The plants at McMenamins Chapel Pub

An errand had me parking next to McMenamins Chapel Pub (previously a funeral home built in the 1930’s known as the Little Chapel of the Chimes) so I figured a walk around the garden was in order. First a visit to the Lyonothamnus floribundus (Catalina ironwood)…

Such fabulous bark, and the foliage is pretty sweet as well.

Moss, fern, palm… what’s not to love.

I don’t know what this yellow thready business is, but there were a few small red berries.

Autumn color in full swing…

Mahonia doing their bloom thing.

Flowers and fruit of Arbutus unedo (the strawberry tree).

It does make a bit of a mess.

Parking lot Gingko.

I am at a loss as to the ID of the small tree on the far left…

Maybe a Daphniphyllum? 

Abutilon doesn’t stop flowering just because it’s November…

Anyone know the ID of the low rosette?

No one was eating outside on the drippy, cool, day of my visit.

Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Theta’ (I think).

Taxus baccata (I think)

Nearby, Cunninghamia lanceolata ‘Glauca’ with cool cones and fabulous foliage.

Another Trachelospermum climbing the wall and palm, T. asiaticum ‘Ogon Nishiki’

This was an unexpected sighting, Cussonia paniculata.

Not hardy here in Portland, the gardeners must tuck it away for the winter.

Oh, I missed exploring that far corner, must go check it out...

Cryptomeria japonica ‘Rasen’

And a sweet Mahonia eurybracteata.

Berberis some somebody?

In another outdoor dining area, Mahonia gracilipes.

So fabulous!

The paving here was interesting.

I like the small aggregate sections mixed in.

Everyone who can grow them needs at least one Arctostaphylos.

Finally, I had to peek in the gardeners work space behind the building. Always interesting to see the proof of gardeners at work.

Now time to head over to the North Portland library…

And pick up the hold that had me parking there in the first place, I can’t wait to dig in!

To receive alerts of new danger garden posts by email, subscribe here. Please note: these are sent from a third party, their annoying ads are beyond my control. 

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

Admiring the November garden at Portland's Lan Su

I used to be a member and visit Lan Su (Portland’s Chinese Garden), all the time—not anymore. Now my visits are typically restricted to the annual Chrysanthemum Festival at the beginning of November. It’s a great time to visit the garden though, and not just for the flowers. Lan Su does autumn well…

The garden is a rock-lovers paradise. Not only are the pathway mosaics beautiful, but there are rocks everywhere in the plantings.

Speaking of those plantings, there are also containers throughout the garden. In the entrance courtyard, pomegranates…

And this jaunty bonsai…

The container and groundcover are a great match.

Sadly, over the years many of the larger plants I used to visit (a Daphniphyllum, Mahonia, a large orange blooming Edgeworthia) have disappeared. However, there’s still a lot to love, especially if you look at the details, like this Asarum emerging from the mini mondo grass.

Of course you need to remember to look up at the big picture too..

Lysimachia paridiformis var. stenophylla

Taking in this view I realized I was looking at a Trachycarpus trunk (palm)…

Yep, that’s a tall one.

There were another couple just outside the garden walls.

Their loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) was in bloom.

And the bark of the Lagerstroemia was coordinating nicely with its leaves… bonus moss and ferns!

Their patch of Pyrrosia sheareri has tripled in size over the years I’ve been visiting.

Backside view…

I didn’t catch the name of this conifer, but appreciate its blue and green mix.

My favorite stage of Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’.

Begonia grandis in front, Loropetalum chinense at the back.

Pinus bungeana

Heptacodium miconoides, aka seven sons flower.

It's kind of an awkward tree, but the flowers are interesting.

Persimmon, Diospyros kaki ‘Hachiya’.

I’ve tried and failed to grow Iris domestica, the blackberry lily. I love those seeds!

Finally, a couple of lotus foliage and seed pod appreciation photos…

To receive alerts of new danger garden posts by email, subscribe here. Please note: these are sent from a third party, their annoying ads are beyond my control. 

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