Friday, July 17, 2015

Save the date; Green on Green 2015

What do a garden designer, nursery owner, garden blogger, mosaic artist, master of layering in the garden, and a bee keeper all have in common? Their gardens are open for the 2015 Green on Green Tour happening August 15th. Yes, I am the garden blogger.

Some of you probably know that I’ve resisted opening my garden, having done so only for the Garden Bloggers Fling last summer. Why am I doing it now? Well first of all, because Nancy Goldman asked. She’s done so much for the local gardening community it was hard to say no to her. Second, the tour is a benefit for Albertina Kerr, a local nonprofit organization that provides “programs and services to children and adults with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges - empowering them to live richer lives.” This is a cause I have a personal stake in, I have an uncle with developmental disabilities and I am thrilled to play a small part in helping this organization raise money.

So, about the other gardens on the tour. The “garden designer” is Lauren Hall-Behrens of Lilyvilla Gardens. I’ve visited her garden multiple times and written about it: here, here and here. It’s always a source of inspiration. Lauren's got a great design eye and while an obvious plant lover she is capable of exercising great restraint in the name of great design...

The “nursery owner” is Greg Shepard co-owner of Xera Plants. I visited Greg’s garden last summer and was blown away by the plants (of course) and the design. It’s a small garden (like mine) and is packed full of drought tolerant plantings, climate adapted for the Pacific Northwest. If this hot, dry, summer has got you thinking about changing your planting style then Greg’s garden is a must see.

The “mosaic artist” is Jeffrey Bale (who blogs here). I’ve not been to Jeffrey’s garden (and sadly won’t be able to visit this time) but I have seen his handiwork out and about in other people’s gardens. At Nancy Goldman's...

Lucy Hardiman's...

And Northwest Garden Nursery...

I visited the garden of Thomas Vetter (the "layering gardener") in 2012. It was amazing then, I can only imagine what three years have done for the plants. This man creates walls of foliage, perfectly balanced - plants touching but not infringing on each other's space.

Finally the “bee keeper” is Glen Andresen of Bridgetown Bees. I’ve not visited his garden but I have heard him give a talk and seen photos of his garden. He is very passionate about beekeeping and I bet you’ll learn a thing of two while you’re there.

The tour takes place on August 15th between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m, all of the gardens are in NE Portland. So, how do you get tickets? You can purchase them online here, or at these locations:
Garden Fever Nursery, 3433 NE 24th Ave
Portland Nursery, 5050 SE Stark St. and 9000 SE Division St.
Oxalis, 1824 NW 24th Ave

Touring the six gardens costs $20. There is an optional pre-tour event and breakfast which includes a container demonstration with Bob Hyland (of Contained Exuberance) and continental breakfast at Albertina's Kitchen. To attend that part of the event you must make additional $20 reservation at Albertina's Place, online here or at Garden Fever Nursery.

Hope to see you here!

All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

30 comments:

  1. Wow! I already had decided that I'd be coming down to see your garden, but now that I've read who else is on this tour, I'm even more excited! Yippee! I AM thinking about doing more drought-tolerant plantings next year.

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    1. Yay! Glad you'll be able to make it Alison. Just remember to save a little time for my garden and not get all caught up in the others!

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  2. Sigh, I wish I could visit. What a fantastic mix of garden styles.

    I love Lauren Hall-Behrens' entry gate. I may have to "borrow" her design if and when we redo the sad little thing we have as a gate.

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    1. Lauren's garden is such an icon. I love it!

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  3. That's a well curated mix of very fine gardens Loree! Sigh, wish we could visit...

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  4. I like having possibilities, so I'm going to pretend that this is one for August. I'm a huge fan of pretending...

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    1. Surely a last minute flight would be cheap? I'd promise to take you to Cistus the next day.

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  5. Hoping the number of commenters that can actually participate in the tour soon dwarfs those who can't, but unfortunately I'm in the "wish I was closer..." pool. Looks to be fabulous! (Will they be limiting the number of tickets sold? It would be a disappointment to arrive at a garden and have no place to walk...)

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    1. I doubt it (commenters). I have a lot of local readers but so few of them comment, really just my fellow bloggers. I am hoping to get to meet a few of the quite ones on the 15th.

      I don't know if the number of tickets will be limited, but I know there will be volunteers at each garden doing crowd control. For example at the crunch point entering my back garden they'll be keeping people in a queue (one out / one in). I'm figuring with the other gardens on the tour mine will have limited appeal so hopefully those that do come will not have to much of a crowd to deal with.

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  6. You Portlanders have the best events...

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    1. We do! Become one of us and join in...

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  7. Sold! I was considering attending - now I'm completely persuaded. Albertina Kerr's programs are so worth supporting, even if the gardens weren't wonderful (which I know they will be) it's a terrific cause. Sometimes there's a pre-tour for the garden owners: you might get to see Jeffrey Bales' and Glen Andresen's gardens after all.

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    1. Nope. Nancy said in the past they've done the pretour for owners the night before, but it got to complicated, and we all wanted to be home primping our gardens. Oh well. I'll just have to start stalking them for my own visit someday.

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  8. Wish I could be there. Some day I will plan trips around events like this... The gardens look fantastic, and the tour will benefit a great cause. A container demo, too! Hmmm, I could stay with the cousins in Tillamook...

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  9. Great mix of gardens and a great cause! Marking this down on my calendar.

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  10. Wow - that sounds fantastic! And, what Jane said - Albertina Kerr is well worth supporting. How wonderful that you all are opening up your garden to do just that! I will totally try to make this one...

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  11. Oh mannnnnn...if I had the funds, I would fly to Portland just for this tour. Every single garden is exactly the kind of style I like, and I've long admired Jeffrey Bale's mosaic work.

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    1. If I had the funds I'd fly all my favorite people whom I haven't yet met in for the day!

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  12. If this doesn't get people to turn out, nothing will.

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    1. Thanks Ricki. Hope we hit that sweet spot where the ticket sales are robust, but everyone spreads themselves out so no garden is too small. I would hate for it to be so crowded that people don't enjoy themselves.

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  13. Are they all in the same part of town? I'd love to see yours in person.

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  14. Great selection of gardens! Sounds like a cool tour!

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  15. Ohh I would love so much to go... but it is a bit far away...

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  16. Just ordered a ticket for myself and my daughter - looking forward to meeting you at last!

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