More Portland Garden Photos

Proof that you don't always want to choose the tree in the nursery with the straightest trunk.


More garden photos from my trip to Portland. If you ever go there be sure to visit the Portland Japanese Garden and the Portland Classical Chinese Garden. There were a few hundred garden writers moving around the gardens that day not to mention regular visitors. I felt a little bad for the regulars at the Chinese Classical Garden who had come in for a quiet contemplative cup of tea and found the place overun with people snapping photos as if their lives depended on (yours truly included).

More of the Fabulous Foliage Garden




Further pictures of Hardiman's Horticultural Haven:



Now that's a deck railing planter!


Shots from Iseli Nursery's stunning conifer and maple gardens. Iseli is one of the nation's best and well-known growers of conifers such as pine, spruce, false cypress, juniper, arborvitae, Japanese cedar and much more. Homewood buys from Iseli and the nursery staff is always interested to see what tasty treats will be unloaded from the delivery.

















Peeking through from the inside of a living cave of weeping Canadian hemlock.



Portland's Japanese Garden. If you go to Portland, you must visit this place!


















Some new and old friends and fellow "soil sisters" as my friend Pam says. (left to right, Pam Beck, author, Best Garden Plants for NC, Zika Wolfe, of Hoffmann Grasses, Tina Mast, of Homewood Nursery, and Margot Rochester, author, Earthy Delights).

Fabulous Portland Gardens

Hi everyone,

I'm a lucky dog this week, touring Portland Oregon area gardens with the Garden Writers Association. This is my first time at one of these shin-digs and I am having a blast. Garden writers are a fun and friendly group and I have lots of cool plants, products, and books to show and tell about. For now, though, since it's just about past my bedtime, here are a few pictures from the home gardens we toured today in Portland. There's some striking differences between the gardens of Portland and the gardens of Raleigh. Of course, it's much cooler here so that influences plant selection. I have been pea green with envy all day at the dainty and exquisite fuchsias that abound in Portland gardens, among other horticultural delights. Portland gardens, many being on small urban lots, are small and often set on an incline so that they slope to the sidewalk and street. Many people have completly eliminated the front lawn in favor of rambunctious and lively plantings including a lot of edible plants. I saw a lot of tomato plants worked into garden beds.
-Tina, Communications Director






Hardiman's Horticultural Haven. I'd like one of each, please.


Part of the front gardens at Lauging Spirit Gardens.


This is definitely the most original potting table I have ever seen. Besides, the architectural remnants and the flowery porcelain sink, it also features a Spiderman action figure, an ET action figure, and a Will Rogers shot glass. I may not quite get it but it was certainly good for a mid-garden giggle.



Potted succulents at Lauging Spirit Garden

by Tina, Communications Director