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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Random Friday

 Begonia with saxifrage. 

New plant Rodgersia 'Bronze Peacock'  Love this one but need fo find a place for it. 

I've been digging bamboo runners which has left some blank spots.  Colorful annuals to the rescue!
 This used to be a suny part of the garden... 

until someone let this tetrapanax grow.

Looking the other way toward the bamboo grove and new fence. 

New table and chairs found on sale.

Which allows one to sit and and enjoy the Danger Gardenette.  The seating that was here before went to the greenhouse and didn't want to come back.

Meanwhile, the tomato jungle is taking over the greenhouse and hiding a lot of plants.

Loving this hibiscus that wintered over in the greenhouse and decided to stay. 

Really, there are other plants in there. 

Like this variegated banana 'Ai Ai.' I got a tiny start earlier this season and it has grown very quickly. Lovely thing!

New this spring were three seedlings of Jatropha multifida.  They're growing well.  

I don't even like tomatoes this much!
 Update:  I'd purchased basil this spring at the grocery store (the kind with roots attached.) Once the poor plants were butchered, I threw them in soil to see what would happen. Pleased as punch with a continuing supply of basil!


Get outta the way dammit! 

Gloriosa lilies in bud. Will they turn orange as they mature?

Some views from upstairs -  Clerodendrum bungei likes to spread around.  It's blooming early this summer.

Speaking of spreading - more tetrapanax

From the back of the house.  You can see the greenhouse on the left if you look closely.

 See it there behind the bamboo?
Happy weekend everyone.  

36 comments:

  1. I always enjoy the wide shots of your garden, Peter. So much exuberance and whimsy. Do you think yo got a little greedy with the tomatoes in the greenhouse? :-) That's a LOT of tomatoes.

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    1. Thanks Emily. The story of the tomatoes is that I got six packs of seeds, two were gifts of Botanical Interests. It had been years since I started seeds and I'd no idea that the germination rate would be 100% . Anyway, I planted about 1/3 of the flat into 4 inch pots and gave the rest of the seedlings away at work. Next, there were too many 4 inch pots so after they'd grown on, most of them were given away at work. I kept 25 plants. In future, I'll simply buy five or six plants as growing from seed and potting up several times was time consuming and yielded far more plants than I needed. If they start producing heavily, I'll be preserving them and giving lots away. It was a fun lesson.

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  2. Your garden looks magical Peter! Especially love those views through the arches!

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    1. Thanks. I'm going to try making a video with my phone one of these days as your video tours are always such a treat.

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  3. Walking through your garden is a constant act of discovery. So much to see!

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    1. There are lots of things thrown in the small space!

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  4. I like these "Random" posts. So many little surprises and whimseys. I like especially the red begonia, the green seating (the color of which speaks of Loree very well), the Danger Gardenette (cute name). Will someone please tell me why the PNW is so enamoured of tetrapanax?

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    1. We like big leaves and we cannot lie,
      You other gard'ners can't deny
      That when a plant walks in with an itty-bitty waist
      And those big leaves in your face you get sprung...

      Tetrapanax was the it plant years ago when tropicalismo gardening was the hot new trend. The plant itself is one of very few hardy plants that grows to the size of a small tree and has such large leaves.

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    2. Thank you. A poem, gee whiz, that's nice of you. OK. Gotcha. Hardy. Sunset Magazine.

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  5. Like Jane I was going to comment with my stamp of approval for your new seating.

    Last year I was in love with Rodgersia 'Bronze Peacock' and couldn't praise it enough, largely for it's ability to hang on to the dark new foliage color. This year, blah! Washed out in no time. Yours is looking quite sexy though, What's the secret?

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    1. Chartreuse always makes me think of you!

      I'm not sure what they did to it to keep it this color. I just bought it at Vassey a couple of weeks ago just because it still had it's bronze color.

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  6. Rodgersia is new in my garden too this year! I planted two 4" pots from a 50% off sale...can't wait for them to get established. The Hibiscus knocks my socks off; that color combo is ridiculous. The new fence looks great (unpainted); you get the beauty of the natural wood, for a while anyway. I don't remember a bird's view of the garden as lush as this. It looks like a tropical paradise.

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    1. I have a couple Rodgersias in my garden and love them even though one has been chewed by weevils. This variety is a new addition and I hope it keeps it's color for a long time. The hibiscus came from Fred Meyer last year and I loved the colors. I seldom think of taking pictures of the garden from upstairs. It gives a whole different perspective.

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  7. In my experience, ONE tomato plant that has good sized tomatoes will feed two people all winter and leave room for other plants.Remember when Alison removed tomatoes for more important plants for winter?

    Gloriosa Lily. I have intended for years to buy some bulbs.

    Clerodendrum bungei -- I had that once. The fragrance is lovely, like Cashmere Bouquet soap. The leaves are stinky. It never spread freely here; I think it's sensitive to root knot nematodes.

    This is such a fun post. I keep scrolling up and down, looking.

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    1. Good to know. I do remember and come October, the tomatoes will go except one or two.

      This is my fist try with Gloriosa Lilies.

      Clerodendrum bungei spreads a litle too freely but they're easy to pull up.

      Glad you enjoyed the post!

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  8. Everything is so lush and colorful. I love that view towards the bamboo grove!

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  9. The garden looks fantastic - I especially like the vista through the bamboo groves. Just so inviting on a hot day!

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  10. I absolutely love your garden. Your Clerodendrum bungei are so gorgeous. I have one or two coming up here or there. I love your whole stand of them. And I love your pathways with the bricks and things. Just lovely. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thanks Grace! You'll have to visit next time you're in the area!

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  11. What a jungle full of wonderful things, inside the greenhouse and out!

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    1. It's pretty jungle like right now but winter will change that!

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  12. Your wide shots give me a new sense of your garden. It really is a jungle out there. That Tetrapanax is beautiful but also scary. Those tomatoes are a little scary too. (Are any of them named Audrey II?)

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    1. Tetrapanax is easy to pull when it's young and every few years we get a harsh winter that kills them to the ground. The tomatoes are growing very quickly so you might not want to stand still next to them for very long.

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  13. That is so weird about that gloriosa lily being white in bud. My tetrapanax seems to be disciplined from straying by a dry, long summer. Yours does look a little frisky, Peter.

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    1. I've never grown gloriosas before so don't know what's normal. Glad that your tetrapanax is better behaved! You get the pleasure of those cool blooms as well while frost usually wins the race here.

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  14. I love your greenhouse. It has so much character, just like its owner. The Spanish moss dripping from the rafters is magical. I love the gorgeous foliage in the last three shots.

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    1. Thanks, Evan! I'm obviously a fan of foliage. You'll have to stop by next time you're in the area!

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  15. Lovely shots of your garden. What amazing use of foliage to give such a wonderful jungly feel to it. I love it, I wish I could explore it and sit at your pretty new table with a drink. Your greenhouse is looking beautifully jungly too and of course, very tomatoey.

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    1. Thanks Chloris. I'll have a drink waiting for you!

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  16. Throw some of that basil on your tomatoes and you might like them more. I would love to see your garden in person if I ever found myself on the other side of the continent.

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    1. I love tomatoes, especially fresh from the vine and love them with basil, add a bit of fresh mozzarella, a dab of balsamic vinegar - heaven. However, this jungle of plants will probably produce way more than we can use and preserve. Maybe. You are more than welcome to visit if you ever find yourself in the area!

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  17. So much to see, and I now have a much better feel for the layout of your garden.

    That 'Ai Ai' is a stunner. Where did you get it? I saw a program about the Big Island of Hawaii on TV last night, and in one scene there was a large Ai Ai'. I bet most people don't even notice a marvel like that.

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    1. Rare Plant Research in Oregon City always has 'Ai Ai' for far less than I've seen it anywhere else. Gardeners have special eyes!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.