Monday, May 2, 2016

Spring In Portland




Global warming at it's finest? Don't know what it is exactly, but two years in a row of unseasonably warm winters, early springs and long hot summers have had amazing effects on the gardens. In March I removed twice as much growth from the wisteria hoping to reduce the amount of bloom (crazy I know) because MeMa claims it makes such a mess of the patio. Well it is still loaded with blooms and more coming on. The large green leaf in the photo is Acanthus Mollis or Grecian Pattern plant, it normally dies down in the winter but for the last two winters it has not.
I was just going to post the photo of the wisteria but after walking through the gardens I decided to share some more of what else has decided to show up early.

  
The first rose to bloom in the garden is 'Cecile Brunner' the diminutive light pink polyantha rose from 1881.
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And the second to bloom (for Grouchy) is 'Francis dubreuil' a gem from 1894


Euphorbia and pink flamingos
 
 
Spring blooming Clematis montana 'Marjorie'

Clematis 'Dr. Ruppel'
Golden Chain tree doing a good job of competing  with the wisteria in showmanship
Pink Dogwood 'Cherokee Chief' is one of the original plants on the property and the house is 100 years old this year.
Pincushion plant, Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue'

Bachelor button holding up the fading hellebores
 
Geranium maculatum album
Hosta 'Fire Island' with its chartreuse leaves and red petioles encroaching on heuchera
'Snow Angel'


I am running a bit late getting the tomatoes potted up for the neighborhood tomato give away, this is just a few of the many that take up the bulk of the greenhouse.