Thursday, April 21, 2016

Garden walk with me...

Portland just wrapped up a streak of sunny days in the (record breaking) high 80's. Weather like that means morning garden walks are mandatory. Care to join me?...

First flower of the year on the Grevillea x gaudichaudii!

With the Paulownia tomentosa cut back the Acacia dealbata reigns supreme.

But not for long, Pauley is making a come back...

The corner Loquat is putting on lots of new growth too, all the better to hide that annoying multi-colored garage (= thorn in my side).

Are you sensing a tree theme here? I don't know what got into me...I guess I was just tree-focused this morning. Maybe because I had just read that my friend Kate has planted 35 trees on her standard Portland lot and this got me thinking I should count how many I've planted. Or not. I could be like counting containers, somethings are better left unknown.

Anyway...here's another: Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida’ (Cutleaf Emperor Oak). I can't believe how much it grew last summer!

There are still a couple sprigs of pink foliage just emerging.

But for the most part it's all leafed out.

Remember the emergency surgery I performed on this Agave ovatifolia? It's all better now and you can hardy see the wound.

It's a Podophyllum peltatum explosion!

Some of you might remember I decided the Clematis tibetana var. vernayi had to go (just too vigorous). Sadly I never got around to that...

And now there's just to much going on to attempt a dig. I guess that's a project for fall.

The new growth on Pyrrosia sheareri is so fuzzy...

For some reason I had it in my head Epimedium wushanense turned that fabulous red/brown when temperatures cooled over the winter, and thus I was sad when it didn't happen. It must be the new growth that puts on the color show!

I thought we were going to get the "greenhouse" walls taken down last weekend. It didn't happen.

My over-wintered Anigozanthos are starting to push out flowers, yay!

I shared a similar photo of the Grevillea juniperina ‘Molonglo’ on Bloomday, but it's even more floriferous now.

The focus of this photo was supposed to be the Sonchus canariensis on the lower left (zig-zag leaves), its gonna bloom it's dandelion-on-steroids blooms!

The heat pushed every single bud on the second Magnolia laevifolia open, luckily they're holding up pretty well.

Clifford (Magnolia macrophylla) is at that awkward stage where the leaves are still growing and he looks so gangly...

Last month's favorite post was all about the plants that I suspected might be dead. I'm thrilled to say they've woken up since then, well all but the Colutea, it's still just a stick.

The Embothrium coccineum is covered with buds. Too bad they're all about 10 feet up in the sky where it's hard to see them.

Lots and lots of seed pods forming on the Grevillea victoriae 'Murray Queen'...G. ‘Poorinda Leane’ has been blooming just feet away. I wonder if they've mixed things up? (and don't these look like tiny bananas?)

It's time to clear out the holding tanks (aka the veggie stock tanks) and get these babies in the ground so I can start scheming on this year's vegetable garden. That's Aesculus hippocastanum 'Laciniata' (cut-leaf Chestnut) in the front.

First Brugmansia flower of the year! (almost)

The Bocconia frutescens (tree poppy) was getting so leggy that I took a chance and hacked it way back to bare wood. It's not bare any longer!

This is going to be fabulous!

Okay...that's enough garden goodness don't you think? I'll leave you with some darling Lewisia flowers. I hope you've been able to get out and explore your garden...

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

35 comments:

  1. Wow! Please DO count your trees. Curious minds want to know.

    Your Sonchus canariensis is a big surprise. Mine almost died this winter. Did you cover yours?

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    1. That photo is a little deceiving as the Sonchus is in a container. It spent winter in the "greenhouse."

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  2. I did a double-take with that Aesculus--thought it was an exotic new Schefflera!

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    1. Ha! At least it's hardy for you...maybe you should plant it and tell people that's what it is!?

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  3. Maybe someone could put a trim piece (like a pilaster) on that garage...

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    1. That would help...as would a paint job!

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  4. I'm glad to see all the blue sky in your photos and to learn that most of the plants you expressed concerns about in your favorites post have come through. All told, your garden is in happy spring mode!

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    1. It is! The sunshine and warm temperatures have been amazing. As of Friday morning it's back to cooler and rain, which since I planted a lot over the last few days is welcome.

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  5. You made good use of that morning light. I seem to be having a thing for Quercis lately. That one is definitely on my radar. And oh, those zig-zag leaves on the Sonchis...you are such a temptress.

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    1. Have you fallen for the silver Oak? Quercus hypoleucoides - it should be on your list too!

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    2. entered into list, check.

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  6. Your garden has exploded... it's quickly edging to a dreamy stage! Once the latest foot of wet snow melts and the 70's return to my neck of the woods mine can get some serious growth.
    Your Agave ovatifolia is looking really good. Do you have the 'Potlifter' tool? It's the best way to move the big boys I've ever found! It just takes 2 people and can handle up to 36"dia and 200lbs!

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    1. I do have a pot lifter, and another custom one that Andrew built ("inspired by"). That pot stays in place though. Moving an extremely heavy container with lethal spikes would not be something I could talk him into.

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  7. Hello! Your surprise at my copious tree planting has me scheming a "The Trees in My Garden" post -- maybe I take the photos today before the rain returns. Lovely to get a tour of some of your trees. Your garden is looking gorgeous -- hasn't this sunshine been tremendous?

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    1. Oh I hope you took those photos!!! I can't wait to read all about them. And the sunshine...yes! It's just what the doctor ordered.

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  8. Lots of garden goodness! Your Aesculus hippocastanum 'Laciniata' looks great. I've had mine for a couple of years and it's not grown at all but keeps pushing growth out from below the graft. I rub it off but wish that it would put the energy into growing above the graft. Everything looks so healthy and happy.

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    1. Part of why I let myself buy the Aesculus is because it's said to be so slow growing...Peter that thing has grown 10" just this spring!!! I hope yours hops to it soon. Oh and did you recognize the Loquat? It's the one you gifted me.

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  9. So lush. Love that Oak. I was in and out looking at everything every couple of hours. So exciting.

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    1. It's feeling very lush indeed, and after a significant rainfall last night everything is even more green.

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  10. The funny thing is that until this year you probably could have given me a run for my money concerning number of trees in the garden, despite the size difference. You still probably beat me for variety. Obviously I'm not counting all the Douglas firs that dominate the property.

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  11. Hi Loree: I saw your headline and my immediate reaction was, "OK, I will." ;-) Your garden is full of exciting new life. My favorite is the Cutleaf Emperor Oak--what a nifty tree!

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  12. oooh, so many things you're reminding me I need...that Empress tree thing, the cutleaf oak,...

    I bet Clifford is going to look fabulous when he fills out later this summer!

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    1. How is your Magnolia looking fifi?

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    2. My little Magnolia is looking fine! I added a bit of fish emulsion fertilizer around her and I think it made the leaves unfurl faster, but I could be imagining that. What time of year do they flower?

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    3. Yay! I'm glad. If it is going to bloom this year you'd be able to see the buds already forming at the end of the branch, nestled into the center of the leaves. They're a little hard to see at first but once they get some size it's obvious what they are. Mine will probably start opening in another week or so - depending on the weather.

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  13. Wow, where do you overwinter your brug? I put mine in the garage and it's just barely getting green nubs. Flowers are a long way off.

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    1. Believe it or not it was outside most of the winter! Right by the backdoor so I could grab it on our coldest (snow, ice!) nights but it's been outside since mid-January.

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  14. I think I had at least 35 trees in my last garden. I would love to know how many you've got!

    And just a suggestion, perhaps you should dig up the Clematis and plant it at the base of the two-tone garage. Two birds, ya know.

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    1. I told you about the custom trellis I wanted Ranulfo to build, to hide that ugliness? (then he and Andrew both laughed at the idea). Would have been perfect...

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  15. It's nice to see everything coming to life with the marvelous spring weather! You have such a variety of foliage (the cut leaf emperor oak leaves are lovely) and of course I'm cheering on the Anigozanthos. I'm jealous of your Embothrium and can't wait to see how it looks in bloom, if the flowers aren't too high :)

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    1. They are so high!!! Still hopefully I can get a good shot. If not there's another nearby, and shorter.

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  16. I'm so glad your Ovatifolia has healed over. Good job Doc! I'm amazed your Brugmansia has has been outdoors since January!! Mine has only been out since the third week of March and its just now got its first blooms.

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    1. It was a happy accident that it went out that early. Kind of a "well there's no space for it in the "greenhouse" let's see how it does" sort of thing.

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