Visiting her Piece of Eden

Once I'd committed to accompanying Andrew on his work trip to Los Angeles then my brain started working overtime...what else could I see!? Hmmm...maybe I could visit Hoov's garden, you know...Piece of Eden? It's kind of nervy to just contact someone out of the blue and ask to stop by, but heck, I'd done it before and it worked out wonderfully (here, here and here...just to name three), so I did it again, and thankfully she was up for it. Further scheming ensued and it was planned that Denise and Kris would join us and it would be an official Blogger Meet-up! Sadly Denise wasn't able to make it after all, but Kris was there, yes it's true...I got to meet the elusive Kris behind Late to the Garden Party!

So to the garden. Wow. It's as impressive as you think it might be, and even more. Settle in kids — this is gonna be a long one...

One of the benefits of visiting a garden you know only from it's online depiction, is that you finally get to see, and understand, how it all fits together. I could not for the life of me figure out how this garden was laid out. Now I know! I tried to take a few photos that would help you all to understand too, but who knows if I succeeded. To take this photo I was standing at the extreme west of the property, looking (roughly) east.

We know this area, to the left of the driveway, as one of the recent project areas, Fall Project 2015 to be exact. That Dymondia margaretae carpet is even better in person. So lush and flat, perfection really. Well, and speaking of perfection, the Aloe 'Hercules' is just that.

Grevillea 'Superb', I believe...

Agave gypsophila 'Ivory Curls' (swoon!)...

Unknown Aloe (blooming even!) Aloe 'Roikoppie' with a super sexy Agave desmettiana 'Joe Hoak', at the street's edge.

Echeveria subrigida (I think)...isn't it just drop-dead beautiful?

I'm no good at simplifying things. I wanted to take a close up of every single one of these plants and share them with you. It took amazing restraint to only post 61 (you've been warned) images!

Kalanchoe orgyalis

Truth be told the next two images confuse me. I'm not sure if we're still on the left of the driveway or on the right. Sorry...

Agave 'Sun Glow' (!!!)...

Okay now I know we're to the right of the driveway and looking at the famous front slope, which has since became known as Winter Project 2017, or at least part of it has. I believe that big green number is Leucospermum 'High Gold' Leucospermum 'Yellow Bird'. The Agave at the rear is A. ovatifolia.

Leucospermum buds.

Aloe erinacea

On the left Agave titanota and the silvery, cloudy, mass is Leucophylum 'Thunder Cloud'. Behind it are Leucadendron linifolium and Calothamnus villosus, or rather were. If you follow Piece of Eden then you know they've been removed.

You've got to admire a gardener who decides it's time to move on, and just does it. Right?

Bye-bye...

If you're a follow of POE you also know this little creature has already broke free and flown away.

That's the mama plant of the small growing Agave titanota that I scored a pup of.

*sigh*...the beautiful slope we all know so well.

Multiple Agave lopantha 'Quadricolor', Agave Parryi, Yucca 'Bright Star' and a blooming Aloe to back them all up (Aloe cameronii).

Can you even imagine having these as a "ground-cover" in your garden? Id be in heaven...

Not to mention multiple Yucca 'Bright Star' with no blemishes.

I could get lost for hours just staring at this plant.

I believe that big guy is the one Hoov refers to as the "Proven Winners version of Agave marmorata."

Bloomed out Dasylirion flower stalk? (help me Hoov, I'm blanking on this one) *update* yes, Dasylirion longissimum.

Be still my heart! Agave 'Blue Glow' at the back, a super twisty brown glochid covered opuntia (Opuntia microdasys montrose?), and Drimia maritima (Giant White Squill) as seen through a pair of Agave desmettiana 'Joe Hoak'.

We're now at the end of Hoov's front slope and at the place here her property abuts the neighbors, at a rather drastic drop of too, I might add. That's Aloe vanbalenii, I believe.

I got kind of hung up here snapping photos, because there were just so many fabulous plants!

Hoov and Kris ventured a little further back along the edge of the property.

Sweet varigated Aloe, whose name I do not know. (*update it's Variegated Aloe noblis*)

Agave guiengola

And a couple of spotless Agave parryi.

One last look at the front slope...

As we head back around to the front of the house and the area behind the wall. Note the roses have been cut back, ready for their new growth. I'm sure this scene looks completely different when they're all leafed out.

Echeveria 'Ruby Slippers'

Seriously! (wow)

Echeveria 'Imbricata' (maybe?)

A little bird's nest which was allowed to stay in place as the roses were cut back.

I'd forgotten about the little nooks on each side of the front door, but when I caught sight of them out of the corner of my eye I had to go check them out. Even better in person!

Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' (?)

Oh the Koi! We've now walked all the way around the front of the house and up the east side. This area is right off the house and visible through huge windows, all the better for keeping an eye on these little personalities.

Food tossed their way kept them interested in us.

These two! Earlier in our visit I got to share some treats with Boris and Natasha (I snuck a few of Lila's favorites in my suitcase when she wasn't looking...what she doesn't know won't hurt her!) and give them a little love, up close and personal. I stupidly wasn't thinking about my camera then, so this is the best photo you get. So sad. They were so soft, and very well behaved.

Bismarckia nobilis

Is't this Aeonium amazing?

Yay! It wouldn't have been a proper Piece of Eden visit without getting to see, and smell, at least one rose.

Agave attenuata, variegated and flawless.

I don't remember the name of this little cactus...but really, the most important thing is how well the plant and pot were matched!

Part of the potted plant collection next to the Koi "pond" (my pictures have gotten a little disorganized here, we are still on the east side of the house).

I have admired and coveted this hanging vase. I'm so glad I got to see it during my visit.

Okay, now we're behind the home, the side opposite the street. We're in a raised area that borders the hardscape in front of the garage (too big to call a driveway, you can see just a small bit of it)...

This row of blooming Agave desmetiana borders the west side of the property, across from the garage.

Extreme variegation! One of the pups from a first A. desmetiana to bloom (the ones above are it's siblings...if I've got that right).

Beautiful variegation with enough green that growth isn't too stunted.

Grevillea 'Peaches and Cream' (I believe)

So beautiful!

Protea some something 'Pink Ice'...(Yes, I am overwhelmed by the beautiful plant possibilities).

Agave vilmoriniana 'Stained Glass', with orange friend tucked away for a snack later.

Agave x pumila

And finally, Phylica pubescens with a backer of Leucadendron 'Ebony'.

Thank you Hoov for letting me crash your gorgeous garden! Thank you Kris for making the journey so we could meet up. It was an amazing day, I enjoyed every minute of it. This (and many other visits like it) is part of what makes garden blogging so rewarding. I am a lucky lady.

Weather Diary, February 16: Hi 49, Low 41/ Precip 1.82"

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Thursday Vignette, just hangin' around

Hanging Vignette from a friend's garden. The texture of the coir and the "monkey fur" are so similar and the colors so complementary...and tomorrow's post will feature a lot more photos from this garden!

Weather Diary, February 15: Hi 43, Low 38/ Precip .98

Wednesday (and sometimes Thursday) Vignettes are hosted by Anna at Flutter & Hum. All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

February Bloomday...

I knew there wasn’t much to see, but I went out to take photos for Bloomday anyway. After 8 years one can’t miss a monthly posting just because your garden happens to be a winter (caused) wasteland. Trouble is after a few warmish days (highs actually above 50, and the sun made several appearances) things look even worse than I was prepared for. This winter has severely changed my landscape. I don’t even know how to think about it, so many changes ahead. But, that’s a post for another day. Today we just need to look for flowers…

Let’s start with the Hamamelis x intermedia 'Rochester' – thought this one was a goner when I discovered it folded under the weight of snow and ice. Thankfully it was bent, but not broken and I think it’s gonna be fine.

Another bent bloomer, Grevillea victoriae 'Murray Queen'…

It’s on my list for staking this coming weekend, there are flowers hidden where the humingbirds can't get at them.

Arctostaphylos x ‘Austin Griffiths' is done blooming and A. densiflora ‘Harmony’ has yet to start, but A. densiflora ‘Sentinel’ is going crazy.

All the Eriobotrya japonica blooms I could see were toast, post winter madness. Then I spotted this little cluster, it's like winter never happened.

Euphorbia rigida. Last February these were much further along in their bloom cycle. They do however seem extra orange this year, which is nice.

Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow' is much more raspberry than ever before. Must be the cold?

I waited until the last possible moment to photograph the Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Nanjing Gold', thinking surely there would be more than this to share. But there is not. Hey, at lest they're still opening!

The one Hellebore that's on schedule, Helleborus argutifolius. Then again it was opening while buried under snow...so I don't think anything could stop this one.

Now we enter the world of the newly bought. Cheating? Some my think so. But whatever. They're blooming and they're in my garden, just not planted yet...

These were purchased at different nurseries and more than a week apart, but they're charming together don't you think?

Helleborus x 'Golden Sunrise'

Helleborus 'Ice 'n Roses'

And we can't forget H. foetidus! I had one of these previously, it (sadly) kind of got lost in the shuffle and then disappeared completely. So now a new one.

There's one more, but since I specifically picked out one that wasn't yet bursting into bloom there's not a flower to share, H. 'Black Diamond'...maybe you'll get to see a flower on March 15th?

Now because walking my garden was so depressing, with all the death and destruction, I did let myself come in and photograph the Valentine's Day flowers. Cause those bright ginger flowers make me happy!

Bananas! I have never, in all my years, received a bouquet with bananas!

Normally I would be anti-cut palm fronds, but these really worked. Really.

Aucuba foliage in an arrangement, who knew?

And these twisty things, WTH? I love them, but they are weird.

Once they start to yellow I will definitely be doing a little investigative work to see what's going on there.

So that's my February Bloomday, complete with a little filler. We do what we have to do, right? Visit May Dreams Gardens for links to all the bloggers sharing their blooms this month.

Weather Diary, February 14: Hi 50, Low 34/ Precip .01

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

A little passion 💘 for Valentines Day...

Happy Valentines Day! Oh I know, it's kind of a silly holiday...but heck, any excuse to be kind and loving to our fellow humans is a good thing, right? Especially in our current political climate. So to get in the spirit of the day I thought I'd share a few examples of plant passion...

Those who wrap their plants to protect them against the cold? They're passionate.

Heck it looks like this person is passionate about a passion flower vine!

Never mind that their cover isn't really doing much, I'm sure it looked better before our insane east winds blew for days and days. And who knows, maybe they saved a few branches?

Yes, it's a bed (ya know, passion is the theme), this is our guest bed. When I last shared images of the basement gardening situation a few of you commented that the Agaves on the bed weren't exactly "welcoming"....now they've multiplied!

Here are the newbies, on the dining table, before they were sent to bed.

How did I come to have so many Agave pups? My friends who own Garden Fever, Lori and Richard, removed the pups around their Agaves at their Arizona homestead. Knowing I'm rather passionate about Agaves they brought them back to Portland and shared them with me. Oh ya! I'm going to be the Portland Agave cupid, matching up lonely gardners with Agaves! I've got Agave weberi pups...

Agave franzosinii pups...

And lot's...

And lots...

Of Agave salmiana ferox pups. How exciting!

Finally, it seems Sunset magazine has uncovered my real name, and now you all know just how passionate I am...Happy Valentines Day!

Weather Diary, February 13: Hi 53, Low 29/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.