
Friday, July 31, 2009
Vacation

Thursday, July 30, 2009
Our year of living dangerously
Is this what the “climate change” thing is all about? It has been a year of weather extremes in Portland. Last December we experienced record setting cold, snow and ice, for days on end. Currently we are in the midst of record setting heat. Miserable heat. Monday was 103, Tuesday and Wednesday both topped out at 106, and today is heading to 102. I know many other places regularly get much warmer, and stay warmer for longer, but here in Portland we just don’t, and because we don’t it is rare to have air conditioning at home. Thank god for my office job!
I plead guilty to being a little weather obsessed. One of my favorite gadgets is this thermometer.Besides telling you the current temperature inside and outside it also records the high and low for the day out in my garden. The best part is the display screen sets on the kitchen counter so I don’t even have to go outside to see the current temperature or the extreme for the day! The bad part is that’s been going on the fritz when the temperature exceeds 100, just like me.
Who wants to think about gardening when it’s this hot? Cocktails in a nice air conditioned restaurant, that’s what I’m talking about. Just look at that ice cube! Burrrr….Gardening talk to resume again as soon as the temperature stays below 100, until then I’m on strike.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
didn’t think it could happen…

Since most of my agave collection is potted (rather than planted in the ground), I didn’t think I’d ever experience an agave bloom spike, like the Germinatrix recently did. I figured I was forever stunting them and the plants wouldn't be able to achieve that level of "maturity."
I have been proven wrong by somone named Mike...

Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Caladium






Monday, July 27, 2009
This could cause an accident









Friday, July 24, 2009
Mama Aloe

Then she bloomed! Wow…and it lasted for weeks (picture from 5/2007).




Thursday, July 23, 2009
Battle of the big leaves




Well….the largest leaf on the T. is over 36” wide (that’s the 36” mark Andrew is holding the tape at). On the G. it’s 33” so…I guess the Tetrapanax could be seen as the winner. However the Tetrapanax only has 10 leaves to the Gunnera’s 16. I’ll call that a tie.Since they still have about two months before the growing season ends I can’t wait to see what happens! If you don’t have at least one of each what are you waiting for!?
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Chillin on a 92 degree day

The Manfreda maculosa from the Cistus trip started blooming Monday, so that was an extra birthday surprise! That’s it above and below. It smells like a tuberose, wonderful! The blooms open white/green and then changes to a pink tone.

Naturally since I was ready to buy, they didn’t have a single Cotinus left. What to do? I've got an empty pot at home just begging for a plant!
I’ve been drawn to the Chocolate Albizia since I first saw them, and they have several fine specimens, but at $79 I managed to walk away (but I can still hear it calling out to me…).
Nest maker’s post that morning on her Sambucus was fresh in my mind and Garden Fever had a beautiful Black Lace Elderberry Sambucus nigra ‘Eva’ for under $25. Uhm….that will do nicely!





Tuesday, July 21, 2009
the apartment plant




