Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Visiting Wind Dancer with the grass guy…

One of the many things I love about the garden blogging community is that we all have our own distinctive passions, and yet we enjoy them all because they stem from a love of gardening and PLANTS! While it’s great fun to hang out with like-minded people (like visiting Rare Plant Research with my co-plant-lust’ers) it’s also wonderful to visit nurseries with people whose tastes and knowledge are vastly different from your own (bonus: you don’t have to trip them to get the plants you want before they do!).

Why am I rambling on about this? Because a couple weekends back Scott (Rhone Street Gardens), whom everyone knows loves ornamental grasses, organized a little outing to one of his favorite places, Wind Dancer Garden. For those of you who missed it Scott put together a lovely tribute to Carolyn (the owner) and Wind Dancer last fall when it was announced they were closing the nursery, you can see that epic post here. Even though they’re now closed Scott (and friends) were invited to tour the garden and perhaps purchase a few plants. I jumped at the chance to join Scott, Heather, Jenni and Linda (plus her slightly bored husband Philip)…

I’d heard Carolyn was a wonderful lady and that couldn’t be truer. She toured us around the garden answering questions and pointing out favorite plants.

Her garden was impeccable!

I liked this vignette so much I had to include it twice.

However my regard for Carolyn's taste and talents went way up when I spotted this…

She loves spikes too! And there is definitely a design idea here to steal; the raised bed stair-stepped up and visible from all sides is a magnificent way to display prized plants like these in containers.

I was in awe of the beauty of her specimens…

Of course I was still taking pictures of all the succulents when everyone else discovered the grasses for sale and started shopping.

This was another favorite moment of the day, listening to Scott and Heather talk grass! I’m standing there looking at a couple of plants which to me look exactly the same and yet they’re discussing which is which and the merits of both. I was impressed.

This beauty caught my eye, Scott and Heather reminded me where I'd seen it before, on Denise's blog A Growing Obsession.

Above the spikes was a favorite tree, Robinia Pseudoacacia ‘Twisty Baby’

There was also a nearby vegetable garden.

I didn't need to buy bricks to edge my garden, I could have used my empty wine bottles!

Is this not the most beautiful hosta? I should have asked Carolyn it's name.

I really hope my libertia blooms this year, mainly because I want these little orange seed pods!...

This is a renewed love, Rhamnus frangula 'Ron Williams.' I first incountered Fine Line Buckthorn at the garden of Lauren Hall-Behrens but seeing them here I'm reminded how beautiful they are...

Here the Albizia julibrissin 'Summer Chocolate' is just starting to leaf out too.

Before we left I had to sneak over and check out the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) up close.

Which also gave me a chance to discover this interesting tree...

Based on an ID from my friend Peter's blog post on Heronswood I think this is an Acer pseudoplatanus 'Esk Sunset.'

Thankfully Heather's guy Greg had furnished his truck for our adventure, as the group purchases wouldn't have fit in a car...

Are you wondering if I bought anything? I did, although since was just the day after I spent a pretty penny at Rare Plant Research I was on my best behavior. On the left is my Wind Dancer purchase, Stipa arundinacea 'Sirocco' and on the right a Pennisetum purpureum 'Vertigo' picked up at Portland Nursery on my way home. I'd admired it last year in Scott's garden and he'd mentioned they were available there.

I hope my fellow shoppers won't mind me sharing this group photo Carolyn took of us that afternoon before we left. It's a perfect illustration of the benefits of blogging...here I am with three people I never would have met had it not been for our garden blogs...

This seems like the perfect time to mention an upcoming workshop at Joy Creek Nursery. Titled "How to Form a Garden Community Through Blogging:  A Workshop with Scott Webber and friends." This will be an opportunity for us ("us" being Scott along with Heather, Jane (MulchMaid), Ann (Amateur Bot-ann-ist) and myself) to talk about how we got started, why we blog and most importantly answer questions and encourage you to start a garden blog. It will be held Saturday, June 8th at Joy Creek Nursery at 1pm, free and no pre-registration required. If your're in the area I hope to see you there!

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

35 comments:

  1. What a great outing! I wish we had as many active bloggers AND fantastic nurseries and gardens as you do in the Portland area.

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    1. We certainly have a riches of all, I am blessed.

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  2. I wish I could have gone to this, I would have loved listening in on that discussion between Scott and Heather about grasses, and touring Wind Dancer. But it was the day after our exhausting Kitssap tour of Heronswood, etc. You got some great shots of the garden. Isn't that Esk Sunset a wonderful tree? I love how you don't even mention that moss giraffe.

    How cool is it that you are doing a presentation at Joy Creek about blogging? Sounds like fun.

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  3. I love that you included the group picture at the end. Adorable!

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  4. What fun! Love the "orange" pot in your favorite vignette -- it really makes the scene work IMO.

    Funny you mention that Buckthorn is such a nice plant, as I've got a post coming up saying how it's one of the ugliest in my garden. Climate? Location? Soil?

    Also love the group photo, as I can finally put faces to names. :D

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    1. Can you guess which one is which (hint...Scott is wearing plaid).

      I'm so sorry your Buckthorn is a less than stellar performer. Now I'm thinking long and hard before deciding is I should include one in my garden.

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  5. Orange is probably my favorite color in the garden (besides blue). Enjoy that P. 'Vertigo'. Here it's an annual but I always have it on the buying list. Great to see some faces with the names. Wish I could make it to your Joy Creek workshop. Bet it will be fun. I've met many people through the on-line garden world who I get together with on a regular basis. Friends who I would never have met any other way.

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    1. It's an annual here too. Last winter was very mild but Scott's didn't come back. Ah well...

      You and your online bunch were the trail blazers for these kinds of friendships. YOU should be participating in the Joy Creek workshop!

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  6. Another great northwest adventure!

    I love how you describe the different tastes in plants as a good thing. I'd enjoy shopping for grasses with Scott but we might need to work out some rules first.

    Thanks for sharing such a beautiful garden.

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    1. Because you could come to blows? That might be kinda fun to watch.

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  7. I love your posts about outings with garden bloggers as it reminds me of all the wonderful people I've met, you being the first, through blogging. Looks like a wonderful outing in a great garden/nursery! The group photo at the end is fun!

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  8. Heather and Scott sure do know their grasses, but who will we ask if we want to tell one Agave from another? Fun post...don't know if I feel better or worse about having missed this outing..better, I guess. Thanks.

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    1. Uhm...Sean Hogan?

      We would have loved to have you along! I wish Linda had stuck around to be in the photo.

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  9. Wonderful garden--thanks for the tour. Think I spotted a rose in that lovely place, too. See? They ain't so bad... ;)

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    1. I was admiring a neighbors crazy orangey red rose just minutes ago...I think it's a climber.

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  10. Carolyn's garden does look impeccable and amazing! A fine mix of lush and leafy plants, accentuated by succulents. And I like the way she displayed a group of them without needing an rid bed.

    Good luck with the workshop,it sounds fun!

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    1. Thanks, I think it will be. Although I detest any form of public speaking...

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  11. So much fun...and so glad you came along! I'm glad to see you also scored some 'Vertigo', it will look amazing in your garden...I'm sure you'll do it more justice than I was able to!

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    1. Are you kidding? You highlighted the 'Vertigo' so nicely. Here it might just get lost in the mash-up.

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    2. p.s. thanks for organizing the outing!!!

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  12. What a FABULOUS garden! Wonderful combinations and beautifuly grown specimens everywhere I look in your great photographs. I especially love the vignette with the orange pot and the succulent and cacti display. What a treat, many thanks for sharing. I'll be back to drool over these pics again.

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    1. Scott took some photos that day too so hopefully there are more to come over on his blog...

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  13. How much fun to have gotten the opportunity to go there!!!! I agree- her display was wonderful and her garden fabulous! Great job capturing it all. I laughed when you said she and Scott got to talk grass hahah. Funny. Great tour. Thanks!

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    1. Indeed it was a great outing, and no rain!

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  14. AnonymousMay 28, 2013

    I need to find the name of that hosta! I've never seen a more beautiful hosta.

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    1. There is much photo evidence on Google that Tom (below) correctly identified it as 'June'...

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  15. The Hosta looks a lot like 'June', so that's my guess for it. On a slightly random aside, did you perchance meet a certain Karl G. a week or two ago (or already somehow manage to know him)?

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    1. I think you may be right, now I need to track down June!

      I replied on your blog to your question of KG, but yes. Team plant lust enjoyed his entertaining company last weekend.

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  16. Can we twist Carolyn's arm to do this again for the 2013 fling? Please, please? I wonder if Carolyn calls that grass Chloris virgata. It's throwing an amazing amount of bloom spikes right now. Thanks for the road trip, Loree -- I really feel like I've seen a very special place.

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    1. Or maybe a personal side trip is in order? (Wind Dancer is a ways out of town, down by Salem). I got distracted before I could ask Carolyn about the grass, unfortunately. It's a beauty!

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  17. I second Denise's request, or tagging along on a personal side trip pre-Fling! I love the giraffe, especially its placement by the monkey puzzle tree (perfect). And I also love the picture of the bloggers at the end. I hope Joy Creek records your blogging workshop and posts it on their website as a podcast. I'd love to listen in!

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  18. I can't thank you enough for sharing these stunning photos. I live on the prairie and enjoy blogs like yours that show me what a difference in gardening we have in the US! Thanks again!

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