Thursday, April 27, 2017

Back to Salem and my visit to the Cornwell Garden

On the final day of the Salem Hardy Plant Society Study Weekend, last June, I toured this garden, in Woodburn, OR, just north of Salem...

From the tour brochure..."Started in 1986, "Clementine" is a small city garden created with frugal acquisitions and recycling of both plant and structural materials. This garden was reclaimed ground from a distressed dog-run, boasting several large historic "anchor" trees and shrubs that surround a rented and sadly-neglected 1912 Craftsman bungalow. Living in the core area of the city is difficult, but with "dirt" in my blood (grandpa was a Dust Bowl farmer and daddy an undertaker), I couldn't let one square of aesthetic possibility go unimproved. My father would often refer to my efforts as "making a silk purse out of a sow's ear" but it didn't deter me. Gardening brings balance and purpose to my world. As time and relationships evolved, so did my plant acquisitions and garden hard-scaping. There is a purpose, story, and memory related to most every notion in my "outdoor" rooms. I decorate my outdoors like I do my indoors — a colorful gypsy caravan palate with a tapestry of plants, flowers, and found objects. I declare no "theme" — the plants tell me where they fit best aesthetically — sometimes wrongly — yet the spirit of the home and garden is real and I am its current caretaker. Of special note are the monstrous Catalpa tree in the backyard, the hell-strip plantings, and the beauty of the restored home."

The hell-strip was indeed worth noting. In fact it was a whole entire garden into itself, squeezed into a small strip.

Walking into the shady back/side garden I wasn't sure what to expect...

But was completely enthralled with this rectangular pond/bog.

The patina of time helped to amp up the beauty.

Shady spaces can be so magical.

The mossy flagstone/paver area added emensly to the charm.

Dierama blooms.

Thankfully it wasn't all shade.

Time to exit and walk around the other side...

I loved the gravel driveway, but didn't get a chance to ask the gardener about it (damaged concrete? No concrete?).

I believe this was a family heirloom. Or maybe I just made that up, it was 9 months ago that I visited.

A shady pavilion just off the driveway...

And a chance to eat among the plants.

There are so many great gardens out there to discover...

Weather Diary, April 26: Hi 58, Low 42/ Precip .21

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

17 comments:

  1. What a brilliant gardener and one can only imagine the inside of the house. I think it must be because you can grow so many plants for so much of the year, that every garden you visit blows me away. People are so creative and bold and experimental and size does not matter!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "creative and bold and experimental"...I love that observation Linda!

      Delete
  2. I love the gardener's description of the garden. What a gem of a place!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's a special garden for sure. I love how plants and exuberance seem to be oozing out of every crevice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh gosh. That sounds a little, well, unseemly.

      Delete
  4. That's fantastic--all of it! I especially love the pathways and all the moss!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love the gardener's description. It's amazing what gardeners can create with thrift and hard work. I love the moss, and the pond. That patina of age is one of my favorite aspects of any garden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I look back at photos when our patio, and the wall surrounding it, were new. Such a clean, sleek look, I miss it! Then I see the patina of age (like in today, Friday's Fav, post...the wall behind the Grevillea x gaudichaudii) and I love that too. My point? I dunno...

      Delete
  6. I love it when long term commitment pays off! I was impressed from the first photo in your post - you don't see many houses dwarfed by trees like that around here!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It seems here they're usually conifers, it's nice to see big beautiful deciduous trees.

      Delete
  7. I love this sentence: 'Gardening brings balance and purpose to my world' and I feel the same. There is something very personal and loved and quirky about this garden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had to pause and soak that one up for awhile too. She summed up a lot in one simple sentence.

      Delete
  8. I love to visit lovingly crafted small home gardens like this that have been developed over time.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wonderful, especially the pond lined with mossy bricks.

    ReplyDelete
  10. An inspiring garden. I love the artful way they covered part of the pond: an esthetic way to give shelter to the fish. Those Dierama blooms... My own two plants look like an elephant set on them. Do I remove last years mess or just let them be, that is the question.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!