Tuesday, June 12, 2018

The Kuzma Garden, a late May visit

My visits to the Kuzma Garden usually take place in high summer, or mid-autumn, but not so this year. I got an email in late May from John, inviting me to stop by and pick up a couple of plants he was holding for me, naturally the camera came out and I snapped a few images of the garden.

Which was looking fabulous, although quite different, given the time of year.

Calendula 'Neon' from Xera. No color then, but it's electric orange now.

The front garden...

There will be flowers! In fact there are probably flowers now, since these images were taken on May 22nd.

Nolina ‘La Siberica’, in the foreground.
Now we've walked around the house and into the back garden.

I can never remember which palm this is, but I know I have a few readers who are always excited to see it.

It was a warm day and I was getting strong wafts of Eucalyptus.

Glowing Phormium...

Variegated Daphniphyllum...

It's gotten so big!

WOW! These were the most unexpected and wonderful part of this visit. The Trachycarpus blooms were unlike any I've seen before...

When I posted a photo on Instagram and tagged Sean Hogan he said they were T. fortunei - precocious fruiting form, shared with Sean, and Cistus, by the great Texas plantsman, Scott Ogden.

We'll see more of the palms in a bit, but I wanted to retrace my steps and walk the garden in the order that I usually do. Seeing the palms first was skipping ahead.

The fountain was turned off for maintenance.

Damn that Agave ovatifolia is huge!

My iPhone 7 for size.

Wow! An overwintered Leucadendron argenteum, in Portland!

This scene especially drove home how different the garden feels this early in the season. There were actual holes (not a bad thing!), rather than wall to wall foliage (see last September's visit for example).

Rhodocoma capensis

The crevice garden, with a few new arrivals that were yet to be planted at the time of my visit.

And this! The greenhouse, the beautiful greenhouse, went up last autumn.
Isn't it fabulous?

This blooming Canna must have recently emerged from the warmth of the greenhouse.

Arisaema sp.

And we're back at those blooming palms.

Here's the full description from the Cistus catalog: Trachycarpus fortunei - precocious fruiting form. Shared with us by great Texas plantsman, Scott Ogden, this little fella forms a short trunk that, though eventually growing to typical chusan palm size, forms a dense crown and flowers after only a few years from seed, producing heavy amounts of blue black fruit on yellow stems — of great ornamental value.

Indeed.

Although I didn't capture any photos to prove it, the bees were all over them.

Just a couple more photos before we bid farewell, for now. The non-variegated Daphniphyllum.

And near the corner of the garage a gorgeous Podocarpus salignus.

I look forward to returning at some point this summer to report on the developments at this most special garden.

Weather Diary, June 11: Hi 72, Low 47/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

23 comments:

  1. The new greenhouse is gorgeous as are precocious fruiting form of Trachycarpus! I enjoyed seeing this garden in a different season and like it just as much without all the flowers.

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  2. The greenhouse looks right at home -- imagine the treasures that will find their way inside!

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  3. The garden is great but the greenhouse is fabulous. Rare to see one so contemporary and nicely designed.

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    1. I saw the prep for it last fall but this was my first time seeing it complete. I was in awe!

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  4. The palm is Jubaea chilensis :)

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    1. Thank you, but I will forget that the next time I write about it... ;)

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  5. Did we see this garden on the Portland Fling? I love the water feature in the back garden. I loved the way the front was so simple and yet very inviting. Great plant collection : )

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    1. Yes we did, on a much cooler and wet day.

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  6. Wow.... Just WOW!! So much beauty and elegance. Thank you for the special attention to Palms! As always such a pleasure to read through your posts.

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  7. This garden NEVER disappoints! I'd love to have a Leucadendron argentea but its size scares me. I'll just settle for ordering myself some more Calendula seeds.

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    1. That's one tree I could not refuse if I had the climate for it.

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  8. In one of the photos there is a massive reddish pot, "posing" for the picture between two palms, totally mimicking the shape of the heavy hanging blooms of the Trachycarpus. A perfect capture.

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    1. That pot taught me the visual impact an empty container can have (not that I have the willpower to keep a pot empty). There are many such lessons to learn in this garden.

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  9. Wow wow wow. It's always good to see this garden in sunshine, as the only time I've seen it was in the pouring rain from the Fling. That greenhouse, we are most interested in as a model for our future one. Perhaps he'd be willing to share insight?

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    1. I'm sure he would. If you have questions I would be happy to pass them along.

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  10. So green! And wow those palms! It was great to get a tour through your lens and compare to the previous times...

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    1. I wish you could have attended the Portland Fling and you'd have visited yourself!

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  11. I always enjoy seeing this wonderful garden. Fabulous new greenhouse--is that from a kit or hand-crafted? It will be packed full come winter and look even better.

    The Podocarpus is glorious. Such a beautiful genus.

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    1. It was ordered and assembled on-site, I believe the plan is to leave enough space for a table and chairs. Something he might actually have success with, but I never could (more plants!!!)...

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