A Visit to Wind Dancer Gardens

Last Sunday, I spent a delightful afternoon in the company of fellow Portland area Garden Bloggers. Scott from, Rhone Street Gardens, organized a trip to the Wind Dancer Gardens, home of Carolyn Kolb. Carolyn ran a nursery for over 14 years and has now moved into Garden Coaching.

Carolyn graciously gave us a tour of her gardens and let us purchase from her remaining nursery stock, which is primarily gorgeous grasses.

We carpooled down to Salem and I enjoyed the lively banter and conversation. Heather, Loree, Scott and I met up with Linda and her husband at the famed gardens. The weather gods spared us the rain and treated us to some sunshine after a week of wet. Here are some of my favorite spots in Carolyn's gardens:

An array of hostas and a 'Ghost' Japanese Painted Fern

This bubbling water feature added a 'serene' element to the gardens

A 'Louie' White Pine set behind spirea and heucheras. I was delighted to finally see a mature 'Louie' White Pine. I have a baby in my own garden now. This tree is a great alternative to the popular 'Chief Joseph' pine. 

Cappuccino Sedge provides a lovely bronze hue around the containers in this part of the gardens.

On the other side of Carolyn's home are gardens featuring taller grasses

Lovely paths, trimmed with color and dotted with artistic flair

Upside down, recycled glass bottles edged Carolyn's covered patio in the back

Inside the Patio, I found a gorgeous, unnamed hosta that I will have to find someday!

The most difficult part of the day was of course, making the decision as to which grasses would be coming home with me

The Path leading out of the back and into front where we loaded up our goods. How many different types of grasses can you count in this picture?

What I most appreciated about viewing Carolyn's gardens was the way she used a variety of elements to create a unique space in every turn of her gardens. Carolyn is known in the Pacific Northwest for utilizing grasses in gardens to create texture and color in ways not common to this area. When she would describe each grass, she would talk about the way it would move in the wind, how it would look in the winter and the colors you would be graced with throughout it's growing season.

I have been very interested in adding grasses to my garden designs. I give full credit to Scott, for introducing the idea to me via his blog.

Grasses create seed heads, perfect for our feathered friends in the winter and the plant can retain a beautiful structure and foliage in the garden during the non-growing months.

A fun piece of garden art near Carolyn's driveway, perfect for the bicycle lover! 

I showed great restraint and only purchased six new grasses. The back of Heather's truck was nearly loaded to the brim with all our new plants.

Many thanks to Carolyn for opening up her gardens and remaining nursery stock to us and to my fellow garden bloggers for making the day an event to remember.

Cheers, Jenni

My Garden's Furry Friends

I love digging in the dirt, wandering around my gardens, admiring my flowers and foliage, but, without my furry gardening buddies, those tasks would be a bit lonely.

Puma

Puma, or as he's lovingly called 'Pooka' has been my gardening companion for over eight years. He's was adopted by us as a kitten from a family friend whose 'barn cat' had a litter of unwanted kittens. Pooka was suppose to be my husband's cat but he found me more to his liking. He faithfully follows me around when I am working on the yard, always hanging around close by, but in typical cat fashion, not too close.

Three years ago, I was a social worker and one of my clients was interning at an animal shelter to gain job skills. My client was very happy and proud of the work she was doing. She invited me to visit the shelter and see how she was doing. Of course I had to go, but I was worried. You see I have a 'SUCKER' stamp on my forehead when it comes to shelter cats. I have a soft heart.

Silver Cat

This silver tabby locked eyes with me during the above mentioned visit and my resolve was gone. He was six months old when we adopted him from the shelter, having been born at the shelter. He's a very affectionate fellow and guards my gardens well from moles and squirrels.

And thus our family was set. Cats, kids and a dog, I felt we were complete. We moved back into the Portland area and last fall, were settling in nicely. Then there was a tremor in the force.

Demon Cat

Some friends of my dad had rescued a litter of kittens that their hillbilly neighbors planned to bag and toss into the Columbia River. Horrid, I know. So, kittens got passed out among folks and my dad ended with this gray little fuzzball. My dad tried to give him to my elderly grandmother, but the cat was such a terror that she couldn't handle him. So, she gave him back. Then he terrorized my dad's older cats. Something had to be done. I offered to take him. We attempted to name him something cute, like Bear Cub or Tommy, but no name we tried would stick. He harassed poor Puma around the house and Silver Cat was young enough to find him entertaining. He climbed up everything, bit our toes in the middle of the night and we thought he might be the devil himself with all the destruction he caused. So, the name Demon stuck.

My furry gardening friends do not lack in personality. The three of them have been at my side all spring as I've dug up new garden beds, planted, watered, cursed, sweated and beamed with joy at my new creations. They entertain me, as they chase each other around, stalk wiggly weeds in the breeze and sometime dig holes where they aren't suppose too.

Gardening is more fun with my three furry critters around. The two human critters I have, aren't bad either ;)

Cheers, Jenni

May 2013 Foliage Follow Up

This is the first time I've participated in the monthly Foliage Follow Up hosted by Pam over at Digging. I don't tend to remember to take foliage shots, but I took a few this past month.

We has so much unseasonable sunshine this past month, it had me, a lover of rain and misty days, feeling the world was a tad too bright for April / Early May.

Acer Palmatum 'Fireglow'

The sun brought out the full color of my 'Fireglow' Japanese Maple. The color becomes more stunning into the fall season.

Hakone Grass 'Aureola'

Many of the plants in my shade garden, such as the Hakone Grass above, found themselves in the spotlight.

Autumn Fern

This is my first year growing an Autumn fern and I have not been disappointed. The reddish - orange tips of the leaves are quite striking.

Alaskan Shield Fern

Heucherella 'Sweet Tea'

My poor Heucherella 'Sweet Tea' was purchased over a year ago and sat in it's pot for nearly a year before the shade garden beds were dug up and it's home was ready. It's brought forth a few new leaves but I hope next year, it will really begin to shine.

Heuchera 'Miracle' 

Miracle was a recent acquisition, a gift from my friend Alison over at Bonney Lassie blog. The chartreuse tips on the rhubarb red leaves are stunning.

I'm beginning to develop a great appreciate for foliage. Swing on over to Digging for more bloggers sharing their foliage finds of the month.

Cheers, Jenni

May 2013 GBBD

Hello Fellow Gardeners! It's time to walk around the garden and see what has been blooming this past month.

First, let me say, I was terribly wrong about April weather. I wrote on last month's GBBD in April, that I despised April here in Oregon as it's just plain old soggy. I swear, as soon as I wrote that post, the weather turned here. No rain. No joke. For nearly three weeks. It's just been in the past few days that we have had rain again. Craziness. I did not plan on hand-watering my newly transplanted botanical babies in April and with a few days reaching into the high 80's, it was nearly a plant disaster.

The hot weather did propel blooms earlier, so I have a lot to show off this month.

The rhododendrons were particularly fantastic.

Below is Coral Mist. I brought it with me from our previous home.

I've picked up a few new varieties of rhododendrons this year. So new in fact, I haven't bothered to write their names down yet!

The peonies that came with the new yard have just begun to open. They have a softer pink exterior with a light, buttery inside.

Last year, as I was working on remodeling the interior of the house, I would pick up new plants on occasion  just to keep my spirits up and dream about creating new flower beds. I was particularly excited about putting in a traditional blue hydrangea. I've always wanted a blue hydrangea.

Hydrangea Macrophylla Endless Summer

I choose the hybrid version as it would keep the blue color and it is more compact in nature. Perfect for the spot I had in mind.

An infant sized new shrub, that should grow much larger is Buddleja Globosa. Who can resist these fun orange ball flowers?

Geum is a new plant for me this year. I loved that it had a long bloom period and thought the cheerful yellow - orange blooms would be welcoming in my front flower beds.

Geum with blue fescue grass in the background

Honeysuckle has already begun to bloom. I'm looking forward to it spreading along the fence in the back and offering some privacy. It should make for happy bee's and hummingbirds too.

A little red leaf sea thrift is gracing the edges of the front flower beds. I've always love this plant. I enjoyed it's green leafed version at my prior home and felt the red leaf variety was a fun choice to grow here.

Soon, the asiatic lilies will be blooming along with my summer perennials. My goal is to have something blooming in the garden at all times, but that late spring/early summer window is a tough one. Any suggestions?

Wishing you a Happy Garden Blogger's Bloom Day. Drop on over at May Dreams Garden and visit Carol and all the rest of the garden bloggers participating in this month's show of blooms.

Cheers, Jenni

May Veggie Update

My cool weather, early spring crops have been going gang busters this year. We've had an unseasonably warm (HOT!) past few weeks. While the warmth has been nice, the hand watering has been a bit of a chore.

The Olympic spinach is thick and full, ready to bolt soon I'm afraid. We've enjoyed plenty of spinach salads but there is more ready now than I know what to do with. I'll be looking for ways to preserve the spinach this upcoming week.  The spinach, sweet pea's and swiss rainbow chard in this box was all sown in mid-Feb.

The three varieties of onions I am growing are amazing me with how much they have grown in a little over a month's time. I expect them to be done sometime in June and at that point, I may start another box from the seeds I've sown in my mini green house. The current onion starts were given to me from Alison and I planted them sometime in late March. They were very healthy, large, onion sets to begin with. 

Cascade Snow Pea's in the forefront here, are beginning to flower. The stems are very sturdy and I'm happy they are performing so well. Seeds were directly sown in mid-February. 

Silver cat inspects the potato box

I have been growing two types of potatoes. Reds and Yellows. I have hill'd them three times thus far. In the past I have only grown potatoes in pots with mediocre results. I've given them full use of one raised bed and they seem to be thriving. Home grown potatoes are incredibly tasty. 

Becks the dog loves to be out in the garden with her family

The strawberries are in their first year. The bed will continue to fill out as the years progress. They are producing, but it will be a light year. I added compost at the end of March and the berry plants have been quite content. During the first year, I am less concerned about berry production than I am with allowing the plants themselves to mature and strengthen.

On the other side if the strawberry box are the established heritage raspberries. They are heavy with blossoms this year. The mason bee's are hanging out and having a good time in our four rows of raspberries. I expect a bumper crop this year. These raspberries usually have two significant harvests every season.

This week we have four more raised beds getting built and I'll be hauling dirt to fill them up. 

Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and watermelon will be enjoying what has been a warm growing season thus far.

It's busy times here at the cottage. I'm happy to see my gardens grow and thrive. It makes this place feel more like home. 

Cheers, Jenni

The Plant Santa Drives a Prius

I received a special visitor to my humble cottage and gardens this past week. Alison, from Bonney Lassie blog, drove down from the Seattle, Washington area to spend a few hours together and visit.

But, this visitor does not come empty handed. Nay, she brought a carload of plants!

I had no idea you could pack that many plants into such a compact car.

Here are some of the delightful close-ups:

I know, you all want a list. What did the magnificent Alison bring me? well.....

Coleus - 6
Dahlia - Kelvin Floodlight - 1
Day lily - Entrapment - 3
Centaurea Dealbata - 4
Rhododendron - Macrophyllum - 1
Comfrey - 1 (This was like gold to me!!)
Japanese Dappled Willow -1
Rose Campion - 3
Astillbe - 1
Columbine - 7
Heuchella Tiarella - 2
Hydrangea Annabella - 2
Echinacea Pupurea - 1
Dicentra Formosa - 1
Heuchera Miracle - 3
Black Mondo Grass - 4
Lady's Mantle - 7
Geranium Karmina - 8
Heuchera Snow Angel - 3
Shasta Daisy - 5
Artichoke - 1
Pink Dawn Viburnum -1
Red Twig Dogwood - 2
Agastache - Golden Jubilee - 3


And then we had lunch.

It was such a beautiful day. Alison remarked on how much farther along the trees and blooms were here in the Willamette Valley. We talked about gardens and families and books and life. I showed Alison the new beginnings of my meager gardens and my hopeful plans for them.

As Alison began her new home's gardens a mere, three years ago, she has been quite the inspiration for me as I tackle what feels like a monstrous endeavor of starting my gardens from scratch here.

Alison and Jenni

I really don't know how to say Thank you to Alison for all of the gorgeous plants or for taking the time to drive down to visit me. I do know that I will be making my way up north to see her gardens and spend some time getting to know her even better. And, I know that when I look at my gardens, as they grow and weave together, I'll be thinking of her, as they will have a part of her there too. And that is something that lasts a lifetime.

Gardeners really are the nicest people.

Cheers, Jenni

2013 Clackamas County Master Gardener's Fair

Whip out your hand fans, cause it was HOT the first weekend of May for the Spring Garden Fair, at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds, in my old home town of Canby, Oregon.

Over 200 vendors spent the weekend in little ol Canby and set up shop. I failed to bring a wagon or something besides my seven year old son's hands to haul my loot, so I hired a plant taxi and a very nice high school student from Molalla followed us around for nearly 3 hours with an over-sized garden wagon that we stuffed full. She was earning money for band and was a great helper for our entire shopping excursion.

I had only intended to visit a select few vendors that I knew would have wonderful plants. Dancing Oaks, Wind Dancer and Conifer Kingdom.

I found my way to Dancing Oaks and procured some lovely new perennials for my shade garden. Then, we headed towards Wind Dancer Garden. Wait..how did this lovely coral bark Japanese Maple make it's way into my cart?

Once I finally made it to Wind Dancer, I was delighted to meet the owners. I mentioned that I followed Scott's blog and had fallen in love with many of the grasses he showcased. Now, if  I said they gushed about Scott, it would be an understatement. Scott, you are loved in the gardening world!

At any rate, I ended up with two gorgeous grasses. Don't ask me what the heck funky latin name they are. It's after 10pm and I am not going outside in my bathrobe, flashlight in one hand, pen and paper in the other, to write it down. Do I sound like I've done this before?

And lastly, at Conifer Kingdom, I drooled over my new favorite plant type. Dwarf evergreens. I had to show considerable restraint and my kid was whining/over tired/hot..blah blah blah so I made a decision and got the Spanish Fir with the cute pink pine cones. Hooray! Snow cones for Everyone!

I could have spent the entire weekend there, putting myself into massive plant debt. So many great vendors and delightful plants too.

The best part of the day for me, was meeting up with neighbors who have recently been bitten by the gardening bug and helping them haul home a huge Japanese Maple. Gorgeous find. And hey, I'm the girl with the truck.

Cheers, Jenni