The Scripter Garden, a 2019 GB Fling stop

The owners of this garden, Mary and Larry Scripter, welcomed us with a hand-painted sign at the garden entrance.

Not this one—which reads NATIVE GRASS UNDER CONSTRUCTION—but one kind of like it. Such a nice touch.

The Lauren Springer Ogden designed prairie meadow was definitely a big draw here...

From our Fling brochure: "...we planted the prairie meadow Lauren (Springer Ogden) designed. In 2012, Larry prepped the ground using 800 pounds of alfalfa pellets and 10 cubic yards of compost, working it into the clay soil with his trusty tractor. Mary spray-painted the ground and laid out Lauren's designed matrix of plants, section by section. Over a period of 3 weeks, we planted 1,800 plants, with 70 different types of perennials, shrubs, native wildflowers, and 13 types of grasses. In the fall of the same year, we planted 1,500 bulbs—daffodils, camassias, tiger lilies, eremurus, gladiolus, and various alliums; many flowers for cutting."

"Larry spread 25 tons of pea gravel around every precious plant, using a shovel and wheel barrow, to help deter weeds from the hay field and to retain moisture. The entire meadow is a pollinator habitat and we feed the neighbors' bees as well as hundreds of birds year-round. It is so full of life and always changing."

Oh! Look ma, an agave...

And another...

Back out front...

This spiky plant caught the eye of a fellow PNW blogger, Michelle. At the time I said I thought it was a kniphofia, do you agree?

This section of the garden was what most captivated me, from that strange conifer...(Taylor's Golden Sunburst', Pinus contorta...thanks Bob Nold!)

To the beautiful Yucca glauca.

I took a few photos...

This might be my favorite.

Or maybe this one.

The background plant is Apache plume, Fallugia paradoxa—also captivating.

I was quite smitten with it...

Weather Diary, Aug 28: Hi 98, Low 62/ Precip 0

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

Wednesday Vignette, the garden is behind you silly

This WV comes from the Scripter garden, a stop on the 2019 GB Fling. While everyone else was admiring the Lauren Springer Ogden designed prairie meadow behind me, I was lost in the patina and geometry of this scene...

Don't worry, I'll share proper garden shots tomorrow.

Weather Diary, Aug 27: Hi 98 (a new record for the day), Low 58/ Precip 0

Wednesday Vignettes are hosted by Anna at Flutter & Hum. All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

The garden of Erin and Brian Ray, a Study Weekend visit

The next garden I visited, as part of the Study Weekend event, was one I'd wanted to see for a long while; the garden of Erin and Brian Ray...

It's always a good sign when you park near a garden and get distracted by the neighbor's plants en-route. Love this Erica arborea...

And look! A Parasaurolophus (thanks Andrew) taking a dip...

Okay, this is our garden destination...

Erin recently acquired this Agave ovatifolia and has high hopes for it. Irrigation, planted in sun, with great drainage. This will be one to watch.

From our event brochure: "Twenty-three years ago, these gardeners started to work in their small multi-level lot out of necessity. Their new-to-them old house had crumbling terraces, a rotting patio overhang, and overgrown everything. So they started ripping out the old stuff and then just kept going. They became hooked on their garden! Erin eventually left her "day" job to pursue landscape design, and as her expertise and tastes evolved so has the garden..."

The mixed plantings spoke to me, as I have a similar style.

There is a tiny strip at the top of that wall which is their property, otherwise we're looking at the neighbor's place. The wall is the side of their driveway.

Lots of sempervivum tucked in the wall where ever there was room.

Agave bracteosa

Aloe striatula

Oh! And these...

Marcia Donahue pieces which a covet...

Climbing the steps up to the front door...

Looking back on the front porch sitting area before walking down the narrow side yard...

I closed the gate to get a photo, doing so freaked out a few of my fellow visitors.

Stepping into the multi-level back garden...

Before I climbed to the upper level I had to investigate the areas along the back of the house...

And on the other side of the house—the working area—aka pot storage and plants in waiting, as well as canoes!

The back garden, as viewed from just outside the "working area"...

And climbing up...

I suspect this sitting area in a far corner is well used...

I wonder if Erin put these wall hangings together herself, or bought them pre-planted?

Looking back down to the lower level...

And up at bananas!

Another sit spot...

And it was time to take the stairs back down...

A few detail shots...

The vibrant foliage above the orange elephant is Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Ogon Nishiki'.

Delosperma something or other...

Cotula hispida aka "silvery buns of goodness"

And on my way back to the car I am again distracted by another garden...

Weather Diary, Aug 26: Hi 88, Low 56/ Precip 0

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