24 Sept: The Oysterville Garden

Monday, 24 September 2018

We continued the Oysterville part of our Peninsula garden tour with Ketzel Levine and Beth Holland.

The Oysterville Garden

For posts which show how this extraordinary garden all ties together, see here, here, and here.

Today, we wandered through in bright sunshine which was not conducive to photographing any shady/sunny areas.

It is aster time in the Oysterville garden, where the gardener collects them because they are his mother’s favourite flower.

cotinus viewed from the road

 

Joe Pye, a grass, alliums

looking in the driveway

by the south terrace

on the dreamy terrace

Beth, Ketzel, Allan on the terrace

Allan’s photo

The bright sunlight made it difficult to capture the allée of Hydrangea ‘Incrediball’.

at the north end of the north-south back path

emerging from the allée onto the big north lawn

This lawn is what I think of every time I am tempted to make my grass areas smaller in order to have larger garden beds.

asters aglow

Ketzel and Beth

Discussion was had about two kinds of ilex.

One was taller; one had redder berries.

Allan’s photo

We wished we knew the names of the assorted aster cultivars.

curving back around to the front of the house

Allan’s photo

On the front porch…

We stood and admired the white begonias.

looking north

at SE corner of the house

front border

Gomphostigma virgatum (Allan’s photo)

We turned our attention to the garden to the south, now owned by a friend of the Oysterville gardener, who has extended the garden theme onto that property.

looking south into the neighboring garden

I think this is Senecio ‘Angel Wings’, also seen in the Kuestner garden last month.

Beth botanizing

We viewed the garden from over the picket fence.

outside: barrels with mounds of armeria (sea thrift)

Beth said some of the armeria cultivars keep their neat round shape.

a green echinacea

looking north

Allan’s photo (Solidago ‘Fireworks’)

Allan’s photo

an aconitum with shiny leaves

Leaving Oysterville after viewing its three most excellent gardens, we drove south down Sandridge Road to finish our touring day at Steve and John’s bayside garden.

 

 

 

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24 Sept: Martie and Steve’s garden

Monday, 24 September 2018

Our garden tour continued in Oysterville.

Martie and Steve’s garden

For a detailed and orderly tour of this garden, see here.

north side of driveway

At this entrance to the garden, Ketzel and Beth stopped and marveled at the silence of Oysterville.

Schefflera admiration

schefflera and restio (Allan’s photo)

Joe Pye was much admired.

still north side of driveway

south side of driveway

front lawn, looking northeast

on the front garden with Tetrapanax

south side of front lawn

south side of the house with Melianthus major

Allan’s photo

the croquet lawn with their guest cottage to the far left

astelia on north wall of pottery studio

(To my surprise, I learned that astelia works in dry shade and now I am strongly interested in acquiring some.)

looking into the pottery studio with Martie and Steve

the house from the studio

fire circle and also raku pottery kiln

Ketzel likes this bonsai.

northwest back garden

Allan’s photo

from behind the house

at the sculpture (Allan’s photo)

looking west from the deck

kitchen garden

Panicum next to the deck

Allan’s photo

on the deck

We heard about some of Martie’s future plans for the garden and then departed to continue our tour.

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July 4: The Oysterville Garden

Wednesday, 4 July 2018

The Oysterville Garden

We continued our day of garden touring with Ann, Evan, and Paul.

new gate

Allan’s photo

I so love this terrace.

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Hydrangea ‘Incrediball’ allée

Allan’s photo

west end of the allée

the shady back path, running south to north (Allan’s photo)

Evan, Ann, Paul (Allan’s photo); reminds me of Charlie’s Angels.

Allan’s photo

 

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

through the allée and onto the north lawn

Evan (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

reminded again that I used to have (in my old garden, and know the name of) that double blue geranium

north lawn

around to the front of the house

Allan’s photo

Meanwhile, next door, a friend has moved in and the garden is expanding into his garden:

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Now we are heading back to our vehicles to drive south to Steve and John’s garden, where we will end our tour day.

Evan, Ann, Paul

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6 June: The Oysterville Garden

Wednesday, 6 June 2018

We were pleased to have time to visit the Oysterville garden, which has been on my mind.

looking in (Allan’s photo)

from the road

looking north inside the front border

below the terrace that always makes me misty eyed

chair pattern echoes the window

Allan’s photo

Melissa (Sea Star Gardening) was working there today.  I asked her what the soft white ball plant was and she said some kind of geranium!  I asked on “Plant idents” Facebook group and before I had added five more photos, I got the answer.

Geranium maderense ‘Guernsey white ‘

foliage of G. ‘Guernsey White’

Geranium maderense ‘Guernsey white ‘; Allan’s photo shows flower and foliage together

Melissa hard at work, applying liquid fish fertilizer (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

looking south from the terrace

Allan’s photo for scale

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

the allée of Hydrangea ‘Incrediball’

the west end of the allée

the south-north path

Allan’s photo

tree fern unfurling

primulas

Allan’s photo

 

looking south

returning to the allée

looking west

looking back after emerging onto the lawn

clematis climbing a tree

the north bay of the lawn

inside the front border

along the front walkway

 

10 December: a little house

Sunday, 10 December 2017

I wrenched myself away from gardening projects today, and Allan from writing his boating blog post (the one that published a couple of days ago) to attend a housewarming party for our friend Sarah, author of The Marble Game.   We arrived in the last hour of the party.  The conversation among her friends turned to how some of us just like to stay home, but we all wanted to see Sarah more than we wanted to stay home that day.

Sarah has a brand new little house.  It would have been a tiny house had there not been rules in Ocean Park that a house cannot be smaller than…600 square feet?  It is a LITTLE, darling house, so new that it does not yet have its final coat of exterior paint or all of its indoor trim.

cozy

 

an ocean view from the kitchen, and a fire circle

stairs to the loft

looking down (Allan’s photo)

the lofty view (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

We enjoyed Sarah’s potato leek soup and some bread, with cookies for dessert.  I loved seeing Sarah’s good dogs again and her brand new kitty, Wally.

Wally is a snuggler.

a very relaxed kitten

Mabe

and Piper

We had the perfect housewarming card for Sarah, from The Card Lady.

naptime

The yard is on two levels, open in the middle around the house, and surrounded with evergreen huckleberry shrubs.  Sarah was a garden designer on the east coast.  I’m excited to see what she does with it.

north east corner, overlooking evergreen huckleberries

After we departed, we took ourselves on a driving tour of the neighbourhood.

I do love a tower.

an enticing path

sign says “CAMP…something…”

outflow from Loomis Lake

Those yellow outbuildings by the slough, above, are by a manufactured home for sale right on the slough…with a double lot as big as mine.  OH how I want it!  I miss having a natural water feature in my garden.  If it had been for sale when we were looking in 2010…I wonder if I would have picked it.  Maybe one of you will buy it so I can visit.  Maybe one of those outbuildings could be a tiny house…

Further west:

fancy porch

We drove to the Ocean Park approach (Bay Avenue) to see the sunset.  Allan’s sunset photos:

Part of our mission was to go to Oysterville after dark to see the lights at THE Oysterville garden and another house nearby.

While waiting for dusk to end, we passed the time at Oysterville Sea Farms…

Allan’s photo

on the deck overlooking Willapa Bay….

looking east

looking south (Allan’s photo)

…and we bought a jar of cranberry butter to “pay” for enjoying the deck.

in the shop

Oysters are the main feature.

We then found the lights we were seeking.

At THE Oysterville garden, only two of the boxwood balls were lit up; we’ve heard that on some evenings, more of them are:

Back in Ilwaco, while dropping a couple of books in the library drop box:

Ilwaco Timberland Library

Now, back to the garden for me for at least three more days of this almost summerlike weather.

 

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26 Nov: Belated feast

Sunday, 26 November 2017

an…interesting…shot of Frosty.

Skooter cuteness

We visited Melanie and Mike, three blocks east, to see Mel’s new foster dog, a gentle and timid chihuahua.

Later, Allan tried to build some window boxes outside.  He got driven in by rain.

I procrastinated on unloading the trailer load of debris from our last two jobs (Anchorage and Depot gardens on Friday).  When I finally got started, I first emptied the grey rain gauge.

the rain since Saturday afternoon

Compost bins before adding debris, looks like Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ cuttings want to live, and I should do something to save them.

I regretted my procrastination. By the time I got a heaping, overflowing, tippy grey wheelbarrow back to the compost pile, a serious downpour began.  I became drenched as I piled the debris up on the towering pile.

I did not make it back to the porch at first, taking shelter in Allan’s workshop halfway there.

the workshop view, not one I usually see

Allan’s garden, with Acanthus ‘Spider’s Web’

In the early evening, we made the long drive to north of Oysterville for a belated Thanksgiving feast with Melissa and Dave at their Sea Star Acres.  On the way, we detoured through Oysterville and saw the seasonal ponds.

north of the Oysterville church (Allan’s photos)

Sandridge Road and Oysterville Road (Allan’s photo)

At Sea Star Acres, Dave and Melissa had prepared a traditional feast.

Under foil is our contribution, Allan’s pumpkin pie “like mom used to make”.

roasted brussel sprouts and grapes

centerpiece, with late blooming rose buds and little Sea Star grown squash

While the squash did not grow big this year, they did make good decorations.

me and Coulee, the handsome Hovawart.  Barely showing in the foreground is the other Hovawart, Anna.

We feasted, perhaps to excess, talked about our gardening work, and made plans to meet again for next weekend’s Crab Pot Christmas Tree Festival in Ilwaco.

 

 

 

 

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16 July: Martie and Steve’s garden

Sunday, 16 July 2017

After we had toured The Oysterville Garden, Lorna and Gail and Debbie (who had seen our next garden on yesterday’s local tour) went on their respective ways.  Dave, Melissa, Ann, Evan, Allan and I drove a few blocks north to Steve and Martie’s garden.  I’ve never met Steve and Martie although, before they moved to Oysterville, Allan and I worked on a garden just south of theirs, a garden that Dave and Melissa do now.  Dave and Mel (Sea Star Gardening) also helped ready Marty and Steve’s garden for the tour, and the creator of the fabulous Oysterville garden down the street has had some influence here.  You can read about Martie’s design work here.  And here.  And here.  And you can read about her Oysterville home, whose garden we are about to visit, here.

Martie designs plant decor for clients including the Ace Hotel in Portland.

historic Captain Stream House (Allan’s photo)

Captain Stream House (Allan’s photo). Much of Oysterville has lichened picket fences like this one.

front garden (Allan’s photo)

Ann (Allan’s photo)

Allan’s photo

That’s one of my favourites, Verbena bonariensis, to the right.

a handsome stand of eupatorium (Joe Pye Weed)

orchids (Allan’s photo)

From the back deck.

A few days later, I happened to be at The Planter Box garden center when Teresa got a phone call asking what plant had been in the container above.  It’s sarracenia.

productive kitchen garden on both sides of the walkway

stone sink on the north side of the deck

closely mown croquet lawn on the south side

south of the garden (a guest house, I think)

coming around to the front garden again

now viewing the front garden from the entry driveway again, with Ann and Evan still lingering.

You can see more of this garden on Instagram at Oysterville Life.

We will now go on to tour two gardens of friends, and because we’ll be just with friends, I am going to share some garden tour thoughts.

 

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16 July: The Oysterville garden

Sunday, 16 July 2017

Allan and I and Dave and Melissa and Evan and Ann  continued our informal tour of the Peninsula at…

THE Oysterville garden.

There we were joined longtime former client and former owner of Andersen’s RV Park, Lorna, and her lifelong friend Gail.  Lorna had been longing to tour this garden. Shortly after that, we were joined by Debbie Teashon of Rainyside.com.  I feel most fortunate to have permission to take CPNs (certified plant nut) friends to see this garden.

Queen Elizabeth roses at the front of the house

inside the front gate

dark leaved geraniums on the front steps

Tall border on south side of the house

Ann and Evan examining every plant on the terrace

The terrace always makes me misty.

Although this photo does not show it well, I made sure everyone noticed how the backs of the chairs echo the shape of that window.

on the other side of the driveway

I loved this delicate yellow and burgundy daylily.

We passed the garage and entered at the west end  of the allée of Hydrangea ‘Incrediball’.  Lorna said blissfully, “I can die now!”  This had definitely been on her must see list.

Debbie and Evan (Allan’s photo)

Evan by a tree fern urn

Allan’s photo

backlit rhododendron

primula (Allan’s photo)

Thalictrum in the background

Allan’s photo

another thalictrum (Allan’s photo)

textures, light, and shade in the woodsy back of the garden

Allan’s photo

parade of gardeners (Allan’s photo)

looking back down the allée

the north lawn

primulas still blooming against the allée’s hornbeam hedge

north side of the house

I was reminded that I used to have a small flowered double blue geranium.  Must have it again!

Allan’s photo

the front border from the inside

looking south

The ruff of begonias in a big planter were much admired.

clematis (Allan’s photo)

the front lawn path

the beautiful dark leaved pelargonium again

Wayne on the front porch

happy gardeners and the garden creator

the garden creator, his good dogs Wayne and Malcolm, and me

Wayne and his buddy Malcolm went running around for awhile.

Here comes Malcom!

It’s Superdog!

Allan’s photo

Of course, we could have all happily walked round this garden again, but we had four more gardens to see, the next one just a few blocks up the road.

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7 June: work before play

Wednesday, 7 June 2017

Another two part post, as this blog falls further behind real time.  Our day had only four jobs, two of them brief, and would end with a tour of THE Oysterville garden, which always deserves its own post.

The Red Barn Arena

Amy and her barrel racing horse

Allan’s string trimming alternative to using round up right behind the garden

My friend Disney, the mother whippet, who likes me. It is her son who snubs me. Unless I have a treat.

Diane’s garden

new lawn going in by Steve Clarke and crew

All we did was fertilize and deadhead the three groups of back yard pots.

The Basket Case Greenhouse

I had a check to deliver and a few plants to seek.

middle greenhouse

north greenhouse

Middle greenhouse; all three greenhouses have many choices.

Allan’s photo

I love this peachy diascia, and that is my favourite tender fuchsia, Pink Marshmallow.

I got myself an Orange Rocket Barberry, shown here with Roxanne. This time, I won’t forget to water it. I’ve killed two Orange Rockets by neglect in the first year.

a poster by the sales desk

The Anchorage Cottages

Allan pruned the center courtyard viburnums to keep them from coming forward into the perennial border.

Allan’s photo: before, coming too far forward

 before (Note that I do not like the look of the Arbutus on the right.  I gave it some Dr Earth fert.)

after

Mitzu supervising

during

after

Dutch Iris

with gorgeous markings

‘Eye of the Tiger’ Dutch Iris

Dutch Iris and Solanum crispum ‘Glasnevin’ (blue potato vine)

Two of the four windowboxes

Climbing hydrangea

north end garden

climbing rose and ceanothus

The Planter Box

I wanted 18 more painted sage for me, and more Dr Earth rhododendron fertilizer, and then I saw some Cosmos ‘Double Click’ and ‘Seashells’ and ended up with two full flats of plants.  Oops.

at The Planter Box entrance

Klipsan Beach Cottages

We spent an hour in intensive grooming of the garden.

east side of fenced garden with Climbine Cecile Brunner rose and honeysuckle

looking in the east gate

birdbath view

Allium ‘Mount Everest’

The gold is Persicaria ‘Golden Arrow’

clematis

Mary had a little time to work with me. She is picking snails that are hiding in a daylily.

Allan had planned to clean up buttercups along the roadside edge of the swale (by the road up to the cottages).  He found that the housekeeping and grounds crew had done a beautiful job there, so he did not have to.

Allan’s photo: well done, and not by us.

Allan’s photo

This gave him time to do a good clean up on the outside of the fenced garden.

Podophyllum (Allan’s photo)

bindweed on the weigela! (Allan’s photos)

Allan’s photo: One of Mary’s snails on the run.

We then went north to THE Oysterville garden: Tomorrow’s post. On the way, we took a scenic route through Ocean Park.  Allan’s photos:

on Park Avenue

While I went into the Oysterville garden, Allan detoured on foot to the bay to look at the boats.

Oysterville by the bay

These are all part of the Oysterville regatta, a July event that seems to be an invitational event sort of for the Oysterville crowd.    Everyone uses the same kind of boat so that skill is the factor in winning, followed by a barbecue.

On the way home down Sandridge Road, we saw that (as expected) Steve Clarke and Co had completed laying Diane and Larry’s new lawn to perfection.  We did not stop; it did look like there will be room to create a very narrow remake of our roadside garden although I’m concerned about it being closer to the road, thus more nervewracking to work on.  We shall see!

In Ilwaco, we drove down Howerton to assess the gardens and saw both artist Don Nisbett and Butch of Coho Charters.

Fisherman Butch

Butch said, “No matter what they say about you, I still think you do a great job!”

 

 

 

 

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14 Sept: The Oysterville Garden heralds autumn

Wednesday, 14 September 2016

THE Oysterville garden

Having heard that the  Oysterville garden had reached another peak of glory,  we made our workday one or two jobs shorter than usual and headed north in the late afternoon, arriving at 4:30 PM.  I had been thinking about the aster collection so was glad to be invited to visit while they were all blooming.  They are the gardener’s mother’s favourite flower and a herald of autumn.

looking in from the street

autumn crocus along the roadside lawn

It is the season of glory for ornamental grasses.

late blooming clematis and asters

looking in (Allan’s photo)

approaching the front gate

potted plants on either side of the brick entry path

asters and ornament

clipped boxwood in pots

As expected, we found Melissa at work in the garden.

Our Melissa (Allan’s photo)

golden cotinus

tall pink asters to tone with the house of palest lovely pink

All this, and we still have not set foot inside the garden.

We are happy to have an invitation to enter.

Before the stern “keep out” signs, folks would just wander through at any time, thinking perhaps that it was a park.  The other day when Melissa was working there, a fellow slowed his vehicle down and called out “What is this place FOR?”  Her reply was that it is a private garden, but she wishes she had said “An amusement park for honeybees!”

phlox, Joe Pye Weed, asters

Allan’s photo

looking north down the front lawn

the south side of the house

brick path inside the boxwood hedge, which I just realize matches up with…

…brick path on south side of the driveway; the stakes mark new(ish) columnar beeches

south side of driveway

Allan’s photo

north side of driveway

None of us know the name of this tufted grass. I intend to find out by asking Scott Weber of Rhone Street Gardens.

Allan’s photo

the terrace that always makes me weepy

Let’s go up there.

Melissa and I in plant appreciation mode (Allan’s photo)

on the terrace

For the first time, I notice how the boxwoods come to a point.

Allan’s photo

a stray salvia

across the driveway

Japanese anemones and asters

south side of garage

button sized orange chrysanthemums

looking east along the driveway

south side of driveway, Japanese anemone and solidago

fennel and solidago

Japanese anemone

anemone and aster

behind the garage

Allan’s photo

pumpkins and sunflowers at the west end of the driveway (Allan’s photo)

We noticed the many different shapes of the sunflowers.

We turned the corner to the allée of ‘Incrediball’ hydrangeas.

Melissa and Dave and I entering the allée (Allan’s photo)

the allée, running east west (looking east)

lawn path, running north south (looking north)

white begonias

urns of tree ferns and begonias

Allan’s photo

hamamelis foliage

Primula vialii in the woodsy garden along the west side of the north-south lawn path

at the west end of the allée

progressing up the allée

looking west

We have emerged onto the north lawn.

the outside of the allée

asters and angelica

tall pink aster backed with hornbeam

the north border

more of the aster collection

Japanese anemones; there’s room here for their running habit.

more tall pink asters

the front border

This begonia ruffle around a big potted boxwood has looked perfect all summer long.

‘Queen Elizabeth’ roses

Rosa ‘Queen Elizabeth’

borrowed view of yews across the street

Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ and Joe Pye weed

Verbena bonariensis

front gate from inside

sarracenia

Tetrapanax, Allan, Dave

new tetrapanax leaves

proceeding south on the front path

some dark pink asters

More of that grass. Scott thinks it might be Pennisetum ‘Red Head’ going to seed.

looking north; we have come full circle.

outside again

outside, the pear sculpture, and way in the background is a tall old pear tree.

Sea Star Garden

Before going home, we went to see the garden of Dave and Melissa (Sea Star Gardening).  Contractors had just finished putting in a new septic system, involving a new dirt road and the knocking down of a derelict old house toward the front of the property.

the new road

Dave and his favourite hen

the chicken yard; left: big old paperbark maple

Deer chomped the hosta collection in the shade garden.

coleus with miraculous lack of snail damage

the tall old eucalyptus that they call “Elvis”

pond and waterfall just off the front deck

with very large frogs

beside the deck

on the exterior garage wall

This glorious hour and a half of garden touring had made a good end to a short workday.

Tomorrow: back to the gardening rounds in Long Beach and Ilwaco.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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