Friday Leftovers

A roundup of leftover shots that didn't  fit into any other post. 

I loved the pineapple container with tillandsia. Since both tillandsias and pineapples are part of the same family, the inside joke made me smile.  Tillandsia is now turning red which means that blooms will appear soon. 

Big brother, variegated pineapple, watches from a high shelf. 

Some more weird plants. 

Strange sea creatures. 

Sometimes it's difficult to know what's eating plants in the greenhouse; other times it's a bit more obvious.

Another new agave - A. murpheyi 'Engard' is supposed to be hardy 50 10 - 15 degrees.  Perhaps we'll put it to the test this winter.

While the tillandsias in the greenhouse get a hosedown everytime I water, those in the house get a weekly (when I remember) soak.

All of my brugmansias have decided to put on the biggest show of the year to celebrate the end of summer.  Pay no attention to the multiple tubs in the background temporarily housing plants removed from the New Zealand garden.

Once again, the race is on between the first freeze and the buds on one of the tetrapanax. Which will win this year?

Early autumn view from the back porch.  The brown bit beneath the banana leaf just left of center is my 20-year-old Clerodendrum trichotomum that has for the past few years looked perfectly healthy and in full bloom then suddenly wilted and dropped it's leaves. In the past it's just been a branch or two but this year, the whole thing  did it.  Supposedly unaffected by verticillium wilt, this Clerodendrum has me stumped as this looks exactly like that disease.   Oh well, we'll wait and see what next year brings.  Maybe I'll have a big new space to work with. 

The curtains in front of the wicker throne have come down for the season and the view is now more expansive.

A few bromeliads have made their way back into the house but this weekend, the migration starts in earnest.   Hope you have a plant-filled weekend!

Garden Stalking

My garden pal, Alison, wasn't able to make it to the plant swap in Portland this year but a couple of people brought plants just for her so I happily brought them back.  Since they were already in the car, and my Sunday job is closer to Alison's place than my house, I decided to deliver them.  Since I'd not called first, it was best to just hide the plants among some others and not knock.  However, a few pictures got taken of Alison's front porch cast of characters. I laughed out loud at the cow figurine in the Agave bovicornuta (Cow Horn Agave.)

They say that gardens reflect the personality of the gardener.   Seems about right as Alison is full of fun and loves a good joke!

I love these glasses!  Alison found a pair for me a few years back and I think of her whenever I see them in my own plants.

I peeked insider her greenhouse which is nearly empty so there'll be space for most of these this winter.

Best not to think of the autumn migration at the moment and simply enjoy the outdoor fun for as long as we can.

What fun to see this colorful and fun-filled fabulousness!  

Wednesday Vignette - Car Shopping

After nearly 20 years and over 300,000 miles, Tom's Honda Accord was costing more to keep running than a car payment.  Add to that the lack of A/C and the lake that formed on the floor of the driver's side every time it rained.  It seemed like time to bid adieu to that vehicle.   Looking for something that would get good mileage, was fairly inexpensive,  and would have space for plants should we take his car on a trip the choice came down to these two.

After great deliberation, the Honda Fit was the choice as the back seats fold in such a way that makes quite a bit more space than the shopping cart attachment on the pink model and it's covered so the wind won't ravage exposed plants on the drive home.  Hope he made the right decision.

Wednesday Vignette is hosted by Anna at Flutter and Hum.  Click here to see more!

I Wasn't Going to Bring Anything Home!

On Saturday, I drove to Portland to attend the Garden Bloggers of Oregon Plant Swap.  The Oregonians are kind enough to allow me, a Washingtonian, to participate in these events.  The swap always takes place in someone's garden I'll give you a clue as to who was our host this time.

Let's see, who likes spiky plants, agaves in particular?

The chocolate-colored house and front garden.  You've certainly guessed by now.

Yup, the swap was at Loree's (Danger Garden) place.  Here she is talking with Ricki (Sprig to Twig) and Patricia (Plant Lust)

Some of the many plants that filled Loree's driveway. I'm usually better at taking pictures of all the participants but was so excited to see everyone and Loree's fabulous garden that I didn't take many people shots this time.  On the far right are  Amy (The World's Best Gardening Blog) and Anna (Flutter and Hum.)  This was a great opportunity to find new homes for many of the plants that otherwise would have taken up space in the greenhouse this winter.  The plant mobile was full on the way down and my goal was to not bring anything home from the swap.  However, three plants did somehow find their way into my car along with several pots (Thank you Loree and Matthew) and a couple bags of potting soil. (Thanks Dale.)   What fun!

The belle of the ball was definitely Matthew's new love, Cosette.  Nothing like puppy cuteness to make everyone's heart melt.

Loree's holding tank. 

Here are a few more plant/garden shots.  Not a full tour, just a few glimpses between conversations. 

Hey dork, don't photograph your own shadow!

This is a garden that excites me, not only for the impeccable style but because I love and also have so many of the unusual plants  found tucked in all over the place.  Loree and I both have a rather large autumn plant migration looming.  Oh well, a few plants a day and before you know it, it'll be done, right?

Tephrocactus articulatus v. diadematus (pine cone cactus) drew a lot of comments.

The shade  pavilion.

Loree seems to have developed a love of garden gnomes as they were all over her garden.  Hmm.

Believe it or not, I didn't visit any nurseries while I was in Portland.  My goal is to not bring another plant home until my pot ghetto is empty.

Thank you Loree and Garden Bloggers of Oregon for letting me participate in this fun event!  

In a Vase on Monday: Saying Goodbye

On Saturday morning, as I was loading the plant mobile to head to Portland for the Garden Bloggers' Plant Exchange, a nice man from the city was out spray painting parts of our sidewalk.  I asked him what he was marking for.  Turns out that, although the city had put ramps on the sidewalks a few years ago, they are now not ADA compliant and need to have those yellow rubber bubble things on them. (The ones that I always trip on.)  The gentleman was very nice about letting me know that the crew would cut things back as necessary but recommended that I might want to do it myself as the concrete crew was not always very gentle.  He also made recommendations about which plants he though might live through the assault and which should be moved if I wanted to be sure they survived.  Most of Sunday Afternoon was spent digging up plants in the New Zealand bed that was just starting to fill in.  Most of the plants here are now gone and piled up in pots and tubs waiting to be replanted once the job is done sometime in the next couple of months.  Hopefully they'll survive.



Several things in the two parking strips had to be cut back drastically or removed entirely including a nice old rosemary shrub that supplied the neighborhood for years.   Most of it is now in the yard waste bin but I saved a little to dry and use over the winter.  It's easy enough to replace but I'll miss it's winter blooming ways this year.  Rosemary  from the former shrub makes up the base of today's hastily thrown together vase.

Finally coming to the realization that I can't grow every plant in existence on my small urban lot makes saying goodbye to some of them a bit easier.

Saying goodbye to another summer is never easy and as this is the last Monday vase of September, it's becoming ever more difficult act like an annual blooming it's head off pretending that summer will never end.  There were two red-orange blooms still hanging on on Alstroemeria 'Rock 'n' Roll.' I love the variegated foliage of this one but the color of the blooms doesn't really go with the foliage all that well so off with their heads.  Joining them are some coleus cuttings that I'll root and try to keep alive during the winter for next year's fun.  Behind the arrangement is one of the bromeliads that vacationed outside this summer.  After it's cleaned up, the dead foliage removed, it will bid farewell to it's outside digs to spend the next seven months or so being enjoyed inside.  The migration has begun.

Goodbye summer,  September, and  rosemary,   It was fun while it lasted!  Rosemary has long been associated with remembrance and death.  As one season dies, another is born. As the fragrance of rosemary still greets my nose from my hands and clothes, I'll remember the season that was and look forward to the one to come.  Hello pumpkin spice, warm autumn colors, sweaters, bulb planting, and candles.  (I don't much burn them in the spring and summer.)

I'm grateful for so many things, including the wonderful Cathy at Rambling in the Garden who hosts In a Vase on Monday.  Click here to join the fun.

Revisiting The Brindley Garden

I had the pleasure of visiting the glorious garden of Sam and Karen Brindley garden for the first time in July of last year.  (post here.)  When pal Loree told Alison and I that she'd be coming up our way this August and wanted to visit Windcliff and Far Reaches Farm, we suggested that she might also like to visit the Brindley garden which was also open that day.  Her post is here.  Another post with lots of pictures so I'll try not to say much.

Gorgeous plantings along the driveway.

Love this!  I learned that Karen made them (there are a pair) and is selling her wares at a farmer's market.  (Maybe Indianola?)  Must visit the farmers market next summer!

I love how the espaliered tree frames the brugmansia in the background. 

Yucca 'Margaritaville' is a favorite of Shayne Chandler, the garden's designer and there are several gorgeous specimens in the garden.  One seldom sees them at nurseries here for some reason but I have several that were given to me by Hoover Boo.

I love before, during, and after shots!

Fabulous color combination!

Sam is demonstrating that the stone benches are on casters of some sort and move easily. 

Agave parryi looking very happy growing in a rock wall. 

So many areas and moods in this garden.

The view of the sound and Seattle is spectacular. 

Walking Iris (Neomarica spp.)  new to me.  What a cool plant. but only hardy in zones 10 and 11 so it would need to come inside for the winter.

Back out to the road some more exceptional plantings along the drive. 

Including a couple of happy-looking tree ferns. 

Happy Weekend all!