I was captivated!
Not only were the blooms (and buds) gorgeous…
…but the plant itself was quite handsome.
Sunday night found us at a gathering at the home of Mr. Sean Hogan (Cistus). The weather was such that we spent a little time in the back garden, such a wonderful, intimate space.
This photo could have been so much better! However all I had to work with was my husband's iPhone, the light was dim, and let’s be honest…there was wine involved. Still Aeoniums planted in the top of an expired palm tree trunk…how cool is that?
I also loved this, once my Trachycarpus is tall enough I will definitely be growing a well-behaved climber up its furry trunk!
There were several dog walks throughout my week; on one I spied these fun yellow dots…
In the same garden was this amazing combination!
I am experiencing serious plant lust over that ground cover. Luckily Scott posted a picture, (with a name!), on his Foliage Follow-up post...Acaena inermis purpurea.
We had a hail storm in Portland a couple of weeks back. The softer skinned succulents, like this Dudleya, suffered quite a bit of damage…
The Agave attenuatas were particularly hard hit.
The Graptoveria are starting to grow out of it.
Even the Eucomis ended up with freckles.
There were a couple of sunny afternoons, and I actually had a little extra time for a long dog walk. That's when I realized I hadn’t been here…
…in quite a long time!
Let’s have a look around…
This garden still takes my breath away every time.
Another day and I was standing in my neighbor’s driveway chatting with her and my eyes fell upon our fireplace…
…and I noticed this:
It appears we have our own version of a green roof going, only it’s a green chimney! Planted by a bird? Our house painter last year? Dunno, but I’m excited to see where it goes!
Hope you had a good week too!
It's so funny, every time I pass the house at Fremont and 21st now, I feel like I know them and have walked through their yard. I love these neighborhood tours.
ReplyDeleteI do the snooping, so you don't have to...
DeleteThe flowers on a Pineapple Guava are amazing, one plant that I have always wanted to plant and forget about. Another great walking tour, the garden around that house is STUNNING! I love your little sedum on your fireplace.....Since I use so many as ground cover here, they are starting to pop up everywhere which I have been wanting to happen.
ReplyDeleteMy sedum are finally starting to spread around on the ground too. Linda of whatsitgarden (whatsitgarden.posterous.com) mentioned that having dogs to move it around the garden helped, and I've started to notice that she's right!
DeleteGet that Pineapple Guava already!
Omg omg! Seriously?!?! That sounds like an epic week! Though I've never met Sean Hogan I feel in my heart as though we are good friends. And that agave/cacti/yucca rostrata?!?! Seriously sooo beyond epic! I had a good week but clearly not that good.
ReplyDeleteYou have been to Cistus though right?
DeleteI have never been!! I'm contemplating a trip down. I would need to set up all sorts of sanitary certificates because I feel like I would want everything... and bringing back could be bad. Maybe ill just mail order everything I want and visit for fun!!!
DeleteI could be wrong...but I bet the kind folks at Cistus could help you with the paperwork. Before you do anything you should call them and ask about it. Since they ship plants to and fro they must have that angle all figured out, right? Or maybe it's different when the customer carries them back across the border...
DeleteIs that a palo verde tree? In Portland? Hum...
ReplyDeleteNo, but it's similarity is exactly why I planted 2 in my garden. It is a Genista aetnensis, or Mt. Etna Broom.
DeleteIt WAS a good week for gardeners and gardening. I feel lucky my eucomis didn't get freckled with the hail, but I would seriously love to have those agave attenuata in my garden, hail specks or not.
ReplyDeleteYour little succulent volunteer is darn cute...if you're worried about the brick mortar, you could install the world's tiniest planters up on the ledges for more succulents!
I love that idea (the tiny planters), what fun!
DeleteWhat an amazing set of shots....especially towards the end of this post! The front yard is incredible and that opuntia look great. Normally you wouldn't see a cactus at the entrance to a house, but it works here.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Guava in the beginning. I have this plant growing on our property. Did you know that the flowers are edible? I tried several ours just to see if it was tree.....and indeed it was. Now if I can get some fruit on this bush:) Have a good weekend. Chris
I did not know the flowers are edible, gosh they would look lovely in a salad!
DeleteGlad I could help with the plant ID :-) You little volunteer Sedum is too cute...are you going to leave it there?
ReplyDeleteI think I am, or maybe I'll try Jane's idea of a few little planters!
DeleteThanks for reminding me about Bumblekiss! I had a lovely breakfast there last winter--now I want to go enjoy their outdoor seating. And I'm so, so jealous that you got to go to Sean Hogan's garden but grateful for your report. It looks enchanting!
ReplyDeleteHere are a few more pictures of Sean's garden, unfortunately before I changed my blog format so I could super-size the photos: http://dangergarden.blogspot.com/2011/09/garden-of-sean-hogan.html
DeleteThe fuzzy little yellow flower is a Cotula.
ReplyDeleteLove that garden with all the yuccas. I can't believe that is in Portland. And your volunteer is too cute.
I agree about the garden, every time I visit I feel transported to Arizona.
DeleteI love yellow button flowers, very popular in weddings...so cool about your chimney~~!
ReplyDeleteAh to get married all over again, I'd have succulent bouquets...complete with Agaves!
DeleteAbsolutely beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI think I'd throw handfuls of soil up onto the chimney "steps", then some more sedum branches. Or maybe in the opposite order. Okay, I'd probably use a ladder so I could keep the soil away from the house. :-)
ReplyDeleteI considered getting a ladder so I could take a better picture but the ground underneath is sloped and covered with gravel. Danger!
DeleteOne of my neighbors has a Guava hedge over the length of her corner property...gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWow...I bet it is! Is it left to grow naturalistic or trimmed up?
DeleteThe flowers are edible with a nice texture and delicate flavor.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you speak from experience.
DeleteI love your neighborhood walkabouts. It's funny. I never used to notice spikey plants, but darn it, after reading your blog posts, I can't help but notice them with interest now :)
ReplyDeleteYay! I love that, now just let me know when you start buying them!
DeleteWhat a fabulous mix of plant photos, all taken in one week! Don't even know where to start, but must say the fourth photo is my favourite of the lot only by a narrow margin.
ReplyDeleteAnd to think I almost didn't use that one! Looking back the other direction are a row of picnic tables and I really liked that shot too. But then I decided it was too busy and went with the simpler angle.
DeleteThat's it. Tonight when I get home from work, I'm digging up my Pineapple Guava and replanting it in a pot. It is in too much shade now and I'd love to see just one bloom. I love the idea of a vine growing on the Trachycarpus trunk. That just might be the idea of the week! The yellow buttons are Santolina I believe. Mine is blooming right now. That garden is amazing and I love the sedum on the chimney. It's going to grow really well there I bet.
ReplyDeleteI love that succulent growing on your chimney. And your photo reminds me again what a difference a lovely paint job makes. I really like your house color.
ReplyDeleteI still don't like pineapple guava flowers though, as I once posted, only semi-tongue-in-cheek: "Pineapple guava flowers gross me out." Love the foliage though!