My final HPSO Open Garden visit of the season...

Dare I say it? The big book of Hardy Plant Society of Oregon member open gardens is down to the final couple of pages. I've gone on what might just be my last open garden visit of the season (for the HPSO at least). Fitting that I end with the garden of the current HPSO president don't you think?

His restraint in container materials was amazing. There were a couple of glazed containers but for the most part they were all cement. The calm grey really allowed the plants to shine.

The clean lines and color of the house did the same.

I hope Jane doesn't mind that I share this picture of her, taking a picture. She just looks so at home in this garden...

The tall white bottle brush-like blooms in the photo of the palm and front door (above) belong to this Cimicifuga (I think that's what it is?). Isn't it gorgeous?

The little white star flowers are pretty wonderful to, but I've forgotten their name!

This simple rectangular water feature would be very tempting on a hot day. I think there's room for a person in there...

Great reflections too...

Now we've gone around to the back garden...

Lovely Schefflera...

It takes such restraint to leave a container empty...

Nolina 'La Siberica'...someday mine will be this big (hopefully)...

Such a graceful plant.

The blob on the right is Grevillea australis and it was fabulous! I just couldn't get a good shot. I must have one of these.

Grevillea victoriae in front of a Cotinus.

A look back as we descend the steps.

Down to a vegetable garden in the sunny (I'm assuming) used to be driveway...

And a border of opuntia!

Back up in the main garden.

And looking back at the house.

Perfect!

I forgot to ask about the magnolia.

And I'll end with a close up of the deck and fabulous furniture, this was a perfect garden to close an amazing year of HPSO tours...

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

Senecio mandraliscae, my favorite plant in the garden this week…

“Blue Chalk Sticks”…isn’t that the best common name ever? I bet even if you had no idea what the plant looked like you’d conjure up a mental image that came pretty close.

Like many of the plants I yearn for Senecio mandraliscae isn’t hardy in my zone 8 garden. However that doesn’t stop me from enjoying these eye-popping blue sticks. I bought a couple of plants a few years ago and have kept them going via fall cuttings, it’s easy!

Of course I would really rather have a permanent sea of blue like I saw in Venice, CA…

Or at the Huntington Gardens.

But since that isn’t possible I simply cut them back in the fall (crop 2012 shown here), let them dry up a bit (the cut ends need to callus over)…

And then stick them in some soil to over winter.

Easy peasy…anyone can do it! Just a single plant for $3.99 and you’re set for life. Come spring I stick them in the ground (soil and roots or just roots, depending on what comes out of the container) and off they go!

The stats…

• Succulent in the Asteraceae (Sunflowers) family, from South Africa
• Winter hardy in zones 10 and 11
• Eventual size in the ground 1-2ft tall, 3 ft wide
• Drought tolerant, likes full sun to only partial shade

What’s your favorite plant in the garden this week? Please share it with us in a comments…

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

Where do you blog?

This question was recently posed by Hoov over at Piece of Eden. She also asked "what’s your view" and "who (if anyone) stares at you wishing you weren’t blogging." She had a very succinct answer, naturally I do not. Depending on the day, the weather and my mood I blog here…

Or here…

Or here…

And in the same order my views are this…

But my eyes really see this…

This

Or this…

The being who most frequently stares at me and wonders why the keyboard is more important than stomach rubs is this one (blurry phone photo)…

Sometimes she tries to help me blog (or is that tries to prevent me from blogging?)

Sometimes she just gives me the power stare.

And sometimes she just gives up on me.

I occasionally get looks from this one as well.

Although he really is very understanding and supportive of this crazy blogging addiction. So where do you blog?

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