sprig to twig

I may have to take a closer look at this little park when I go to the Yard, Garden & Patio Show this weekend. It’s near the convention center, covering one block. I love the large cement orbs and the serenity this space brings to a hectic, high-traffic part of the city. By the way, I will be in the HPSO booth Friday evening, so if you happen to be at the show in the 4:45-7:30 time slot, stop by to say “Howdy”, won’t you?

I lived in NW for many years, but this little park escaped my attention. Those low walls surrounding the plaza would be a perfect perch for brown bagging it.

Here’s a closer look at the whimsical sculpture that anchors the plaza. I’m delighted by these little surprise parks tucked here and there around the city. I’ll share whenever I find a new one…hope you will too.

I met Doug and Joyce many years ago. They were remodeling a barge into a floating home and we were doing the same with a decommissioned tugboat. We were moored side by side at the tip of Tomahawk Island when it was still undeveloped and wild. Such conditions breed close relationships that stand the test of time, even when later contact is sporadic and widely spaced. Indeed, the last time we visited them in the hills above Sheridan, they were living in tents and logging the land to build their house.

Doug is an architect/furniture builder and Joyce is an artist/teacher, so artistic touches wait around every corner…like this clay sculpture with its arms raised in celebration.

I can only imagine how great it would be in high summer, but the stripped down winter face allowed little touches, like the repurposing of a pair of andirons to hold a metal pot, to stand out.

The wrap-around deck has pergolas, roof lines and decorative elements to keep it interesting.

A cutout in the decking accommodates a tree growing close to the house.

I didn’t take many indoor shots because the party was in full swing, but here’s a whimsical handrail.

A huge jade plant filled an alcove.

It was dressed for the season.

Here’s Doug in his woodworking shop.

A peek at some of the carving on a panel he’s working on. Every door in the house is its own miniature landscape.

I failed to get a picture of the birthday girl, but the four daughters are like versions of Joyce. They regaled the crowd with song and dance and silliness back there with the tree in the window for a backdrop. It is such a joy to reconnect with old friends. I hope you got to do some of that during the holidays.

This two acre park is tucked into the South Waterfront development, a gentle respite from the glass towers rising all around it. You can see it from a landscape architect’s point of view here and learn about its namesake here by scrolling down to Anna B’s comments. But first, lets just stroll around and see what there is to see.

At the southern end of the park there are swales spanned by plank bridges in sweeping curves.

My first impression was of all native plantings, but in fact there are some non-natives worked in to better serve the design.

These birches are a case in point.

I can’t imagine this scene without them.

Benches have been worked in here and there, each in a style appropriate to its surroundings. Here the bridge planks have been extended to keep sitters out of the flow of foot traffic.

Heading North, you can see the wedge-shaped berm creating a grassy clearing at the center of the park.

Looking back at the berm from the far side, you can see that the plant material and style of planting has changed.

Mass plantings of Cistus (no signage mars the scheme, so my minimal info will have to suffice).

Long borders of red twig dogwood

…must be equally striking once the branches are bare.

Here’s a long border of grasses fronted by liriope.

On this northern end of the park, the paths are made of crushed decomposed granite.

The fountain was not operational on this day, but each of those (rubber) pads has a spout. I can imagine it will be a powerful draw on sunny, hot days.

Liriope used alone.

One of several styles of lamps, with the tram in the distance. I want to visit this park sometime after dark to see the effect of the lighting.

…and again on a windy day to hear the music

Lunch?

Not all benches look the part.

Even the trash cans get the royal treatment. Let me leave you with a few shots of the featured plants and invite you to check out this park at 3508 SW Moody Ave if you find yourself in the neighborhood.

Every time we drive by the overhead tram in the south waterfront district I get the itch to experience it first hand. When I found myself with time on my hands, I decided to do just that.

All of the support structures at the base station are delightfully space age-y.

The pod itself is sleekly aerodynamic, with plenty of windows to take in the view.

And quite the view it is…especially with the aerial perspective of a foggy day.

Be forewarned: the car swings wildly as it passes through the towers. It was enough to knock me off my feet, but the crowd was packed in so tightly that an embarrassing pratfall was avoided. I did miss some good photo ops, though.

At the top terminal there is a bridge to a viewing deck.

Look at all those terraces and roof gardens. I find it so encouraging to see health care facilities incorporating gardens into their buildings (this is Oregon Health Sciences University on what has long been referred to as “Pill Hill”).

Sculptural elements have been incorporated into the gardens.

Another view looking down at the city’s east side, across the Willamette River.

Time for the return trip and once again becoming earthbound. If one has business with the hospital, the trip is free. I was happy to pay the $4, and once they determined that I was a sightseer, they positioned me right by the front windows for the best view and steered me to the points of interest on both ends of the round trip. This immediately shot to the top of my tour for out of town visitors…most especially my cousin Billy, who has always longed to fly. I then took a walk around the new gardens around the lower terminal, but will save that for another time.

Covering 187 acres of Portland’s West Hills, Hoyt Arboretum is a living museum where joggers, dog walkers, lovers, strollers, photographers and, first and foremost, tree lovers can immerse themselves in nature any day of the year.

Sunday brought a break in the weather, so people were out in force. The parking lot was full and cars were parked all along Fairview Blvd. Still, with 12 miles of trails, it never felt crowded.

The visitors’ center is not open on Sunday, but there are pamphlets available with maps, etc., and a large informational board showing which trails offer the optimum experience season by season. For autumn, the Maple Trail is recommended, but first we had a look around the entry plantings. It always seems a little odd to me to see zonal denial plants like palms and agaves in public spaces (like the train station, much as I like the plantings), but the arboretum proper features trees from all over the world, so I guess the patchwork in the entry makes a certain amount of sense.

This rocky berm might have slipped right by me had not Loree posted about crevice gardens a while back. I don’t know if this can go by that name because those had plants tucked in here and there. This one is all rocks.

Several large planters break up the space.

When one of the pots sports an unusual plant like this Pseudopanax ferox…

there is detailed signage to tell all about it.

The same system held elsewhere: ordinary stuff went unidentified, but anything out of the ordinary was well documented.

 On our way to the Maple Trail, we passed through an area planted entirely with natives, but I was saving my sputtering battery for the colors of autumn.

The color was slightly more intense, but this is pretty close.

The long views were splendid, and with well-placed paths and rolling hills there was a new vista around every turn.

See what I mean?

Parts of the landscape were enveloped in pockets of fog.

This little family was capturing memories backed by the flaming foliage of sumac.

Since the arboretum was established in 1928, there are many magnificent old trees with signage affixed to their trunks. More recent additions, like this paperbark maple, are marked by small stone pillars bearing pertinent information.

OK, so some helpful graffiti artist took exception to the Acer griseum designation (did you notice the “not a” scratched onto the sign?), but one look at this peeling bark should be enough to set him/her straight.

Here’s the leaf of the above tree. Color, leaf shape, interesting bark: all have me convinced that this is one to hunt down for the R&R Ranch.

And while I’m in the market for more red, how about the color of those leaves recently fallen from Acer pseudosieboldianum var. tatsiense?

And here is the tree itself. As you can see, we decided on this outing in the nick of time to catch the tail end of the color show. There are plenty of other reasons to visit the arboretum in all seasons and all kinds of weather. Next trip: evergreens, or maybe just a brisk walk unencumbered by camera. If you happen to come away with a wish list, a good place to start your search would be Plant Lust. I usually just carry around my desiderata, waiting for one of my coveted beauties to show up. This particular tree seems to deserve a more concerted effort on my part.

When Michelle does something, she does it in a big way. I know it’s hard to believe, but I came home with this haul for a whopping $14. Starting with the Hibiscus m ‘Plum Crazy’ on the left and moving counterclockwise, they are: a mystery plant I forgot to write down (Mayhew, a fruiting hawthorne with yummy berries…thanks Michelle), Rogersia ‘Bronze Peacock’, Tricyrtis hirta, Kniphofia multiflora, Crocosmia ‘Emily Mckenzie’, Eryngium ‘Jade Frost’, Ceanothus ‘Diamond Heights’, Callistemon sieberi syninym C pityoides, two little sedums and Grevilla ‘Audrey’.

That’s Michelle, on the right, deep in conversation, as she usually is, with customers. She is a plant person, and happy to share biographies and profiles of everything she grows.

Getting it all to the car is a snap with the help of a strong man and a gator.

Here’s a shot of the nursery (well, part of it), followed by a few scenes around the place.

Now, in case you live in the Portland area, and are beginning to get little annoyed with me for telling you all this after the fact…here’s the good part. She’s doing it again this Friday. Nestled in the hills above Highway 30, Jockey Hill is easy to find. Almost to Scappoose, there is a Shell station on the right. If you turned right you would end up at Mark’s on the Water. Instead, you will turn left and follow the signs to the sale. Michelle will also have plants at the final Scappoose Farmers’ Market on Saturday.

I was meeting a friend for lunch. Our first choice was Tara Thai, where a magnificent heritage tree shades the large deck. As it turned out, they were closed Mondays. No problem…nearby is Meriwether’s, where you can tell from the outside somebody in charge cares about plants.

While no where near as dramatic as the heritage tree, there is no lack of leafy shelter for the large outdoor dining deck.

So in we went, asking for an outdoor table.

This is a popular fair weather destination, so I was glad we had planned on an early lunch. Best to get reservations if you plan to eat here.

There are varying levels of exposure to the sun, and the whole space is enclosed and shielded from the street.

With plantings all around the perimeter and special touches like a pair of these giant urns flanking the entry and a gurgling fountain centrally located, it feels like a garden party (with a sound level to match, making quiet conversation a challenge). Meriwether’s maintains its own farm, so the salad greens are a wonder of crisp freshness (a little underdressed for my taste). This was a favorite haunt back when it was L’Auberge and then The Woodstove. This latest incarnation is less a culinary experience and more a place to revel in one of Portland’s rare perfect days.

Each McMenamins Theater Pub has its own character, while the signature funky/artsy approach is a constant. Their domed building in St Johns was moved here after doing duty at a Worlds’ Fair. The inside of that dome is paneled in wood and is where movies are shown.

The grounds are not as meticulously kept as at, say, the Kennedy School property, but this unusual oak lording it over the parking lot lets us know there is a plantsman afoot.

The vibe here is casual/friendly. You can see that it makes Richard happy. The pub-grub is unremarkable and the spinach salad was swimming in dressing…best to ask for it on the side (am I hard to please, or what?)

Mature trees and shrubs create a nice sense of enclosure.

A variety of textures keeps it interesting.

A few outstanding specimens were unknown to me. I loved this one.

I think that is a tamarack tree in the center of the above shot: something we don’t see every day. All of the foliage keeps this space cool and pleasant. No AC in the theater, but by nightfall it was time to take what was left of our beers inside to watch Snow White and the Huntsman (pure escapism).

Portlanders flock to outdoor tables the minute the sun comes out. I don’t really see the attraction of sitting on the sidewalk with cars rushing by. We needn’t settle for that with these two oases (and many others) offering leafy alternatives. Of course, a streetside seat on any corner of 23rd Avenue is prime real estate for people watching.

First off, my apologies to anyone who was shunted off to a sexual enhancement site when trying to visit sprig to twig. I just spent time on the phone with tech guru John (my hero) who somehow managed to undo the damage wrought by some hacker while my back was turned. Now on to the fun stuff.

Finding myself in the general vicinity, I decided to drag Alberta Street and check out Thicket, a shop I had heard about. It is actually a little off of Alberta, on 23rd.

As soon as I stepped through the gate, I knew this was a find. This tabletop display featured a pair of urns planted with succulents.

A small collection of conifers crowds one corner.

Everything looked very fresh, even on the hottest day of the year.

This seating area in the shade was inviting.

This one was in the sun, but the bright white and the cool greens of the tabletop gardens managed to create a cooling illusion.

A small shed houses the business end, with some room for a few displays.

Hanging under the other end of that shelf was a group of hummingbird feeders that match my aesthetic.

So of course I had to bring one home. I had to move it out under the trees, because the little nipple leaks sugar water. It remains to be seen what the hummers will think of it. They are preoccupied with fuchsias these days. This is by far the most pleasing to me, but the birds’ stamp of approval, so far, goes to the ugliest of all the models I have tried…they’re as bad as some clients back when I was a graphic designer.

A nice selection of succulents tempted me out of my “no new plants until fall” stance, and I picked up this Echeveria ‘Black Prince’…

and this pale green one that was not labeled. In conversation with the manager, I learned that Thicket is only a couple of months old, and already they are eying the building across the street facing onto Alberta. I hope it works out. This is a business that deserves to grow and prosper. I encourage you to click on the link to their elegant web site (at the top of this post) and, if you are in the neighborhood, by all means stop by. You will find, in their words, “a charming tangle of botanical curiosities, found ephemera and modern craft to inspire life lived in the garden.”

Saturday was a scorcher. How fitting, then, to be invited into the danger garden, where Loree has long proclaimed her love of hot summer days and the plants that thrive in them.

Leave it to my procrastinating self to arrive at mid-day, the worst possible time to get good photos. I have discarded most of the ones I took, but a few that are passable will give you an idea of Loree’s style…a very definite style with a point of view, a limited palette and a partiality for spiky plants. The entire front garden is mulched with gravel, a perfect setting and environment for the chosen plants. Here are an Agave and a Ceanothus.

Texture plays a big role here.

Look at the wicked thorns on that Rosa pteracantha. When the light is just right, they glow like they’ve been possessed by the Devil himself, gaining them passage into the Danger Garden, the only rose you will find here.

A row of Black Mondo Grass lines the front walk, backed by a row of Eucomis before giving way to a less formal arrangement. A hallmark of this garden is restrained exuberance.

With her prodigious collection of pots, she is able to stage vignettes like this whenever there is an opening. When I say that she uses a limited palette, I certainly don’t mean boring. The pots run to silvers and grays, with punches of chartreuse, orange and red. The house is painted a deep, chocolate brown, a color that shows it all off to the very best advantage.

Even the VW bug sitting in the driveway seems to fit into the scheme of things, as we head past the potted veggies toward the back of the house.

The house color takes on different tones in different light, as here it provides the background for Acacia provissima

See what I mean about the pots, and the bright accents?

A lush tapestry of plants surrounds the area…

and segues nicely into the sunken patio…

where our hostess served up colorful and delicious refreshment in the style to which we had quickly become accustomed. We lingered and chatted and soaked up the ambiance…hellish temperatures be damned. If you have yet to discover the Danger Garden, a treat is in store for you, and it’s only a click away.

Here’s Stan, the gardening man, gesturing at his creation and declaring it to be out of control.

Quite the contrary, I see a lot of control in the juxtaposition of plants of varying heights, colors and textures…and then there are the blooms!

First thing you see, driving up to the house, are two of these variegated dogwoods in a parking strip that is otherwise quite restrained, with the use of gravel and a few well-placed large rocks.

After which, let the wild rumpus begin.

Sprinkled throughout the tapestry of plants, Sisyrinchium striatum ties the whole thing together and puts my lone specimen to shame. I am told, though, that if you have one, you will soon have many. Yay!

Here it is again, cozying up to its pal, Dusty Miller…

playing peek-a-boo with the greater garden behind…

and introducing us to the steps leading to the front door.

At ground level, little vignettes like this one keep it interesting. That little patch of bare earth is one of only a very few that I spotted.

I like the way the color palette of the plants compliments the house.

Here’s one last shot before I join the group on the deck for book club…

with just a glimpse of the back garden The Bookies are admiring from above. It is very different than the front garden, but every bit as interesting…a subject for another day. Oh, and once the dahlias begin blooming (there are lots of them) the front garden will have put on it’s party dress and be ready to wow us all over again.