Tuesday, September 9, 2014

A little Hollywood in Portland’s Cully Neighborhood

Last Saturday night, through the magic of the internet, I became aware of an interesting property quite near me which is up for sale. We’re not house hunting but the photos of the garden caught my attention. As luck would have it my plant lust partner Patricia is a real estate junkie and noticed there was an open house/garden tour the very next morning. We were there at 10 am...

Driftwood is a common landscape element at the beach in Oregon, not so much in NE Portland.

Further indication that something unique exists here…

The walkway to the front door is lined with great built-in brick planters. However a sign informed us that this is not the way to enter the property.

This is…

I considered just cutting right through to the pool.

But had to go investigate the formed earth couch first, I think that’s creeping thyme on the back.

Approaching the pool from the north side. The decking is made from salvaged boards from old decks on the nearby river.

Wow. Pools are not common here in Portland, especially ones that make you feel like you’re in California, as this one does.

The tall wall of plantings behind the trio of red cushioned lounge chairs (photo above) concealed an open space next door, basically a second lot (this property measures 253’ x 255’), with a commercial greenhouse…

Love the Paulownia tomentosa.

There's also a grape vine arbor...

Lots of tetrapanax and amaranth...

And another couch, this one with a echium end table and double sided…

With a view of the volleyball court, all completely out of sight of the home and pool area.

Back pool side…

The east end of the pool has a covered seating area with big hanging chairs.

The west end is where you’ll find a hefty table surrounded by boxwood balls and a driftwood fence.

The fountain is made of a pipe surrounded by curvy driftwood. Did you notice that rusted vertically slatted planter?

It’s a spinning roof vent (actually called a turbine vent) and I’ve been infatuated with them since I was a kid, my grandparent’s neighbor had them on their roof. I always thought they would make excellent planters and here’s proof!

Guess they make good fire-stick holders too. I'm on the hunt! (but would prefer galvanized metal).

This seating (and sleeping) area is off the daylight basement of the house and tucked under the deck above.

This is the deck…

And the view down.

You can see the greenhouse above the lounge chairs, through a break in the trees.

And this is a view of where I entered the garden to begin with.

After snapping the deck photos I entered the house and toured through, coming back out on the lower level.

Love the different materials in the paving.

Another photo looking west from the house side of the pool…

And of the plantings between the sleeping area under the deck and the pool.

If you’re curious about the house and want to know more the listing is here. At the point we left on Sunday morning there were offers coming in so who knows it might already be sold, or it might be waiting for you!

As I was leaving I spotted this set-up across the road, this looks like something I could afford, maybe I’ll be making an offer on this one, we could be neighbors!

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

40 comments:

  1. Thanks for the tour! My interest was piqued by the FB discussion...

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  2. Wowsers, what a place. Wanna go in halfsies? :) Half a million, right?

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    1. Maybe if we got all the local bloggers together, and their families, and their friends...

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  3. Glamorous and very stylish! I had a look at the link you posted days ago and was very impressed with the property. I'm glad you managed to get in and take a tour. Great looking property, hopefully the one who buys it is a plants person as well.

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    1. The realtors played to their audience and invited several garden clubs to the open house, hopefully one of those people will snap it up.

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  4. Thanks for the great tour of the garden! I was curious after seeing the Facebook discussion. I've always loved those circular rotating roof vents, and also thought they would make excellent planters or garden ornaments. I like the rust though.

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    1. Yay, that leaves the galvanized ones for me!

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  5. Wow, what a party pad! I love it -- so full of personality and, yes, a certain glamor. I bet it sells fast.Did you learn anything about the owners, and why there's a big greenhouse?

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    1. The current owner is leaving the country, moving to Thailand. As for the greenhouse not a clue...wish I would have had a chance to ask him.

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  6. Wow, your photos are so much better than what I saw on Redfin. This is an incredible garden! There are so many things I love. I'd get rid of all the boxwood, but that's a personal choice. I'm very glad you got to see this property before it gets snapped up. I hope the next owner will appreciate all the wonderful design elements.

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    1. Surprisingly I really liked some of the boxwood elements!

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  7. OMG OMG OMG that is fabulous. I love the use of tropicals and tropical-like plant and LOVE that gigantic Tetranapax papyrifer by the pool!

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  8. Hey Loree, Neil in Victoria BC again.. THAT was incredible. To think I looked at a 900 Sq. Ft. condo here that was about the same price... What a deal! Continue to enjoy your blog.
    Cheers...p.s. just obtained a Tetrapanyx 'Steroidal Giant' from Southlands in Van. but have no pool to put it beside...sigh

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    1. Hi Neil, glad you enjoyed the visit. Yes that's a lot of land for the price, the neighborhood helped to keep the price relatively low. I hope the lot doesn't end up being broken into small ones with big houses, and consequently the garden be trashed.

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  9. Cool place! Thanks for the tour. I'll bet that pool could be converted to a really cool pond. Those rotating roof vents have always fascinated me too. I love their use here. The greenhouse is drool worthy! I can imagine how full it would get after a few years of you living there.

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    1. That would be a huge pond! There would need to be an island in the middle.

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  10. OMG, thank you for your intrepid investigation of this place! Wow. Just wowww.

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    1. I am still surprised I didn't see you there!

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    1. Right? Just imagine what you could do with all that space (and that huge greenhouse). So glad your friend tagged you about it on FB, otherwise I never would have found it!

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  12. Very fun...I hope the new owners are gardeners!

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  13. Intriguing. Thanks for taking the time to photograph and share.

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  14. Oh my, my! Part enchanted woodland and part Hollywood with room for a small nursery. Not a bad price by Southern California standards - the trailer could go for that much here if it came with a little plot of land. Maybe I'll share the listing with my husband - I've been whining about moving to escape the drought...

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    1. Yay! Move to Portland Kris. We'd almost be neighbors and I'd help you fill that greenhouse.

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  15. Thanks for the tour! Hey, there's already a stock tank out the front of the caravan, have you already moved in?

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    1. I know pretty cool right? It's meant for me.

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  16. Wow. That is stunning! And i agree, the Airstream is what i'd be able to afford as well! }:P

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    1. At least it already has a stock tank planter in place.

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  17. I'd buy that in a second. There's even a house on the property for when it rains too hard.

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  18. How lovely! I lived in the Cully for years and never noticed this place. Very glam for being just off of Killingsworth. Dream house and garden. Thank you for the tour!

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    1. You're welcome, and you wouldn't really get a chance to notice it. Even though it's just off Killingsworth it's on a dead end that you wouldn't have reason to drive down.

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  19. Your ending to this post deserves an award. I could SO relate! ... Would you believe there are not one but two of those turbine roof vents on my house? They are so funky and fun. I've thought about taking them down and repurposing them but I don't think I could find a suitable replacement. .. I love, love, love this place. It's like a trip to the tropics. The huge tetrapanax and the driftwood--just fabulous.

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    1. Maybe you'll find a couple at that fabulous rebuilding center place you and your son shop at?

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  20. I'm late for the showing, but wow, what a garden. Did you ever go in the house?

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    1. Yes I did, but it felt odd to take photos in there and post them here. It was in the midst of a remodel, some areas done and some not. Not necessarily my taste (a little over the top with finishes)...

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