Dirt Therapy

While visiting the  Hardiman  garden, I did not realize that their next-door neighbor, Kurt Beadell, had an equally impressive garden open as well. Stepping through the garden gate at the back of Hardiman's garden leads you into Beadell's tropical-like oasis. It was like being transported to New Orleans. This is a very small garden, packed with lush plantings, like palms, bamboo and other exotic plants and vines.     Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

I was very excited to see the garden of Lucy and Fred Hardiman. Lucy Hardiman is a garden designer at Perennial Partners . This garden certainly did not disappoint. Full of vibrant rich colors (purples, blues and pinks, a favorite combination of mine) and accented with artistic architectural structures and art pieces, as well as some favorite plants like hydrangeas and lilies. Note the big crape myrtle ( Lagerstroemia 'Zuni') in the above photo. They do grow here! Just look at these lilies! I was intrigued by the blue flower and she told me that it is a perennial that she herself introduced to Joy Creek Nursery . It is Galega 'Lady Wilson'. It was near sunset when I toured the garden and the diminishing light gave it a magical quality. Perfectly placed art pieces Yarn in the garden? Why not? This is the front entryway garden that leads back to the main garden. A big thank you to the Hardiman's for including their...

On the way back from the Wisner/Orloff garden, I stopped at another Open Garden, that of  Bob Hyland and Andrew Beckman. It is located on a hillside overlooking the St. Johns area and nearby Sauvie Island with some nice views of several mountain peaks.  The late afternoon sun was quite harsh and not the ideal situation for good photos. Much of the garden was shaded which helped. Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

We have so many blooms this month that I don't know where to begin! I know there is no way to include them all so I will select a few highlights. The white rose in the photo above and below is the Polyantha rose 'Marie Pavie'. It is surrounded by Giant Hyssop ( Agastache rugosa ) and a Yarrow ( Achillea ) that I can't remember the name of. A newly acquired Achillea named 'Song Siren Little Susie'. Mexican Feather Grass ( Nassella tenuissima ) surrounds it. Buddleia 'Blue Chip Jr.' and Nicotiana 'Fragrant Cloud' Monarda 'Scorpion' Hydrangea macrophylla 'Pia' Coreopsis 'Leading Lady Sophia' Dwarf Snapdragon (Chaenorrhinum origanifolium 'Summer Skies') and Origanum 'Kent Beauty' Clematis viorna Penstemon 'Blue Midnight' Blanket Flower ( Gaillardia grandiflora 'Oranges and Lemons') Filipendula rubra (Queen of t...