Monday, July 31, 2017

A walk around the Kennedy School gardens

My birthday was a week and a half ago, Andrew took the day off and one of the things we did for our low-key celebration was to walk over to Kennedy School for lunch...

...a nice, long, relaxing lunch in the courtyard. Like many schools back in the day the KS was built with an open air courtyard surrounded by walls on all four sides. My jr. high school (grades 7-9) had a similar set up, only the ground had been paved over and nobody was ever allowed into the space. It was horrifically depressing. The KS courtyard however is not. Even on an uncharacteristically partly cloudy afternoon...

After we finished up our meal I walked around and snapped some photos. Somehow doing so with my phone (it's all I had on me) seemed less intrusive than even my small point and shoot camera. The other diners didn't even look up from their meals...

Even though we eat at the KS at least once a month (probably more like twice, it's so close) I hadn't been in the courtyard for a couple of years. Andrew prefers the comfort of the bar.

Anyone have a guess as to the ID of this charming ground-cover?

I hadn't really thought about how much I miss my Melianthus major 'Antonow's Blue' until I saw this one! (mine disappeared after our harsh winter).

Well, and then seeing my plant again in a photo I sent to the folks at Tommy Bahama, who recently featured a Q&A with me, on their blog. I might have to plant another one...

Dangling vines are always a good thing...

Anyone able to tell me what this plant is?

Here's another shot...

The colors are all sorts of wonky in this image, but that Rhododendron with the Impatiens is nothing short of amazing.

Ha! That Metapanawhat I wrote about last year...

The tile business on the right belongs to their outdoor fireplace. There were people sitting in front of it so I didn't manage to get an overall photo...

Instead I focused on the fabulous Beschorneria potted up on either side...

And the Restio (?)...

Now that's a fun, strange, mix-up...

Time to go find the husband...

Whom I then talked into walking the perimeter of the school (aka the garden) before heading home.

I planted one of these Dryopteris sieboldii last fall, beneath a patch of Syneilesis aconitifolia, I can see one magnificent leaf peeking out. I really need to plant another, or three.

When did they plant the Hakonechloa fest? I love it...

Pseudopanax laetus, out all winter and it lives to talk about it. Amazing! (why do I keep hearing this song when I write "out all winter"???)

Big leaves and orange flowers, it's a win win.

I don't think I'd want these in my garden...

But damn they're fun here.

Acanthus, of some sort.

Flowery flowerness.

Oh those hips!

Wish that I had space for a Rosa glauca.

Painting Allium seed heads seems to be all the rage.

I prefer them au natural.

For this last image I cheat. You see we walked past the KS later in the evening on our way to dinner at Autentica (a few images of that on Instagram) and I couldn't help but stop to snap this magical back-lit photo. How lucky I am to have this gorgeous "public garden" just blocks away!

Weather Diary, July 30: Hi 88, Low 61/ Precip 0 (day 43 no precip)

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

Friday, July 28, 2017

Favorites for the end of July: we're heading to the north side...

I don't remember where I was, or whom I was talking to, but I was recently singing the praises of Adiantum venustum, aka Himalayan maidenhair fern. They thought it too delicate too precious...I tried to convince them it was anything but...

Way back in October of 2011 I wrote about my experience planting a Mahonia × media ‘Charity’, on the north side of our house, next to the neighbor's driveway. The post included several photos of those ferns, back when they were first planted — from a 4" pot — tiny babies, just specks in the gravel! My work that day was a comedy of errors — but that was almost 6 years ago. In the mean time everything has grown and amazingly, I haven't changed up these plantings at all, it's a great experiment in just letting things get on with virtually no interference from the gardener. Here's a photo of how they look now...

And then...


Ha! Can you even?

And it's not like these things are spoiled. I water them only when I realize how hot and dry it's been. Out of sight out of mind?

I originally planted a pair of Hakonechloa, but one of them was a little too exposed to the evening sun and ended up sulking with the extra rays and lack of water. This one's fine...

The sulking one was replaced by a Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Rainbow', which is doing great.

The Mahonia fortunei 'Curlyque' got a bit knocked back by winter. Ice build-up broke a few stems and it lost a couple feet of height.

Thankfully the plant as a whole couldn't have cared less.

The Angustifolia’ Hart’s Tongue Fern definitely has stayed compact, the Adiantum want to swallow it.

Then there's the Mahonia × media ‘Charity’ it was so small when I planted it! Now...

Then...(2011)...

It's a bit prickly to be planted so close to the neighbor's drive, and we like our neighbors! Then again we back into our driveway, better to step out onto your own property (the edges of our driveways are the property line).

At the end of the thin stretch of "north-side land" was an ugly wooden fence...no more! Now it's nothin but foliage...

The rest of my garden changes so frequently (plants in, plants out), I love having this time capsule of almost 6 years undisturbed growth. Once again (just because I can!)... now...

And then...


Moving towards the front garden we must stop and admire our rebuilt ($3,000 later) chimney...who knew it was on the verge of falling over?....

And look! That little volunteer Sedum is still going. Happy happy.

The Fatsia japonica has put on a lot of growth too...it barely met the 8th run of bricks back in 2011, now look at it!

Funny the window blockage isn't as bad as it looks, when viewed from the inside.

And I like it's legginess.

The bloodgrass at the far NE corner of the house gets great early morning and evening light.

I'm tempted to take this end-of-month "love-fest" out into the front garden but really, do we have time for that? No. No we do not.

Let's just pause to admire the Rhamnus frangula (Fine Line Buckthorn)...

And look back at the subjects of this month-end "favorites"...what are you admiring at the end of July? Please tell us about it...

Weather Diary, July 27: Hi 78, Low 59/ Precip 0 (day 40, no rain)

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