It was a partly cloudy morning last August when I made my annual pilgrimage (dating back to
2011) to John Kuzma and Kathleen Halme's SW Portland garden.
As we walked the garden John pointed out losses and damage from the epic storm of January 2024. I remember the mood being a little somber as we compared notes and discussed how bad it was. However with one notable exception (which you'll see at the end of this post) my photographs didn't capture much of that. Instead you see the same gorgeous garden we've come to know and love.
Looking towards the house across the front garden courtyard.
I don't remember, but suspect this Agave ovatifilia must have been protected during the cold.
Yes, there's a house back there!
I've been rather vocal in my dislike of Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web', but here it actually looks really good.
It sets off the rhododendron (might be R. pachysanthum, but I don't think so) perfectly.
The tree ferns! They're really gaining some size, those trunks are impressive.
John is a lover of abutilons and he grows them well.
Those Yucca rostrata! It's a family photo with crazy personality.
Something is missing at the fence line (it's a little more open), but I can't remember what.
This guy definitely got protection! Doesn't he look like an octopus slinking across the ground?
The sun was moving in and out of the clouds during my visit, so the lighting is all over the place; bright, then cloudy then bright again.
Into the back garden now and the chalky trunks of the eucalyptus...
Underplanted of course!
It's always temping to head up those stairs, but I rarely do. I have my usual route, and those stairs are the exit—although on this visit I walked down the stairs and then promptly turned around and did the pathway in reverse.
Several of the palms in the garden were hit hard. I know one of the Trachycarpus princeps has pushed new growth, I think that might be it in the center there, with the furry trunk.
Aren't these colocasia fabulous?
And I never tire of the water feature and it's colorful cannas.
Turning around towards the back of the house, we see a very sad palm, this was a beautiful Jubaea chilensis. John reports that since I took this photo it's been replaced with a Butia x Jubaea cross "that is apparently hardier and faster growing."
Euphorbia stygiana.
I was thrilled to see the Passiflora 'Fata Confetto' was still alive and blooming. I love this plant!
Sadness and beauty. This shot of a blooming Agave ovatifolia and another suffering Jubaea chilensis (but this one is pushing out new growth!) wraps up Part One of my visit. Come back this Friday for more.
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It's so lush & bold, I love Oregon summers. What a loss, the Jubaea chilensis - I'm thrilled for them that the other one survived and is pushing new growth out! That's the best grouping of Yuccas I've ever seen. The exit stairs don't look like an exit at all, that's really nice. I crave more of that, can't see the borders of my garden style. Hurrah for more of this garden!
ReplyDeleteOregon summers are pretty fantastic, although lots of native Oregonians yearn for the cooler summers of the past. Those stairs are only an exit for me. They're probably the entrance for many folks. Isn't it interesting how we tend to stick to patterns?
DeleteFantastic, as always. I can't imagine this garden ever looking anything but fabulous. Are the tree ferns protected in the winter? They look so tender...
ReplyDeleteOh yes, definitely. John is a master at protection and they don't survive up here without it.
DeleteAs beautiful as ever, this garden is.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the sweet, wavy ground cover under the tree fern in photos 9 & 10? Inquiring mind wants to know.
Is the court yard used for anything other than the joy of its aesthetics?
Chavli
I have no idea on the groundcover! My first thought was Sanguinaria canadensis, but the leaves aren't right. The front and back courtyards were designed as a sort of carpet, a welcoming open space. I have seen it set up with a small table and welcoming hors d'oeuvres, that's a fun memory.
DeleteLovely looking garden with some a lot of great specimen plants!
ReplyDeleteWe have had snow on the ground for almost a week now and I did enjoy seeing some blue summer sky in your photos :)
I am surprised about the Jubaea that is not showing any signs of growth. I thought that they were supposed to be really tough?
Last winter was even tougher than the tough plants. We'd had warm temps all winter then suddenly were below freezing day and night for almost 5 days. A couple of days our highs were only in the mid 20's. It was nasty.
DeleteDecember 22 was like that in the UK.
DeleteAutumn 22 was very mild and then the temperature plummeted.
This caused lots of problems for even normally hardy plants.
It's beautiful whenever I've seen it. I love the Yucca rostrata family photo! My own Yucca rostrata is finally looking like it may grow up and do itself proud one day (although it still hasn't got a trunk).
ReplyDeleteYay! I am glad to hear you're seeing growth on yours.
DeleteI enjoyed seeing this garden again!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you made it to the Portland Fling, such wonderful memories!
DeleteLove this garden! I have longtime friends who live in Woodstock in SE Portland and I’m jealous of how the winters are just a bit easier
ReplyDeleteover there compared to NE or North Portland. Really hoping for no arctic blasts, but it’s only early January. Too soon for optimism. I love this garden, not sure where it is exactly, but it’s very much in line with what I’m going for, albeit very slowly.
Jim North Tabor
I mistakenly wrote SE in my intro, your comment had me realizing my error. It's in SW, off Taylor's Ferry Road. Re: no arctic blasts, I'm monitoring a system about 10 days out that could be concerning.
DeleteNoooooo!!!!
DeleteAnd when I say "I'm monitoring" what I mean is I'm monitoring what others who know things are saying. I'm not actually looking at the charts and what not.
DeleteI'd never know there was a terrible freeze last year, seeing all that beautiful greenery. I think it is interesting that Cannas grow in water there. I see them here but not growing in water. Here the leaves after a time tend to get brown and crunchy. I wonder if I could try some in water! Can't wait for part 2!
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing my brother's next door neighbor in Phoenix growing cannas and being surprised they did so well in the desert, then again I think that guy watered them well.
DeleteI've a love/hate relationship with Fatsia 'Spider's Web'. Sometimes the variegation looks sickly and pale, other times bold and vibrant. I haven't figured out if it is a cultural issue, luck-of-the-draw, or something else. Inspired by what I saw at last year's Fling, I decided to try one in a pot. So far, not very impressive, but it's very, very young. Their poor manzanitas! I've been trying to propagate a few of mine that started declining after January 2024.
ReplyDeleteYes... this is my issue with 'Spiders Web' as well. More times than not they look very sickly.
DeleteAlways a joy to see this garden. Thanks for the look at it and its continuing evolution. My 'Spider's Web' was disappointing for a while, (no "webs"!) but now it seems to have established itself and turned up the beauty dial. Not quite to 11 yet, but closer.
ReplyDeleteCloser is good.
DeleteI'm always striving for new, pleasing color contrasts in my garden. Black Mondo Grass along the base of the concrete wall & stair is just, so, right. The concrete is rather bright and fresh looking, contrasting well with the dark foliage. Most concrete in the PNW goes dark very quickly (you have experience in your back garden, Loree?) and usually doesn't offer much contrast to dark foliage.
ReplyDeleteAlso wondering about the sprawling, red-flowered plant at the base of the blooming Agave. Looks like a red-flowered Salvia jemensis type is behind, but the sprawler in front looks different.
My concrete has definitely acquired patina with age, some of it a beautiful moss green! I'm clueless about the red flowers, hopefully the images in Friday's post might give you a better idea.
Delete