Frazzled Friday

It's been an interesting week.  The weekend was well spent working in the greenhouse, mowing the lawn, and planting a few thousand bulbs.  (Only 50 'Fire of Love' tulips, grown more for their foliage than their flower,  to plant!)  On Monday I was feeling a bit run down and fell asleep while reading a story to my kids and again during a meeting after school.  On Tuesday, I went to the doctor to find that I had strep throat and an ear infection, got some antibiotics, and took a couple of days off work to rest.  I feel much better but haven't been our and about much so today, I'm posting some pictures I took just after I got home on Thursday as it was getting dark.

The Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' in the front parking strip is looking lovely in bloom!

A second clump is a nice contrast to Melianthus major 'Antonow's Blue' 

The yellow autumn leaves of Poncirus trifoliata 'Flying Dragon' are glowing. 

Grevillea victoriae, is starting it's winter bloom cycle.

There are lots of spots like this in the parking strips where 500 Crocus tommasinianus are nestled in the soil for an early spring treat.  This type of crocus corm is supposed to be less attractive to squirrels.  It's always interesting to see where the squirrels replant things!

 The buds of Fatsia japonica, so similar to those of  Hedera helix (English Ivy,) both members of the araliaceae family.

Phytolacca americana berries looking quite showy.  The birds will enjoy these later in the year!

Another Acer palmatum putting on it's autumn finery.

The fish are not amused by all of the leaves blowing into their pond!  By the way, the experts who warn against locating a pond beneath trees are correct.

Wishing everyone a great weekend!

Visiting Solabee and Boys' Fort

This summer, during the Garden Bloggers' Fling in Portland we often walked around the neighborhood around the hotel.  On one of these walks, we found Boys' Fort and Solabee.  Unfortunately they were closed and would be during the time that I wasn't attending fling events.  Fortunately, Tom was free during the day so he explored for me this store that looked so interesting from the sidewalk.  Here's some of what he saw.

If this looks familiar, you may remember Loree's visits here. 

This life-sized urinating centaur is quite interesting and hard to miss!

Owl made from shovel blades and other recycled metal pieces. 

 There's something here for just about any garden or interior.  Love the wood floors!

The survival for a year now of my first tillandsias has made me even more crazy about them.  Solabee had many that were beautifully displayed.  I asked Tom to pick up three that we'd seen in the window that were hanging upside down from sea urchin shells.  They now live in my kitchen window but may take up residence in the greenhouse.

 O.K. I'll do it!

While there are actually two stores, they blend seamlessly together, each complimenting the other.  Cacti, succulents, and tillandsias together.  Works for me!

Tillansia heaven!  I can't wait to visit Portland again and se the inside of this place myself!

 Everywhere you look there's beautiful and interesting stuff!

When you find yourself in Portland, do pay a visit to these two cool shops at 902 SW Morrison;  I know I will!

Until we can visit, we can check them out online here.

Daphne x burkwoodii 'Briggs Moonlight' is My Favorite Plant...This Week

Daphne x burkwoodii 'Briggs Moonlight' has proven to be as fussy as it is beautiful in my garden.  This is my third attempt to grow this shrub in my garden and this time I unceremoniously dumped it into a hole in the root filled compacted soil of a bed with no amendments.  Wouldn't you know, this is the longest that one of these has lived in my garden.

I did this during the heat of summer because that's when I found it at a produce store sitting in full sun, its leaves beginning to scorch.  Wouldn't you know, this is the longest one of these has lived for me.

 There are even some buds being set for the fragrant spring show.

Although the flowers are very nice, it's for the foliage that this shrub is especially prized. 

 It absolutely glows in the shady spots in which it prefers to grow. 

Val Easton wrote in the Seattle Times, "If any of you have successfully grown the seriously variegated and nearly irresistible (meaning I can only resist it now after I've killed it several times)  Daphne x burkwoodii 'Briggs Moonlight,' please send instructions."  

I'm pleased as punch that this one seems like it will live.  Of course, daphnes are notorious for growing beautifully for years and then suddenly dying so I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch!

For more about this gorgeous plant check out Plant Lust and Rainy Side Gardens.

 I'm joining with Loree at Danger Garden in posting our favorite plant...this week.  Join in the fun and show us what plant is catching your eye at the moment.

Fall Progresses

The maples are putting on their autumn show while the Musa basjoo awaits a heavy frost which will turn it brown.  In mild years, that hasn't happened until after Thanksgiving.

The heavy rain and wind have caused this tall grass to lean over all of the plants in front of it, one of the few things I don't like about the taller grasses.

Even as this seed pod ripens on a camellia,

new buds are forming for the late winter and early spring show!

A little soggy and battered, a rose still blooms in the cold autumn air. 

The cyclamen continue to produce beautiful foliage which will be fresh and green all winter, along with the Arum italicum, and then be gone in the summer.

I hope your autumn garden is full of fun surprises!

Greenhouse Progress Update

After a couple of free Saturdays, almost all of the fall bulbs are planted!  Only five hundred crocus and a hundred or so tulips left to go.  I also had the chance to play inside the greenhouse a little bit.  

I couldn't decide which table to use so why not both?  The rug came from Dig Nursery many years ago.

There are more retro light fixtures to hang yet but its a start.  The wood panels in the background were saved from the dumpster about 10 years ago and have been sitting around .  Should I paint the wood part of the screens? 

A couple of other things that have been hanging around, the shelf came from the glass room where plants used to spend the winter.  The legs were in the garden for years.  I'm thinking that it needs a plant cascading over it.

There are still plants that need to be potted up but ther's no hurry now that they're safely inside. 

More plants keep finding their way inside.

 There are now clear strings of lights on every third truss thanks to Tom's work.  They are lovely at night!

This crazy Albuca bracteata (Pregnant Onion) has decided that it likes having really long leaves.  I'm wondering if keeping a Yucca 'Bright Star' inside will keep it from getting those irritating brown spots.

Space reserved for the geranium cuttings when I get them into pots.

I'm hoping that the brugmansias will bloom on and off this winter. 

The table was a garage sale find that also used to live in the glass room. 

 That's all for now but even after taking the pictures, I was adding more stuff.  I'm having a lot of fun with this space which last year at this time was a total mess!

 Happy new week!