We're all getting older...

Out on a walk I found myself in front of a garden I used to visit rather frequently (2009, 2010, 2019 and many more), but it's been a while. What caught my eye (from the street) was the blue foliage of the Arctostaphylos and the fact plants in the hellstrip were pruned around the meter box.

Yucca leaves are cut back, the Arctostaphylos has been trained along the side (it even has a "pillow log" at one end).

It surely is a handsome plant, I wish I knew which one it is.

Okay, the temptation was too much, I had to walk around to the sidewalk and take a look at the garden.

It's been sixteen years that I've been putting eyes on this landscape. I've watched these plants grow up. That tall Yucca rostrata was chest high when I first saw it.

The home has had 3 or 4 owners that I know of, how wonderful that they've all let this plant (another Arctostaphylos I believe) continue to grow out over the driveway at this somewhat precarious angle.

It's a looker, that's for sure.

Turning back to the corner of the front garden I noticed (for what felt like the first time) how closely the Genista aetnensis (small tree to the right of the yucca trunk) was planted to the Yucca rostrata. I doubt it really seemed like an issue when they were smaller. I'm sorry I missed the Genista in bloom, it must have been dramatic (see others here).

Turning back to the hellstrip, there's another Arctostaphylos, with a skirt of opuntia.

Two more photos, both of a section of the front garden to the west of the home's front door sidewalk, another tall Yucca rostrata (actually a pair), a towering eucalyptus, agaves, and more...

It's really is crazy to be in one place long enough to watch a garden and plants (and not just your own) grow up and reach middle age. We're all getting older, everyday...

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All material © 2009-2025 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Auntie Robin loves palms

I've followed Auntie Robin on Instagram for awhile now and met her in person while standing in line at Hortlandia last year (or was it the year before?). I knew the woman loved palm trees but I was not prepared for this...

I visited her garden in person last month and was blown away by the sheer number of palms.

Her garden is large—more than 4 times the size of my lot—and Robin says she's planted 19 different palm varieties and 48 total palms! I'm always curious about the roots of people who live in the Portland area but grow plants that aren't typically found here, so I asked Robin about that: "I am from Oregon but have traveled the world. I love the architectural way you can use palms. I am a sculptor and working with shapes and forms is my element. Throw in my love of plants and my nerdy side and I am a happy girl."

Those raised planters aren't just for looks, she uses them to create a custom planting soil mix and... "I build the raised beds with heat cables. I know I am on the edge of zonal denial. Plus, online there's a bunch of us that share data on winters challenges. They have taught me a lot over the last couple years." you read that right, she can heat the root zone of these plants!

A few more photos of the front garden...

And then we move to the back garden...

There's a large deck off the back of Robin's home, where you get a great view looking down on the back garden...

As you might imagine, when you've got a thing for palms, you also go all in for tiki culture...

The tiki lounge is tucked under the deck, perfect for enjoying the garden year-round.

I love these three tall planter bases, raised planting bowls are always the right answer to more plants!

Naturally there are big bananas, wherever there are palms, there are usually bananas.

Another covered lounge spot.

Do I see another palm? Yes of course I do...

Schefflera taiwaniana (Heptapleurum taiwanianum) with a Sinopanax formosanus on the left.

Looking back over my shoulder...

And up towards the house.. pretty amazing, right?

Robin was adamant that her garden isn't ready for prime time viewing yet, as she's still working on it (aren't we all?). I appreciate her letting me share these photos as they show just how much work she's done already, and I'll have something to compare to when she has her first big open garden. Thanks Robin!

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All material © 2009-2025 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Very different greenhouses

As I mentioned on Monday, we somehow missed the orchid, fern, and carnivorous plant greenhouse when visiting the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley last March, we did however make it into the newly reopened Virginia Haldan Tropical House...

"Closed since 2020, when the exterior was reskinned, the Garden launched a successful $1.3 million fundraising effort to complete the vibrant, reimagined interior designed by renowned landscape architect Ron Lutsko, Lutsko Associates. This beautiful redesign fulfills our goals to create a larger pond, better visitor flow throughout the space and the ability to engage more with the plants. All within a 40 x 40-foot space." (source)

I wasn't able to find a label on this epiphytic fern, but it looks to be an aglaomorpha / drynaria... aka basket fern.

Anemia phyllitidis, aka flowering fern because of their fertile fronds that someone thought resembled a flower spike.

Macleania pentaptera, aka tropical blueberry.

The living wall, with its waterfall flowing into a large pond, was definitely the showpiece of the tropical house.

Costus barbatus, blooming in front of the wall.

The garden's website notes that "The living wall is a stunning, two-sided display of plants that creates an opportunity to show the evolution of land plants. In support of this educational focus, Garden staff will continue to refine and update the plantings with a goal to replace the commonly cultivated materials with plants from the Garden’s collections. We hope to eventually incorporate everything from tropical mosses to our own tropical pitcher plants (Nepenthes)." (source) I appreciate that description notes the garden staff's involvement. Hopefully that means it will stay looking this fresh and full, unlike many living wall displays.

Huperzia squarrosa / Phlegmariurus squarrosus

I could make guesses at some of the species used in the wall, but they would only be guesses.

Side view...

And the back... 

The label says "Orchid cactus, Epiphyllum sp."

That's a colorful begonia!

This next greenhouse belongs to a man named Mike Clifford. He lives in the UK and runs Mike's Rare Plants. I wanted to share this photo (borrowed from Mike's Facebook page) because I love the idea of a shelf along the outside of your greenhouse, what a fun display space!

Next up are a few greenhouses on a property I visited a couple of weeks ago. The owner toured a couple of us around, and then disappeared. I had to leave and didn't get a chance to ask permission to use the photos here on the blog, so I'm not naming the who or the where.

I find all styles of greenhouses incredibly inspiring. How do people go about putting them together (if they're not a professional build)? What do they keep inside? Are they spotless and organized? Or a crazy jumble of treasures?

I love the passionflower gone wild in this one.

And the other plants too, of course.

The property included these smaller houses.

A peek inside one of them...

Next up is this...

There's the house it belongs to.

No, I didn't get to go inside, and yes, it looks to be empty.

Well, mostly empty, certainly not in use.

The house dates to 1926, I found this on Wikipedia: "The Joseph R. Bowles House is a house located in southwest Portland, Oregon, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Bowles house is a 4,959 sq. ft. two-story reinforced concrete building with Spanish tile roof and Italian marble columns. The house is an example of 1920s craftsmanship wherein expense was no barrier." A couple other sources I looked at listed the square footage of the house at 11,267. So there most have been an addition at some point. I wish I knew the story behind the greenhouse! 

Of course I also wish I could get up there and see it in person!

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All material © 2009-2025 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.