July Portland Garden

What can I say? The cherries are almost ready to pick and there is color everywhere in the garden!

Urban Gem finished!

I went up to Seattle to finish a design that was started last October. We sheet-mulched the yard back then so it was ready for planting and putting in the hardscape this month. Here it is with before and after shots. I did this in a week with the help from North Creek Gardens in installing pavers, concrete block low wall, and the gravel and brick path and seating areas North Creek Gardens also provided some of the native plants. This was a particularly hard yard to install as the house is 12 steps up from the street. All the gravel was put in buckets and handed up one at a time...very time consuming. I think it was all worth it, though. It will be a wonderful respite for the owner and will be low-care and private once it establishes itself.

Poppies, Peonies & Peas

Things are really starting to grow around here! My veggies are in and flowers are appearing! We have finally had a few warm - even hot - days! The poppies are Pattie's Purple, a lovely dusty shade of pink. My peas are so happy - I have more than I can eat. And, a truly lovely peony bloomed in the side garden, an old plant from years ago, I think.

April/May Updates

It's spring in the garden and despite all the rain we've had here in Portland, things are starting to grow. If only it would get warm now! I've put peas in my garden hoping they will do OK in this cool weather - hopefully the warmth from my house and my neighbor's will get them going. The north side of my house where I am creating a NW native walkway is doing well, although I still need to fill in the wandering trench that takes the drain water from my gutters with more pebbles. It will be an ongoing job. My hydrangea and clematis are already blooming, though so it's a start!