So here we are, walking into the back garden 2015 style (2014 tour here). I split this year's tour into two parts (yesterday covered the public side) because I have so many photos of the back garden that I wanted to share, that's your warning - this post is going to be a long one...
Looking to your left, the brown wall is the side of our garage.
And to your right.
Having walked a little further down the pathway toward the patio I've turned around...
This is kind of a confusing transition, but if you look back at the top photo you can see I'm now in the corner opposite the entrance. If I had just walked straight ahead this is where I'd be. The Melianthus major 'Antonow's Blue' was perfect this year. It filled the available space, but yet played nice with the neighbors.
I can't ever remember the name of the dark leaf plant. I've grown it as an annual for a few years now and love it. Maybe I'll try digging and overwintering it this year. Maybe.
The Trachycarpus fortunei has also had a good year.
You might recall the strip in front of the palm was all newly planted this spring (about 2 and a half feet out), it's filled in considerably.
I purchased a pair of tiny Rhododendron sinogrande and planted them somewhat near this older one. Someday (far far away) there might be a little R. sinogrande forest here.
Lupinus albifrons
The dead-end - which some of you thought I should plant up - however since Lila loves to hide half in the Hakonechloa and half out, I think this area will stay as it is.
Clifford celebrated his 10th birthday this summer!
To the right as you head down to the patio, an Agave-mound.
Euphorbia bicompacta var. rubra, another one that I look at and wonder about letting it go, vs. digging it up. We'll see.
As I write this post, on September 30th, most of the Syneilesis aconitifolia is yellow, what's left that is - I've cut some of it back.
Love this plant!
The Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato vine) never did really take off with crazy growth. It's probably in too much shade.
And down to the patio...
Looking back at last year's tour I am shocked at how all the things planted in the "former privetlands" have grown. Or maybe the better way to say it is, this is the size I always thought they were...I'm shocked at how small they were last year. At the bottom of this photo is one of the original Agave-mounds...
Aloe dorotheae
A glance back at the upper yard and the house.
So much growth! Next year the Paulownia tomentosa gets coppiced...
I wonder if the PVC hut I fashioned for this Agave ovatifolia last autumn will fit this year? (he's grown a lot). Guess it's time to be looking into that...
While not completely hidden, the neighbors offending garage paint job is at least obscured, yay for that!
One more angle on this area...
And we turn to get a look at the shade pavilion,
Have I shared this little guy before? I picked up both the plant and the pot from two different vendors at the The Oregon Cactus & Succulent Society sale at Portland Nursery in July. I thought they made a great pair.
New growth on a Schefflera delavayi.
Aralia cordata 'Sun King'
A chair is missing from the table, I took it out to the driveway for one of the tour volunteers to use.
As I've said before (many times), I'm going to miss sitting here (almost daily). This summer has been grand...
And with that, the tour is over...thanks for visiting!
All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
You had the perfect light for these photos. They really do your garden justice. Fabulous tour of a fabulous space.
ReplyDeleteDitto this.
DeleteThanks to you both!
DeleteThese two tour posts were such a lovely reminder of how fabulous your garden was when I came down for the tour. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe lawn was still a little green in these photos, as I recall by the time you visited on tour day it was a flat brown mess...
DeleteI love how the back corner is filling in so fast! Kind of a shame to hide that wonderful fence though... I see the Aralia cordata 'Sun King' at my local nursery and have been considering picking one up. Seeing yours I just may have to.
ReplyDelete(I was hoping for a full tour -- you know, including the chimney plantings! What's growing up there these days?) :)
I am so glad I finally bought that 'Sun King', it's done so well, even in a very hot summer.
DeleteChimney...just the same sedum, and it's a little sad looking. I'm sure it will perk up with the rains returning, someday...
Delightful as always! Thanks for showing us your private parts, Loree. (snickering again) I hope you have a nice, long Indian summer to keep enjoying that patio a while longer.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam, as do I...
DeleteIt looks wonderful! Such and amazing collection : )
ReplyDeleteThanks Laurin, it's kinda crazy, but makes me happy.
DeleteGorgeous all the way around. The privetlands have filled in, very impressive! Happy 10th birthday to Clifford! Lookin' good!
ReplyDeleteClifford thanks you!
DeleteFabulous and it does look fuller than last year. There is a place t near your neighbours offending garage which looks like a variegated foxglove, do you know what it is?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the Symphytum × uplandicum 'Axminster Gold'?
DeleteGarden looks great. Shelves for all the potted treasures would give you additional vertical interest--those pots are accumulating!
ReplyDeleteYes they are! I've saved a couple of images of shelves I like, perhaps it's time to get serious.
DeleteI thought you said it would be long...seems like it was over in a trice. I love everything about your garden but what stands out to me right now is the graphic use of grass and pavers to set off and contrast with the ebullience of the plantings. Seeing your use of the Artemesia versicolor has got me thinking that my one plant is not enough. Well, a lot of this has me thinking a lot of things.
ReplyDeleteIt's exactly that quality of the lawn that has me hesitant to ever remove it! That Artemesia versicolor is the biggest, but I loved it so much I bought 3 more at Xera. They're still tiny but I'm hoping they'll catch up next year.
DeleteThank you very much for the tour! Your garden looks beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGreetings, Sofie
http://sofies-succulent-beads.blogspot.be/
Thanks Sofie!
DeleteYour garden is amazing. So great to have a tour, even if remote. Love everything. The silvery lupine really stikes a chord with me. I'm fairly sure your dark-leaved annual is Pseuderanthemum 'Black Varnish'. I tried it for the first time this year. I'll defnitely overwinter mine.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tim, I wish you could visit in person sometime. Pseuderanthemum, yes! I noticed today that something's been munching on the leaves of one of my plants and it looks pretty hideous.
DeleteHi Loree, your garden looks fantastic! Everything is so well taken care of and each plants seems to fit exactly in its given space. That is really an art in gardening to get that right. I am also very impressed with your container plant collection. My favorite plant is the very dark red burgundy one, that you can't remember the name of. I don't recall ever seeing this plant. What a beauty!
ReplyDeleteWishing you wonderful autumn days with lots of pleasant opportunities to be outside and garden!
Warm regards,
Christina
Thanks so much Christina! I believe Tim (comment above) got the name of that plant right: Pseuderanthemum 'Black Varnish'. It's a good one and would probably be hardy for you!
DeleteThe planting is so beautifully layered and balanced and yet the overall look is natural and free flowing. You make it look too easy Loree!
ReplyDeleteHa, thanks rusty!
DeleteHow nicely privet land has filled in ! I'm wondering if your cool planters are just too shallow a root-run for a tuberous plant like Ipomea ? I've used them in some fairly shady spots over the years and they seem to be fine with it.
ReplyDeleteThat could be (the shallow planters). I had one lady tell me (during the tour) that I "Could Not" grow that plant in that shallow of a container. Okay. Uhm, so it's alive, it looks happy (just small)...but I can't? Whatever....
DeleteIf looks fabulous ! I haven't seen it since the first garden open , which was a few years ago .
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, yes...you haven't been back since then? I need to have ya'll over.
DeleteThe juxtaposition of the linear hardscape and bed lines is the perfect foil for all the exuberant plantings. I wish I could see it for myself, but a continent is in the way.
ReplyDeleteCome on out to Portland sometime Les!
DeleteYour garden is stunning, Loree! And wonderful too - I mean, there are so many wonders - plants unknown to me!
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of an addict Tatyana, I'm out to grow all the cool plants!
DeleteIt looks so big Loree! I love that dead end area. I could spend hours just staring at one plant after another - you've so many wonders!
ReplyDeleteReally? People are always surprised how small it is when they're here. You will be here in person someday, right Kris?
Deleteyour garden is absolutely STUNNING !!!!
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you!
DeleteOMG! Be still my heart! Your gardens are OUTSTANDING!!!! Fabulous design, plant selections and presentation. Everything is pristine and gorgeous. I can imagine the amount of work it took to get it so flawless. I think what I'm most impressed with is the variety of wonderful and unusual plants in creative vignettes and juxtapositions. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteYou are kind Deanne, but flawless? The camera does hide some things you know! Hope to see your garden in person someday...
DeleteThanks so much for the tour. This gives me hope that someday my garden will look as 'together' as yours. Had many of the same plants and left them last year and starting over. Love your agaves and succulants. Great texture work and use of space.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words Susan, but really...it's a hot mess! I mean I love it, but things are crammed in everywhere!
DeleteYour garden looks fabulous! I hope I can see it in person someday!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have you visit John!
DeleteThanks for giving me a chance to visit your back garden. Your approach is very different from mine, but I still think your design and use of plants is brilliant.
ReplyDeleteIt means a lot to me that you say that Jason - thank you!
DeleteLike Kris, I think I could spend hours just looking at one plant and one area and one view after another. Brilliant is right! Thanks for the wonderful tour!
ReplyDeleteThanks Luisa, maybe you can visit in person someday? I'd love to meet you.
DeleteOh my, your private parts are stunning. Of course, I've extremely limited experience... So many things to adore in your garden! The cactus/pot combination is cool and your shade pavilion with the pots (clever turquoise on one side; orange on the other!) feels like an exotic temple. (To the goddess Flora perhaps?) Wow, Clifford's 10 already? You fit so many plants in without them looking crowded or unhappy. Your Melianthus really went crazy this year in a good way and your Syneilesis aconitifolia are really grand! It was a surprise to me to see how much agaves grow in a season, especially this summer. I've not started moving mine in yet but am going to have to get creative to fit them all in again! There's always the little glass room that I didn't use last year...
ReplyDeleteHaha, good one. Good to hear you had a productive Agave season. Some of mine obviously need to be root pruned, or potted up, as they didn't grow a bit.
Delete