4 August: garden work and touring

Friday, 4 August 2017

Before work, Jenna (Queen LaDeDa) came over to find out what plant cuttings she could have for a Jake the Alligator Man event costume: a “wild woman”.  While I did not have anything to make a mossy head dress with, we found all sorts of ideas while walking through the garden.  She will come tomorrow morning, probably before we wake, to acquire the materials, because it is too early to cut them now.

Jenna and I on the hunt for plant costume ideas.

After she departed, I started to pick four bouquets for my favourite Art Night participants.  I ran out of steam after two bouquets.

Port of Ilwaco

I delivered a bouquet to Don Nisbett’s Art Gallery.  (He is Jenna’s spouse.)

And to Salt Hotel.

Allan watered the Time Enough Books curbside garden and did some other garden tidying in the area.

We finished weeding the south end of the boatyard garden.

battling the scrimmy little horsetail

I pictured lots of people parading along here between a downtown gallery and the port this evening.

From a distance, Allan thought the name of this incoming boat was “Sleepwear”.

Allan’s photo

Allan liked the idea shown below, of a rope tied to the hose on the boatyard faucet that people use to power wash their boats.  It keeps the faucet from being yanked by the hose, he says.

While we had been near Time Enough Books, I’d seen shop owner Karla.   She said she would be at the museum this evening for their exhibit opening and so I thought I might just give a third bouquet to the museum.  We took a break to go home and make one more bouquet.

Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum

Seaview

On the way to Long Beach, we stopped by the cannabis emporium to get me a product that the Freedom Market does not have in stock.

Mr Doobie’s in Seaview

I’ve been taking a tincture called Ethos 2:1, mostly CBD, on the recommendation of a friend.  As promised, it does not get me high but what I think it has done is almost eliminate my back spasms.  I doubt it’s a placebo effect because I combine all new medications with a big dose of skepticism.

We acquired these photos, two blocks from the pot shop, of a garden I enjoy in passing.

peeking over the fence

Across the street from that garden, I asked Allan to photograph the deck railing that I quite like.  The garden is good, too.  We had a communication breakdown over getting a photo that included the garden on the corner of the property.  Maybe next week.

Long Beach

Allan thought a drive-through coffee would be helpful for the day.

Horses had been through the drive through before us!

at the drive through window

I thought all we had to do in Long Beach was to give the planter at the end of Sid Snyder Drive some water (done!) and then dump yesterday’s debris.  On the way to city works, we found one more thing to do.

Minnie Culbertson Park, before

after

I had seen an ad in the local paper about a wee dahlia “farm” in the town. (I left off the line with the phone number:)

Of course, we had to have a look.

gardener Dale picking a bouquet for a visitor

He said there will be lots more dahlias starting next week.  He was also offering lots of little plants for sale in cute little containers:

My grandma would have loved the wooden shoe.

Allan’s photo

Dale’s pond had sprung a leak.  You can see it will be good-looking when re-filled.

Basket Case Greenhouse

We needed soil and plants for an Ilwaco planter.

new shade cloth entryway

Allan’s photo

Buddy wanted to get in our van and Allan handed him to me.

Roxanne and I joked that I was taking him home.

I gave this little darling back most reluctantly.

Klipsan Beach Cottages

We’d postponed our weekly cleanup of KBC because of Wednesday’s heat.  I clipped a whole lot of brown lady’s mantle out of the driveway garden and have no photos to show for that.  After working, we took photos for the KBC Facebook page (which I administrate).

The sky was still grey with a smoke haze from the fires in Canada.

lawn border

in the fenced garden

I cannot ID this special plant, a gift from Mary’s plantsman brother, with golden yew.

Veronicastrum and Nicotiana ‘Fragrant Cloud’ (kind of a fail photographing white, as usual)

Dierama (Angel’s Fishing Rod)

birdbath view

Allan’s photo

the pond island

I see they bought those string lights that were “shiny objects” to me last time we went to Costco.  If I see them for sale again, I will not resist. Or maybe I will resist because we don’t have effective outdoor outlets.  Oh well!

The Anchorage Cottages

On the way south, we made the briefest stop at the Anchorage.  Since we had been there Monday this week, I felt we should do a second quick deadheading.

I am quite worked up about how this dierema is darker than any of my others.

This thrills me.  I wonder if it would come true from seeds.

in the office courtyard (Allan’s photo)

When it was built, partly by moving WWII cottages from Cape Disappointment, the Anchorage was Ocean Front. Now, because of beach accretion, it is about a half mile from the beach.  A path leads through piney woods to the shore.

Astilbe and Fuchsia ‘Pat’s Dream’

As I had begun to deadhead, I’d asked Allan to photograph an adorable caravan in the car lot at the corner.

such a cute face

I smile in response.

Would make a great guest house.

Ilwaco

We drove past the boatyard garden to see the crowds of strolling art walk patrons that I had imagined…and saw no one at all till we drove past the galleries along the port.

We had every intention of immediately finishing the day by planting up the Ilwaco planter that got dug out, due to poor drainage, last weekend.  That is, until I looked at my Ilwaco Facebook feed on my phone to see if there were some last minute Art Walk posts that I could share to Discover Ilwaco.

I saw this photo from the museum!

The exhibit opening was on a topic that interests us.  We had planned to see it later in the month because of a reluctance for peopling (me) and simply wanting to get the work day done.  But the snacks called to us and soon we were there.

Join the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum as we explore the history of “Derbyville” and the early years of salmon derbies, recreational fishing, and the emergence of the charter-boat fishing industry on the Long Beach Peninsula. This exhibit will be on view August 4 – October 7, 2017.

the big room (The plates were about to get replenished)

Allan’s photo.  Someone at the museum said “No one’s ever brought us flowers before.”  That gives me a new bouquet target.

center: Dan and his wife had just toured our garden today (by invitation).  (Allan’s photo)

We did not have time to thoroughly peruse the exhibit.  I can see it is one that I will very much enjoy.

I like this sort of display.

This history goes back to when our garden was riverfront property, before the port was built out on fill.

Information about the mayor, for whom our street of curbside gardens at the Port if named:

We had to get back to work and plant the planter by the fire station.

Allan made the small hole, added this week by the city crew, bigger.

new plants getting firmed up

red for the fire station, including Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

At home, our neighbor Mary from two doors down brought us some freshly caught salmon and, of course, I dragged her back to see the towering, fragrant lilies.

Skooter indicated that he would like to have a campfire some evening soon.

Now for two days off, with some more lily guests invited.

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16 July: two gardens of friends

First, an exciting announcement. The Astoria garden tour is back!  Read more about it here.

Sunday, 16 July 2017

We continued our peninsula garden tour day, with Ann and Evan, at Dave and Melissa’s Sea Star Garden on the outskirts of Oysterville.  On several acres, much of which is ungardenable wetland, our friends have spent the past two years using their rare days off from their gardening business to create their own paradise. Because they used to own a nursery called Glauca Moon, they arrived here with a large palette of plants in pots.

Dave and Mel’s past life

Sea Star Garden

On the left as you enter the driveway is a large raised garden where once a decrepit old house stood (a house that was unsafe to even enter).  This garden came about when a new septic system had to be installed last year.

Melissa and Evan

On top, a carpet of sedums will solve the problem of not being able to plant anything deep rooted on the septic system.

Allan’s photo

Dave, me, Melissa, Ann, Sean (Allan thinks this looks like a landing party from Star Trek.)

By the back deck of the house is a water feature with waterfall, made by a friend of the previous owner.

Evan and Ann looking at the pond.

the deck pond

in the water (Allan’s photo)

water lilies (Allan’s photo)

pond frog (Allan’s photo)

north of the house

north of the house

The property had been owned by a gardener before and abounds in interesting trees and shrubs.

The Eucalyptus that Melissa named Elvis.

Ann and one of at least two Acer griseum (paperbark maple)

Acer griseum (Allan’s photo)

one of the maples that Dave and Mel brought with them

Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Eskimo Sunset’; This tree had a surprise.

bird nest (Allan’s photo)

old bridge on the north side (Allan’s photo)

Evan, Ann, Melissa in the woods to the north of the house (Allan’s photo)

As Dave and Mel clear the underbrush, they are finding all sorts of hardscapes like two small ponds and a big stone circle with a stone bench.

Evan and the mysterious stone circle (Allan’s photo)

Hostas are one of their favourites in the shade garden.

on the deck (You can find sand dollars on the north end of the beach here.)

Next, we went to the garden of a North Beach Garden Gang friend, just south of Oysterville.

Todd’s Family Garden

As we drove up, Todd was weeding.

Allan’s photo

The house reminded us all of a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece.

Around the family home, Todd has planted his collection from his years as the display garden curator at Plant Delights nursery in North Carolina.

in the sunshine

Morina longifolia

Ann and Evan examining and inspecting (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Ann and Evan admire the view of Willapa Bay.

Todd surveys an area full of potential.

You can see Allan taking this photo of the shade garden.

Todd’s shade garden (Allan’s photo)

Spigelia marilandica ‘Little Redhead’

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

The kitchen garden, which one of Todd’s family describes as “a real garden, none of this foo foo stuff” lay far below.  Because my heel was hurting, I sat this part of the trip out. (Todd kindly offered to go get a truck but I did not want everyone to have to wait.) Allan’s photos of that part of the excursion:

descending on a woodland path

the kitchen and flower cutting garden

Evan in the berry patch

kitchen garden

Ann harvesting carrots

sweet peas

fenced garden

walking to the bay

Todd has a handful of lettuce and carrots that became our salad for the next two nights.

Ann in her element

back up the road (the woods path down was a shortcut)

Meanwhile….

While I waited up top, I looked at my present from Lorna.  She had given me a book as we parted ways at The Oysterville Garden.

Thank you, Lorna!

a dedication that speaks to my heart

I also pondered curmudgeonly thoughts about garden tour programs that I feel compelled to share.  If curmudgeonliness annoys rather than amuses you, please avoid.

One of the gardens on today’s informal tour, Martie and Steve’s, had been on the local tour the day before. The tour program suggested its symmetry was “reminiscent of centuries old British estates” and “will put you in mind of Downton Abbey”.  Perhaps because it had a cricket lawn? Perhaps because of the green lawns in general?  It reminded me of my thoughts about garden tour descriptions, something that is always on my mind during garden tour season.

The Captain Stream House

Martie and Steve’s garden completely stood on its own and did not need to be compared to any other place.  The garden’s lines seemed clean and modern to me and certainly did not remind me of Downton Abbey.  Other than my usual desire to be in the UK, I would rather visit their garden than the site of Downton Abbey, anyway.

 I was reminded of the previous year’s comparison of a small garden to an Italian courtyard, leading to confusion on the part of tour guests (much of which I heard about later…even unto it being mentioned this year, and at the time, a friend texted me from that garden asking for enlightenment about the description).  I think that serious garden tour guests take every word of a description into consideration.  Raising expectations is not wise.  That particular garden (the non-Italian-courtyard) also stood well on its own because its big pots and hand made pavers were all portable; I would have described it as being a small garden that showed perfect solutions for folks who are renters rather than property owners.  There’s no need to get fanciful and make tour guests expect something grander than what is there.  Instead of describing a garden as “extensive” when it isn’t, describe it honestly as small but plant-i-ful. (To be fair, this year the word “extensive” was used to describe a tiny local garden in a newspaper article, not in the program itself.)  I think it is especially important not to aggrandize a garden.

The Master Gardeners’ north county tour, which I have now attended for two years, is good at avoiding hyperbole (with only one exception out of 12 garden descriptions in two years…a solid record of accurate descriptions).

The Hardy Plant Society Study Weekend programs tend to be accurate and non-aggrandizing (although I do remember, just once, looking for a cactus garden that turned out to be a couple of specimens in a pot).

I also do not like being told to walk here, stroll there, sit there, admire this, ask the gardener that.  Just describe the garden in a factual sense.  Here is an imaginary example: If I am told that “a salvaged window defines the edge of the garden by the river”, I will find it and admire it on my own without being told “Be sure to admire the salvaged window,” or “Ask the gardener where she got that window.”  (Clearly, I do have issues with being told what to do—thus 41 years of self employment.)

I don’t expect all readers to agree.  Now, let’s go on to one of my favourite peninsula gardens, the bayside garden of Steve and John.

 

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31 May: better than expected

Tuesday, 31 May 2017

The workday began late because when I was walking peacefully with a mere 1/3 watering can to the greenhouse to water my tomatoes, my back went into a spasm.  I hobbled in (after watering the tomatoes!) and stood against a door for awhile to straighten up and slathered on some Traumica, the miracle cure that Jenna gave me a sample of awhile back.  I am a skeptic about natural cures so it’s not a placebo effect when I say this stuff is amazing.

I was still somewhat disabled as we took off for work, and I felt anxious about the day.

Looked at my post office garden from my passenger seat instead of getting out to pull a weed.

Because of the late start, I decided to reverse the polarity of the neutron flow and slingshot around the sun by not doing Diane’s garden first, as originally planned.  The task awaiting there was to move about a half yard of river rocks. They had been used to edge the roadside garden.  We had stacked them against the house when we dismantled that garden for the septic installation project.  That had seemed like an ideal place until we recommended the brilliant Steve Clarke to install her new lawn.  He was going to wrap it around the side of the house, so now the rocks had to go to a new storage spot.  Maybe by end of day I’d be able to bend over to bucket up the rocks.

The Depot Restaurant

I watered; Allan ran the string trimmer by the parking area.

Depot garden today

We lowered the escallonia to make the sign show. (Allan’s photo)

The Anchorage Cottages

I filled in the planters with some painted sage while Allan did some weeding.  I put off till next week the pruning of the center courtyard virburnum, which is sneaking forward into the perennials border.  My back was feeling considerably better by now although I still moved cautiously.

our good friend Mitzu (Allan’s photo)

Anchorage center courtyard

The Planter Box

I had used up all my painted sage so needed some for Diane’s garden.

white dahlia at the Planter Box

a bit more painted sage and some fish fertilizer

some chicks (Allan’s photo)

Klipsan Beach Cottages

As we parked behind the fenced garden, we heard a great screaming ruckus up in the trees.  “It’s a bald eagle,” said Allan.  In a rather horrible way, the eagle appeared to be eating out of a stellar jay bird nest.  The jays were off to the side screaming and shrieking.  (Allan later pointed out that the jays are also known to raid other birds’ nests.)

looking up

Not a nice bird at all. (Allan’s photo)

talking back to the angry jays (Allan’s photo)

In the garden, Allan’s project was to prune the honeysuckle over an entry gate.

before

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

view from on high (Allan’s photo)

after, no longer raggedy with uppies

After weeding and grooming the garden, I took some photos for the KBC Facebook page.

driveway garden with purple and pink Geranium sanguineum

pink Geranium sanguineum

with chartreuse Lady’s Mantle

a crevice garden!

dianthus

Allium schubertii getting starrier.

Allium albopilosum just getting started

Allium bulgaricum

Thalictrum ‘Elin’ getting taller (in front of the dark pink rugosa rose)

Another angle: The thalictrum has the blue-grey foliage.

birdbath view

I asked Allan to take some photos of the big rhododendron by where we park.

The Basket Case Greenhouse

Allan’s photo

I needed to pick up some plants for one beach approach planter in Long Beach.

a hen visiting from the house next door (Allan’s photo)

another bird

hens n chicks

afternoon snack

Allan’s photo

got two of these gorgeous diascia for me

Gazania ‘Sunshine’

I also had the pleasure of picking out two baskets for our house.  (I’ll have to get photos of them later at home.)

Allan’s photo: The center basket with pink and yellow was one that I picked.

Diane’s garden

We got to Diane’s at five, prepared to move a pile of river rock.  As we entered the garden, I saw the most joyous sight:

Steve had already moved it with a back hoe!

yard looks leveled in preparation for lawn installation

Allium (Allan’s photo)

Allium albopilosum (Allan’s photo)

some of the back garden pots

I squeezed Diane’s painted sage into a couple of the pots rather than out in the garden bed by the road; that bed seems dusty now with everything that is going on.

my good friend Misty

I also got to see the new puppy, Holly, twice!  Once here, and once at our last job of the day…

The Red Barn

Diane brought Holly over while checking on Diane’s horse.

I was snubbed by a whippet again!

He breezed right by me.

Our little Red Barn garden

At home, I was able to erase more from the planting list.

Allan prepped for our first job tomorrow by hauling soil amendments two doors down.

Guest photo:  Steve and John saw an Allium bulgaricum in Astoria and sent me this photo from a small garden on Exchange, just above the Fort George Brewery:

Steve’s photo

And Melissa sent me this from THE Oysterville garden:

Melissa’s photo

 

 

 

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18 May: some accomplishments

Thursday, 18 May 2017

Captain of the good ship Ann Lovejoy

our post office garden (Allan’s photo)

creamy California poppies (Allan’s photo)

picking a peck of snails

They went into the garbage with some weeds to snack on. (Allan’s photo)

added some of my perennial begonias to the planter at Round 2 in Ilwaco

We planted up one flat of red trailies in two planters by the Cottage Bakery in Long Beach, and some blue trailies in the police station planter, and then went to…

Diane’s garden

I miss my long streetside garden! It will return eventually.

lots of pots to fill

Allan’s photo

It’s quite a production to plant many small containers.

Diane’s azalea (Allan’s photo)

Misty and Diane

Basket Case Greenhouse

at the Basket Case (Allan’s photo)

I quested for more plants to complete the Ilwaco planters.

small Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ are my favourite size to plant; making sure the base is well foliated.

Ooooh, for me, I found some old fashioned cup and saucer campanulas.

The ever patient proprietor, Darrell, listens to my plant thoughts.

Red Barn Arena

We added some gazanias to the barrels.

Allan had an audience.

Long Beach

The two planters by the Cottage Bakery had looked empty.  I don’t have my main agastaches for center plants yet, so we added some Cosmos ‘Sonata’ to just four planters (which was all the cosmos we had till next week).

Tulip ‘Formosa’ still blooming

Ooops, a car had driven into a garden, and left part of its mirror casing, too.

Narcissus ‘Baby Moon’ still blooming.  Bulb foliage mess makes it hard to have these planters look good right now.  I try to plant narcissi with more delicate foliage; some big strappy ones are left over from volunteer days.

After planting (Allan) and checking on a block and a half of planters (me), we weeded Veterans Field, and I remembered that a special Eryngium ‘Jade Frost’ was getting swamped by monarda.  Allan fixed that:

before

after

Ilwaco

Although I was mighty tired, we needed to do two little jobs when we returned to our street.

mowing the back (wet) lawn two doors down

took two passes by Allan

rhododendron behind the house to the west (used to be Nora’s parents’ house)

I weeded in the front garden of the J’s until I could weed no more; I had to give it up to finish tomorrow morning.  Seems it is pretty impossible for me to go for a nine hour work day now.  Eight is the limit.

Before, a gazillion little dwarf fireweeds. Too tired to take an after.

Allan mowed the pocket lawn in the back, and we both admired the roses.

Allan’s photos

At home, I reorganized the work board, and I cheated by erasing Ilwaco planters even though we have four more plants to put in tomorrow morning.

planting round 2, cosmos, coming up

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11 May: Bayside Garden between storms

Thursday, 11 May 2017

As one storm passed over and another was due, with far worse weather predicted for tomorrow, we arranged to visit one of our favourite gardens a day earlier than planned.

While this Willapa Bay garden merits a visit at any season, rhododendron time is its peak.  Some of the rhodos had already bloomed, starting in February. (As I was looking something up for this post, I ran across this article that I think will please rhododendron fans.)

Join us as we walk with Steve and John from the house, down through the gardens and back.   In the photo captions, which we hope are correct, R. of course means Rhododendron.  All mistakes in identification are completely mine and will soon be corrected, because Steve and John will catch them.  I have virtually no expertise in rhododendrons.  Until I began to visit this garden, I had no idea how wonderfully varied they are.

close admiration of the tomentosum (soft underside of foliage) on a trio of R. pachysanthum by the front door

One of a curve of five or six Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Vintage Gold’

John at the start of a new path laid by local landscaper Steve Clarke

A well-built Steve Clarke wall guides the path around to the pump house.

chives in the kitchen garden (Allan’s photo)

A soft and misty space between rain storms.

Allan’s photo

To our left, R. loderi ‘Venus’ carried its fragrant flowers almost out of reach this year. Underneath is the white R. ‘Olympic Lady’.

looking up into R. loderi ‘Venus’

R. loderi ‘Venus’

new foliage on an old pieris

golden Taxus (prostrate yew) embracing several plants, including R. ‘Ken Janeck’

Allan’s photo

We are looking at an Osmanthus burkwoodii that is just recovering from the winter and early spring winds…

Garden bed to the north of the driveway:

Corokia virgata ‘Sunsplash’, center

textures

Allan’s photo

shapes, including Pittosporum kohuhu (nicknamed golf ball pittosporum).  Note the twirly conifer to the lower left.  My notes just helpfully say “little twirly yellow guy.’

Steve IDs for me as Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Lutea’
(Nana Lutea Dwarf Hinoki Cypress)

Allan’s photo

Walking into the upper north gardens…

two toned pink R. ‘Perry Wiseman’ and, in the background, the white R. ‘Pohjola’s Daughter’

a wealth of pink tones on R. ‘Perry Wiseman’

Allan’s photo

a variegated wiegela, I think (Allan’s photo)

an impeccably perfect hosta

the brightness of new growth

Allan’s photo 😉

new growth on R. ‘Winsome’, a word that we agreed has fallen out of use.

This area around a tree had been the dreaded salal just two days ago, and now look:

sword ferns

Walking down toward the irrigation pond….

Tall R. ‘Beauty of Littleworth’ blooming above a pair of new rhodos

close up of the young pair, R ‘Scarlet Wonder’, in the above photo, one blooming and one not.

twins with different personalities

R. ‘Butterfly’

Allan’s photo

looking back at the de-salaled tree

R. ‘Milky Way’ with flowers like powder puffs

R. ‘Milky Way’ (Allan’s photo)

R. sinofalconeri (species) with fuzzy new leaves

R. stenopetalum

Thujopsus dolobrata

Allan’s photo

Looking south across the driveway, you can see the same full grown thujopsis that the driveway was made to curve around.

more bright new calyxes

R. ‘Susan’

R. ‘Susan’

Crossing over to the south side of the driveway…

cinnamon fern

Allan’s photo

more fuzzy new growth on R. leucaspis (species)

Steve’s favourite, ‘Starbright Champagne’

Rhododendon ‘Starbright Champagne’ blooming a couple of years ago

Looking west, I gasped when I saw (below) a vasty new area that Steve and John had grubbed out of rough undergrowth:

I know this will soon be a display of wonderful new plants.

Below is a new area created last year:

looking east

The paths are delightfully soft and springy underfoot.

impeccably pruned sword ferns by the stream ditch that bordered the estate; you can see on the other side what they look like uncared for (just brown and tatty).

new area made last year

a handsome Disporum ‘Night Heron’

strongly textured R. erosum

Allan’s photo.  The background of native meianthemum is not a favourite and will be controlled as time permits!

Podophyllum ‘Spotty Dotty’ showing off

Allan’s photo

Athyrium ‘Goliath’, Japanese painted fern

a soft and kind Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’, no prickles!

more of the new area

Kalmia latifolia ‘Sarah’ (Allan’s photo)

perfectly trimmed deer ferns (Allan’s photo)

bluish new foliage on R. lepidostylum

R. ‘Little Carmen’

stunning new silver foliage. (The fuzz on the top of leaves is called tomentosum.) Steve says: R. sinofalconeri (like the other, smaller Vietnamese form we identified before, but this one goes 10-30′!))

(If you think I can read my notes on all these names, think again.  At least a third of these rhododendron identifications involved emails to Steve. Every time I visit this garden, I plan to spend the next winter making a proper database for my garden…and don’t.)

R. quinquefolium

R. quinquefolium , one of those you would not even guess was a rhodie!

Allan’s photo

looking back as we walk toward the house

a brief detour to look across the pond

drizzle begins (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

R. ‘Carmen’

R. ‘Medusa’

R. ‘Kodiak’

detail, R. ‘Kodiak’

Allan’s photo

mossy backdrop for R. ‘PJM Compacta’

looking back

Rain started as we approached the house…

However, despite rain, I had to see the ladies in waiting.

R. ‘Tall Timber’

Due to rain and over-excitement I only got a fuzzy photo of this amazing R. benhallii that looks like an enkianthus.

Steve told me that Professor Ben Hall at the University of Washington has finally had this rhododendron named after him.  You can read more about his research here.

a covetable euonymous

weird and wonderful R. spinuliferum

By now, the rain was quite serious.

from inside the house

the dell of evergreen huckleberries

from the north window: the succulent pump roof landscape had frozen out over the winter.

Steve showed us some photos of how the pump roof had looked in close up late last summer:

like a miniature forest, we all agreed

It was time to warm up with tea and a treat.

John’s coconut banana bread (Allan’s photo)

A torrential and noisy sheet of rain fell. (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

As we finished our cake, tea, and plant talk, a beautiful light fell over the bay.

Allan’s photo

From the front door (telephoto), Steve pointed out the glow of the red maple in the far distance.

On the way down the drive, departing, we took a few more photos of the early evening light.

A silver shower of rain suddenly fell off this tree.

Allan’s photo 😉

north of upper driveway

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

a row of redtwig dogwood along the lower driveway (Allan’s photo)

by the entrance drive (Allan’s photo)

the entrance driveway (Allan’s photo)

Steve’s photo

 

Allan cropped his photo because of raindrops on the lens.  I got the full view of the driveway, above, from Steve. I asked for the names, and here they are: “From the east, R. ‘Red gold’ — then two numbered (unnamed) crosses by Jim Elliott (from Knappa).  Next, four of R. ‘Gala’ — then two (low) R. ‘Naselle” — then R. ‘Lem’s cameo’  — then three R. ‘Nadine’ with  R. ‘Golden gala’ (not in bloom this year) on the very west end [closest to the highway].”

This rhododendron-lined driveway is shared with the home next door, which has just  been listed for sale.  It was once Clarke Nursery.  We all want to see gardeners buy it, and you’d have the best neighbors in Steve and John.  Here is the listing.  Here is the garden on the Rhododendron Tour.  And here it is on the July garden tour.  Just imagine yourself driving past that line of peachy rhododendrons to your own piece of bayside paradise.

We were glad to have found a time between storms to visit.  The next day began with a pea sized heavy hail storm that I imagine might have damaged some of the blossoms at the Bayside Garden, and rain and wind continued during the whole of Friday.

Skooter enjoyed reading this blog post along with Allan.

 

 

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5 May: countdown

I was so tired while writing that I called yesterday’s post “Friday” instead of Thursday. In real time, here is a PSA:

Friday, 5 May 2017

The predicted rain storm and thirty mile an hour winds did not arrive!

I was so hoping we could accomplish a whole lot of garden tidying pre-Sunday’s parade so that we would not have to go back to Long Beach on a crowded Saturday afternoon.  (We will be attending the Saturday parade in Ilwaco, but not the Sunday one in Long Beach.)

Others in our household had no particular worries:

on the porch

Smokey and Skooter

Skooter is not to be walked on.

Peace was soon restored.

later

Ilwaco

Before leaving our block, we did two tiny garden tasks: mowing at the J’s and weeding round the Norwood garden.

We spent a little while weeding our volunteer garden at the Ilwaco Post Office.  The garden is still looking rather dull.  While we weeded, an old man said “Why don’t you plant something I like so that I’ll have something good to look at?”  While I chuckled weakly, here is a hint: Gardeners  prefer to not be teased while they are working.

dullsville garden at the moment

Depot Restaurant

Just some quick deadheading…

north side of deck

Tulips ‘Night Rider’ (left) and ‘Virichic’ (right)

Tulip ‘Flaming Spring Green’

Tulip ‘Green Wave’

Long Beach

When we got to the welcome sign and I opened the back of the van, I was momentarily appalled to see a flat of bidens sitting there, that had not been unloaded last night.  I then decided to just plant the darn things, since the welcome sign was their destination.  I would usually wait for annuals planting till the magic date of Mother’s Day (which is next Sunday).

low yellow bidens along the front edge

The tulips on the back side had gone over, every one.

all moldy and unattractive

too much rain! (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

Too bad that boring moment between spring bulbs and annuals happened this weekend.

Here’s how the whole welcome sign would look if we didn’t control the horsetail:

the east end, around the faucet….

cheatin’ weedin’ with string trimmer (Allan’s photos)

The Red Barn 

Part of the weekend’s events will include a “cowboy breakfast” at the Peninsula Saddle Club.  Figuring that the patrons might spill over to the Red Barn Arena next door, we detoured to make sure the little garden there looked ok.

after some weeding (Allan’s photo)

Diane’s garden

I was eager to talk to Diane about garden plans, while deadheading her narcissi.

Misty, as you can tell, is getting older. Diane and I discuss….

The roadside garden will return as soon as a fence is built. (Allan’s photo)

Long Beach

Allan and I finished the north parking lot berm at last.

North “berm”

 I had high hopes that the second one would also be done today.  I even had a fantasy that Allan would have time to do the string trimming that is the way we handle the less planted middle berm.  I left Allan to it….

south berm

Allan’s photos:

cleaning up along the edge

…while I went to groom four blocks of tree garden and planters.

lots of Baby Moon narcissi still blooming for parade day

‘New Baby’ is white and yellow.  (really)

fringed tulips still blooming

escallonias that would like to be eight feet tall (left over from someone’s volunteer planting)

crocus foliage

I used to tidy up foliage like that before parade day.  Now I leave it, on the theory that it is good for the bulbs…and that the fuller the planter is, the less likely to be sat or stood upon.

Primulas have been blooming for weeks.

thrilled that Fifth Street Park, west side, did not need weeding

Fury: Out of 20 of these late blooming tulips in two adjacent planters, all but 7 had been stolen.

I called Allan to see how he was doing…and due to the plethora of weeds, the south berm was still not done.  We had to abort that mission so that he could de-horsetail by the Heron Pond while I tidied the north two blocks of trees and planters.

more late blooming narcissi on the northernmost block

These tulips might hang on for Sunday.

As I weeded the tree garden outside Dennis Company, a friend and business owner stopped by to tell me of her anger at a politician who had just said that “Nobody dies because they don’t have access to health care.”  (Really? It took me less than one minute to remember two people I knew who had died of exactly that.)

As I deadheaded tulips in a planter five minutes later, a friend and valued community member walked by and told me how she and her family are seriously exploring a move to Canada.  I felt sad to hear it but I certainly understand.

Meanwhile, Allan’s project:

before

Someone had deposited painted rocks at the edge of the waterfall (without falling in).

“love” rock and some leftover easter egg decor

after

sidewalk edge, before

after

We still had the east side of Fifth Street Park to check up on with some light weeding.

Darmera peltata leaves…

and flowers (Allan’s photos)

7 PM shadows

Just last year, I would have been able to push till 8:00 PM to try to finish the berms.  Now, I find that I just cannot.  We drove by to look…and found a stack of lost buckets!  Allan said he thought he was running inexplicably short on buckets.  This is a sign of how tired we both are.

He had been too tired to remember where the buckets had gone to…. They had been just sitting by the north berm.

Nobody’s parade day is going to get ruined by some weeds in the parking lot beds and so…we are not going to finish the berms till next week.

workboard tonight

Planting Time is starting to show up on the work board.

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2 May: rainy Oysterville tulips

Wednesday, 2 May, part two

After working two jobs in the rain, we drove north of Oysterville on a mission to see the always impressive Oysterville garden’s tulip display.

Arriving in Oysterville, we took the scenic loop.

Peter and Linda’s garden

arriving at our destination in increasingly heavy rain

THE Oysterville garden

Join us in our usual walk around the garden that looks as fine in rain as it does on a perfect day.  I kept my camera pointed down between photos and felt very lucky to not get a water spot on the lens.

We walk along the roadside verge, looking in….

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

with tetranpanax and camassia (Allan’s photo)

We turn in at the driveway…

This southerly bed will have plants taller than me come summer.

Allan’s photo

the glorious terrace

at the back of the garden

The gardener puts on the crisp lawn edge with an old fashioned half moon edger.

the allée of Hydrangea ‘Incrediball’

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

onto the north lawn

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

yellow Welsh poppies

woodsy garden west of the lawn

rodgersia and camassia

Allan’s photo

primulas

Allan’s photo

 

Allan’s photo

returning to the front, to see the tulips from the inside.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

a trio of golden barberries

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Erysimum (Allan’s photo)

honesty and digiplexus

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

lunaria (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

from across the street

That opulent display of tulips was well worth the drive and the drenching stroll; in fact, I did not even notice the sensation of rain (other than being aware my camera was wet yet again).

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