danger garden

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

"The Accidental Dry Garden" at the Northwest Perennial Alliance 40th Anniversary Annual Membership Meeting

Coming up this Sunday, Sept 15th, I'll be at the Bellevue Botanic Garden giving a talk for the Northwest Perennial Alliance called The Accidental Dry Garden.

In the presentation I'll share information on how my front garden came together, and talk about what it means to have a dry garden—something I didn't set out to create, but I have.

There will be a lot of plant talk, because after all the plants are what it's all about.

Anyone can register for the talk and watch online (an ambitious undertaking by the NPA, both an in-person and online event!), although I think the information I share will be best appreciated by those gardening in the summer-dry PNW gardens of Southern British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, especially those west of the Cascades. You can register here. It would be great to see familiar and friendly faces!

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Monday, September 9, 2024

Plants on and around the fence, video tours

In early June—when I shared photos and short videos of the Leo planters on the fence—blog reader and frequent commentor Chavli requested a video of all the fence plants. I did not forget about the request, but video is not a medium I naturally think of using. Fast forward to a nice day at the end of August and I finally decided to grab my phone and record. Is there audio? No. Just the sound of cars, and birds, and planes, and me crashing around. Maybe I'll be good enough to narrate someday. For now enjoy a few short videos, which I did upload to YouTube, I think that results in a better experience (click through to watch them there, where the videos are a little larger) and then photos, because what would a dg blog post be without photos?

The first video (or short in YouTube parlance) is a pan around the area...

The next is a little longer and looks closely at the plants on the fence...

Then a view from the west end, looking back towards our garage.

And finally a look at the bromeliads on the tall columns in the far southwest corner of the garden.

Here's the story in photos, approaching the shade pavilion via the walkway through the upper back garden.

The fence plants—starting on the far east end, closest to the back of our garage, and working west, towards the property line.

A chunky form of Billbergia nutans that sends up frequent flower spikes.

More Billbergia nutans that tend to bloom in early summer.

Rake and cultivator heads make good fence shelves.

Pteris vittata

The fern frame, a few months after putting it together.

I did this pyrrosia planting in August of of '22, I'm thrilled it's still looking good (and starting to grow through the burlap) two years later.

The bromeliad bowl planting...

And new pitchers on Nepenthes 'Miranda'.

This plant still thrills me some five years after bringing it home.

Yes, both pitcher styles are on the same plant. How cool is that?

A stepped back look at the shade pavilion area. Note, you can see two of the tall columns in the final video on the far right, behind the stock tanks.

And a rarely seen view from the west. I'm behind the stock tanks, near the columns, my back is to the fence at the back of the property (the west side), the brown building is our garage. I liked this angle because it shows off my oldest/tallest tetrapanax, which grows in a large stock tank.

And here's more of a straight-on view. The variegated fatsia is growing in a stock tank, and you can see the tetrapanx trunk as it arches up on the left. The metal and terracotta on the right is the top of the shortest of the column planters.

That's the tour! I am curious if the videos are something you'd like to see more of? Do they add to the experience in a way photos do not? Thanks, as always, for stopping by!

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Friday, September 6, 2024

Christine Weaver's open garden

Christine Weaver's East Portland garden was open in May, on the same day I visited other HPSO open gardens (here). I ran out of time that day, thankfully she opened again in late August and I was sure to be there...

I'd be tempted to grow a vine on that interesting metalwork.

Arctostaphylos at the base.

Spikes on the front porch...

You never really know what you're gonna see when you attend an open garden, but I was getting the feeling there was a kindred spirit at work here.

The garden description from the HPSO website: "Only 12 years old, this garden is maturing into a stay at home oasis. Enter over a bridge that creates the fernery. In August, hardy hibiscus and dahlias dazzle. A shed turned into a summerhouse overlooks the fruits and vegetables. Cacti sentinels guard the roses. Carnivorous plants dot the flowerbeds. The lawn gets mowed once a month to allow lawn daisies and clover to bloom, but not get too messy or need very much water. Pause to swing and take in the whole view. Of course you 'shudda' been here last week, or next week, as it is always changing!"

I really loved the way the pavers around this tree in the front garden create a planting pocket.

There were interesting vignettes everywhere you looked.

And so many opuntia!

The side yard with the bridge over the fernery...

This is always a moment filled with trepidation. What will be around the corner?

It's a good sign though when there are interesting plants and planters at the corner, marking the entrance to the back garden. That's a great looking roscoea.

Up on the fence at eye level was this creative composition...

It took me a few minutes to see it, maybe you did right away? The rusty pliers are baby birds in a barbed wire nest. Page back up and you'll see one of the parents coming in to feed them.