Denial Garden 2012

Last year about this time I came up with the name “denial garden” for the planters in our driveway. From late spring through fall these are home to our vegetable garden, but over winter 2011/12 they were primarily filled with the plants I brought back from our trip through Arizona, New Mexico and the corners of Colorado and Utah. Plants that would not have enjoyed being planted out in my wet cold Oregon soil so late in the season (plants that also helped me deny the fact that it was winter), once spring arrived they were moved into their permanent homes and a fresh round of vegetables starts moved back in.

Seeing those plants as we came and went all winter was a huge boost to my mood, so I took advantage of the space to replant a similar garden this winter, even though there was no trip through the desert to supply the plants. Instead the this version is filled with treasures picked up from the Portland Garden Bloggers plant exchange, the plantlust.com plant swap, the Cistus “tough love” sale and other things that just haven’t found a home yet.

Starting at the far west end...just visible on the left is a black planter full of herbs and a Cardoon. This tank has a mixture of things...

Helleborus argutifolius, I scored this one at the plant lust plant swap. When the Hydrangea comes out early this spring it will move to it's "forever home" for now it's happy here...

This Agave americana 'Variegata' came to me as a gift from my Phoenix brother, it was just a small pup back then. It spends summers in the ground in the back garden, a focal spot next to the path to the patio, but that area doesn't have adequate drainage for the winter rains, so out it comes...

Same story for this cutie...

There are also a few assorted small pups in there, ones I'm practicing a little "tough love" on.

This monster Agave weberi has had a rough life. A gift from my friend JJ (she's not the abuser but rather the original rescuer who passed it along to me) I amputated a few arms and this is the best place I could offer it for rehab. It's a sunny spot, the black container soaks up what ever sun we have and dries out the sharp draining potting mix fast. Plus as you can see the dryer vent right behind it helps to keep things a little warmer and on the dry side too.

The second tank...

The Acacia caven is a current favorite, not just for it's fabulous little leaves...

But for the shadows it casts on the side of the house.

I'm also in love with this Grevillea 'Neil Bell' on the right, to it's left is one of the small Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' I picked up hoping to overwinter and get a cheap jump start next spring. It's twin is in the shade pavilion greenhouse, I figured by splitting them up I had a better chance of one living.

Aren't those red spikes fabulous?

Speaking of spikes...

These (and above) were gifts from Steven (Beech Street Gardens) at the last Garden Bloggers plant exchange.

Don't these new pads look a little like deep sea creatures?

Astelia banksii

A few more pups that came to me as "trades"...

And sharing the pups container, my Clematis tibetana var. vernayi, waiting until it can move into it's home in the spring.

From above...

This fabulous Yucca (maybe Yucca gloriosa 'Variegata'?)...

Already has a trunk! I can't wait to find a spot for it next spring.

As well as for this Beschorneria decosteriana I picked up at Flora Grubb, poor thing has definitely outgrown the small container I put it in.

And finally what's a denial garden without some Opuntia? While most people are into the idea of fall planting I like to save a few things back, just in case winter happens to "open up" a few empty spots in the garden. Where these big guys end up is entirely based on whether or not a few questionable Opuntia already planted out are hardy enough for our winter.

I've already gotten so much enjoyment from this transitional space, I think planting up a temporary garden is officially a winter-time tradition now.