Thursday, March 16, 2017

Bud's Garden...

Flashback! To last summer, August 28th. It seems almost impossible to imagine the sun and heat I felt that day will return again. These photos almost make be believe it will. Almost.

The description of Bud's garden as it appeared in the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon's open garden book: "This Michael Schultz-designed garden encompassing one-and-one-half acres is 6 years old. The transition from an excess of rolling green lawn to the present setting of "colorful rooms" containing many different perennials, flowering trees and ornamental grasses has been tedious, but certainly enjoyable. Add a few arbors, three water features, interesting hardscapes, plus a mix of tropicals, and the visitor should leave my garden with a sense of tranquility and an appreciation for the beauty Portland's climate can nurture." That was written 11 years ago for the Garden Conservancy Tour and much has changed! True to Michael's original plan, the woodland has been completed and a succulent bed enters its sixth summer season."

The house is a bit of a mystery from the street...

And there was still a bit of lawn...

The first water feature! It was a surprise to see it so close to the house.

Simple perfection.

After walking through a bit of a side yard you suddenly find yourself here...

Impeccably maintained plants all around.

Walking a little further, and up the steps you can just barely see at the top-left of the photo above the last one, you come to a hardscaped patio.

With a fabulous Agave americana 'Variegata' that I wanted to hug. I know, irrational, but true.

And a kick-ass pond, with gorgeous water-lilies.

Can you even?

Looking back to the patio entrance.

Just beyond there was a small greenhouse. Empty in August, of course.

And here's the succulent bed he mentioned.

Obviously a few of these (like the Aeonium) aren't here year-round.

The Graptoveria (or Echeveria?) is another summer vacationer.

Ditto to many of these...

Moving on towards the woodland...

Two of the "must have" plants for any respectable plant nerd in Portland. Schefflera delavayi on the left and Fatsia japonica 'Variegata'.

Not hardy here, this one is usually grown in a container.

Of course I am spacing it's name...(*but luckily Anon knew it: Tibouchina grandiflora*)

As I am the name of that reddish flower. I have been reminded of it many times, and yet, I forget...(*another Anon answer to the rescue, Hesperantha coccinea*)

Echium, something or other (I want to say E. pininana but it seems there are always conflicting thoughts on which Echium is which)...

Anyway it's a tortured thing. I do hope it bloomed before summer 2016 ended. Because our winter killed it for sure.

More from the shady(ish) woodland...

And suddenly we bust out into the sun.

And back into the shade. But wait, those ferns aren't hardy here...

No way, no how.

Another of the water features (#3 if you're counting).

A look beyond.

Before inspecting it up close and personal.

We've almost come full circle, the water-lily pond is just beyond the palm on the other side of the arbor.

Hey. I have this potted Bromeliad too!

And just like that we're done!

Weather Diary, March 15: Hi 57, Low 46/ Precip .41

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

21 comments:

  1. Cathi LamoreuxMarch 16, 2017

    That is so beautiful and huge! I gave my daughter a gift membership to HPSO this year, so I am hoping that there will be a tour or two when I am in town that we can go to together.

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    1. What a great gift! Since there are open gardens just about every weekend from May through September I'm sure you'll get to see a few.

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  2. Wow, this looks like a massive garden. An estate, really! So much to admire and drool over. I always get plant envy when I see large-leaved shade plants that require constant moisture to thrive.

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    1. It was huge! I think you could fit about a dozen of your and my gardens both in there.

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  3. Exquisite garden, impeccably designed, meticulously maintained, and full of gorgeous plants. Like your own garden, a perfect balance of plant nerdiness and design integrity. I'm weak in the knees and maybe a tiny bit green with envy.

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  4. That's quite a garden. Really interesting contrast between the tight, city-park-like garden close to the house and the rougher woodland garden. Quite amazing.
    Funny, I saw your mystery plant photo and it is so familiar and I swear I know the name, but nothing. Not even enough info to type into a browser!

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    1. Anon below gave us the answers!

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    2. It takes a village. Unfortunately I am often conscripted to play the village idiot....
      :)

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  5. Huge and wonderful! Those shots of the full sun water lily pond had me longing for summer (and that my own pond was less shaded)!

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    1. Having had a stock tank pond in the shade, and now one in the sun, I can definitely vouch for the sun option! Maybe you should dig another. You know, in your spare time.

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  6. The two unknown plants: Tibouchina grandiflora in the pot and Hesperantha coccinea is the bulb.

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  7. I echo what Peter wrote: Impeccable!

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    1. And I heard later that he thought it wasn't really ready for an open day...

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  8. It was wonderful to wander the space along with you. I'm beginning to wish I had another acre. When I arrived here I was almost overwhelmed having just over half an acre but now I've begun to find myself hard-pressed about where to put plants I'd still like to try. And then there's the issue of the pond and shed I'd like to have...Oh well.

    I would have guessed the first mystery plant was Tibouchina heteromalla but then it and T. grandiflora look very much the same to me, except with respect to their mature size.

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    1. We gardeners always want more space, don't we? I dream of annexing my neighbor's back yard. They're not using it anyway!

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  9. Wow - that was nice! Thanks for the tour!

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  10. What an amazing garden! Just looking at all those immaculately trimmed and clipped evergreens, and thinking of planting and digging the tender plants every year, wears me out, but I can't argue with the effect. Oh, those Astelia! I'm going to try Carex spissa as a (sort of) substitute for silver astelias this year, if Cistus can track some down for me. There were some (supposedly) hardy Asplenium nidus in the gardens at PDN, but I don't know whether they actually lasted or how that hardiness would translate to the PNW if they did.

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  11. That is such a beautifully designed garden. I love the front garden hiding the house.

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