Tuesday, September 11, 2018

A late summer visit to Chickadee Gardens

Almost three years ago my friend Tamara, and her husband David, moved from a small Portland garden to a 2-acre parcel of land in St. Helen's Oregon. I'm sure many, if not most, of you follow her blog Chickadee Gardens, and have witnessed the transformation the hardworking pair have brought to the land. Tamara so beautifully captures, in photos and words, the garden they've created that it almost seems unnecessary for me to write about it. Yet I have these photos and want to share them! So, here I go...

This is the scene that greeted me when I got out of my car. That huge green and pink flecked plant above the wall is a very happy Grevillea × gaudichaudii.

The bees were giddy...

Tamara has worked her magic on the area at the back of the house (or is it the front? I never can remember what's what)...

I can't wait to see these Agaves get huge.

And this has got to be the best looking Convolvulus cneorum I've ever seen.

Up, behind the area we just surveyed, is the shade garden along the property line. I didn't take many photos here, because the light was odd. It's beautiful though.

This is Sweet Pea, the turkey that showed up one day and decided to stay (read about Sweet Pea's arrival here, they later learned Sweet Pea is a he). There are chickens too, but I didn't get a good photo of the ladies.

Since I'm talking about the animal residents, I would be remiss to not mention kitty Hobbs and the very sad recent passing of kitty Lucy. I was lucky in that I got to chat with, and love on, Lucy when I visited. I must also share that walking around the garden that day I was keenly aware of Lila's absence, the last time I visited she came with me and enjoyed exploring the house and garden. Maybe even snacking on a little kitty food...

The blue shed...

With this fabulous piece on the chalkboard door...

Tamara and I sat in front of the shed and pondered this view for awhile. Isn't the carex lawn a thing of beauty?

Looking back around, past the carex, towards the first part of the garden I shared at the top of the post...

But we shall progress on, past the carex lawn in the other direction...

This vignette was perfection!

And the siding on the house just makes me happy.

I'm going to go quiet for a bit and just let you soak up the beautiful landscape...

Oscar the Agave!

Now we wander down to the veggie garden. Look at that corn!

There were pumpkins and squash for miles. I kid you not (well okay, maybe just a little).

Beautiful!

I was sent home with this gorgeous Purple of Sicily Cauliflower, along with several other tasty treats (including one of those amazing cabbage).

There's the lady behind all this gorgeousness, Tamara. Thanks again for letting me crash your afternoon, you are an amazing lady of huge vision...

Weather Diary, Sept 10: Hi 72, Low 56/ Precip .06"

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

27 comments:

  1. Great post! I visited Chickadee Gardens on one of the hottest days of the summer and I didn't take anywhere near enough pictures for a post. Tamara and David have created a real masterpiece of a garden.

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    1. There's a lot of open sunny space, I imagine you weren't to happy about the heat.

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  2. Don't worry, there can never be enough photos of this amazing garden!

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  3. I love this amazing and beautiful garden and enjoyed your photos of it too! Thanks for sharing.

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  4. It's impressive how much work they've done in such a short time. It's a beautiful garden created by beautiful people!

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  5. Three years already (almost)?! It's an amazing transformation for sure. Looks like a perfect day for a visit too!

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  6. Loree, thank you for such a lovely post. It was a treat to have you over, you are always welcome. You took some wonderful photos, too. I'm glad you enjoyed the veggies, it's a pleasure to share with friends.

    The photo of the blue shed with the oak tree in it got me a little choked up too, it's where Lucy is buried. We are going to do some kind of marker for it as well as paint a mural on the side of the blue shed dedicated to her. I am sure Lucy was happy to have shared her kitty pebbles with Miss Lila when she visited last. Now perhaps they are romping around together among the spiky plants in the sunshine somewhere in pet heaven eating cat food together. That image makes me smile.

    Much love my friend, thank you.

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    1. I'm smiling too! I just hope Lila finds her manners and shares the food with Lucy.

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  7. Labor of love! Truly impressive.

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  8. I think I have not checked out her blog for a while because I was taken aback at the sudden maturity of the garden. Any idea of the variety of Carex used in the lawn? Plus I swooned at that Rhodie with the blueish/gray/lavender leaves that we can't grow here. And that was just the edge of the shade garden!

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    1. Hi Linda, the carex is Carex comans, either 'Frosty Curls' or 'Green' - I really can't tell the difference. They all look the same, as do seedlings. That rhodie is great, it's Rhododendron pachysanthum. I hope that's helpful!

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    2. Glad to update you Linda, and thanks for the ID's Tamara.

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  9. OM gosh...it's gorgeous. Impressive is another word I would use to describe their garden.

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  10. I've enjoyed each and every one of Tamara's posts on her garden but it's always great to see a space through another lens too. I continue to marvel at what she and her FM have accomplished in a relatively short time.

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    1. Right? They're amazing. I feel so lazy by comparison.

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  11. She does have huge vision. I'm so impressed by everything she's accomplished in such a short time. Hope to visit one day!

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  12. Thanks for the tour -- so impressive what they've done in three years! I'm curious also to what variety of Carex they used for their "lawn."

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    1. Tamara says "Carex comans, either 'Frosty Curls' or 'Green' - I really can't tell the difference."

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  13. I always love seeing Tamara's garden, and enjoyed seeing it through your perspective. She and her FM have really done an amazing amount in a short time. I really regret that I didn't make time for my own visit this summer. I may have to try to pick a dry day this fall.

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