Some plants just require that you pull over for a closer look. These oddballs stopped me dead in my tracks.
1. In-ground Portland agaves
Happy looking Portland Agaves are always worthy of closer inspection so we can try this at home. McMennamins joints have the coolest horticulturalists. Best parking lot gardens ever, hands down.
2. Naturalized in ground Portland agaves at a home without gardening staff
Double points for this surprise crop of agaves that have clearly been here for a while and are happy enough to spread. They probably got lucky with a micro-climate protected from rain under the eaves of the house, with heat radiating from the stone foundation.
3. Black mondo grass vertical wall
Never seen it grown like this before. It takes on a whole new exotic jungle personality when vertical.
4. Hesperaloe blooming… in Portland… in October
In Las Vegas or Palm Springs, sure, no big deal. But in Portland, it’s a rare site.
5. Porch ferns
The ferns are calling from inside the house.
6. Something beautiful this way comes
I don’t know what it is, but I must have it. Anything that looks this beautiful in a misty rain belongs in a Portland garden, even though our rainy days seemed they would never arrive this year.
7. Who needs christmas tree ornaments when you have persimmons dripping from the branches?
Seriously good for fall and winter. You want to look out your window on a chilly day and see these clinging to the bare branches.
8. The creature blooms
Artemisia versicolor ‘Sea Foam.’ Who knew this coral wannabe bloomed?
The leaves are still the coolest part.
9. Dried carnivorous plants
DIY project courtesy of one naughty dog. If you remove your Sarracenia from it’s container, hide it in the garden, and deposit it on your doorstep a month later, you get a quite beautiful and quite dead pitcher plant.
10. It’s a noodle, right?
Stems of an Akebia quinata make quite good props when you want to reenact Lady and the Tramp scenes. It’s a fact.