The Great Migration, a time to appreciate the details

The Great Migration is underway, tender plants moving from outside to inside. Looking at my work deadlines, and the forecast, I decided I needed to take advantage of any sunny dry afternoon and attack the plant moves in small bite sized chunks. Working in front of my computer for a few hours, then getting up, out, and moving plants. It's surprising how much I can get done (both versions) in just two or three hours. This photo was taken on October 4th...

Before any of the plants come into the house I look them over for small critters (slugs, spiders, mealy bugs) and clean up any dead leaves and debris. It's a great time to really appreciate the details and how much things have grown over the summer. This Aglaomorpha coronans threw out so many new fronds.

I hadn't noticed the stripes on this NoID nepenthes before. 

Any experts that can make an ID? (I bought it without one)

The top of the pitchers have a little alfalfa cowlick.

Quesnelia arvensis, a gift from Steve at The Rainforest Garden way back in 2010! Easily the oldest bromeliad in my collection.

The Tillandsia xerographica at it's base came from another friend, the center was showing signs of rot back when he gave it to me, but look... it's sending out a pup!

October 16th now and more plants are inside. After reading a post on Martha's annual migration the day before I was feeling pretty stoked about what I accomplish on my own, with no staff, equipment, or pricy greenhouse facilities.

My spiral cactus (Cereus forbesii) reflects the strange life it's had going from living with Gerhard in Davis, CA, to traveling up to Portland and living a split life between the basement garden and the outdoors. I love it's odd form.

My golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) started growing pups off the top of it's head (looking like a spiky man-bun) a couple of years ago. When I went to bring the pot indoors it was obvious the big barrel was dying so I carefully removed the babies and planted them up. We'll see how long it takes them to outgrow this pot.

Kumara plicatilis, Aloe erinacea, and Euphorbia platyclada.

Deuterocohnia lorentziana

Deuterocohnia brevifolia

Side by side

Agave pelona in the front.

Agave stricta

Echeveria 'Trumpet Pinky' and friends.

Echeveria setosa got quite wet before I brought it in, I hope it doesn't mind.

My Mexican fencepost cactus (Lophocereus marginatus) made a baby this summer.

I brought the three mama plants (it was a group effort I'm sure) back from Truth or Consequences, NM, in 2013 they were so small then!

These Pachypodium lamerei are even older.

Buds on the schlumbergera.

Ditto for the Lockhartia hercodonta, an orchid.

One of it's tiny buds opened, it's a minute orchid flower.

Right on queue this epiphyllum came in budded up.

The flowers are already opening.

The pots of bromeliad and rhipsalis that live on top of the tall metal cylinders in the SW corner of the garden grew tremendously this summer. That necessitated a rethinking of the bromeliad storage area.

I caught a flash of color one day and managed to appreciate this small bromeliad flower.

So many nepenthes pitchers on the Nepenthes 'Miranda' and N. lowii x ventricosa (in the same container).

The garbage can lid bromeliad plantings are spending the winter on top of large terracotta planters. It's kind of amazing how many bromeliads I've accumulated.

The basement garden as it is today...

And a new area for hanging tilladsia, over the washing machine. Trust me, all of that space will be full soon...

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

Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden (a Philly Fling visit)

Saturday—a soaker of a day during the Philly Fling—ended with our banquet dinner at Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden.

Stoneleigh, once a family home and garden, transitioned from private to public ownership in 2016. The children of the late owners, John and Chara Haas, donated the 42-acre estate to Natural Lands, a land conservation nonprofit. Stoneleigh opened as a public garden in May 2018 and welcomes visitors (free of charge) to celebrate the natural beauty and the importance of biodiversity (read more here). Cool, right?

As I recall we had about an hour to tour the garden before we were invited (allowed) inside the home for dinner. Our group was split into two and took off on guided tours around the estate. If you know me you know I don't do well with guided tours, I ended up abandoning the group and just wandering on my own.

A dying Platanus × hispanica, the London plane tree, at the front of the home had been cut back and allowed to stay in place, providing an inspiring (kinda spooky) habitat. It is cabled for safety, so it's not going to fall over on anyone.

I was pleasantly surprised to find plantings of sarracenia.

And a Magnolia macrophylla with yucca.

Interesting pond feature.

And a long-view pergola.

What looks to be another dying tree left standing.

Exploring around the home now, with it's interesting decorative cement work.

And opunita!

With a lot of ripening fruit.

What an unexpected perimeter planting!

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