Random Garden Shots

Kniphofia caulescens

Lilyvilla entry garden - Musa basjoo, Metapanax delavayi, Calamagrostis var. brachytricha, Brugmansia 'Betty Marshall', Setcreasea purpurea.

Polystichum setiferum Divisilobum

Drypoteris sieboldii

Lilyvilla designed container

Canna 'Intrigue' and Alocasia 'California' finally growing!

Cyperus with bubbling rock in background

Abutilon

Tricyrtis, Oxalis, Abutilon, Clematis and Begonia

I'm enjoying the ...

Tricyrtis 'Blu-Shing Toad'

Oxalis triangularis

Abutilon

Clematis

Abutilon

Begonia grandis

A Garden Renovation in Process

In 2010 I began working with a client to renovate her existing garden. Some of our goals were to create separate but connected areas of the garden, gain more visual movement throughout the garden, bring higher maintenance plantings closer to the house, create lower-maintenance textural shrub borders and to visually soften an unusual property edge while creating privacy. My first task included removing much of the lawn to allow for deeper planting beds. I created the new lawn edges on site with flags and spray paint. The lawn was cut and soil hauled in the new planting beds.

Organic sweeps of lawn now widen and narrow to help create separation.

The planting on the left was planted in May 2010. The planting on the right is in the process of being planted.

The grass once grew up to the edge of the concrete patio.

The view from the other corner.

Now full of color and texture the planting bed 'holds' the edge patio to create a more comfortable 'garden feel' on the patio.

Summer in Portland!

Summer is here! All of Portland is sighing in relief. Lilium davidii, L. 'Black Beauty', Agapanthus 'Blue Leap', Brugmansia 'Betty Marshall' all bring the much desired summer color into the garden. AND.... the giant Alocasia is growing!!! Its growing!! Seriously, one day before it showed signs of life, I considered buying a replacement because it looked so sad, like brown, crispy paper in the middle of an oversized pot.

Brugmansia 'Betty Marshall'

Eucomis ??? I bought it as E. pole-evansii but it is clearly not.  Its leaves were purple when they emerged, turning green with a wavy margin. 

Eucomis 'Sparkling Burgandy'

The Canna 'Intrigue' begins to make a statement!!

Here it is! Alocasia 'California' emerging....I wonder how big it will become this year?

I'd better remove the maple seedlings from the pot soon!

Lilium 'Black Beauty'

The color is much clearer than this photo reveals with a gorgeous bright, lime green star in the center.

Two unknown Clematis cultivars...

Rhodochiton atrosanguineum

With the summer warmth, one of the Musa basjoo clumps had formed a thicket! After some pruning (lazy style...just cut the trunks) beautiful dappled light falls through the trunks.

Happy Summer!!!