Dana's cramscaped urban Vancouver garden (the third BC stop, if you're counting)

Dana Cromie—co-chair of the Vancouver Hardy Plant Group—is the reason I was in Vancouver earlier this month, he asked me to speak at their Study Day event. While up in Vancouver I was thrilled to get to visit his personal garden...

Arctostaphylos are not as widely planted up in Vancouver as they are in Portland, but Dana had one growing along the front sidewalk. Yes, it's hugging it's friend the rhododendron (maybe R. pachysanthum?).

Dana's garden is small, but packed with treasures.

Syneilesis aconitifolia

Containers up against the house, protected by the staircase on their right.

Seeds like candy...

Dana mentioned he had a few different (but choice) Asplenium scolopendrium, and I saw several nice ones on my visit. This fern doesn't like me, or my garden, so I've kind of ignored it. Maybe I need to rethink that stance and try again.

Some sort of Polystichum setiferum (I think?) but I'm not sure which one.

Looking up the plant-filled stairs...

...and now back down.

Here we're looking down on the corner with many of the treasures I noted above.

Standing tall above it all, a Magnolia macrophylla, I wonder if any of you noticed the distinctive leaves earlier, on the ground? What I knew going into this visit was that Dana and his husband Greg cut this tree back to control its height. Dana has sent me photos in the past, and I really hoped to get a couple of good ones during this visit, but the fallen leaves caught in the center of the tree hide their careful work.

By cutting the main trunk back hard, and then selectively pruning out branches each year, they're able to keep the size of the tree manageable for a small garden. Yes, I am thinking about doing something similar.

Climbing the stairs toward the front door there's an interesting rock garden planting to the side. During my visit glass tables were in place to protect the plants over the winter.

Peeking under the glass.

Oh baby! Banksia blechnifolia, be calm my jealous heart.

Now we've walked through the house and come out on the back deck.

Dana's most recent haul from the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, I recognize many as offerings from the Hardy Fern Foundation.

Ah yes, Dana is having success with Bomarea hirtella just like Claude. I'm so jealous.

They're growing in those two large terracotta planters at the back.

Oh! That's a very simiar hepatica to the one I got from Fred last summer. I hope I won't regret putting mine in the ground.

A pulled back shot of the area we were just looking at, notice there is a greenhouse behind it all. We'll visit there before this post is over.

Turning to look at the rest of the patio area, check out those begonia leaves! Begonia silletensis, I believe.

And that low wall...

I saw several examples of great cement blocks—different than are available here in the States—during my short time in Vancouver (approximately 48 hours). Maybe I need to drive up sometime and fill my car with them?

You can grow plants in there!

These narrow shelves were along the back of the house.

An unusual Asplenium scolopendrium?

On the far left Rhododendron changii.

Stepping down to the lower level at the back.

Here I was very aware that fallen leaves in other people's gardens are pretty, where as in my own garden I see them as work. Of course Dana's leaves are like colorful confetti...

Cryptomeria some somebody...

Podophyllum pleianthum I believe.

While I'm not a big fan of conifers I do appreciate this one with the two different colored needles.

Pyrrosia!

Lygodium japonicum, aka  Japanese climbing fern. Yes, I probably need this.

Stepping down to the greenhouse level...

Peeking in...

  Agapetes 

And this! Instant plant lust!!! Pyrrosia linearifolia 'Urakoryu Jishi'. Oh man...

Inside Dana and Greg's home now, I was rather smitten with this 30-yr old Phlebodium aureum ‘Undulatum’.

And the patterns it made on the ceiling when Greg happened to lay his phone on his lap while it was in flashlight mode.

Thanks Dana for sharing your home, and garden, and for a most excellent adventure!

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Dan's garden (and greenhouses), my second BC stop

Today we go back up to Vancouver, BC, and my quick visit earlier in the month. After we finished up at Claude's garden, he took us over to visit Dan's place. Pulling up out front I wasn't sure what to expect as a tall hedge kept most of the garden hidden.

Even the entrance was veiled to protect it from prying eyes.

Damn, that's a tall trachycarpus!

Oh! Love the deco-style home! (those tall cylindrical pots would have plants in them if my visit had been earlier in the year)

Turning now with my back to the house and looking out towards the hedge we saw earlier. I believe I heard that Dan made those custom stepping stones.

Taking the path that veers to the right...

And back to walk the other leg...

What fun pruning.

I was told in the summertime these pots hold agaves.

We're in the back garden now where things are buttoned up for winter.

On the other side of the back wall there's a veggie garden...

Dan made these raised beds out of pavers turned on their side and enclosed within a custom frame. Easy to take apart and move when the time comes. Genius!

A final look at the vegetable area...

... and we walk in towards the house, seeing the first of three (!!!) greenhouses...

Turning to the left, the main greenhouse is built off the garage, with a nice bump-out addition. I didn't get a shot of the third greenhouse, but if you look to the far right-side of this photo you can see its lights.

And inside there's a blooming lewisia!

Inside the big greenhouse, a blooming Huernia zebrina...

... and lemons!

I bet it's a beautiful sight in here at night, as there's a collection of colored glass lamps hanging from the ceiling. As a nod to practicality the hanging pots have metal saucers fastened to the bottom to contain drips.

The residents of the bump-out.

There's a large agave hiding back there!

Gorgeous staghhorn (Platycerium grande?)...

With an interesting side-growth.

Maybe a Blechnum gibbum, which I guess is now going by the name Oceaniopteris gibba?

Another Pitcairnia alata (if I'm remembering correctly this one is a baby from Claude's plant).

Oh my! Another spectacular platycerium of some sort I think?

The agaves are up on the top shelf where they can't hurt anyone (smart since they also don't need watering over the winter, but it must have been hell to get them up there).

Baby mangaves, Dan does sell plants at specialty sales.

Like many gardeners he just can't help but make more plants.

Now we've gone into the house to see the final greenhouse (that first one I shared a photo of, off the back of the house), this one is full of cactus.

Check out the tall square pots, they've got inserts so you're not carrying around a heavy pot made heavier with soil.

Back out in the front garden now, where there were ginger blooms (perhaps Hedychium densiflorum?) that I missed the first time through. Thanks for letting some crazy American with a camera tour your marvelous garden (and house) Dan! 

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All material © 2009-2024 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.