As always there was much to inspire at a recent and wet visit to Cistus. Entering this world-famous Oregon nursery that I am so lucky to have regular access to really does give me the overwhelming feeling of being a kid in a candy store. It's hard to know where to...
Just a quick romp through the fabulous Cistus Nursery on Sauvie Island. We are so lucky in the Pacific Northwest; fabulous nurseries abound. And on a personal note, it was our wedding anniversary, so my husband, Bill, was indulging me. I'm telling you, this dude is a...
Sometimes I marvel when I look back at all the photos. I also worry a little that I missed a lot by constantly taking pictures instead of just using my eyeballs. But that's not right, because I wouldn't remember if I hadn't taken the snap. I dunno. There must be a...
You want to know something funny? Or at least I think it's funny. I'm just as overwhelmed looking at my photos as I was when visiting Huntington Gardens. Is that normal? Have a look see--and tell me what you think. Another lush landscapy vista. A little spiky this. A...
I am a long time proponent of the one-plant-per-pot style of container gardening. Even with succulents I prefer to keep it simple and let that one strong plant stand alone -- all the better to appreciate its features. However as I've said before (for example here)...
I've previously visited The Oregon Garden only in July, you see a very different place in January. Maybe that's why, in past visits, I'd not noticed the small xeric garden to the left of the formal entrance. It doesn't look newly planted. Even if the Yucca rostrata...
Controversy! Some of us at plant lust and friends love snow, and others hate it. I’m in the minority on the love-it side. Snow makes my heart happy. We only see it every few years in Portland, and it’s usually fleeting. I watch the winter weather forecast eagerly,...
I first stumbled upon the concept of a crevice garden in 2011 when I visited John Kuzma's garden in SW Portland. Back then I wasn't exactly sure what I was even looking at, I did however recognize that style of planting was beneficial for drainage-loving plants, like...
No, I’m not talking about the harvest. For most of us autumn means an abundance of falling leaves. Leaves you rake, leaves you use the blower on, and then there are these. These you simply pick up by their stems, almost like you’re collecting a wildflower bouquet. I...
We've all watched new homeowners move in and take over an existing garden. Some work with what they bought, taking out and adding to, making their mark on what was created by another - but now belongs to them. Others opt for the scorched earth approach and can only...