Up top you see a magnificent Magnolia (among other things), which one I'm not sure. Here's the seedy growth...
And here's the description from the tour brochure: "A 3-acre garden, nearly 40-years-old, is nestled amid farmland just north of Keizer, Oregon. Built around a personal home, the garden is bursting with an eclectic mix of plantings. Numerous wandering paths through the established trees, shrubs, and perennials offer the promise of new vistas around each turn. A lush oasis a mere half-mile west of I-5—yet you’d never guess what’s behind a screen of cedars and Portugal laurel: one of Oregon’s premier private gardens."
I have to admit I found that last phrase "one of Oregon’s premier private gardens" a bit boastful for my taste, but it did lure me in and I guess for that I should be thankful.
Damn, that's tempting. Don't they know how much I love to poke around greenhouses? Still, I got the feeling it was off-limits so I didn't enter.
Calycanthus I believe?
I love everything about this bird bath thingamajig, except for that astrolabe/sundial in the center. It doesn't belong.
Dense, over-planted. Yes...just the ticket.
There was even a tropical-esque section.
A wooden bridge — complete with seating — over a small creek.
I should be able to identify those heart-shaped and lobed leaves, but I can't. Anybody? (
Yes! Now that's "shabby chic" I can appreciate.
Ya know what? This garden just kept unfolding and unfolding and...
Oh hey, there's the house!
But where does this lead?...
I love this. Most bird bath tops (the basin) are lovely but the base tends to be way too fancy for my tastes. This is an excellent marriage.
Whadda ya know, the house again!
Exploring...
Exploring...
DAMN! I want those chairs. Can you even?
They rock, they have a drink holder, and they are oh so comfortable. Theft is bad though, right?
Cool kurbing.
Well I didn't expect to see that! (the Yucca rostrata)
There was a big deck off the back of the house, at least it seemed big. It was covered in plants and pots and this and that. Delightful really.
See what I mean? Plants 5 deep!
Open, open, open!
What-the? Somehow it all made sense though. This garden was a little bit of this and a lot of that and a whole lot of fun to explore.
Now how do I find my way back to my car?...
Weather Diary, January 22: Hi 463, Low 36/ Precip .16
All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Could the heart-shaped leaf be Leopard's Bane (Doronicum)? Blooms early, so it would make sense that you didn't see any flowers. Cathi
ReplyDeleteThat's it, thank you!
DeleteSo wise of you to save a bunch of sunny June garden visits for a rainy day! Literally. From the garden description I thought of Evan, the practical plant geek and his garden, and what it may look like in 40 years. I love the weeping black beech, how it stands out from the green. I'll check back to see if anyone id the heart-shaped lobed leaves. Love them, and I'm clueless.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of crazy how many of these visits I still have to post about...I can pull out sunny pictures anytime they're needed! Oh and the plant in question was ID'd right away - Doronicum orientale.
DeleteYup I agree Doronicum Orientale
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThree acres and the privilege of 40 years in the same location - my idea of heaven. Gardens that unfold slowly like that are not something commonly seen anymore, at least not in my neck of the woods. Could the plant you identified as possibly Knautia be Astrantia? Not that I've grown Astrantia but it's a flower I've long coveted.
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine! Being here for almost 12 years now is amazing to me. Thank you for the ID correction. You called it!
DeleteAh summer. Will it ever return? Looks like an ecclectic garden full of delightful surprises. Wouldn't it be great to have that much space?
ReplyDeleteDangerous. It would be very dangerous.
DeleteThat boastful phrase set off my inner ornery critic, but I ended up enjoying the photos you took of this garden in spite of that. It's packed, but it's mostly green so it doesn't look like a painter's palette threw up on it. And I see plenty of cool plants, so I can forgive a little boasting. I second Kris on the Astrantia.
ReplyDeleteDid you see what chavliness had to say, above?
DeleteAgree with you about both birdbaths. And yes that plant is Astrantia (Masterwort). It is nice to see lots of growing things to keep our minds off the weather and worse.
ReplyDeleteMy mind keeps drifting back to the "worse" part. Over and over and over.
DeleteWow. That's an immense garden with a lot of surprises and treats. You're right about the Calycanthus, and Kris's suggestion is correct - Astrantia. Not sure which one.
ReplyDeleteGarden treats! I love that...so true!
DeleteIt's a lovely place to wander. Three acres is a whole different way of gardening. As gardens get larger the details get less important and the overall impression dominates. The overall impression here is quite good!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, it's all about the wander. At first I was a little thrown off by all the different paths...would I see it all? But in the end that wasn't as important as just soaking up what I did see.
DeleteThe doronicum looks nice, so is the rest of the garden!
ReplyDeleteSo much space!
DeleteI'm going to dispute the ID of Doronicum. It appears strongly to me to be Eomecon chionantha, a staining, rampant poppy that has hairless leaves (as opposed to the more-or-less-hirsute Doronicum). Its leaves are also bluer, and arise singly to form swathes, not the rosettes of Doronicum.
ReplyDeleteYES! The other suggestion was a good one, lots of similarities but it just didn't feel right. I think you nailed it!
DeleteAgree with Eomecon!
ReplyDeleteJFHenning1@aol.com
Thanks!
DeleteOn the wooden bridge, there appears to be a layer of hardware cloth (wire screening). Any sense of what that's for?
ReplyDeleteI think it's for traction. The bridge had a bit of a arch to it and wet would (esp. in the shade) can get slimy and slippery.
Delete