A Visit to Lux Perennials

I've been wanting to visit Lux Perennials for years now and finally got a chance last week. In a word - Wow!

The nursery is located at the owner's home, located west of Portland, up in the hills on Skyline Blvd. The property is breathtaking with fantastic views. A small nursery features perennials propagated from plants in the garden. There were also some plants from commercial sources, notably Proven Winners.

I mainly was interested in the display garden but of course I did end up buying some plants. Of course!

The nursery is located on the front side of the house and the garden is behind it. Taking the path leading back to the garden, the first thing I spotted was this stunning Monkey Puzzle Tree. Michael has wanted one of them for ages. I finally bought one last year and have it in a pot. I have no idea where such a thing would fit in our garden. Fact - the first time I ever heard of the Monkey Puzzle Tree was in one of my all-time favorite films (and one of the few films that makes me cry) - "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" (1947). 

The phenonemal Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana). This view is looking back toward the nursery, located left of the greenhouse. The pathway I'm on leads back to the garden.

A very friendly employee greeted me and told me how to get to the garden with the request that I lock the gate so that the chickens did not get out. Now that I think about it, I never saw a chicken. My attention, however, was riveted on the English-style garden.

The garden is beautifully laid out and filled with things that I love - terraces, stone steps and a rill!

A wisteria-covered pergola separates a grassy pathway to a circular perennial garden.

The pathway leads around a pond. I think the tree on the left is a Corkscrew Willow. 

Winding around the pathway, you come to the bottom of the property. This view is looking upward toward the house.

Coming back around to the opposite side. The curved wall at the bottom surrounds a fire pit.

What a rill!

At the top of the rill. 

Back on the nursery side, a shade garden sits on a low hill. 

The dark-colored trees in back are Chocolate Mimosas.

A view of the nursery

So, I know someone will ask what I got -

Caster Bean 'New Zealand Purple' (I've wanted this for ages and always forget to buy seed)

Amaranth 'Red Garnet'

Euphorbia Robbiae - A groundcover euphorbia? I had never seen it before.

Chinese Foxglove 'Rufus'

I don't know why it took me so long to visit but I'm happy I did and would love to return at different times of the year. The nursery is open on weekends. Check their website for more details. They are also on Instagram and Facebook.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy