And that's a wrap, on the HPSO Study Weekend 2019

With this post I wrap up my coverage of the HPSO 2019 Study Weekend open gardens here in Portland. Study Weekend itself is an event that rotates among the PNW plant societies. Last year was in Seattle,  the year before in Vancouver, BC. Next year should be in Eugene, but they're sitting that one out, so there won't be another Study Weekend until 2021, when it will be back in Vancouver.

These events are a big draw for locals, as well as people from the other PNW cities and into California (hello KS from Gardenbook). The weather could have not been better...

We'll look at two gardens today, the first is called "Age in Place" and is the garden of Marion Azorr and Rick Criswell: "This one acre garden shows what one gardener is doing to reduce maintenance and allow her to "age in place." Installing new hardscapes, gravel paths, yard art and reducing the amount of lawn allows enjoyment of this garden for years to come. The garden offers a variety of evergreen textures, flowering perennials, colorful foliage plants, carefully selected small trees, a small pool, a vegetable garden and assorted, colorful annuals."

The white froth in this image is blooming sedum.

And green froth from Amsonia hubrichtii.

I'm a sucker for interesting patterns that cast equally interesting shadows.

What a luxurious deck...

Beyond the rusty triangle sculpture was a small putting green. I didn't take a photo because there were several people enjoying the space and I didn't want to intrude.

Large poles in urns were a theme...

This shady deck was off the opposite side of the house from the first.

I should have included something for scale, but those sempervivum were gigantic.

What a nice sized pool. Not too big, not too small.

The next (and last) garden belongs to Susan Albright: "Charmingly eclectic is an apt descriptor for this suburban corner-lot-garden. Over the past 32 years the garden has been remodeled in bits and pieces, resulting in a very pleasing patchwork of plantings and design. Anchored by a large maple tree, the mostly shady, two-level backyard displays several specimen trees and a variety of shrubs and perennials, most selected for their foliage... Starting in 2015 the hell-strip areas bordering this corner lot were redesigned. Focusing on drought-tolerant, low-maintenance plantings, the last section was completed in June 2018."

We begin our visit with the hellstrips...

WOW! Delosperma as nice as what I saw in Denver, I am impressed.

Hmm, that sedum! I know what it is, really I do...but I can't think of the name...

This sweet vignette was in the back garden...

...I think near where we swooped down those stairs.

Wow! The best patch of Lysimachia paridiformis var. stenophylla I've ever seen.

So many people discovered this plant for the first time right here, in this garden.

It was fun to watch.

There were also nice raised benches for growing veggies.

A big thank you to all the garden hosts who opened their garden for the Study Weekend tours! Oh and I lied, there is one other garden I visited during Study Weekend that I haven't yet written about, the Kuzma-Halme garden. That one is yet to come because I visited several times over the summer and have A LOT of photos to go through. Think of it as an upcoming January treat.

Weather Diary, Dec 4: Hi 53, Low 39 / Precip 0

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Susan Denman's garden, a stop during the 2019 Portland Study Weekend, last June

This garden was right next door to the one we saw yesterday.

"The Denman garden is an acre-sized, charming country garden surrounding an 1897 farmhouse in the Portland West Hills. The many defined garden spaces include an herb garden, a walled vegetable garden, and a native plant meadow with active beehives. The stacked stone walls and a bluestone terrace were added in 2005..."

Charming indeed!

The vegetable garden...

The bees! They must be very happy here.

And an agave, who would have thought?

The meadow...

I do love a good umbel.

The lawn is still loved, isn't it? At least this one is a little less irrigated than yesterday's.

Golden!

I we'll close with purple.

Weather Diary, Nov 25: Hi 51, Low 41/ Precip .05"

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Jane Kerr Platt Garden, a stop during the 2019 Portland Study Weekend, last June

I'm always a little apprehensive when I see a full grown Magnolia macrophylla such as this. My tree will be this large someday...

It turns out large specimens are what this garden is all about. From our handout: The Platt Garden was started from scratch in the 1940's by John and Jane Kerr Platt. This garden, originally an apple and cherry orchard, is known for its collection of species rhododendrons and a variety of witch hazels, two groups championed by John and Jane and, for the last 20 years, their son David*. The garden is known both as a collectors garden and for its ability to display specimens with an eye to the combination of color, texture, and size. After nearly 80 years, many of the older specimens can be seen in their fully mature form...Also enjoy the Pietro Belluschi-designed home nestled into this wonderful setting. *David and Lisa Platt are the garden's current owners.

The setting felt more like a park than a garden.

Here's a plant I am unfamiliar with...

Can anyone ID it?

Rhododendron pachysanthum, I believe.

I've no idea which rhododendron this is.

Their Paris polyphylla were planted in the sun. I looked around to see if maybe I'd just happened by during a brief bit of sun but no, they were in a very exposed spot. Interesting. I know this as a shade plant.

Now these are sun plants!

This agave and aloe seemed to be recent arrivals, still in their nursery pots. In a historic, upscale garden such as this I wondered what the story was. Someone on the tour dropped them off? They were meant to be planted up before the hordes arrived but missed?

So much lawn, and so green...

That's a perfect swinging tree!

Finally, I spotted this cool old wheelbarrow tucked away in a corner I probably wasn't supposed to be in. Deep shade accounts for the odd color of the photo. Isn't it fabulous!?

Weather Diary, Nov 24: Hi 51, Low 40/ Precip .16"

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.