grand gardening…last installment

dahlias

No such thing as retracing one’s steps to get to point A in this garden. The back way takes us past flowers and vegetables. These dahlias are treated as a crop. I’ll bet there are some spectacular bouquets inside that house.

flowers & veggies

Here’s the path.

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The fence is dressed in a sun sculpture fashioned from rebar. There was some evidence that the fence had doubled as a trellis back when there were beans and peas to climb up it.

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More flower stalks left to dry in place.

overview

Looking back, we can see the pool and the studio and beyond through the plantings.

pots

I loved these pots on the landing between two flights of stairs. There was an identical pair on the other side.

‘Lucifer’

The stairs led us down to the other side of the house, and this large clump of Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’, still in bloom.

rusty gateway

These rusty portals defined a path from the play area through yet another bed.

sunflower sculpture

Where this metal sunflower sculpture mingled with the real thing.

grand entrance allee

A glimpse of the entrance allee. Should you ever rate a dinner invitation, this would be the approach. See the muhly grass bordering the grass on both sides?

red ball sculpture

Working my way around the house, this red orb caught my eye (as did many other things, but my battery was running low, and it was time to thank the host and tear myself away).

Open gardens of every size and description are one of the perks of HPSO membership. You will have a chance to join up if you are one of the lucky Portlanders going to the sale this weekend.

5 thoughts on “grand gardening…last installment

  1. It looks like it wouldn’t take very much effort to get lost in the landscape. How delightful your trip must have been. Love the sculptures and the aeonium ?? planters. I hope you’ll post your purchases from the sale. Maybe you’ll find a variegated comfrey!

  2. Pathetic that I am finally an HPSO member and haven’t made it to a single open garden yet. I vow to do better “next year”….

    Maybe I’ll see you at the sale, although I don’t know if I would remember what you look like! Hope you find some treasures.

  3. Grace~I wasn’t sure what the bluish rosettes in the pot were…is that what you think is aeonium?

    Loree~I’m working, pulling tags and assisting a cashier, on Sat from 12:30-3:30. I’m easy to spot because lately I have been wearing my hair in two goofy-looking ponytails. I would love to see you.

  4. I’m very partial to ‘entrance allees’.
    Always fancied the idea of a 2-mile long one.

    You don’t need to covet their multitude of dahlias.
    At least not for flower arranging: they don’t let themselves be arranged. They are too much like, well, flowers. Unyielding and inflexible, and round. I never bring them indoors. Not that I have had many this year. The snails did. Have many I mean.

    Picture of woman in pigtails ?

  5. Joco~And would there be an imposing manor at the end of your allee, and a team of gardeners to keep it all in trim?

    Actually, I don’t covet THOSE dahlias. The dahlias at Heronswood, woven into mixed borders, are another story.

    Picture? I don’t think so…too embarassing. A haircut will be my reward once I shed 20 pounds.

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