Potted Elephant a mental health "pick-me-up" visit

Back in late January I spent a few hours in the greenhouses of the Potted Elephant. I felt lucky to get a special "behind the scenes" look at this local grower, it was a little bit of heaven on a cold (and later in the afternoon snowy) day.

I visited with friends who were also ready for a little plant-centered socially distant visiting, here's Ann, the Amateur Bot-Ann-ist, don't you love her sweatshirt? ("Tell me about your plants")

I really wanted to abscond with this box of goodness, but of course I did not.

There are elephant pots, at the Potted Elephant. I think I photographed this one the last time I visited (in 2019), it's a fabulous combination with the bright orange aloe.

Agave applanata 'Cream Spike'

Some fine euphorbia...

For some reason I used to to not like aeonium when they get kinda tall and rangy like this, now I think they're my very favorite version of aeoniums.

Oh! It's a apotspot pot, it's hot.

Jungle cactus propagation...

And now we're in another greenhouse.

Rhipsalis propagation...

A fruit!

I love the thick white lines on the edge of  this epiphyllum.

I was about to say that if this AMAZING hanging container of Rhipsalis ramulosa ever goes missing don't check my garden, when I remembered the horrid incident that occurred last year when someone did serious theft of plants from the Potted Elephant. So I should not joke about something like that, which I would never do. But I do covet this plant!

This is one of those plants where I know the name but cannot think of it at the moment.

Some of my fellow plant folks that day, from left to right Cory Paul, one of the owners of the Potted Elephant, Ann, Theo (The Fuchsietum) and Dan (PDXBot)—Evan (The Practical Plant Geek) was with us too but somehow escaped my camera.

In another greenhouse there were a few monstera...

And interesting nepenthes.

Jewel orchids (Ludisia discolor)

And things I can not ID...

The final greenhouse includes a small retail area (shopping by appointment) and the back half is their shipping department.

Myrtillocactus geometrizans ($275)

I can't remember how much this dark sansevieria was going for. I really want one of these, but I'm too old school to spend the $ they cost these days. It's a sansevieria for god sakes!

Finally, this little cutie (Syngonium rayii) spoke to me, thankfully Ann took it home. Tomorrow I'll share a few "inspirational" photos and what I bought.

Weather Diary, Feb 21: Hi 51, Low 45/ Precip trace 

All material © 2009-2021 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Photos from walking in the neighborhood...

I had this post all lined up for earlier in the week, before the storm pushed it to the sidelines. Diving back into it now I had to laugh at the white rock sprinkled around this small desert-style planting I found in the neighborhood. My first thought upon seeing it again was "snow!" But of course it's not.

This planting is tucked into the corner formed by a driveway and sidewalk, a great spot to soak up a little bonus heat.

I've not seen an Agave americana var. striata planted out in the ground here before, it will be interesting to see how it does.

Not sure on the ID of this other agave, it looks to have sustained a little damage early on, but is recovering nicely.

Same house, up in front of the garage.

And on the other side of the front garden. The shrub up near the corner of the house is a Schefflera delavayi, but I don't know what the one between me and the schefflera is. I am curious.

One last shot from the garden, a Sophora prostrata.

Okay I lied, that was the last plant shot, but they also had this pile of busted up cement in their hellstrip. I wonder if they have plans for it? Maybe a nice little crevice garden made from urbanite?

Love the agave on the front porch of this house.

But I was very tempted to march up there and pick up the poor toppled over opuntia.

The hard to read sign says "Hug Someone With Your Eyes", a nod to our current masked faces I assume?

I've walked by (and shared) this spiky little patch in the past, just thought I'd check in with an update.

Dasylirion wheeleri at the top, and Agave ovatifolia.

Another A. ovatifolia I believe, and I am just not able to ID the great looking agave at the bottom of the photo.

Now we've jumped to another walk on another day and a brief look at the McMenamins Kennedy School spikes. Photos in this post were taken before the recent winter weather, but these plants have all seen it before and should be fine.

Agave 'Sharkskin'

This next garden was a fun find on a street near me, first a gorgeous Yucca desmetiana 'Blue Boy'...

And a tall shaggy Echium wildpretii with an agave tucked in just behind it (Agave parryi). I need to do another walk-by and see how these held up to the cold, snow, and ice.

Oh, and there's also a nice Agave utahensis, which doesn't usually like our wet winters—it looks good though!

Agave ovatifolia in another garden. Do you get the idea there are a lot of these in Portland? Yep! You would be correct.

Which came first, the hamamelis (witch hazel) or the shutters painted to match?

Such a good color, and it looks even better with lichen.

Nice colorful combo of hebe and Yucca 'Color Guard'.

It's an Arctostaphylos double shot! And another reminder for me to get out there and prune on my Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Harmony’.

Moss makes a beautiful ground cover...

Rock cover too!

This guy! I think he's been up there for awhile, judging from his festive hat.

Yep, another Agave ovatifolia! Andrew spotted this one and snapped these photos.

I love the combination with the colorful grass-like plant, which I think is libertia.

These final three photos aren't from a walk, but taken as I varied my route home one day to avoid a traffic back-up. Some of you might recognize this as the former home and garden of Sean Hogan. The agave, palm and arctostaphylos are all in the hellstrip.

I think this is another A. ovatifolia, just grown in shady conditions. The pup throws me though, as they don't usually send out babies... so I could be wrong, or maybe it's not a pup.

And that's a wrap on this completely biased look at what a few of my fellow Portland gardeners are up to...

Weather Diary, Feb 18: Hi 47, Low 37/ Precip .21 

All material © 2009-2021 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.