Monday, February 10, 2025

Sunny but chilly, a morning walk around the 'hood

Our days of perpetual sunshine (plus a record-breaking number of dry January days) had come to an end, replaced by low grey skies and threats of snow. So when last Tuesday was unexpectedly sunny I went for a long walk. I never set off intending to take photos for a blog post, but once I pull out the phone (camera), it's hard to stop!

How could I not document these stunning Agave ovatifolia? (plus a couple of A. parryi)

On the other side of the sidewalk there are a couple more (and they're a little tormented by conifer litter)...

How nice it would be to have this front porch fern grotto!

Yes, I am using the term loosely, it's kind of cave-like.

These folks are getting rid of their front lawn with chipboard and a very thick layer of woodchip mulch. 

I wish I knew when they'd started the project, it would be fun to watch the progress.

Oh my. How do I not remember these sculptures in the making?

Seems like a lot of work.

This house used to have a big healthy opuntia planting out front, and that cryptomeria used to be a lot smaller.

The opuntia is gone, but I see there is still an agave back there, can you see it?

There...

That's a sweet Yucca linearifolia!

Ditto for the Euphorbia rigida (same property).

And still the same property, a fine opuntia, trachycarpus (palm), and more...

I hope the Agave bracteosa doesn't get ran over.

Simple, but striking. There was a nice little patio up near the house and driveway, but I couldn't get a good shot.

It smelled even better than it looks (hamamelis species)

I wonder what's hiding under those frost-protection tents? I'll have to remember to walk this way again when it's warmer (our nights have been cool, a low of 25F recorded a couple times, but there's even more cool (with possibly snow and freezing rain) on the way).

It occurs to me as I work my way thru this post just how many brick homes I photographed! Andrew and I call this neighborhood the ranchlands because of all the ranch-style homes there, and a lot of them are either completely brick, or have brick accents.

This ranchlands garden has been featured many times on this blog, although it's been awhile. Things have grown substantially...

An other Agave ovatifolia, I believe.

The hellstrip with opuntia, arctostaphylos and barely visible at the far right a large cholla.

The Yucca rostrata here have attained tree-like height.


They're remarkable!

I crossed a street to get a photo of the green (next shot), but was also captivated by the contrast next door, with the hard lines.

Green!

Lots of green.

I have no idea what this is, but it makes a nice soft brown winter moment.

I drive by this structure at least once a week. I've been trying to figure out what's under there (I surely saw it before it was covered) but seeing it from the sidewalk side offered no more clues. I should have stuck my phone under there to get a photo or two, but the opening at the bottom is more narrow than it looks.

Oh hey... this one's familiar, home!

Before I end this post I wanted to mention that I'll be speaking at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival again this year. My topic; #fernsarethenewsucculents. This is the same talk I gave to the Hardy Fern Foundation last month, so if you missed it there (and you'll be at the show on Friday morning at 11:15), come say hi! Bonus; you don't even need a ticket to the show to attend the Plant Academy talks (where I'll be), they're FREE! More info on the seminars HERE.

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20 comments:

  1. I really enjoy when bloggers share a "walk around the neighborhood" post. I may copy you and do one soon. The ranchlands remind me very much of my parents neighborhood on 113th & Flanders, where I grew up. Built in 1955 I believe, with the brick on the upper half of the house. All the homes on the street had an almost exact layout, the ones I got to go inside anyway. I love witch hazel, and those Yucca rostrata are amazing. I'm curious about what is under cover as well, the telephone booth structure is pretty impressive.

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    1. I too love these kinds of posts, seeing the area in which other bloggers live and garden is like a mini (very mini!) Fling. There are definitely a few neighborhoods like this one around Portland. When we were house hunting Andrew and I looked at a fabulous ranch near where you grew up. We didn't want to be that far out (and so near the light rail on Burnside).

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  2. Yucca rostrata sure likes life in the PNW! I love the photo of the blushing Euphorbia rigida. In contrast, I can't say I care for the (juniper?) sculptures. It'll be interesting to see if that light cover of cardboard and wood chips will be enough to kill the lawn in your wetter climate - my own efforts, even with covers to solarize the lawn, failed miserably, leading to a lot of time digging it up.

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    1. These Yucca rostrata were nice sized when planted, which of course gave them a head start. I don't care for the strange conifer sculpting either (I think they're blue atlas cedar), it's just not attractive.

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  3. One of these days I’ll get to one of your talks. My wife is on strike vs a large hospital chain that we both work for, so I’m working a ton, and there’s my dad duties. So little time for garden chores and events.
    Love seeing people push the zone limits. I’ve been religiously putting out cloches at night. Hoping there’s no ice! Just a couple more weeks and the chances of really brutal weather subsides greatly.
    Jim N Tabor

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    1. That strike just sounds painful for everyone involved, I can't believe it's gone on for so long. Fingers crossed it's resolved soon. As for winter, I'm praying this week ends with just a quick bit of winter mischief, no harm done. Then we can get on with spring!

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  4. Sometimes neighborhood walks are the best walks. It's nice to see the ranchlands folks getting into the era of their homes with appropriate plantings. I'm intrigued with those premade fabric cloches. What a nice, quick solution for popping over plants on frosty nights.
    - Jane/MulchMaid

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    1. The whole area was really looking great, could be a little less lawn though.

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  5. I can appreciate topiary even when it's not my thing but the debauched pruning of the Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar hurts my heart!
    The little Igloos, yes! I bought one last fall. Mine is clear and with a zipper. For the first time ever I'm protected three small plants that wouldn't take kindly to sub freezing temps. Incidentally, one is Aloe Christmas Carol, purchased at the Flower and Garden show two years back... a moment of weakness :-D
    Chavli

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    1. Agreed, BAC deserve so much better than that! You've kept an aloe going for two years? Congratulations!

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  6. I walk my neighborhood every day for exercise but I have 2 dogs on a leash. Hard to take photos! Sometimes I take the dogs home and go back and take a photo of a particular plant that I really like. Of course I’m a little OCD and in a number of yards, I’d like to get in there and work on them! I really enjoyed your walk.

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    1. Oh I remember trying to take a good photo with Lila pulling on her leash, and that was just one dog!

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  7. What a nice way to explore your community. Your have obviously been a good influence on your neighbours. I love walking around my Mom's urban neighbourhood in Sidney, BC as there are so many interesting things happening even in winter. Just lots of snow and cold here now. Good luck with your talk. I am sure you will pull in a big audience.

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    1. Thank you! I wish we could meet up, enjoy the show!

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  8. Always enjoy your posts. Do you have to get permission from the homeowner to photograph?

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    1. Since I'm standing on the public right-of-way (sidewalk) when I photograph I never have even considered it.

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  9. I swear, your neighborhoods are so much cooler than ours. But then, Portland has a much more active gardening community -- and far better nurseries.

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    1. 95% of what you find in nurseries in the Sacramento area is the same old boring stuff. Sadly, Home Depot and Lowe's often have more interesting plants than our independent nurseries!

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  10. The unnamed "soft brown winter moment" looks exactly like Bluebeard Bush (in winter, of course).

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