The garden of Marcia Donahue

Last September, after visiting The Dry Garden, my next stop was the personal garden of artist Marcia Donahue.

I'd done my research and knew where her garden was and what days/hours she was open for visitors.

Or so I thought. As I approached a fellow came out of the house headed for a car out front. He saw my camera and said "Marcia's not here, the garden isn't open today"...

But...but...I started to cry. Ha, no, not really. But I'm sure I looked pretty sad as I muttered "but I'm here from Portland, I won't be here next week. I really wanted to see her garden ...(sniff)"

He barely hesitated a second before saying, "oh go ahead, but be careful - Marcia usually cleans up after the chickens and pens them before the garden is open, we haven't done that." Not a problem!

Do you know Marcia's work? I can't remember where I first heard of her, but I am familiar with what she does from one of the gardens at Cornerstone, John Greenlee's garden at a San Francisco Flower & Garden Show and pieces worked into Portland's Floramagoria.

This is very reminiscent of what you see at Floramagoria...

Plant shapes and bowling balls, it works somehow.

The chickens! I'd seen "evidence" of their moving around the garden but this was the first I saw of them.

Which way to go? Follow that path off to my left or keep moving straight?

I went straight.

Her studio I'm presuming? No I didn't peek inside, I wanted to, but just didn't feel right doing so when I was already in the garden on the kindness of another.

I had mixed emotions the entire time I was wandering. I would have loved to meet Marcia, to hear about the development of her garden, and her work. Then again I had this very magical place all to myself. No expectations, as much time as I wanted to stand there and soak it up, and see it for what it meant to me.

The garden is small, and very densely planted. It's personal, but not so much that I didn't instantly feel at home there.

I think I've seen these same bulbs in Sean Hogan's home...

I was not expecting this...

It was fabulous.

And I was reminded, from time to time, that I was not completely alone.

As I uploaded my photos for this post I realized how many I took which were oriented vertically. Usually I lean towards the horizontal. I think I went vertical simply because of how the space felt like it was closing in on me from the sides. Not a bad thing!

Something else I realized while standing here, soaking it all in. While I've been rather vocal about my dislike of "ART" in the garden, I love artists gardens! Shirley Watts, Keeyla Meadows - two other ladies with intense gardens that I loved. I could go on and on about this aha moment but I'm sure it's much more fascinating to me than to you.

Logs with lichens?

Of course not, well sort of.

This may have been the plant that grabbed me the most, I decided right then and there that I must plant one in my garden.

I later visited East Bay Nursery where I saw a similar bloom. I think it may be Michelia champaca 'Alba'...intensely fragrant and hardy to Zone 11. Damn.

Looking back at where I was when I had to choose which path to follow (ya, there's something deep in that sentence...)

And back at where I'd just been.

Wow!

Great edging.

I think I'm building up to a begonia crush...

Look familiar? If you've been reading regularly it must (from this, and this)

Now I'm backtracking. There was a side gate but I wasn't sure I should open it.

Back out front, about to leave but looking at the side garden.

Metal trunks mixed with the real thing. I hope you hung in there until the very end (which is now), I know this has been a long and photo heavy post, but I just couldn't edit my 170 photos down any further than this. What a garden!

All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Changing Times, Changing Landscapes: Drawing Nature into Urban Landscape Design

If you’re a member of either the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon (HPSO) or the Pacific Horticulture Society (PHS), you've probably heard about an exciting day-long event happening in Portland in March.

Changing Times, Changing Landscapes: Drawing Nature into Urban Landscape Design is billed as an "inspiring exploration of the role of landscape within an urban setting." Members of both groups are offered admission at a reduced rate (until March 3rd) but the program is open to all.

NYC's Highline, photo Bob Hyland

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From the Press Release: "Traditional public parks and private gardens offer relief from crowded conditions. Discover how pocket parks, roof top plantings, streetside gardens, and other creative small landscapes in unlikely spaces extend nature’s reach throughout our cities and provide healthy green space and habitat for pollinators and wildlife."

NYC's Highline, photo Patrick Cullina

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The seminar kicks-off with keynote speaker Patrick Cullina, a horticulturalist/garden designer known for his work on NYC's Highline and at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. In his talk "The Emergent City: Transforming the Urban Experience with Dynamic Landscapes" Cullina will discuss how cities across the globe are reinventing themselves through creative use of landscape initiatives designed to green our urban spaces, and make them vibrant destinations, full of life.

A passage through grey birches on the High Line between 21st and 22nd Streets. Copyright Patrick Cullina, used by permission.

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The rest of the event line-up features a top-notch group of speakers with similar vision:

Evelyn Hadden, author of Hellstrip Gardening: Create a Paradise between the Sidewalk and the Curb, will speak on overlooked and neglected semi-public spaces that can host vibrant small gardens.

Lorene Edwards-Forkner, editor of Pacific Horticulture, will discuss "Designing with Nature, Planting for Pollinators."

Landscape architect Karla Dakin, co-author of The Professional Design Guide to Green Roofs, addresses the topic in "Baring Witness or How All Green Roofs are Created Equal."

Top row left to right: Evelyn Hadden,  Bob Hyland, Lorene Edwards Forkner, Karla Dakin. Bottom row left to right: Sean Hogan, Lucy Hardiman, Maurice Horn and Patrick Cullina.

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Performing as moderator for the morning program is Portland's Bob Hyland, a garden designer who serves on the boards of both the PHS and the HPSO.

The afternoon sessions will be moderated by garden designer Lucy Hardiman, owner of Perennial Partners and all around powerful force for good behind the Portland garden scene.

Nursery owners Maurice Horn (Joy Creek Nursery) and Sean Hogan (Cistus Nursery) will be on hand to suggest plant choices both appropriate to the designs discussed in the talks, and ones that will thrive in our climate.

Hellstrip Gardening: Create a Paradise between the Sidewalk and the Curb. Evelyn J. Hadden, Timber Press, 2014, photo Joshua McCullough.

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The seminar runs from 8:45am to 4:30pm on Saturday March 28th, afterwards attendees are invited to a wine reception at Xera Plants and Hyland's Contained Exuberance with shopping (at a discount!) and continued opportunities for discussion.

Cost for the seminar, including a catered lunch and the wine reception, are $99 for PHS members and HPSO members, and $125 for the general public. For more information, and to register, visit the PHC website. Sounds like fun doesn't it? Hope to see you there!

Ivory sedge and crocus among the railroad tracks on the High Line. Copyright Patrick Cullina, used by permission.

All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden, except as noted. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.