Garden Pics: Breakin' Our Backs for Beautiful Blooms! #10

Beautiful Julie!

Remembering Bill's Hugs is truly beautiful. In more ways than one. :)

Portland, a story about black bamboo. A lovely architect friend of ours in California was furious about a project that went up next door to her house (she has a beautiful, very low rise japanese style house, line in cedar, with black walnut floors. this is tasteful) - she referred to the offensive building as the French Chateau although she had a rather inventive spelling of the Chat part. The chateau then put in a tennis court which was 18" too close to the fence. Our friend complained and planning permission (or what ever its called there) made them move it. Tough woman this. As a final act of agression, she planted a screen of black bamboo, sinking a barrier on her side only - and a lovely screen it was - that bamboo grew beautifully for our friend, especially where it grew through the surface of the tennis court. On the other side. 'Oh my', she said, 'I had no idea'.

Bamboo as armament.

***giggle****snort*** Plant warfare! Thought my Dad was unique on that front! When I was growing up, our house had a lovely view of Puget Sound in a neighborhood with a covenant in place limiting home height to 1 1/2 stories above grade. When the sewer went in, several of the lots that had been wonderfully vacant sprouted houses. One of the ones adjacent to my folks property (directly in their view of the water) grew an ugly square monster of a house...the builder got past the covenant by bringing the "grade" up about 12 feet before building...I swear that the thing was three stories tall. My folks complained, but got nowhere. Dad did some research, and decided to buy some Austree trees and make a hedge along the property line (which the neighbors had built almost on top of). Those trees DO grow at least 12 feet per year...even better if you fertalize them intensively! Funny thing...the neighbors view deminished almost as quickly as ours had.......

Laurie,
That is a wonderful story and I like that lovely architect. We must have the same kind of devious minds because I was thinking in a similar vein. Is her home in Marin County?
OK I must admit that I am considering plant warfare. My neighbor (not the wonderful garden planner Amy, but the other side) actually cultivates every invasive species she can get her hands on. Ailanthus trees, Butterfly Bushes, English Ivy, Queen Anne's Lace and a few others that some kind of city inspector came by and told me the names of but I forget. I have a hard time keeping up with the little Ailanthus saplings that are sprouting up everywhere. In addition, the Ailanthus are planted within 2" of my fence - no exaggeration. She has applied for her yard to be a wildlife sanctuary but was turned down because she has so many invasives. She claims that all the experts are incorrect and she is correct. Portland has a serious problem with invasives getting into the forests and wild lands that surround the city, apparently by birds and winds. And from there they are spread throughout the PNW. All around the Ailanthus trunks (there are many) nothing will grow but someone told me that black bamboo will be ok. Problem is, I have only about 18" between a concrete slab driveway that extends to the back of my lot and the fence. What to do?

Finally got these pictures downloaded.

Pineapple Lily. There are now four bulbs growing. It increases one or two a year.

And a close-up of the pretty little flowers.

Judi - what are you trying to achieve in this area that is 18" wide?
Add height? Screen? something evergreen? Anything?!
The narrow space is very limiting, but depending on what you want as an outcome, it is do-able.
What's the soil like? Sun exposure? Siting (E-W-N-S)? Color preference?
There are other Bamboos. As I previously mentioned, the neighbour behind me planted with a barrier. It has the most mellow, glassine sound when the breeze comes up, and the leaves make wonderful mulch.Please post what you'd like to accomplish there - I love a narrow-strip challenge!

This message was edited Aug 1, 2009 5:56 PM

Sorry that was so blurry. My muscles aren't back to normal yet.

This is a toad who lives in the courtyard. There are three of them.

Pretty rose.

Our grandson Jason who teaches in Hondurus is home for the summer break, my DH and some old granny who lives here.

A favorite sedum

Up the garden path by the two ponds.

The neighbors black cat crossing the path.

Willow..love your toad. He looks happy to see you. The family pic is great. It is always nice to see pic's of the DGers.



Agapanthus

Thanks Bea. Wish I could grow Agapanthus, it's so pretty.

Pretty calla lily

I finally got a bee picture.

That pineapple lily is so nifty! Do you have to bring it inside for winter?

Love Mr. Lumpy Bumpy Toad. What a cutie. :)

That's a sweet family shot. I covet your curio cabinet. ;D

This is Shadow. She is spending her summer sleeping under a big hosta in the courtyard.

I am surprised it came back after the freeze in Dec. Lucky I guess. Pretty calla.


A little geranium flower.

No the pineapple lily has been out in it's pot for four years now. I think it has been through the worst of everything.

The lingularia is really huge this year and I think I will dig it up and move it this fall.

Excellent. *adds pineapple lily to the "want one someday" list* :)

One of the frogs in the small pond. Or rather out of it. He lives there.

You don't live very far away from here. Maybe you could come and get one?

This is my DB's new toy car. Note the Oregon liscence

This message was edited Aug 1, 2009 6:17 PM

willow..your tank top in the family pic matches the flower with the bee!! How clever to coodinate your outfits with your plants! LOL! Shadow is precious. Feisty the cat moved back home this weekend so my eldest daughter can finish school and get packed to move to Georgia on the 20th to begin her internship. The youngest leaves in 12 days to PA to start college. Sure will miss my girls! Empty nester soon.
What will I do... What will I do. Less laundry..that is for sure!! :)

A pretty noid DL. I like the pink tips. Very girly.

that DL matches the rose I posted earlier.LOL

And of course he took it all apart in the driveway. It's been awhile since I had to put up with that.^_^

Here's one of my DB and GS and my china cabinet. All of whom I love.

That's all!!

This message was edited Aug 1, 2009 6:24 PM

wow - logs are so very useful.
We used to have an MG in Hawaii - I called it the "coffin on wheels". They are small enough to pick up!

OH Off topic but my new computer arrived today. I figured out how to hook it all up but don't want to mess around trying to shift all the pictures over. So Jason, cute GS and computer expert, will come over Tuesday and help. Goodie, goodie.

Yes we did almost pick it up when my DD, DS and I pushed it onto the trailer while DB steered. He is going to ship it to Alaska when he goes home next week. He used to have an MG also. I think he is having a mid-life crisis. He will only be able to drive it a couple months a year so it should last a while.

New computer - Excellent, Willow!
Did you get a laptop?
that's what I'll get next time around. My current pc is in the hottest part of the house - not fun.
How's the weather down your way, today?
currently here it is 90° with a breeze. Much easier to deal with.

I went to the a Nursery today that I don't normally frequent & now I know why: they were selling some of the newer Echinaceas for 19.99 - 23.99/gallon pot. I left with a container at 20% off. Went to one of my favourite Nurseries - same Echs @ 14.99. Yes, I brought ONE home...hope it doesn't turn that pukey mauvey-melon colour. I see that Garden Crossings is selling the Aquilegia I like - I will not pay 14.95 for a 4' pot. That's crazy.

This message was edited Aug 1, 2009 6:41 PM

Eee! That car has such a cute smiley face! :D

Union is 129 miles from me, I don't think Esmarelda (my junky old car) could make it that far. LOL!

Congrats on the new computer!

My Chianti sunflowers are going strong:

Closer:

Stella de Oro, the only DLs I have so far:

Obligatory bee shot:

My baby Japanese Maple just had a growth spurt!

Art Deco:

Random Dahlia with random bug I didn't see when taking the photo:

This crazy little pear tree is loaded with fruit: