Visiting my first open garden of the year...

This year I vowed to be better about visiting the open gardens available to me through membership in the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon (HPSO). In prior years it seemed mid to late summer before I'd finally think to start visiting. This year I visited my first on June 15th...

I knew this garden would be something special because I read it's profile in our local magazine, Portland Monthly, last summer.

The description in the HPSO open gardens book said this is a 2-acre "mostly woodland garden, with natural and developed scree beds in both dry and wet environments on the creek slopes" I also knew (from the magazine article) that the home was likely to be pretty wonderful, it was designed by architect Pietro Belluschi, "a native Italian who helped pioneer a Portland modernism influenced by both Europe and Japan." Although of course the home wasn't open to tour, just the garden. Here was the official garden greeter...

I was tempted to ask if they irrigate the lawn during our dry summers, I decided not to. Some people are very sensitive about the topic.

Yep, there's always an agave...if you look hard enough. In this case I didn't have to look very hard.

I love the off-set pathway.

Looking to my left from the path above. We'll come back around there in just a bit.

Another glimpse of the pond/seating area...

And we're there! I love the maze-like approach.

Garden "artifacts" are so much better with patina.

This fern stopped me in my tracks, it's gorgeous! Anyone know what it is?

There were several bridges across the creek, I had to keep reminding myself to look down as I backed up for the best shot. An 6-ft fall to rocks below is not my idea of a good time.

Finally I emerged from the shady creek area to an open lawn on the opposite side of the home. What a garden to start the "open" season with, the bar has been set high...

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

A return to the gas-station nursery...

I first visited Judy's Enchanted Garden last April (2013, that post here) and liked what I saw. So when I found myself with a hour, or so, to kill during our recent trip to Spokane I thought I'd check it out and see what they're up to...

As I mentioned previously this garden center is located in an old gas station building.

But it's all about plants now...

To be honest I did have a bit of an agenda in checking out Judy's, I'd heard my friends at Petula were delivering to them. I was curious to see these more "edgy" plants and how they were doing in the Spokane market, I'd say pretty well.

Euphorbia flanaganii

Dyckia ‘Burgundy Ice’ and 'Nickel Silver'

Popcorn cassia, on the right. I'd never heard of this one and loved the look of it instantly. As I was putting it into my wagon Judy herself stopped to comment on what a cool plant it was, she told me to smell the foliage and then the common name made sense.

Turns out there's a lot to smell here!

T

Look at that sweet foliage...

Hesperaloe available in Spokane, happy days!

Such a selection of healthy plants!

Larix decidua 'Prag'

Trochodendron aralioides

Spokane is perfect for growing Portulaca...

Eupatorium capillifolium 'Elegant Feather'

Certainly everyone knows what this is, being the "it" plant of the year.

Polygala virgata 'Portola'

How did I know that's what the purple bloomer is? Because I read the San Marcos label. San Marcos plants available in Spokane, yay for that!

So here's my haul, I grabbed one of those Eupatorium, I remember it from my plant lust partner's garden and had to have one. I also got one of those small Artemisia 'Silver Brocade', it's getting awfully close to 'dusty miller' territory but hopefully I continue to like the look as it grows bigger.

The "popcorn" plant (Cassia didymobotrya) buds have started to turn the glossy black mentioned in the Annie's description. This one will most likely be an annual here in Portland unless we have a particularly mild winter.

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Schefflera brevipedunculata is my favorite plant in the garden; this week…

Schefflera brevipedunculata is first and foremost (and obviously) a schefflera. Ya’ll know I am head over heels for the scheffleras. And while I’ve always been pleased to have this plant in my garden I’ve never been “in love” with it like I am my other schefflera. You see I fell for, and dreamed about, S. taiwaniana and S. delavayi long before they were mine. Schefflera brevipedunculata is a plant I stumbled upon one afternoon and snatched up.

Early this spring when I moved the “too big for the space” Fatsia polycarpa 'Needham's Lace' I thought long and hard about what to put in its place. Logic said it should be a mid-sized perennial, something better suited size-wise. But darn it, I had this wonderful “multi-stemmed shrub or small tree” that needed a place in the ground and I like seeing something evergreen in this spot. Something kind of large.

So here it is, and I’m loving it. The leaves are smaller than the Fatsia, so maybe even if it starts to lean out into the path it will still be okay?

Speaking of the leaves I accidentally broke off one of the two growing tips earlier this spring. On some level I knew it was like “pinching back” and it would recover.

But seeing that glorious silver new foliage fall to the ground was heart-crushing. However there is a happy ending and I now have 3 growing tips rather than two.

And the older one is going to bloom, not that their blooms are anything to write home about.

So why is this plant my favorite this week? Because as I pass by it I’ve come to really focus on, and love, the strange leaf pattern of 3 held above 5 ...

The stats on Schefflera brevipedunculata:

• evergreen shrub, hardy in USDA Zones 7 thru 10
• likes partial shade to full sun (although I doubt the bit about full sun)
• needs regular watering
• 10 to 15 feet tall and wide (!!!)

Monrovia's description: From the mountains of Vietnam comes this unique multi-stemmed shrub or small tree with umbrella-like palmate leaves. Stunning tropical foliage emerges pale fawn in spring, maturing to rich deep green. Mid-summer flowers are followed by purple fruit. Adds excellent texture to the landscape. Makes a superb container plant in colder climates. Newly recognized in the Flora of China, the name of Schefflera brevipedunculata is a work in progress. A close ally to Schefflera alpiinia this unique shrub may indeed prove to be a variety of it.

Is there anything you've noticed looking especially good in your garden this week?

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.