Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Christine and Jim Mitchell's garden, 2020 Version

I received an email from Christine with the tantalizing subject line: Pups to give away. Now I know Christine's a dog-lover, but it just didn't seem in character for her to be giving away puppies. That could mean only one thing...agave pups! Because she's also an agave lover...

As excited as I was to get a few agave pups, I was even more excited to see the current iteration of Christine, and her husbands Jim's, garden. We visited last year, for the HPSO's Study Weekend (here) and then also back in 2015, for the Garden Conservancy's tour (here). It only gets better and better! Christine plants out these Agave americana 'Variegata' in the spring, and then lifts them in the fall, overwintering them undercover.

This elevated area is newly created, well, since my last visit. Christine says the blue chalk sticks will be sacrificed this winter. She's taken cuttings and propagated in previous years but is ready to let it go and start over, or not—we'll see.

As you've probably already figured out, Christine has a love for both agaves AND conifers, and she mixes them well.

Agave ovatitfolia...
Another look, pulled back for a wider shot. She's also pretty impressive with the opuntia...

These agaves become so much more because of the treatment Christine gives them. They're not winter hardy planted out in our climate, and left in containers they can't live up to their full potential. Sunk into the garden during the growing season and allowed to stretch their arms they really do shine.

All of these combinations are in the front garden, visible to people passing by. I wonder what they think? A lot of what's planted is not that unusual here in Portland—although it's all grown so well here it might not be recognizable—then you add in the agaves and POW! Something so different.

A couple more wide-shots...


And then we take a peek at Christine's over-wintering set-up. I love seeing how people care for their non-hardy container plants. 

These are all wheeled into an attached garage. Chris says the temperatures stay above freezing, but not significantly so. Oh and these planters, aren't they wonderful. They look like metal, to me at least, but they're pottery.

If you're wondering about light, what you see is what you get. There's a window, and if the garage door is open—as it is here—then more light, but otherwise these plants are allowed to go fairly dormant.

Just outside the garage were these big guys, waiting to be pulled under cover.

I'm not sure if they all went in, but at least a few did.

Let's take a quick look at the rest of the garden...

That big beauty is an Agave ovatifolia, the straight species not 'Frosty Blue'.

More Agave americana 'Variegata'...


In the front there is a nice big Agave bracteosa.

And of course Agave parryi...

Another pair...

If you're not an agave lover (what's wrong with you?) there's still a lot to appreciate in this garden. Like these tall tetrapanax...

And that sweet big-leaf rhododendron.
The stylish rebar and wood edging is to protect the plants from dogs and grandchildren.

A very large tree was recently taken down, if I remember correctly that's part of it there. I'm sure Christine and Jim have something creative in mind.

I said how much I appreciated the look of the ferns tucked in at the base of this short retaining wall. Christine laughed... I think they were actually planted by mother nature.

Ground covers above the wall...

And now just a few more photos from the front garden as I take my exit...


Oh and yes, in case you were wondering, there were agave pups. Here they are all loaded up and headed home...

Weather Diary, Nov 30: Hi 52, Low 32/ Precip .22" 

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

25 comments:

  1. I can't even imagine digging up Agave americana each year. That's commitment!

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    1. We PNW agave-lovers are a committed bunch.

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  2. Love the textural juxtaposition of the agaves and conifers. Has given me some ideas for this coming year. Garages are great storage areas. We have a second single garage door that we turned into a small greenhouse. All of my tender plants overwinter inside in front of it. The door can be opened on sunny days to give them more light. Have been known to pull up a chair on a cold but sunny day to sit in 'my garden'

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    1. I love the mental image that comes to mind of your garage garden and you out there enjoying it (although I have no idea what you look like...).

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    2. Just go to the back of the Fine Gardening that had your article in it. I am Northern Plains

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    3. OMG! I forgot about that. Thank you!

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  3. What a nice garden. I really like the rebar "fence" too.

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  4. Fabulous garden, I remember it from your previous post (2019), mostly for the blue chalk sticks and what seems to be a 'Chief Joseph" pine; a most desirable specimen. The balance of agave and conifers is done extremely well.
    Regarding their treatment of the Agave: when you say they are "sunk into the garden" do you mean still in their posts? A big job... is there a small 'lift' to assist with the heavy lifting?

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    1. No I believe they are planted out and then lifted. I shouldn't have used the phrase "sunk into" as it does sound like they're still in pots.

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  5. Wonderful play of color and texture. Inspires me to create an evergreen border!

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    1. Fun project to mull over during the winter months!

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  6. They have a lovely garden. I've not seen it yet.

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    1. Oh Phillip, you must see it in person!!!

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  7. Very cool garden. I love the commitment of not only the care for the agaves but also as you point out - two groups of plants that clearly take center stage: agaves and conifers mixed together. The combinations of plants are endless - do what you love, focus on that and watch out for the magic. Love this garden.

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  8. I'm so glad that was one of the gardens I visited for Study Weekend..it was so well put together. I never actually posted about it, need to go back and look at my photos. I loved the front garden, and the back was such a journey , all the great vignettes. I have horrible conifer-envy.

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    1. Ah, you've still got a stash of photos to work through on a chilly winter afternoon...

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  9. Oh, lucky you! And lucky us, as you shared the highlights with us. The Mitchells' garden is impressive. I really like the plant combinations in the photos showing the rebar and wood edging.

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    1. I could do an entire post on just their shady plant combinations, there are so many good things tucked in there.

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  10. I'm very impressed with the conifer/agave combinations... and yes those agaves are brilliant! How do they keep the potted variegated ones so (apparently) free of mealy bugs? They look pristine! And they repot the ones in the ground every winter and bring them in?? Yikes, that's a lot of work. Thanks for sharing, Loree!

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    1. Perhaps they've been lucky and just haven't been exposed to the evil buggers?

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  11. Agave parryi is gorgeous. I like their use of evergreens with the succulents, they provide structure and many different textures and colors.

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    1. And when the agaves are gone there is still plenty to look at!

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  12. Some lovely combinations! Like some others, I can't imagine digging and planting agaves every year but the result is glorious. Great score on the agave pups.

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