PNW Roadtrip Travelogue Part One; nature (mostly)

Whereas most folks were winding up their long-weekend summer kick-off celebration on Memorial Day, Andrew and I were just getting started. We hit the road Monday morning, our final destination for the week-long adventure was Spokane—I was giving a talk for The Inland Empire Gardeners and it was a chance to see family. We took the long way up with multiple fishing stops along the way.

Our first stop was along the Grand Ronde River just outside of LaGrande, Oregon, where we spent the first night. I sat at a similar picnic-table and read while Andrew fished, it was an incredibly beautiful spot.

Up and at 'em the next morning, this stop was along the Wallowa River, still in Eastern Oregon.

This was such a bizarre rock!

I found this small vertebrae and couldn't help but hear...

Mr. Bill

Sadly it was the butterflies that should have really been screaming "oh no!" They were flying low over a busy roadway, attracted to the wildflowers growing along the river. I rescued a few who were stunned by the wind of passing cars. Others were not so lucky.

Out next stop was to survey the incredible Hells Canyon vista at the Nez Perce Historical Park just south of the twin cities of Clarkston, WA and Lewiston, ID. We were standing in Washington when I took this shot, but looking out into Idaho.

"Where else can you ride the rapids of the Snake River and prick your finger on a cactus..." (you know they had me at cactus)

Sadly I didn't see any cactus but I do love me some lupine foliage.

I also love surveying the many verbascum that grow in the wilds of the PNW. I'm not familiar with this one, but it was growing thick when we stopped for Andrew to check out the creek access.

Rocks with lichen are also pretty amazing.

Well that's certainly a nice rock wall...

Naturally, there were verbascum here too.

There's my fisherman.

Looking up...

I think this is a cute little patch of Selaginella wallacei with a small sedum growing within and flowering.

Driving into Clarkston (where we would be spending the second night), Andrew spotted a group of large white birds...

Pelicans!

A nice dinner and a glass of wine (or two) on the hotel patio was exactly what we needed.

Our after-dinner walk...

Now we're in Spokane, Andrew is down there on the Spokane River fishing, and I am up on the Centennial Trail (I left him and went to explore a nursery).

If you look dead center on this photo there's a small image along the lower bank of the river, just to the left of the tall conifer, that's Andrew—he got a nice fish on the river that day. 

After I snapped that photo I spotted this cute little succulent.

Their yellow blooms were like flags waving.

Downtown Spokane now, parking for lunch. Back in the day we both worked just a couple blocks from this building, but I don't remember ever noticing the gargoyles!

Here's my last scenic shot, we're headed home now along the Columbia River and entering windmill country. 

Come back on Wednesday for a look at the domesticated plants from this trip; gardens, nurseries and a haul photo!

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Yay? Or nay?

One last little set of pictures before we leave Seattle (and our October PNW Vacation) behind. I spotted this planting outside a building on Capitol Hill. What do you think? Love it? Or hate it? I like that they tucked in planters in an area that would otherwise have gone unused, or worse just gathered trash, and a little unexpected green on a city sidewalk is always a good thing. I am usually a fan of repetition, but I think this group would have benefited from breaking things up a bit, a little variety in the plantings. What do you think?

The Volunteer Park Conservatory, final edition

We’ve previously visited the desert wing and the bromeliad wing at Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory. Now it’s time to wrap things up with the rest of the building.

For some official background info I visited their website: “the Conservatory, a Victorian greenhouse modeled on London's Crystal Palace, stands at the north end of Volunteer Park, designed by the Olmsted brothers, in Seattle's north Capitol Hill neighborhood. Professional horticulturists with the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation care for the Conservatory's collections, including bromeliads, palms, ferns, cacti, and seasonal display plants. As a registered US Fish and Wildlife repository for confiscated plants, the Conservatory also acquires, quarantines, and later displays restricted orchids, cycads, and other plants seized by USFW agents.” Aha! So if I had purchased that Schefflera taiwaniana in Vancouver, BC and got it confiscated at the border crossing maybe I could have later visited it here at the Conservatory!

Since we visited way back in October things were looking a little fall-like in the seasonal display area.

I am always amazed when plants end up behind bars.

Their collection of Brugmansia was putting on quite the floral show.

I’m happy to see plain old Sansevieria finally getting a little time in the spotlight.

Golden Birdsnest Sansevieria (Sansevieria trifaciata ‘Golden Hahnii’)

Who isn’t fascinated by Pitcher Plants (Nepenthes), these were labeled as Nepenthes carunculata.

Another irresistibly freaky flower…Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia).

As you wander through the building you are surrounded by so much lush fabulous foliage…

Alocasia odora.

Rattlesnake Plant (Calathea lancifolia) from Brazil. Doesn’t it look like someone painted leaves on the leaves?

Dioon spinulosum.

Back outside we decided to take advantage of the bright sunny day and climb to the top of the Observation Tower, this is what it looked like in 1909.

And this is what it looks like today, things have grown a bit!

The view from the top out toward Puget Sound and the Space Needle.

And downtown Seattle.

Volunteer Park is a gem. Having lived in an apartment a block away I spent many a sunny afternoon in the park. Funny thing, I never realized it was an Olmstead Park until this visit when we stopped to read the signs inside the tower. One of them was a quote from the Olmsteads: “the different parks of the city should not be made to look…like each other…but on the contrary every advantage should be taken…to give each one a distinct individuality of its own”

Volunteer Park is also home to the old Seattle Art Museum, a beautiful deco building. But that’s a subject for a different blog.