Monday, February 24, 2020

Part One of my 2019 visits to the Kuzma-Halme Garden

Longtime readers may recall my annual blog posts on this Portland garden, since 2011. A lot has changed in eight years, and the garden now has a name: Hummingbird Garden. Visit on a sunny day in June and you'll see why. Speaking of June, that's when the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon held its 2019 Study Weekend event—garden touring, lectures, a plant sale. Lots of people got to wander through this garden and marvel at what the garden's owners John Kuzma and Kathleen Halme—along with Sean Hogan (Cistus Nursery)—have created. I took this photo as I entered the garden that day.

Here's almost the same perspective on a cloudy day in August.

Again, August.

I visited the garden multiple times last year, and so I'm doing something a little different with my coverage. Instead of a organized walk through the garden on just one day, I'm going to jump from May, to June and on to August. It won't be quite as comprehensive as the posts I usually do, but I think will be interesting to see how particular areas change throughout the season. Today we'll spend time in the front garden.

Here we stop to admire the peeling bark on a stunning arctostaphylos, in August.

My May visit was the morning, around 11am. The sun was illuminating the yellow stripes on this agave.

Also in May the Magnolia laevifolia was in glorious bloom.

As well as the Embothrium coccineum, aka Chilean firebush...

The blooms on my plant are so high I never get good photos of these.

Now it's June and there are a couple of blooms on the opuntia beneath the Yucca rostrata, see the pink? I have no idea why I didn't get a close up.

Nearly the same scene, just a bit to the left, in August.

Also in August these Yucca, with their subtle yellow stripes, got my attention.

I wish I could remember their name.

I wanted to call this Rhododendron pachysanthum...

But it's not. Nor can I remember what it is! In August it was looking especially lovely with Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web'...

And on its own.

August was also when I spotted this pretty little roscoea.

And these emerging aspidistra leaves.

Here's that same agave I shared above, only from the other side, and in June.

Looking back across the front garden (May).

And a little further back, in June.

The Nolina ‘La Siberica’ (June)

The same, but back a little bit, in May.

June

And the Grevillea victoriae in August...those buds have probably been open and tantalizing the hummingbirds all winter.

Come back tomorrow for a look at the back garden!

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Weather Diary, Feb 23: Hi 52, Low 42/ Precip .07

All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

14 comments:

  1. I enjoy the comparison between the different visits; I bet it's extra work for you, and I appreciate it. I know we don't share this view, but for me, a cloudy day in August is a gift :-D
    The Chilean fire bush blooms are glorious.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the flopping back and forth. It seemed like a good idea but then I wondered if it wasn't too much of a jumble. As for cloudy days in August...ha! You're right!

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  2. A great way to compare discrete views. Those Yucca rostrata with the Opuntia is a stunning combination. And I would kill to be able to grow that Rhodie. I keep hoping to find one with that kind of foliage and indumentum that is hardy here. Such presence.

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  3. Love that furry rhododendron - cinnamon-dusted!

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  4. A pleasure to linger in the front garden. It always seems everyone is in a rush to get to the back.
    rickii

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    1. This is so true, and in every garden I visit too. I just don't understand it.

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  5. A lovely garden regardless of the date! I don't know why I don't have an aspidistra...

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  6. Ahhh, this garden !

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  7. Cool place! I remember seeing Embothrium at a California botanical garden and loving it. Your pics of the yellow-striped agave are gorgeous!

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    1. We visited this garden during the Portland Fling, so sorry you weren't here.

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