Garden Gal

Why Portland is called the City of Roses

2011-06-12T22:03:00.000-07:00

I stopped to smell the roses the other day...and I took their pictures too!

Color!

Size...this one was as big as a salad plate!

Fragrance!

Contrast!

This was my favorite...a mama and her babies!

A Garden Parfait

2011-05-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

A client wanted a little curb appeal in front of her shop on NE Alberta Street. Garden Gal to the rescue! We started with ginormous galvanized tubs that normally provide beverages to farm animals. Then we added layers...just like a parfait.

First layer: River rock. Lots of it. The rock has 2 purposes...to provide drainage and to make sure the containers don't get "borrowed" by someone.

Next layer: add landscape fabric to to help keep soil from slipping through the rocks. Water will drain through, so our plants don't drown.

Bark dust follows. This was done simply as a cost saving measure...Bark dust costs much less than planting soil.

Next, we add a layer of about 9" of enriched planting soil.

And here's our final product...filled with grasses and perennials!

A beautiful garden parfait!

Spring in a Minute

2011-03-04T20:16:00.001-08:00

It's been a long, cold, wet winter (again) here in Portland. The ground is beginning to yield to some sweet green sprouts but the pots and urns are still sadly wanting...
Garden Gal to the rescue!

Voila!...a pot of lovely color and texture...Tete a Tete Daffodils, Ruby Red Tulips and miniature Iris plants just make the world a little brighter. Yes?

Helpful Hint from Garden Gal: Plant bulbs deep in your containers. Later in the season, add summer annuals in soil on top of them. The bulbs will sleep all year and wake up again to let you know that Spring is on it's way!

Garden Gal designs containers too!

2010-11-15T14:27:00.000-08:00

Call me at 503-757-5563 to chat about your custom designed seasonal planters and pots.

Table Arrangements for Fall

2010-11-04T22:27:00.000-07:00

Do you have pumpkins and squash lying around the house looking for something to do?
Use them as vases for gorgeous fall colors...

I cut a hole around the top of the pumpkins and squash and dug out the seeds with a teaspoon. Then I headed outside with my clippers and found beautiful and FREE bits of nature in the garden. (From L to R) Burgundy Heuchera leaves, Autumn Fern and Sweetbox sprigs and stems of variegated Hypericum. Or....

Sweet potato leaves with Valerian blooms, fabulous Ivy blossoms and blue Salvia with lime green Sedum Stonecrop. Use what you have in your own garden to make beautiful and unusual arrangements for your Thanksgiving table!

Autumn in Portland, Oregon

2010-10-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

Aren't we lucky?

Wanda's Garden

2010-09-07T09:53:00.001-07:00

We recently discovered a delightful and delicious cafe in Nehalem on the Oregon Coast. The best thing about Wanda's (besides the Eggs Benedict) is the small but lush garden by the back patio. Here's a little taste...pun intended.

White Mallow

Japanese Anenome

Oxalis (aka: Shamrock)

The Buddah of Breakfast

Tasmanian WHAT?

2010-08-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

This, my friends, is the Tasmanian Devil. In real life, the Tasmanain Devil is a carnivorous Australian marsupial. The cartoon version is brought to us by the creative folks at Looney Tunes.

This lovely garden friend is a Tasmanian VINE...a unique evergreen vine from Tasmania, Australia. The foliage is evergreen and dainty with dark green slender leaves. The vine loves to climb a trellis or fence. It can grow between 6'-8' and will thrive in a protected area in partial sun. In the spring, it has greenish-yellow trumpet-shaped flowers that fade to lavender. But the real treat comes in late summer...

The berries look like teeny, tiny eggplants and they last into winter...Charming!

White Plums

2010-08-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

A perfect white plum on a perfect summer night. Corvallis, Oregon 8/4/10 8:10 P.M.

The Ariadne Garden

2010-07-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

There is a fantastic community garden in our neighborhood. The Ariadne Garden is located on a site in NE Portland where 2 houses burned down years ago. Farmed and tended by volunteers, it is a neighborhood haven...thriving and buzzing with activity all spring and summer. The harvests include yummy vegetables and beautiful flowers. The fruits of the labor are: donated to elderly residents of the area, sold to help defray costs (Compost! Water bill!), and the remainder is divided between the workers.

“How deeply seated in the human heart is the liking for gardens and gardening.”
~Alexander Smith
Scottish poet

A gardener's delight on the Oregon coast

2010-06-29T17:23:00.001-07:00

I have discovered a wonderful treasure for gardeners in Nehalem, Oregon. Taylor's ~ A Garden Place ~ is a small, well-stocked nursery with a great staff. (That's my Emma on the front porch.)

This is Adrienne, the owner, tending to Primroses. She is a garden gal after my own heart.

Flowers, plants, containers and garden art...

Shiny and practical garden tools, destined to be covered in mud and compost!

Adrienne always has great selection of seasonal plants. I bought 2 Gaura and a Jacob's Ladder. Stop by & say hello the next time you are in Nehalem!

A Love Story

2010-06-04T14:26:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time, in a very soggy Portland garden, a grey-green leafed Rosa Glauca and a candy colored Columbine (that moved here all the way from Santa Barbara!) lived together in perfect harmony.

What's blooming this week in Portland

2010-05-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

Peonies! I drove past a house in my neighborhood the other day and caught sight of these gorgeous blooms at 35 MPH! Took my camera back today and met Karen, the mistress of the peonies. I have seen red, white and pink varieties, but never this sort of salmon-y color. Karen tells me this one is called "Hawaii". The blooms are about the size of a dinner plate!

Peonies are perennials that love sun here in the northwest, but need some cover in warmer climates. It's a good idea to stake the plants as they grow, or the heavy blooms will tip the branches to the ground. Don't plant them too deep...the "eyes" of the bulb like to be only about 2" below the soil. And they don't like to be moved once established. A bit high maintenance perhaps, but totally worth it!

What's blooming this week in Portland

2010-04-22T08:15:00.001-07:00

“Just now the lilac is in bloom, all before my little room.”
~ Rupert Brooke (English Poet, 1887-1915)

A transformation!

2010-04-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I freshened up a garden bed for a lovely new client. When I started, it looked like this:

Three hours later, it looked like this:

I planted a mix of Hostas, Ferns and Brunneras. By summer, it will start to fill in, by next year, it will be gorgeous! Need your own garden renewal? I'm here to help! Call 503-757-5563 or email: dotproblem@msn.com.

What's blooming this week in Portland

2010-03-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

Flowering Currant (Ribes) is an early spring delight. A deciduous shrub that has a similar growth pattern to a Lilac, this plant blooms and begins to leaf out around the same time as spring bulbs. These plants prefer sun to light shade and can grow as high as 15'. Currants are favorites of many of our garden visitors....birds, bees and butterflies. The bloom color ranges from a butter cream color to deep red. This Currant is the Mary's Peak variety...peachy and beautiful!

Here's a closer look....

What's blooming this week in Portland

2010-03-04T21:08:00.000-08:00

Grape Hyacinth are one of the earliest bloomers in spring. They are planted as bulbs and tend to multiply quickly when planted in good soils. They prefer well drained sandy soil, that is acid to neutral and not too rich. Grape Hyacinth be found in woodlands or meadows, they are commonly cultivated in lawns, borders, rock gardens and containers. They require little feeding or watering in the summer, and sun or light shade. The blue color makes this a perfect companion plant to yellow daffodils and white snowdrops. A true harbinger of spring!

What's blooming this week in Portland

2010-02-22T17:11:00.000-08:00

Candytuft is an early season delight. In full bloom now, this versatile evergreen plant is very easy to grow. Candytuft prefers full to partial sun and a well drained soil. These perennial plants are perfect for rock gardens. They do well in average or poor soils, and tolerate dry soil conditions. Water them during dry periods, once or twice per week.

Spring is springing in Portland!

2010-02-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

Hooray! The first sign of the season...Snowbells bounding up from the earth to show off their delightful shape.

Call Garden Gal for fresh and lovely garden ideas for Spring! 503~757~5563

What's (still!) blooming this week in Portland

2009-11-01T18:04:00.000-08:00

Beautyberry (Callicarpa) is a garden favorite for so many reasons. It provides color and interest in the garden well into October. This deciduous shrub grows between 4' - 6' tall and is adaptable to both a sunny location and to partial shade. Left to it's natural growth, it has a lovely draping shape. In the spring, tiny blooms appear on the stems, but the real treat happens in the Fall. Clusters of purple-pink berries cover the branches. They look a little bit like bubble gum balls, don't they?
You can read more about Beautyberry here.

Putting the Garden to Bed for Winter

2009-10-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

Step 1: Begin with a gorgeous Fall day. We won't have too many more like this for the next 6 months here in the great Northwest.

Step 2: Find yourself a willing assistant. It helps if he sings "The Bear Necessities" while collecting leaves.

Step 3: Find a place to start, cut off all dead stuff and remove weeds...

so it looks like this....

Step 4: Put down a nice warm blanket of leaves. Mine were graciously provided by our Japanese Maple.

Try to keep in mind that your assistant might get distracted...

Step 5: Cover the leaf blanket with a comforter of good, rich and smelly compost.

And voila! Your garden is ready for a long winter's nap.

What's blooming this week in Portland

2009-09-16T20:33:00.001-07:00

Japanese Anemone...a wonderful late summer bloomer. A great addition to any garden...at it's best when many other flowers have given up for the summer! The flowers look similar to poppies and bloom on tall stems that rise above the foliage. A fabulous cut flower! Anemones grow from 1'-5' high. They like a little protection from other plantings or trees, and do best in dappled sun (above). However, I have seen them planted and thriving in full sun (below) and also in full shade. Anemones are quite the adaptable perennial!

Beech Street Garden Tour

2009-08-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

My new friends Will and Steven invited me over for a tour of their garden. It's a fantastic melange of flowers, hostas, vines, conifers, water, garden art, trees and even a greenhouse full of cactus! C'mon, let's have a look....

Our host Steven in the back garden...

A garden flower created (from the outside in) out of a glass platter, a wire basket, a glass lampshade, a napkin ring and a vintage earring. Charming!

What's blooming this week in Portland

2009-08-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

Japanese Lantern (also called Chinese Lantern) Physalis alkekengi is a lush, sun loving perennial. The foliage is pretty and long-lasting, the white flowers in summer feed the bees and best of all, the bright orange fruit coverings in fall look like tiny paper lanterns. Just in time for Halloween and Thanksgiving flower arrangements!

Japanese Lanterns are very hardy in a warm spot, but be careful to not over-water, they don't like to have wet feet. They grow 2-3' tall and wide and send new shoots out in the most surprising directions! A delightful garden element, but keep your eye on them or they will take over...make sure they know who's boss!

Craig and his Craig's List Edger

2009-08-07T23:11:00.000-07:00

This is our dear friend Craig and his new gardening toy. He found a true gem on Craig's (no relation) List.

It's a vintage King O' Lawn gasoline powered lawn edger circa 1950's. The sound it makes is a total throwback to my childhood, and it sparks a little if you scrape the concrete!

I love the little guy made from a letter "K" wearing a crown. Happy Edging Craig!

What's blooming this week in Portland

2009-08-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

Rose of Sharon...aka Hybiscus Syriacus, a late summer garden delight. This flowering shrub can grow 8'-10' tall. They love full sun and well-drained soil. The large blooms range in color from red to pink to lavender. You can see more varieties here. My personal favorites are the white ones. If you look closely, you can see a honey bee gathering pollen.

In the late evening, the blooms almost glow...Gorgeous!

What's blooming this week in Portland

2009-07-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

Clematis is a lovely and vigorous vine, a gift that keeps on giving. Bloom times vary depending on variety, so with careful planning, a gardener can enjoy different types of Clematis flowering from early Spring through Fall. Wickipedia states that there are 297 species of Clematis! Aren't we lucky? For more photos showing the variety of color, size and shape of blooms, click here.

What's blooming this week in Portland

2009-07-15T12:37:00.001-07:00

Delightful Crocosmia (a.k.a. Montbresia) is in full bloom, while we are enjoying plenty of sunshine here in the Northwest. They are easy to grow from corms (similar to bulbs), they thrive in full sun and will come back year after year. The plants grow from 2-4' high and the blooms are similar to freesia. There is also an orange version and a scarlet red variety called "Lucifer" ~ Devil's Flower! Link here for more information.

Bug & Bloom

2009-06-29T23:33:00.000-07:00

This little creature is bringing luck into my garden. And searching for aphids. I hope she invites all of her friends over too!

What's blooming this week in Portland

2009-06-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

Mountain Laurel is a beautiful evergreen shrub. Here in the northwest, it blooms in early summer. It makes a wonderful hedge and can grow as tall as 20 feet. The flowers are delicate and look like little frilly cups...turn them over and they look like little wedding cakes!
You can read more about Mountain Laurel here.

What's blooming this week in Portland

2009-06-15T17:55:00.000-07:00

The Passion Flower in all it's glory! This sun loving vine can grow 15 feet in a season. The magnificent blooms remind me of a sea creature living in a coral reef. This vine is living on my front porch in Portland, Oregon. Bees love it! Birds love it! Butterflies love it!

The name is not derived from the carnal sense of the word "passion", but has a religious connotation. Read on for more information courtesy of The Garden Helper:

The Passion flower, cultivated throughout most of the country, and sometimes grown as a house plant, was named by early missionaries in the early 1500s. They believed that several parts of the plant, including the petals, rays, and sepals, symbolized features of the crucifixion of Christ.

These 3 inch diameter flowers are very unique and beautiful. They begin blooming in July and continue until frost. The vines can easily grow up to 15 feet in a season. Grow it on a fence or trellis, or simply allow it to scramble over your shrubs and trees.

The fruit produced by this plant is an oval berry, a little larger than a chicken egg. Passion fruit is edible, but seedy. It can be used to make jelly, but its best usage may come from being a food source for several species of butterfly and their larvae.

What's blooming this week in Portland

2009-05-02T19:42:00.001-07:00

This gorgeous little cloud of blue is called Pulmonaria. It is a perennial herb that grows in mounds of spotted leaves with clusters of blue (or pinky blue) blossoms. The plants like semi-shade which makes Pulmonaria a great choice for gardens here in the northwest. Here's more info from Wikipedia:

The lungworts are the genus Pulmonaria of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae, native to Europe and western Asia, with one species (P. mollissima) east to central Asia. According to various estimates there may be between 10 and 18 Pulmonaria species found in the wild, but the taxonomy of this genus is very confusing.

The scientific name Pulmonaria is derived from Latin pulmo (the lung). In the times of sympathetic magic, the spotted oval leaves of P. officinalis were thought to symbolize diseased, ulcerated lungs, and so were used to treat pulmonary infections. The common name in many languages also refers to lungs, as in English "lungwort" and German "Lungenkraut". In some East European languages, the common name is derived from a word for honey, e.g. Russian "medunitza" and Polish "miodunka".

English colloquial names include Lungwort, Soldiers and Sailors, Spotted dog, Joseph and Mary, Jerusalem Cowslip, Bethlehem Sage.

Where the fairies live...

2009-04-27T19:31:00.001-07:00

This is my neighbor's garden. I just know this is where the fairies gather to discuss important topics, knit....and gossip!

and this is where they sleep, in a bed of violets..

Crocus and Bees

2009-03-16T14:46:00.001-07:00

Hooray for Flowering Current!

2009-03-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

I have 2 Flowering Currents. The one in the back gets less sun and is not doing anything. But look at the one in the front! Yeah....Spring!

Crocus in Wilshire Park

2009-03-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, dear reader, Spring is finally coming to the northwest!
On a walk in the park, I first saw a smattering of lavender crocus...

A few feet away, there was a larger smattering....

And then I looked a bit further, and this is what I saw...

What a sight to behold!

Bougenvelias know when they are loved...

2009-02-19T09:48:00.000-08:00

I grew up in Southern California ~ the land of Bougenvelia ~ and though most people there think of it as not-that-special, I have always loved it. Actually, it is one of the few things I miss about California. But alas, all of my adult life, I have lived places where it is just too cold for Bougenvelia to thrive.

Last summer, my daughter and I took a road trip to Bainbridge Island to see my old friend Joan. I found a glorious Bougenvelia at a nursery there. It really did make me swoon. I brought it home and it held its own through fall, then started to look very dead. But all winter, I kept it inside, in a south facing window. I watered it (but not too much) and tried to convince it that we live in Santa Barbara. My fussing must have paid off...Look! It started to bloom...and it's only February! Don't you just love nature?!

What's not to love?

2009-02-13T22:55:00.000-08:00

We don't have much sprouting from the ground yet in Portland, but look at this happy little burst of gorgeous color I saw today! The arrangement was created by Ink & Peat and sat on the counter at Caffe Destino, my favorite neighborhood coffee place. I love the colors and all the textures...orange roses and alstromeiria, white stock, green kale, and bits of pink heather just for fun. So friendly and cheerful!

Optimistic Rhodys

2009-02-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

Rhododendrons are ubiquitous here in the northwest, but February is a little early for the blossoms to come out. The other day there was snow in the forecast, but these pink blooms just wanted everyone to know who's boss. Pink and sweet and a harbinger of things to come....

Dahlias are delightful

2009-02-02T21:39:00.000-08:00

After all these months of grey and rain and cold, I thought we could all use a little color! These dahlias were at a farmer's market on Whidbey Island last September. I kept the image because it feels so warm and cheery....it's good to remember that Spring is just around the corner!

Daffodils on a Thursday morning

2009-01-22T11:16:00.001-08:00

These soon to be lovelies are just beginning to show. I plan to take a photo of them each Thursday morning until they are in full bloom. Let's watch them unfold together!

A still life in the birdbath

2009-01-12T23:31:00.000-08:00

Hydrangeas on the Oregon Coast

2008-08-19T18:24:00.001-07:00

The hydrangeas are in all their glory on the coast...Here are a few shots I took over the weekend. Enjoy!

Fairy Garden

2008-06-11T23:08:00.000-07:00

I noticed some new plantings by the driveway at my son's school. On closer inspection, I saw that the pre-K class had planted a spring garden! A construction paper poster decorated with flowers and all the kids' names hung proudly above the flower bed. What a lovely gift they gave to the school and the community!

A rose for my Dad

2008-06-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

My dear dad was born on the 4th of July in 1925. He will be 83 this year! This rose knocked me out when I first saw it in my neighborhood. It's a happy climber and no two blooms look alike. Looks like fireworks, right? I did a little homework and found out this variety is called "Fourth of July". Happy Birthday Dad!

One Glorious Peony

2008-05-19T22:11:00.000-07:00

Look what popped open in the garden today! The color! The scent! Hooray for peonies!

Spring has sprung in Portland...finally!

2008-05-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some random shots I took while gardening recently:

An ocean of cerenthe...sweet hellebores...and sizzling pink fringe flower (WoW!)