end of the driveway and just in front of their home.

The entrance to the home's front courtyard...

On the front porch...

Marcia Donahue's work.

Yucca and Cheilanthes tomentosa (I think), what's not to love?

Working my way around the side of the home now, there are a few gigantic containers.

I remember when they first moved out to the island and this was all open, Sean made quick work of filling things in.

Creatures were a buzzing around the blooming Schefflera delavayi.

Verbena and eryngium.

Seedling eryngium starting to work their way across the pathway.

The crevice garden...

Aloiampelos striatula / Aloe striatula was wiped out all over town thanks to last winter's extended cold. How nice to see them again.

Acanthus sennii, bloom slightly expired.

Hesperoyucca whipplei fireworks, with a Chris Dixon crevice garden in a pot (yet to be planted up). 

Walking back towards the house, looking over my shoulder...

Time to go join the party.

There was a presentation on where things stand with the proposed location for the garden. This graphic was my most interesting take away, comparing the proposed site here in Portland with other botanic gardens, from Kew to the Denver BG, New York BG, and our local Leach BG.

It is so exciting to think this project could (will?) actually happen. It's such a missing piece, that we do not have a public garden like this in Portland. I scanned the hand out we were given, if you're curious to learn more. Click on the image and you can make it larger.

Of course if you want to donate to the effort there's a page for that, click here.

After the event wrapped up I (naturally) walked thought the nursery proper...

Agave ovatifolia 'Vanzie'

Agave 'Ruth Bancroft' (sharkskin)

What did I buy? Just a couple things. A nice Opuntia x 'Beaver Rita' for a container project I'm working on, and a beautifully variegated Pyrrosia lingua 'Ogon Nishiki' to fill an empty driveway container over the winter.

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All material © 2009-2024 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Scott's Seattle garden, the sunny side

Okay, we're back in Scott's Seattle garden and we've wandered out into the sun (Wednesday's post was all about the shady bits)...

The sunny areas are (as you might expect) on the south-side of Scott's property, and he lets none of that sun go to waste. 

That beauty is Agave 'Silver Surfer' and has been in that spot for about 8 years.

Of course this gorgeous specimen is Agave ovatifolia.

On Wednesday I concentrated on the trunks of the Eriobotrya japonica (loquat) up near the house, but here's a pretty good shot of what the trees look like.

Walking west along the sunny border, echium... E. pininana I believe.

Pulled back view.

Grevillea x gaudichaudii

Seriously amazing in its cascading splendor.

In Wednesday's post I linked to the Etsy shop where Scott ordered the rusty pieces, but it's worth repeating here, cause they're so good! PAVAmetaldecor

Agave filifera and Penstemon 'Sour Grapes'

With rusty metal from PAVAmetaldecor...

I might need to track down that penstemon.

Agave schidigera

This combo gets me every time! Agave parryi ssp. huachucensis ‘Excelsior’ with a fabulously red sedum.

I think that's an Agave 'Baccarat'.

Cussonia paniculata (protected over the winter)

Another Agave ovatifolia, backed by Nolina nelsonii.

So good!

Pulling back and walking up to the driveway/alley now.

It's really hard to wrap my head around how many plants Scott has successfully squeezed into his small urban garden.

All of them perfectly sited to maximize their beauty.

At the home's back door I couldn't help but both be shocked by the color of the potted annuals and love the over-the-top abundance of the parthenocissus vine.

There is empty space to park, kinda shocking (it's not filled with plants awaiting their in-ground homes!).

Such a luxurious woodwardia...

A sunny sit spot! (which is shady later in the day)

Thank you Scott for allowing a Sunday afternoon visit and letting me wander your garden snapping photos!

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All material © 2009-2024 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.