Wait; make that the sunny Pacific Northwest! I seem doomed to photograph this splendid garden in less than ideal conditions. Last October I was here as the sun was coming up and there were hash shadows to contend with.
When I left home this morning it was overcast but bright, perfect garden photography weather! But as I got closer to the garden the clouds broke up and it became very sunny. Normally I wouldn’t complain but it makes it hard to capture these beautiful plants!
I was back to photograph acting on a tip from a reader "the cactus are blooming!"...and they were. But everything else was looking really good too...
Look at all those pups!
I am getting seriously spoiled with all the Cactus gardens I've been able to visit here in the PNW. And the blooms! So many different colors...
I love this Cylindropuntia and the way it just glows...
This shot kind of shows how built-up the soil is, drainage is key!
Now that I've seen this garden in early summer and early fall I should mark my calendar to go back in the dead of winter and see how it looks. Maybe even in the snow! Oh wait, what am I saying...we're not getting any of that this year...
Stunning! First I thought you were posting photos from Ruth Bancroft Garden :-)
ReplyDeleteYou'd be hard pressed to find a private garden like that down here, where the climate is more amenable to growing succulents. But maybe it's too easy, and people just can't be bothered. In Portland, it requires more work and hence becomes more special.
This is obviously a person with a passion and the drive (and money) to make it happen. It seems to me a garden of this magnitude takes a single minded focus that I'm not sure many of us plant lovers are capable of.
DeleteGee, Danger, those are some very healthy desert plants you show.
ReplyDeleteGood that you note how those were designed to allow for drainage, something I rarely have to address. Almost as good that some of our infernal / eternal sun made it back up there. The amount of pups and blooms in that garden are simply amazing...I'm even jealous!
Yes I imagine drainage is almost a non-issue in your part of the world! And thanks for sharing the sun...could you please send it up a little more frequently in July?
DeleteRanchville? Dang cool.
ReplyDeleteNot even close, Beaverton....
DeleteSeriously spiky. I wonder how you arm yourself to work with plants like that? You'd lose in flexibility what you gained in protection if you wore thick gloves...
ReplyDeleteThe plants certainly seem to be thriving at this garden. I'm sure the exposure and drainage is the reason.
Really long tools? Seems like you'd end up backing into something painful though...
DeleteOh my goodness gracious! Seriously?!? That is stunning. Those agaves loaded with pups?!? I think a knock at the door and agave harvesting is in order!! Epic, even epic amongst the epic!
ReplyDeleteEven if I was offered all the free pups I could harvest I don't know if I'm brave enough to crawl in there...
DeleteMaybe they'll make you some prickly pear jelly in return for your beautiful pics?!
ReplyDeleteIs it any good? I've never tried it...
DeleteI guess we do not have to live in other areas to have all that. That is a stunning yard.
ReplyDeleteYou just have to have neighbors who promise not to plant big shade trees!
DeleteThat's an amazing display and to have so many blooming at the same time is really a great find.
ReplyDeleteErase those conifers in the background and this could be San Antonio. It would be noteworthy here I can imagine it's a real eye catcher there.
It's so hot here and my xeric perennials are losing the battle so I may just take them out of the front and add more cactus.
The garden is on a dead-end street so unfortunately I doubt many people even know it's there.
DeleteSorry to hear about your perennials, I mean more cactus is always good but not at the expense of your other plants...
Wow! What an amazing garden! All those agave pups! And I love that one with all the white spines (Cylindropuntia?), it has so many spines it almost looks fuzzy, but I bet you wouldn't want to pet it.
ReplyDeleteOnly a fool would pet that plant...
DeleteSo inspiring! And I love the way the photos look in the strong sunlight. Please do go back in the snow--I'm sure it will look amazing!
ReplyDeleteBut remember...we aren't having any snow this year!!!
DeleteBrilliant color and spikes!
ReplyDeleteLots and lots of spikes!
DeleteLoved all the opuntiads! I loved how you can really see their different habits in the photos. Would love some ID's if you know them to go with the pics. I think it is ironic that the well planted landscape is in Portland...quite daring. I wonder how they built the beds?
ReplyDeleteDave
Unfortunately I have not a clue on the ID, there are definitely many different types there but not a clue.
DeleteGood question about how the beds were built, I would love to see some process photos.
Excuse me, I have to go clean up my drool. This puts my little cactus patch to shame...
ReplyDeleteI think it does that same thing to almost everyone's...
DeleteNow THAT's a textural garden!
ReplyDeleteHa! Good point...
DeleteI remember seeing your photos before and glad to see you've got the sun with you this time :) Gorgeous garden and plants, rain, cloud, or shine!
ReplyDeleteIt definitely looks more at home in the harsh sun...
DeleteAmazing...a desert garden where UV protection is not an issue for the gardener. Cylindropuntia is very cool.
ReplyDeleteJust 10-15 days out of the year, as opposed to your 350?
DeleteAre you sure you did not pass through some sort of space age portal? This does NOT look like Portland OR.
ReplyDeleteIt's not! It's Beaverton...(haha)
DeleteWhat sunset zone are you in? My wife and I may be moving to the Oregon coast. I really love growing cacti and I would like to continue doing so. I know some parts of the PNW receive a lot of rain, whereas other parts receive very little.
ReplyDeleteI am in Sunset zone 6 (Portland proper), but I have to be honest I don't really know much about the sunset system. I do know at the coast is milder than Portland, not getting nearly the heat we get. You'd have to go east of the Cascades to make it into the desert part or Oregon. Good luck!
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