Friday, January 25, 2013

Drive-bys


Today I have 3 very different gardens to share with you, all of them spotted on my travels around P-town. This first one I posted a couple pictures of back in 2011, but they've recently trimmed up their Yucca rostrata and they’re looking so fine that I had to share…

See, aren’t they wonderful?

And that shrub…

I should know what it is; I pick it up at a nursery 6 or 7 times every summer and then put it down when I remember it’s the one with the bad yellow flowers. Maybe I need to finally just buy one?

Here’s one of the fabulous trees in their hell-strip…

I am embarrassed to admit I can’t tell you what it is either. I am still pretty tree stupid, however I did recently pick up a copy of Trees for All Seasons: Broadleaved Evergreens for Temperate Climates by Sean Hogan, so hopefully I’ll be tree-smarter soon!

**late breaking i.d. from Mr. Hogan...Quercus hypoleucoides**

Now we’re driving across town to visit a friend, I've passed this garden many times but finally stopped to take pictures. I’m standing in the street to take this photo, that dense thicket of bamboo in the foreground is the hell-strip…

From the sidewalk...

There are palms too!

And thorny roses tied to a telephone pole.

Set free these could be quite the surprise for a passer-by!

Looking backwards...

This is the bamboo just visible on the right in the photo above. It borders the property of the garden I'm photographing and and apartment complex next door.

Obviously it creates quite a nice thick screen, I wonder how often it has to be trimmed back?

Here's the tall elegant bamboo in front of the house...

It looks like their banana bloomed last summer! And notice the palm above the garage, I wonder what other treasures are up there?

Between the sidewalk and short privacy wall are several trunking yuccas and euphorbias.

Those silver shapes up by the house must be wrapped bananas?

The bamboo definitely wants to test the strength of the sidewalk.

Driving by this house the tall Trachycarpus caught my eye, then I noticed the fabulous modern lines of the house, I want a house like this!

Opuntia...

Bad photo angle, that's actually two separate plants.

They've got a built in planter under the covered entrance. I'm sure you can guess how much I would love to have this feature at my house.

I did take these pictures a couple weeks ago, so they might have brought in the succulent containers once our weather turned colder.

I wonder about the Graptoveria and Sedum nussbaumerianum? I guess we haven't gotten that cold and undercover who knows, maybe they've been fine. I sure do like the combination...

 (yes I am seriously coveting that green mailbox too)

37 comments:

  1. I'm curious, too what that silver-leaved shrub is by the Yucca rostrata... let us know!

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    1. I believe Linda (below) got it! Brachyglottis greyi, love those leaves!

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  2. You come across the nicest gardens in Portland!!!! Those Yucca rostratas are spectacular--and quite valuable, too.

    And the bamboo is divine. They're doing a great job maintaining it, i.e. thinning out culms to make the grove look light and airy.

    Keep the drive-by photos coming!

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    1. Naturally I thought of you (and Alan) when I saw that bamboo...it is very well cared for!

      I'll do my best to keep 'em coming, it's all about taking a different route wherever I go!

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  3. I love your blog Loree. I believe that plant is Senecio (now called Brachyglottis) greyi. S (or B). monroi is a nice species too.

    Linda

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    1. Thank you Linda! And wow I don't remember ever seeing 'monroi' before those leaf edges are crazy, in a good way!

      (http://plantlust.com/plants/brachyglottis-monroi)

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  4. Those Y. Rostratas are so nice and sculptural trimmed up. We rarely see that done around here, though I see them trim the agaves that way.

    Quite a variety of house styles too. You need that mailbox.

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    1. And why do they trim agaves that way? Are they removing the dead "leaves" like on the yucca? It's odd because when I do that the plant seems to just naturally relax and the new growth hides the scars of the removal. Sometimes tho when I see agaves "pineappled" up like that I think they're doing it because they like the look?

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    2. I believe that in nature those lifeless leaves protect the stem form sun scald.

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  5. Wow wow wow!!!! I love those!!! The first pictures of the yucca rostratas are beyond amazing. I can only dream of one day having ones that look as good. Can you believe they are virtually non-existent up here. I tried all spring/summer to hunt down a trunking rostrata with no luck. So I will have to get mine on some rostrata steroids!! I love the bamboozlement feature at the second place. It looks like somewhere that need be appreciated in the summertime. And the last place, those succulents and planters are superb. And I love their placement of the trachy. You're right about the lines. Imagine what you could plant on that slope down from the door!

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    1. Louis you would have loved the group of Y. rostrata I saw for sale last weekend in NM. Pictures on Monday!

      As for the last garden I didn't even show you the other side of the property. Huge rock area not planted at all...so much potential!

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  6. Beautiful gardens. Anyone living in zone 7 can only be jealous.
    Might that silverleafed tree in the hellstrip be a Pyrus salicifolia?

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    1. Why yes! It certainly looks like it could be, good call.

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  7. Gorgeous gardens! Those poor yucca rostratas look lonely, like maybe they'd like to come home with me. Seriously though, you find the nicest gardens! Thanks for sharing them with us.

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    1. Good luck! If their going home with anyone that would be me!

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  8. Yes those yuccas look wonderful, especially trimmed like that! And love the idea of the built in planter! And that bamboo garden looks gorgeous, and the walkway itself looks much more than just a pedestrian walkway, it's a garden!

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    1. Indeed it is. And I am really impressed with how nicely they keep everything trimmed up.

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  9. Gosh! Some really good looking plants there Loree!

    After losing all of my Yuccas over the years I always feel a slight pang of jealousy whenever I see people being able to grow them outside, sigh!

    I love the bamboo as well, shots 112, 115 and 120 are my favourites :)

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    1. Ah yes...I forgot for a moment about your bamboo love, glad to share some "Portland style"...as for your yuccas I am so sorry! I don't know what I would do if I couldn't grow them!

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  10. I vote for house #2 :)

    Just a note of clarification though: bamboo won't break concrete. If the concrete is cracked already then shoots can possibly push through, but solid concrete is safe.

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    1. Yes I thought you might!

      I don't know what the sidewalks are like in your area but here in the older parts of Portland there is hardly a 5ft stretch that doesn't have some cracks.

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  11. I am imagining what you could do with that last house...it would be epic! Wandering different neighborhoods is just about my favorite sport...even when it's done vicariously.

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    1. Epic...are you stealing a page from Louis' phrase book? The house was deceptively big too...a girl can dream.

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  12. I like that last shot -- the front porch vignette -- the best. Nice colors! I enjoyed your drive-by. Everything looks green and moist!

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    1. And it is! Even with less than an inch of rainfall this month (below average) it's still very very moist!

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  13. Hi
    Great blog!
    I just found it this month!
    I believe your mystery tree is
    Quercia myrsinifolia
    Chinese evergreen oak
    Just a great plant
    Best
    Steve

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    1. Thanks Steve! Might be...I need to do more research!

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  14. I don't recognize the first yard, but the other two are just up the street from me! I LOVE that spanish style house and garden - I think it's for sale if you want to buy it :) The third house: the new (maybe 2 years ago) owners put rocks in the hell strip. I'm undecided about whether it's better or worse.

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    1. I don't think I would enjoy living right on Burnside, but I do love that style of home as well.

      The rocks in the big empty hell strip really kind of confused me...why no plants?

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  15. Hello DG ~ enjoyed your pics of homes around PDX. I'm hoping the bamboo I planted last fall will look as good as the one you found. Great screen! (which is exactly what I need!) Cheers, Jenni

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    1. I hope so too, great screens are invaluable!

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  16. Hey all,
    Sorry
    I meant "Quercus myrsinifolia" oops
    Steve

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    1. Hey Steve it turns out that it's Quercus hypoleucioides!

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  17. I'm in awe of the seemingly endless number of diverse and richly planted gardens you feature on the blog. Keep the virtual tours coming!

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    1. Here's hoping I never run out of gardens to feature...

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  18. Glad my first guess on the mystery tree was right - SIlverleaf Oak - rock on, oh mighty Quercus! Your Yucca rostrata plants trimmed actually look nice - just don't quote me on that, it will ruin my rep. Now, I liked this walkabout more than T or C, especially all the moisture and mossy stuff...but not one scalloped concrete edge? Blasphemers, all of you.

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  19. Hi Mrs Danger Garden! Thanks for the fabulous PDX garden tours! Funny, I just planted that Brachyglottis greyi in front of my ranch. My ranch isn't as ALL-OUT fabulous as that last house you showed, but I DO think it not only proper, but maybe even mandatory that all West Coast MCM ranches have a couple few palm trees out front. Heehee. ;)

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