Tetrapanax papyrifer, my favorite plant in the garden…this week.

Coming home from a dog walk I realized that finally it had happened. This was always what I’d envisioned when I’d planted a Tetrapanax in this corner...

They were going great a few years ago but then were knocked back by a tough winter. That resulted in what was two trunks becoming five, so although I had to wait for them to achieve the desired height it wasn’t all bad.

I fondly remember a conversation I had with a nursery person a couple of years ago. I can’t remember how we got on the subject of Tetrapanx but she said “well, really they aren’t what I think of as plants appropriate for front yard”…I couldn’t disagree more, why would you want to hide these plants in the back garden? (well actually you should plant some there too) I love watching people walk by an look at them like they aren’t quite sure what the heck they are.

The stats:

• Hardy in zones 8 – 11
• Can reach an eventual size of 20ft tall and 15ft wide (I imagine they’re including every possible runner in that width)
• Likes part sun to part shade, although these are in what I consider to be full sun
• Likes well drained rich soil with even moisture, although I find them to be fairly drought tolerant

A couple of drawbacks:
The stems and bottom of the leaves is covered with an indumentum which can be a lung irritant to some people. While I have never had a problem when working near them I can say you should never look up while cutting off a leaf above you. The indumentum will fall into your eyes, nose, throat and create quite the painful situation.

Also this plant can send out runners that show up several feet away. This scares many people but I must say they are very easily removed (or moved)...this is no nasty Bishops Weed! I’ve currently got three babies I’m letting grow on to a respectable size before transplanting and gifting to a couple of friends. Plants you like which make more (free!) plants you like is not a bad thing!

As for the blooms they tend to get too late of a start in my climate to do anything before a hard frost cuts them back. Here’s the closest I’ve come to seeing blooms on a different plant (in the back garden) last winter…

By the way few people have mentioned my weekly favorite plant feature could easily become an internet meme for us garden bloggers (like the popular Garden Bloggers Bloomday). I would love it if you were inspired to post about a favorite plant in your garden weekly or monthly. This feature began because I’d notice how good a certain plant was looking and I wanted an excuse to talk about it, to introduce others to it. Isn’t that the best part of visiting a garden, discovering “new to you” plants? So if you’ve at all been tempted to do a similar post then please do it! I’m excited to learn what you're excited about in your garden!

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

And so it begins…

The evening Kym Pokorny visited my garden I noticed her looking intently at the ground around my Tetrapanax, before coming to the door. Odd, I thought. The first thing she said to me (I’m paraphrasing, after all that was a few years ago) was “you put that thing in the ground?”

Why yes I did, and no, I haven’t had any issues…just a couple volunteers when I disturbed the roots or the mama plants froze back, and they were easily removed. But I have a feeling that's all about to change because today I saw this…

A good 7 feet way from the nearest Tetrapanax in an area that I’ve never dug in, oh boy...

Hearing reports of crazy out-of-control Tetrapanax forests I planted my first one in a stock tank.

It’s hardly gone crazy…

I’ve been hoping this one would send up a few babies.

It’s getting so tall it’s sort of silly looking, all by itself.

I guess I know where I’ll be transplanting the volunteers as they pop around the front garden. I wonder if I should warn the neighbors that the invasion has begun?

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

I’m watching you (walking the hood)…

I took a walk around my neighborhood back in early November, taking note of a plants I thought might not make it through winter, depending on what mother nature had in store for us. I thought it would be fun to look back once we were on the other side and see what made it and what didn’t; little did I know we were going to have a fairly mild winter! Of course there is still time for something unfortunate to occur, but with each passing day it becomes a little less likely, thank goodness! Our first contender is this little Aloe, which I think is sold as ‘Pink Blush’ from Proven Winners.

Planted in a raised bed (good drainage) and snuggled up against a container I thought it just might stand a chance at surviving.

This is what it looked like when I walked by a couple of weeks ago…

Not so good.

Just down the street Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' (I think), looking good back then but left out to face winter on its own…

And now…

That’s surprising! I should add it’s planted atop a rocky wall and under overhanging trees. Of course this also means it gets very little direct sun.

Graptopetalum paraguayense (I think) then…

And now…perfect!

Although this one has a few sad leaves. The colors they've taken on are interesting too, some of it is due to the light of the day, and my camera, but the actual plants are looking quite different.

The rest of my “then” photos were all taken at McMenamin’s Kennedy School and with the exception of this photo where the red blooms are really accentuating the green Echium pininana and powder blue Yucca rostrata…

...everything is looking pretty much the same, which is to say great! So the rest of these are all photos taken in February. Here’s a newly planted grevillea getting some protection and being held upright…

My original Magnolia laevifolia crush...

And one of the very first (if not the first) Schefflera taiwaniana that I saw in person (it's grown a lot since then!).

Tetrapanax in the same “pre-bloom freeze” state as mine…

Another of my plant crushes (especially this time of year) Garrya elliptica.

Here we are in my favorite part of this garden, the dry mound…

I don’t recall this agave ever having a bad day. All gorgeous all the time.

Colletia paradoxa (anchor plant), could it be? Uhm…really didn't think that would prove hardy here even in a mild winter...

Their Euphorbia stygiana looks good to…

I ran into these next two characters on my way home. They appear to be taking a rest after a wicked night of debauchery.

I should mention the coldest temperature we've recorded here in Portland this winter (at the airport) was 23F...we've had only a couple light dustings of snow and even though there were couple of pretty cold weeks in January we always made above freezing during the day, which is of course significant for the plants. All in all a pretty great winter! (knocking on wood)

We revisit an extraordinary garden, chapter 2…

Well here we are, in the amazing back garden (yesterday we were out front). As you scroll through these photos you’ll probably notice there are a few that seem to be rather repetitive, but each one features a plant, combo, or view that I felt was important to share. I wish you could have all been there with me as John answered my questions and shared his passion for plants.

We’ll start in the lower part of the garden nearest the house and then move up into the large extended back garden, complete with intersecting pathways and a garden structure with a green roof. Then we’ll circle back toward the house and end up back where we started.

Are you thinking the same thing I was when I saw this Leucadendron argenteum: “How is that going to live through a Portland winter?”…well I’ll point to the equally gorgeous Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea' behind it, which obviously has made it through a couple of winters.

I think John must be a magician with winter protection and live in an enviable micro-climate.

Excellent drainage is also key.

No doubt the shelter provided by the house helps a bit too.

There are so many beautiful things!

Echeveria secunda

Now we are looking at the eastern (I think) edge of the property. Still in the area closest to the house.

Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'

Another Leucadendron argenteum.

Tradescantia 'Godzilla' with Melianthus major 'Purple Haze.'

Yes! That's another one of my obsessions...Adenanthos sericeus or Coastal Woollybush.

Close up...

There are several gorgeous Passion Flower vines in the garden.

Looking back over our shoulder we see the water feature that divides the lower back garden from the upper expanse.

Such a thick layer of leaves...so many textures and colors.

I've admired this plant every year at the Rare Plant Research open house and have almost purchased it multiple times.

Such amazing leaves!

Speaking of amazing, look at that color!

Sigh...

Oh how I want those tall feathery plumes in my garden!

This airy foliage would be welcome too, along with those spikes.

And if Anigozanthos, or Kangaroo Paw, were hardy here...well...LOOK OUT!

A glance backwards before looking to our right...

And the crevice garden! Yes I was inspired all over again.

Behind the crevice garden...

Now turning and looking behind us...

The plants and intersecting pathways make you feel the garden goes on forever...

I wonder how much the Eucalyptus in this garden influenced my desire to have fresh branches through-out our house for the holidays?

Fine foliage...

And bold foliage...

Both are at home here.

Looking back towards the house.

Close-up.

And the green-roof of the new garden structure...

Which you see here on the left (the blue building, the house on the right is a neighbor).

Looking back towards John's house again in the distance with an impressive stand of Tetrapanax on the right.

Close-up.

I think this is a Daphne?...

Look what's lurking behind the Abutilon...Schefflera delavayi!

Again with the fabulous foliage textures.

Now we are back in the lower area next to the house, but on the opposite end of where we started this visit.

Astelia...

Eryngium pandanifolium

And the "blooms"...

Parahebe perfoliata on the right.

And another dreamy powder blue Eucalyptus. I swear I could get lost in there...

Looking back where we've just been.

And towards the water feature again, from another angle.

And finally back where we started.

Amazing! Thank you John for inviting me over for another visit...here's hoping for a mild rest of our winter...