2018 Spade and Wade Garden Tour: nursery and garden

Saturday, 21 July 2018

2018 Spade and Wade Garden Tour

Sponsored by the Tillamook County Master Gardener Association

After garden four, we realized that we had about a half hour drive to the next two gardens, so we had better put lunch at Hidden Acres Greenhouse next on our agenda.

from the tour program

I had been to Hidden Acres before, on a visit to the Sylvia Beach Hotel and looked forward to revisiting.  It was only two minutes from the previous garden.

Hidden Acres Greenhouse and Café, Tillamook

arriving

Now that is a cordyline I could love.

Oh! (Not complaining when I think it must take several hours to make.)

Allan’s photo

in the restroom

Allan’s photo

noisy nest in the breezeway (Allan’s photo)

out back

hanging basket greenhouse

good signage (Allan’s photo)

perennial house (Allan’s photo)

Small herbs were just $3.95.

Allan’s photo

In the café, where we had our lunch:

The ingredient in hummingbird cake is bananas, just so you know.

I remember loving this café and shop, and I still do.

I want this chandelier, but without the bed springs, which would get too dusty.

Allan’s photo

Allan found a cute pop up book with which I amused myself till lunch arrived, which was soon.

Allan went to get me my specs so I could find a certain rabbit, but then our tasty lunch came and we forgot.

tuna melt and French onion soup and Mediterranean pasta salad

my plant haul

We then were off on a drive to Cape Meares.

The drive looks lovely.  I found it nerve-wracking because of my recurring nightmare of going off a road into water.

It is curvier than it looks, and I was so glad to get onto the cape.  (Going back, on the inside, was not too bad.)  Allan noted that the water was too shallow for kayaking.

Garden Five: A Walk in the Woods, Cape Meares

Allan’s photo

unusually handsome phormiums in front

front porch

around to the side

Crinodendron seed pods

Higher, one crinodendron flower remains. (Allan’s photo)

I used to have a crinodendron at my old garden, from Clarke Nursery, wish I still had it.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Coprosma, maybe hardy here?? (Not where I live)

Pacific wax myrtle

at the back of the house

And now into the woods we go. I passed the garden owner sitting with tour guests at a table talking about wild critters, including elk who come into the back garden.

chatting around the table (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

a most clever idea for a garden tour with rough ground

The tree below had been cut decades before and other trees had grown around the stump.

Allan’s photo

I turned back from a steep path and Allan later went down it.

nurse log (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo, docent with tour goers

Back in the garden, there really were artichokes with the aprons.

and paintings by Jenny Stanley

Allan’s photo

the ocean side of the house

the family dog comes home from the beach (Allan’s photo)

I regret I was not in that part of the garden at that moment to meet that dog!

Barbara had put many of her favourite gardening books out.

on the back porch

On the front porch:

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Just a few blocks down the street is the ocean.

We now drove a block over and a couple of gravel blocks uphill to a garden that I could hardly bear to leave at closing time.  It is glorious, and will be tomorrow morning’s post.

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7 November: windy walk through the Bayside Garden

Tuesday, 7 November 2017

We had run into Steve and John at the 6×6 art auction three days before and were invited to tour their latest garden expansion.  On this cold and windy late afternoon, we bundled up and examined the entire garden…except for the beds on the east side, by the bay, from whence the wind came.  The tour was so interesting that we hardly commented on the cold.

Our tour started as we drove up to the house.

the driveway in

two beautiful piles of mulch that had just been delivered

young gingko by the irrigation pond

Met by Steve and John by the house, we began our walking tour.

This bed to the south east of the house was salal just a few days ago.  It is a hard task to get all the roots of that vigorously running native out of the ground, especially under a tree.

John picks a non variegated leaf off of a new variegated hydrangea.

The whole south side has been cleared of scrubby trees, including holly.

The tidal stream marking the edge of the property is now revealed.

Allan’s photo

I teased Steve and John that they would now be stretching a plank across the stream to lie on and trim the sword ferns on the other side.

I would have thought for sure the new shrub, below, in a new bed, was a rhododendron.  It is not.

Vaccinium glaucoalbum

Rhododendron ‘Pinky Purple People Eater’

Looking back on the new area. The tall old species rhododendrons to the left will enjoy the increased light.

Here is how it looked (not from exactly the same spot) earlier this year:

16 July 2017

We continued our walk to the west.

Foreground: Rhododendron ‘Cherries and Merlot’

Arbor Care from Astoria had done the expert clearing and had also limbed up the remaining trees. Steve and John said that when Arbor Care is done, you can’t even tell they were there (other than the results), because all the debris is chipped and cleaned up.

The photo below from January 1st demonstrates the difference in how the trees look now.

1 January 2017

We crossed the driveway, where the garden beds are also expanding.

a sinuous new bed

a fairly recent bed in the northwest lawn

Allan took notice of this tree, Athrotaxis cupressoides (Pencil Pine)

the very newest lawn bed of all

Each new plant gets some attention and admiration.

Quercus alnifolia (golden oak)

Quercus alnifolia (golden underside of leaves)

Allan noticed wire laid to discourage deer.

An independent minded dawn redwood which lost its leader and turned into a shrub.

The redwood on the other side of the driveway had behaved like a regular tree. This one…not. (Allan’s photo)

At least one big tree has been removed from this view, looking east over the pond.

Compare to May 2 of 2015.

May 2, 2015, on the Rhodie Tour

We walked back up the driveway, admiring the pushing back of scrubby salal and undergrowth on the south side, giving the garden greater depth..

Allan admired a fern.

the cryptomeria grove

Even though the photo below, from May 2, 2015, is from a little further to the east, it shows the difference that the clearing and limbing up has made.

May 2, 2015

center: Cryptomeria ‘Black Dragon’

right: Rhododendron ‘Ever Red’

Rhododendron ‘Hill’s Bright Red’

another new area

We admired more plants in the mature beds, planted in late spring 2009, to the northwest of the house.

Acer ‘Bijou’ in gold

Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’

Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’ blowing in the wind.

Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’ (Allan’s photo)

autumnal hosta

(background) Rhododendrons closing their leaves against the cold wind

Brrr. They will close their leaves even more against winter’s cold.

Allan’s photo

Rhododendron pachysanthum by the front door

in the courtyard, looking through the breezeway (Allan’s photo)

coral bark maples

the last of the dahlias and the green roofed pump house

falling leaves

a look to the west before retreating indoors

same view on July 16 ’17

From the kitchen, we looked across the lower level to the stormy bay.  At a high winter tide, the water will come up over the rough grass.

south east corner: The evergreen huckleberry glade and the outlet of the tidal stream

view to the north: To the rear is Sorbus ‘Pink Pagoda’

A friend had given John and Steve some quinces, from which John had made a special treat, Quince membrillo, served with Monchego cheese, a delicious cheese made from the milk of Manchega sheep.  Served on crackers, it brought back memories of my grandmother’s quince jelly.

Quince membrillo

We admired a new piece of art that they had recently acquired from local woodcarver Jim Unwin.

by Jim Unwin

We visited till early evening, about gardening and politics, little knowing the glorious news of the blue wave of Democrat victories that awaited us in the evening news.

If you would like to virtually tour this garden in different seasons, here are some of our past posts about it:

26 September, 2013

21 April 2014

16 June 2014

19 July 2014 (garden tour)

2 September 2014

7 March 2015

2 May 2015 (Rhodie Tour)

23 June 2015

21 April 2016

24 July 2016

1 January 2017

11 May 2017

16 July 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

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18 April: some easier jobs

Tuesday, 18 April 2017

We were revived by our day off but were not ready to face the rest of the beach approach project. Today would be a day of smaller, easier jobs.

Next to the driveway as we left for work:

tulips

Narcissus ‘Chinita’

Port of Ilwaco

An event this Thursday at a port business inspired us to deadhead narcissi all along the Howerton Way gardens.  We won’t be attending but we expect it to draw a crowd.

We want to make sure the gardens look nice for this business that watches out for flower jackers. (A few weeks ago, Allan got asked from the Freedom Market’s upstairs window what he was doing digging up plants in the garden. We appreciate that vigilance.)

We worked our way from east to west.

east end, looking west

The marina is across the east end parking lot.

 

nautical trash

The scrimmy little horsetails are not my mission today.

CoHo Charters lavascape

deadheads by the old Portside Café (Allan’s photo)

by the Fort George Brewery office

The old Shorebank building (now empty)

kinnikinnick looking really quite nice and making one big buzzing bee happy

Wax myrtle and arbutus that got the full windstorm blast from across the Shorebank parking lot…

Another storm blasted wax myrtle

We will trim up those shrubs before the May 6th Children’s Parade and opening day of Saturday Market.  No time for that today.

Allan went on to deadhead the west end while I weeded between Shorebank and the Port Office, including the little garden on the south side of the port office building.  The tide was low…

looking west

Little brown birds scavenging the muddy rocks

Looking east, with lots of interesting driftwood

In the wheelie bin enclosure, I found a salvage piece which will be great to add to our fence.  Its little doors will provide a peekaboo effect.

This went home with us.

 Interlude at home

As we parked in front of our fence, I thought about how interested I would be to see our garden as a passerby.

I’d be looking over the fence for a better view.

I remembered a few gardens in Seattle into which I used to peer through and over fences.

The cats had something to say about how we should stay home for the rest of the day.

Smokey

Skooter appears

Frosty

Calvin, being not especially outdoorsy, doesn’t much care whether we stay home or not.

Calvin woken from his usual daylong nap

The garden looked extra fine and tempting.

tulips and cardoon

Japanese maple (Allan’s photo)

golden bleeding heart

Tulip ‘Green Star’

Ribes speciosum still in full flower

Ribes speciosum and tulips

patio tulips

a lavishly fringed tulip (and Frosty saying, “Do stay!”)

tempting

I have pretty good willpower about going to work (necessary for longterm self employment).  Off we went.

Allan photographed this good old dog when we stopped at the bank to put a cheque in.

The Anchorage Cottages

Beth and Mitzu (Allan’s photo)

We expected to just deadhead and weed.  However, Beth needed help with the climbing hydrangea which had fallen over in the recent big windstorm.

They got it pushed back and well tied to the new trellis.

The wind was hard on a lot of the tulips in containers, especially in the office courtyard.  They fared better in the more protected center courtyard.

center courtyard; an array of pots is just to the right

some courtyard containers

purple fringed tulips

pink fringed tulip

window boxes with tiny species flowers

narcissi and unfurling sword fern

Long Beach

Next, we picked up from the city works yard as much Soil Energy Mulch as today’s buckets would carry.

our mulch stash, with plants that were removed from a defunct planter

Our first mission was to mulch the corner bed at Veterans Field.  Some sort of Veterans walk is beginning there later this week so we want it to look fluffy.

Allan’s photos, before….

during; an annoying and constant wind made the day cold.

after

With that done, I went on a deadheading walkabout of the city planters and street tree gardens, while Allan went to weed and add some mulch in two areas of Fifth Street Park.

He found this big lily bulb…

a bright orange tulip

and some annoyingly persistent horsetail

My photos while walking the planters:

Tulip ‘Flaming Spring Green’

foreground: parrot Tulip ‘Rococo’ in bud

Tulip bakeri  ‘Lilac Wonder’

bench sitter

Reminder to self: Put “dig out planter ivy” on the work board so I will remember it.

horrible variegated ivy.  I blame myself from many years ago.

exciting bud on Asphodeline

orange tulips

and a painted rock placed by California poppies that might be orange later on!

pink fringed tulip, and progress on defunct planter (the lamp post has now been removed)

some big tulips, windblown, chomped by deer, broken, or picked

In the same planter, Tulip bakeri ‘Lilac Wonder’ have been blooming for weeks.

Note to self: plant many more ‘Lilac Wonder’.  They are my favourite species tulip and they do so well here.

Tulip bakeri ‘Lilac Wonder’

I was awfully tired for the last two blocks of deadheading and figured as soon as we got home, I would sit down.

at home

At home, I took four buckets of deadheads out to the compost bins while Allan (almost always a man of boundless evening energy) set to mowing the lawn.

The compost bins inspired some compost turning.  A day of varied jobs is much less exhausting than an all day, same place weeding project.

I had gotten all excited when seeing the bottom of bin B:

It looked like it might be siftable!

It wasn’t.  But soon will be if I keep turning frequently.

bins after today’s turning

I need more green stuff before flipping another layer.

While Allan also mowed the next door lawn for our next door neighbour, I checked the hydrangeas over at the J’s garden for signs of life.  The twigs are green when snapped but still no leaves, not even at the base.

good looking sword ferns at the J’s

Back at home, a stunning narcissus with a deep green center (and tiny spider):

I got a bit of a start when I thought each leaf of my Davidia tree had a snail in it.  No, those are flowers buds

Not like the horrible snails everywhere in my garden due to lack of time to properly police them.

Allan’s photo

Tomorrow, yet another storm is due.  I look forward to reading a book.

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21 Feb: 3 accomplishments

Tuesday, 21 February 2017

Jay and Jodie’s

We had unexpectedly workable weather and began across the street at the J’s cottage.  I’d been itching to cut back the sword ferns.  We’d begun this job last year in mid summer and so had not been able to clip them thoroughly.

before, looking west

lots of little shotweeds coming up (lower right)

gathering clipped fern fronds

after

before, looking east

after

really need to get some mulch for shrubs that were planted too high

crocuses

In the back garden, Allan found pots needing drainage.

After popping home for a drill, he fixed the problem.

Partway through the job, I took a 20 minute break to walk down to the nearby fire station with a local firefighter who is planning to beautify the landscape there.

me and John

I said that with proper notice, I’d volunteer to help weed and also to help select plants. It was a volunteer project I’d been planning to do myself…someday…so am glad someone else has taken it in hand.

Long Beach

In the early afternoon, we tackled the Heron Pond, at the corner of Bolstad and Pacific.  You can look at it any time on the Heroncam.

before

Oh, how I loathe the salal in this garden, obviously not planted by us.  Last year I pulled and pulled and clipped it along the front here.  Of course, the dastardly stuff is back.

salal all up in the armeria (sea thrift) along the edge of the pond.

This is a case where the human does not win.  I didn’t even try to fight the damn stuff this year, just clipped some of it back.  That and aegepodium (variegated bishops weed) are my two most loathed plants.  Just don’t fall for them!

after

before

after (silver santolina trimmed)

fish hiding place (Allan’s photo)

Another pale fish that has eluded the heron.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photos, before

after.  Allan climbed out to the waterfall to trim the ferns.

We then weeded and sheared grasses in three little pop outs on Ocean Beach Boulevard.  We found to our surprise that the cold wind that we’d felt at the pond garden was much less annoying here at the first two pop outs. We had almost quit for the day after the pond; I was glad we had persisted.

Allan’s photos:

before.  Second pop out is on the other side of the crosswalk.

after

before

after

from the back

after

Barbara from the Planter Box drove by and stopped to catch up.

The second little pop out was not especially photogenic before OR after.  For the last two years, someone has adopted it and planted annuals toward the front, so we simply weeded it and will wait to see what happens.

Half a block north, a citizen has been experimenting in his front yard with escallonia topiary.

a chair

a critter in progress

Someone has already cut back the dwarf pampas grass in the BIG pop out so we drove right by it to the third and fourth little ones, a block north of city hall.

third little pop out, before

after

fourth, before (such a sad mugo pine, that had to be trimmed last year for traffic sightlines)

after

The wind had gotten deathly cold and so every little weed did not get pulled today.

I think that mugo pine has to totally go away…sometime.  These tiny garden beds get no supplemental water and are probably browsed by deer so I’ll have to ponder on it.

A citizen stopped for veg gardening advice.  I referred her to The Planter Box.

Brrr.

After dumping our debris, we were so glad to get home.  Before enjoying the warmth of the house, we had a little chat with our new neighbour, Devery, who was looking spiffing as always in, today in a checked jacket with a matching hat.  I’m so looking forward to sitting in the garden with her this summer when warm weather returns.  At present, it’s hard to picture summer because I have done almost no spring clean up on my own garden.

I was able to erase three spring clean up jobs from the work board.

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Hardy Plant Weekend: 3 small gardens

Sunday, 26 June 2016

Hardy Plant Study Weekend, presented by Salem Hardy Plant Society

The previous garden and the one we are about to visit were surrounded by farm fields.

garden 21: Adelman Peony Garden

Allan’s photo. He says these fields of fescue were soon to be cut, and that Adelman’s had once used this field for peony growing.

Like the Schreiner’s Iris Gardens display, the peony garden would look amazing during peony bloom time, which was over.  However, the garden surrounding the home was immaculate and had other plants of interest.

satellite view

yellow rose at the edge of the parking area above the house

the vista at the upper garden entrance

The eucomis may enjoy the warmth of living inland. Mine never do more than put out three or four leaves and one flower.  Eucomis envy!

AND delphinium envy

Acanthus (Allan’s photo)

Allan commented how each plant is given its own space. (Allan’s photo)

would be spectacular during peony time

Mighty Velvet Lamb’s Ears is going on my must have list.

a bit of welcome lattice shade in 90 degree weather

waterfall in the garden below the house

Inside the cool indoor display area, I drank lemonade and admired peonies.  These flowers had been kept refrigerated until garden tour day.

garden 22: Craftsman Bungalow Garden 

I adore a Craftsman Bungalow.  My home in Seattle was one, although not nearly as beautifully detailed as Mary Beth’s.  I also adore a garden made with love more than with money.  This garden and home were immensely pleasing to me.

from the side, across the street  (It was a hot, bright day.)

front of the house from across the street

I also adore a good hellstrip like this one.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

front porch (Allan’s photo)

love this!! (Allan’s photo

shady corner of front garden; next door is a parking lot

archway to the back garden (which is actually a side garden)

into the back garden

delicious shade

catalpa tree (Allan’s photo)

I had thought I did not like Podophyllum ‘Spotty Dotty’. Now I deeply regretted having passed up the opportunity to buy one earlier this weekend.

a pond in the center of the garden

This was the first sign I saw all weekend of a device to keep predators out of a pond.

the catalpa tree

garden creator (center)

much fancier that my bungolow was (Allan’s photo)

After this weekend, I feel a great need for a sideways weeping cedar.

a sit spot by the back wall of the garage

note the metal fence on the property line

from the little behind-the-garage courtyard

inside the carport, exterior wall of house

In front of the garage. I absolutely love the salvaged metal fence and wish I had one.

an admiring look at the back of the house

I’d love to have stayed longer.  We had two more gardens to see and then the drive home.  The next two were within walking distance (albeit a hot walk in 90 degree sunshine).  After the last garden visit of the day, as we walked back past Mary Beth’s to return to our van, she was out in the side garden weeding and pruning.

garden 23: Misty’s garden

We actually saw this small garden last (it was #23 on the program but #24 for us) because I got mixed up on the addresses.  Neither Allan nor I did a good job of capturing it.  I found myself concentrating on walking on uneven surfaces and not looking much at the plants.  (A woman emerging, also with a cane, commented on it being difficult walking.  A young garden creator would not notice this.)

entry garden

entry garden

new acquisitions from Dancing Oaks nursery (Allan’s photo)

treehouse (Allan’s photo)

front porch

path to back garden

into the back garden

back porch

I regret that I completely failed in getting a photo of the waterfall behind this bridge.

Next: Our last garden visit of the three day tour proved to be one of my top five favourites of the whole tour.

 

 

 

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Hardy Plant Weekend: Vineyard Garden

Saturday, 25 June 2016

Hardy Plant Society Study Weekend

garden 10: Vineyard Garden

We tried, oh so hard, to get to the first garden by at least 9:30 but we did not make it till 10.

arriving at the vineyard

view over the vineyard

Allan’s photo

We walked down this vineyard road to get to the garden.

the garden

looking back at the vineyard

Allan’s photo

entering a sunny and beautiful garden

kitchen garden

bright sunny day and another camera that I am about to nickname “Spot”

trying the iPhone instead

Hardy Planters and their hats (Allan’s photo)

the gazebo

Later, there were people chatting all around the gazebo.  I didn’t read to the last sentence of the program description till writing this blog post so did not realize there was a wine tasting going on.

Because Mt. Hood was not visible from the house, they built the gazebo where they could see it, as captured in the stained glass. (Allan’s photo)

View of Mount Hood from the gazebo (Allan’s photo)  

Allan’s photo; it was so hot I had to wear my hat.

Paths led downhill from the sun garden into the shade.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

I am envious of the large rocks in this garden.

sun to shade, hard to photograph and bright on the eyes in real life

hard to show it because of the light but I still want to share this garden with you

Allan’s photo

superb signage

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo; I want that brunnera!

found another sit spot

wending my way uphill again

on the little garden shed

back toward the sunny garden

another sit spot

turning back toward the shade

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

I wonder how an arch like this is built?

Allan’s photo; koi pond gazebo in the distance

I followed the sound to a stream

looking back up the slope

bananas

Allan’s photo, koi pond gazebo

koi pond

by the pond

Allan’s photo

Again, I wonder how the koi in these various gardens are protected from herons and raccoons (and bears?)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

on a path down to the house

Allan’s photo

to one side, another path

in a breezeway, the door of the house carved by the homeowner; to the right, steps up to the deck overlooking woods

Allan’s photo.  Garden guests gathered in awe around this carved door.

on the deck (Allan’s photo)

in the window (Allan’s photo)

below the deck, a musical instrument fountain

returning to the sunny garden

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

The sweet old dog was brought out and I got to pet her.

I followed her to the gazebo because she reminded me of my good friend Ralph, much loved and much missed.

Allan’s photo

Allan finds the little garden shed at the top of the garden.

That was an excellent garden, even though we did not notice that a wine tasting was going on.  I had begun to feel that I simply must clear out my salmonberry grove to plant more of a variety of plants in the bogsy woods.

Next: my favourite Saturday garden.  The vineyard garden is a close second favourite, almost tied.  My weakness for ornamental grasses puts the next garden at the top.

 

 

 

 

 

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14 April: north end rounds

Thursday, 14 April 2016

We’ve been so focused on Long Beach that we had not done our north end jobs lately.

Red Barn Arena

I remembered that we had some edging blocks to install at the Red Barn.  When we got there, the edge had not been cleared yet (by Amy and her trusty tractor) so we will do the edging later.  We also found that the backside of the garden had been hit with roundup, always a risk when spraying grass next to a garden.

zone of death: Round Up drift had killed the California poppies at the back…

and caused yellowing foliage on the Helianthus

I got a promise that from now on, we will run our own string trimmer back there and that Round Up will not be applied again.

Allan string trimming along the front

an attractive new bench

Diane’s garden

Next door, we weeded at deadheaded at Diane and Larry’s.

the roadside garden

one narcissus

the back patio planters

A heavy rain began while we were weeding along the road and got us both uncomfortably drenched and chilled.  Fortunately, I had a dry sweatshirt and jacket to change into. Allan’s jacket had kept him drier.

brrrrr

Basket Case Greenhouse

Basket Case was a good place to warm up a bit.  We have begun planting some perennials, and needed more ingredients.  We are holding off on planting annuals till around Mother’s Day.

the annuals greenhouse

I got myself an Orange Rocket barberry and a Cardinal red twig dogwood.

and the orange picotee Lewisia for my scree garden.

Golden Sands Assisted Living

I was ever so pleased to see the bright show of tulips in the Golden Sands courtyard garden.

with blue camassia

view from one of the red chairs

I asked Allan to apply the Sluggo to each quadrant while I sat because my knee was acting up.

The bird bath and plaque are from my mom’s old garden.

Tulip viridiflora (green tulips), always my favourites.  ‘Green Wave’ is on the right.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

dog daises already (Allan’s photo)

Pacific tree frog on moss and beach strawberries (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

While weeding, Allan commented that this little wild euphorbia reminds him of Shrek.

a spurge, one of the cuter weeds (Allan’s photo)

It reminds Allan of Shrek’s ears.

Klipsan Beach Cottages

After considerable weeding and narcissi deadheading, I took some photos for the KBC Facebook page of the garden looking very fine.

from south gate

tulips and overwintered Helichrysum ‘Limelight’

multiflowering Tulip ‘Antoinette’

Tulip ‘Orange Princess’

Tulip ‘Green Star’

This tulip has come back year after year.

a real do-er

fringed tulip, rose, elephant garlic

from northeast gate

Euphorbia characias wulfenii

Pieris and clematis

narcissi and pieris

the pond island bed

unfurling ferns

pond island bed

sword ferns

The podophyllum was blooming.  (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

beautiful Bella (Allan’s photo)

inside the fenced garden, ocean view cottages on the ridge

Allan climbed over the pond to trim the last of the sword ferns:

before

after

 

Marilyn’s Garden

We had just an hour and a half to go north to Marilyn’s garden before our dinner.

view from back porch; garage next door will disappear soonish behind foliage

looking north

from the road

looking south

The Cove Restaurant

flowers in the foyer (Allan’s photo)

and on the table (Allan’s photo)

We had, as always, been looking forward to the weekly meeting of the North Beach Garden Gang.

Todd brought flowers….

Allan’s photo

and a podophyllum for Melissa and Dave.

Allan’s photo.  I was honestly not complaining about a thing as it had been a very good day.

delicious ahi tuna

strawberry salad (Allan’s photo)

lava cake with fresh pears

lemon bar (Allan’s photo)

Except for one little rain squall and a bit of the old knee playing up, it had been a perfect day.

Ginger’s Garden Diaries

from my mother’s garden diaries of two decades ago

1995 (age 70):

April 15: Went through Floralight [three tiered light table] to try to find room for tomatoes.  Moved 8 or 10 trailing violets into terracotta planter and put it on top.  Planted Gloxinia bulbs into pots as houseplants.

1998 (age 73):

April 15:  Sunny, warm . I decided I  had to get the strawberries planted if I hope to have some in June.  I worked from noon to 4:00 to plant 3 rows using 6 or 7 trays of plants—and I have 29 trays of plants!  The soil is loose from the tilling so it’s easy to plant them.  I’m planting the rows close together because I have so many plants.

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17 Feb: drizzly work day

Wednesday, 17 February 2016

before work

the ornamental plum blooming

purple crocuses being subtle in the front garden

crocuses and double primrose

tulips and an Erysimum (probably ‘Winter Orchid’

I had hoped to work today and my hopes were realized, even though we started out in a brisk wind.  I figured it would be far less windy in the Klipsan Beach Cottages garden.

The Planter Box

On the way north, we took shelter from an intense rain at the Planter Box, seeking some early colour for the containers at The Anchorage Cottages.

Gorgeous hellebores were not what we were seeking.

front sales area display

Ah, three fragrant wallflowers would be just what I needed.

When we departed, the rain had increased and the Dark Sky app said it would continue for forty more minutes.  A drive north to look at the Oysterville garden and our friends hard at work would fill the time nicely.

Oysterville

Dave and Melissa (Sea Star Gardening) and Todd (Willapa Gardening) were hard at work in the garden, and I didn’t take many photos because I felt that I shouldn’t be a distraction to their work.

Allan’s photo: Todd with wheelbarrow

Dave and Melissa address a lovely pile of Soil Energy.

the water feature, with hellebores

the back border, with many shrubs recently added

Hamamelis and unfurling tree fern in the drizzly mist

new beech hedge in the making along the front

a guest named Mr Fox

We left without walking all around as I felt guilty about interrupting, although we were reassured by the garden owner that we could tour the garden any time, a privilege which we treasure.

Back we went to…

Klipsan Beach Cottages

…and by the time we got there, the rain was tapering off.

First, I had to go in the basement and greet Bella, whom I had not seen since around Christmas time.

my very good friend Bella

KBC fenced garden, east gate

I asked Allan to do the planting, starting with a fig tree from Dave and Melissa.

(Allan’s photos) From the circle a non fruiting fig had been removed.

The new fig had fruited well even in the pot.

He also planted for me a winter blooming honeysuckle, Lonicera fragrantissima, which you can barely see by the clump of narcissi, and which I hope the deer will not eat.

Allan’s closeup of the intensely fragrant Lonicera.

I asked him to dig out a grass that was the wrong size for a bed, meant to get a before photo, turned around…and he had it done already!

after (Allan’s photo)

The grass had been outsized for the spot, as a photo from 2015 shows:

Nov 9, 2015; the grass is smothering two hebes and crowding a rose

Allan’s photo: It more than filled the wheelbarrow…

and is in a pot till someone decides on a better plan.

In the lawn edge border, the hellebores are not sizeable enough to be showy yet.

A closer look is rewarding.

a handsome upright form

a long established clump of primroses

apricot scented Hamamelis mollis just about done blooming

Pieris japonica; my grandma called it Andromeda.

narcissi and shiny rain washed calla lily leaves

Euphorbia characias wulfenii, old and kind of rangy.

We both tackled a lot of sword fern clipping, in the continuing light drizzle.

in the fenced garden, before

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

After.  Now the new growth will unfurl all bright green and fresh.

The pond garden, before

Mary taking Bella for a walk to the beach

and after

in the “swale” (Allan’s photos, before…)

and after

before

after

Now, in Steve and John’s bayside garden, the trimming would be so perfect that you would not see any stubs.  We don’t have time for that perfection at work; at home, it is well worth seeking.

The rain was pelting by the time we were done.

The ferns on the clam shed patio got a trim also.

In the rain: a pale pink flowering currant in bloom

We left a few ferns untrimmed, especially the ones where Allan has to climb over the pond edge; it was slippery.  Manager/owners Mary and Denny will probably get around to pruning the roses, a task she enjoys doing.  If not, we’ll do it next time.

By the greenhouse, after trimming back old floppy Melianthus major stems.  Tree peony leafing out.

It felt like we had been there for six hours and the fact that it was just a bit after three o clock surprised me greatly.

bidding farewell to Bella (Allan’s photo, just pre-belly rub)

Long Beach 

Although the rain and wind increased, we next went south to Long Beach and bought six violas from Dennis Co.  I like the smaller flowered violas rather than pansies as they hold up to rain better.

in a planter near Dennis Co (Allan’s photo)

same planter (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo, same planter, a well established clump

The Anchorage Cottages

Back north about 20 blocks to the Anchorage, we were greeted by Mitzu and Beth.

soggy, waggly Mitzu (Allan’s photo)

I planted the violas in the center courtyard, while Allan planted the three wallflowers near the office.

He planted them in a soldierly row.

I changed it.

Allan said to Beth, “I went to engineering school and she keeps trying to undo what I learned there.”

window box with buds of one of my favourite tulips, Tulipa sylvestris

Last week, I pruned all the green leaved stems out the Fuchsia magellanica ‘Aurea’ above, so it would not revert to all green.

We were pretty well drenched, and the wind had gotten strong and cold.  As I had expected, KBC had been out of the wind.  In fact, the rain there had felt so mild that we had not put on our bulky and harder to work in rain coats at all.  Now it was time to go home to some nice hot cups of tea.  From our south window, I could see the gale warning flags at the port.  We may have a day or two off.

Mary and Smokey.  Had they even left the chair?

Smokey’s foot looks so well healed that I think that tomorrow, he can go outside again.

the work board tonight

Ginger’s Garden Diaries

My mother’s diaries from two decades ago had entries corresponding to today:

1997 (age 72):

Feb 17:  A warm day with some misty rain.  Finally I got the begonia bulbs in trays in damp plant mix and under lights in shop.  Also put pineapple lily and amaryllis bulbs in pots in soil under the lights.

1998 (age 73):

Feb 17:  11:45-4:15!!  YES I DID!  I finished planting the bulbs from greenhouse.  Then I planted the polemoniums that I dug last fall thinking they were hostas.  I planted some daffodils that were “lost” into the old “window box”.  Planted 4 plants that I set on picnic table and forgot.  Also had 2 cords wood from Corey’s Firewood delivered.  Now I must saw up the tree branches so I can pile the new wood.

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28 June: Hardy Plant Study Weekend—Platt garden

Sunday, 28 June 2015

Hardy Plant Society Study Weekend

The Jane Kerr Platt Garden

Parking for this garden scared the jeewhillikers out of me; fortunately, after difficulties down on the curving road (which I’ll describe in my next post, so as not to detract from this garden), we were able to drive up and park in the upper parking lot.  That is where most visitors would be able to park, since most garden events here would probably not draw such large numbers all at once.  I’ve heard about this garden for years, so despite arrival problems was glad to be able to enjoy it.

From the parking lot, we walked a bit uphill and through a gap in a hedge to view the expansive garden.  It reminded me of the garden on Whidbey Island whose creator had died and left a mature garden behind, and like the Froggwell garden it gave me a poignant feeling.

looking across the lawn to the house

Allan’s photo

garden beds to the side of the lawn

echinops (blue globe thistle)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

the rock garden

Allan’s photo

smitten with the sun on this rhododendron

easy steps to climb

Allan’s photo

at the top

Allan taking photos

Allan’s photo

descending to the house level

trilliums ripening

Allan’s photo

another rhododendron gleaming in sunlight

Allan’s photo

returning to the lawn, as others begin to climb the stairs

I think that’s an enormous stewartia.

an old character of a tree

Allan’s photo

the house

I see an Acer griseum.

I miss the paperbark maple that I left behind at my old house, and keep forgetting to replace it.  I had a long admiration session with this one in the Platt garden.

vista across the lawn

just below the house

behind the house

 

Allan’s photo

mesmerized

returning on the path below the house

back to the paperbark maple

 

Allan’s photo

patio and pond at front of house

Allan’s photo

It was still so hot that this tour guest was putting a bag of ice on her head. (Allan’s photo)

We had a sudden rain shower—a blissful moment in the heat.

Allan rejoined me and we walked down the lawn to the parking, hoping to leave at a quiet traffic moment before a number of folks wanted to leave at once.

one last rhododendron

The study weekend was over and the time had come make our way home and get back to work.  Tonight: one last short bonus post before the work blog begins again.

For another view of the garden tours, see Alison’s Bonney Lassie blog about the art in the gardens and about touring gardens in the heat.

 

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27 June: HPSO study weekend—Schweppe garden

Saturday, 27 June 2015

Hardy Plant Society Study Weekend, Portland 2015

Saturday, June 27 2015:  Schweppe garden

Allan’s photo, from the street

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

entering by the front driveway

I walked up the driveway and saw this gate but decided to go round the other way. This is the gate by which we eventually exited.

a hedge of Lonicera ‘Hedge Hog’. I love the name of it, and I love golden boxleaf honeysuckle, so I want this plant.

a volunteer hellebore by the front porch

front garden fountain

Allan’s photo

front garden window box

barberry hedge in front garden

Paris podophylla

At the corner of the house, the Paris podophylla stopped me in my tracks.  Fortunately, Todd was right behind me and was able to ID it immediately, and I then saw one of the gardeners’ good ID tags.

acquired from Heronswood

I remembered that it had been my list of top plants to acquire after seeing it in a slideshow by Dan Hinkley, and that I had ordered it from Heronswood and…then what?  It got lost somewhere in the move from my old house.  I MUST have it again.

Todd communing with the plant.

looking out into the front garden

We walked up the side of the house to the paradise of a small back garden.  The 50X100 foot lot is the size of my old garden in Seattle, and I remember what it was like to just have narrow side yards.

coming around the side, peeking through the sun porch into the back garden (Allan’s photo)

the back garden

in the back garden, a shady sit spot and outdoor shower

Todd’s photo

Allan’s photo

corner of the back garden

astrantia

astrantia and bee

I suggested to Allan that he make me a water feature like this.

It emerged from the shady corner.

Allan’s photo  (I hope he was thinking deep thoughts about this.)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo of the balanced wind art

Todd and Allan (perhaps discussing how to construct that water feature)

the garage wall behind the umbrella

cabinet on garage wall

shelf with pots behind the umbrella nook

a deck overlooks the garden

sunporch overlooking the garden

looking diagonally toward a sunny corner

potting bench

Another tour guest said she had never seen borage this tall.

inside the back gate

the inside of the gate by which we exited

Allan’s photo showing the door fitting the arch

As we departed, we paid attention to the curbside garden.

at the curb

Allan’s photo of  another way to highlight mondo grass

view across the street to a neighbour’s attractive garden

(Maybe to get a gardening neighbour, I need to just pick up and move to a new home with at least three good gardens in close proximity!)

Todd asking for a plant ID

If Todd, the former display garden curator at the famous Plant Delights Nursery, doesn’t know the name of a plant, I most certainly won’t!

looking back at the luscious paradise

a thoughtfully placed “garden advance” bench along the street

 

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