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Ten August Favorites

Ginger Lily ( Hedychium coccineum 'Tara') With the exception of a few hot spells, August has been tolerable. However, beginning tomorrow, we are in for a 5-day heat wave. Disgusting! August is the month for plants that really love the heat. I have to begin with the Ginger Lily 'Tara' which is blooming for the first time. I posted a few weeks ago about how excited I was to see the bloom stalk. They have slowly opened with a few flowers every day. It has been well worth the wait.  Other favorites - Continuing the orange theme is Lantana 'Miss Huff' which is growing in a pot (that is the heather 'Firefly' in the foreground). This lantana can survive in the ground if situated in a protected area and it isn't too wet. Previously, one grew in the back garden along the south foundation and got huge (about 3' x 5'). I finally took it out after a particularly tough winter and it was slow to bounce back.  Allium ' Millenium' is a small charme...

More South Portland Study Weekend Gardens, pt. 2

The last three gardens on last Saturday's tour included a large shade garden, a tropical oasis and an Asian-inspired retreat.

First, the Hilderbrand garden in Oregon City. This garden is set in a grove of Douglas Fir trees and has paved pathways that meander through plantings of dogwoods, hydrangeas, viburnums, kalmias and other shade-loving plants. 






The garden of Michael Hicks and Megan Big John is a quarter-acre plot in West Linn. This garden is packed with plantings of tropical plants with big beautiful leaves and vibrant pops of color.







Helena Wagner's "4 Seasons Garden" is a garden that I have visited in the past. It features an Asian-inspired theme with beautifully placed plants, with nice colors and contrasts.






Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. I love all the shade and the woodsy feel of these gardens, especially now when we're in the middle of a mild (so far) heatwave!

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  2. Ah, they are lovely gardens. They feel expansive, bigger than a quarter acre that's for sure!

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  3. Everything is starting to blur together for me - I think I missed the Hilderbrand garden and Wagner's 4 Season's Garden. I remember we spent a lot of time at Hicks and Big John's garden because it was cool there and the day was so HOT. Definitely a favorite.

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    Replies
    1. They do begin to blur together after you've seen so many!

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