Mass planting has its place, as evidence by the Hakonechloa shown above in my previous garden. People couldn’t resist petting it when they walked past. It was a such successful grouping, mentioned by Ms. Nestmaker way back when. I actually put that together, and then loved it. Isn’t that the greatest thing about gardening? You plant things, and often get even more spectacular results than imagined. It still surprises me no end, the great things plants do.
Have you ever noticed, the more you see, the more there is to see.
plant lust has changed my life in so many ways. I love working here. And by here, I mean at home with computer, cats literally on my keyboard, and the garden steps away. My boss, Megan, who says she isn’t my boss, is most definitely no slave driver–except insofar as it applies to herself.
In the beginning, what I didn’t know was legion. As irony would have it, the more I’ve learned, the worse it’s gotten. Oh I have learned tons, I’ll give you that, but it’s like anything you examine closely, the more you look at it, the more you realize there is to see. But that’s a good thing, right? Where I used to go awry more frequently, is in believing that I have to know it all before I could even get started. This is incorrect.
Funny how once a decision has been made, it becomes so obvious. I’ve been struggling with the what-to-do-with-the-apple-tree question since we moved to Flamingo Park nine months ago.
I wouldn’t have chosen this tree or sited it center view from the picture window, but the trunk is magnificent. I don’t know the variety—though one outfit thought Gravenstein. It was never a question of the tree itself so much, as it relationship to the rest of the garden.
It might be the first time in history that I didn’t stab myself on this Yucca whipplei, but I was determined to snap photos and not sustain injuries–or pull weeds. It’s mushy in the garden. Even Pumpkin declined her invitation for a walkabout.
There’s nothing like sorting through old garden photos to kickstart a lust list. I meant to be working on my get-it-all-organized project, but I got distracted with what I saw. This must help with my design plans, yes? to know what plants I want. Then I’ll have to figure out how to accommodate in that big open space. I know, it’s bourgeois suffering.
This post is personal, because in this busy brain of mine, all things are connected, and though I mean to write about gardening, I need to write this first. You may stop reading now.
Here it is, one day past Christmas, and I think it’s almost Spring. Apparently, the weather gods have other ideas. Colder temperatures are forecasted this week, but it’s a decent today. High overcast and an occasional peek of blue. (more…)
I’m a prolific idea generator—and some are decent ideas, at that. But I have a bit of trouble realistically estimating time required to implement my ideas, especially amidst the pesky business of life. Without fail, I think: this holiday season will be different. I always pick up a couple of good Christmas gifts way early in the year. And feeling quite proud, imagine I’m in decent shape.
We have two birthdays this month, my husband’s on December 14, and Megan’s on December 27. We make a sincere effort to honor birthdays apart from regular seasonal fanfare. And this has somehow led me to doing next to nothing until Bill’s birthday is neatly tucked away. Then I ask myself this question in alarm: how is it already less than a week before Christmas? And what is it that I need to do again? This part is a little murky, because truth is, my forever holiday goal is: Do less. Enjoy more. Engage creatively.
Winter is a great time to appreciate year round punch. The bones of a good tree, fruit laden shrubbery, spiky plants scoffing at cloudy skies. The bark of Crape Myrtles, Stewartias, and Japanese Maples, ooh la la. Confiners busy on double duty, sinewy structure through lush green foliage. Enough to set a gardener’s heart aflutter.
There’s so much to see and love in the dark days of winter. Miscanthus and Carex still strut their stuff. The Concordia Campus gardens look almost as good as at the height of the season. And the Barberries, holy moly. I have way under appreciated their colorful contribution to the garden.
And birds. The yard is full of birds. All the usual suspects: Sparrows, Chickadees & Bushtits, American Robins. Northern Flickers visit regularly, and yesterday three at once. We’ve also had some more unusual visitors, the Spotted Towee , Varied Thrush, and Western Tanagers. Pretty pretty birds. I have feeders outside my work area, but I need to step up with more plants to satisfy the birds and bees. It’s such an essential element. Where have I been? I’ll tell, you, buying and planting things willy nilly, that’s where.
One surprising winter heartthrob under our Pacific Northwest Skies is an enormous Agave in northeast Portland. Likely a Agave salmiana var. ferox per Greg Shepherd of Xera Plants, though the stats claim it doesn’t grow here. I happened by it last week, and took a moment to swoon. The Agave is perfectly sited, south facing on a hillside with tons of drainage. Gardeners around these parts know and love it. Danger Garden‘s take here. Even the pup is outstanding. (One day, it’d be fun to list all the Bloggers who’ve done a post on this specific plant.) This might just be the year to head out Cistus Nursery on Sauvie Island to find a big fella of my own—because I now have an ideal spot at Flamingo Garden.
Of course there’s a story.
I had this idea I’d be outside working on a few winter-long projects, like removing the mass planted juniper. Turns out, it’s cold out there, and wet. So that means, time for indoor projects. 