Dog and other woods…

October 17, 2019 ~ queenofthedirt ~ 5 Comments

The last trip to our cabin in Fish Camp near Yosemite National Park had a few hours for leisurely walks and Yatzhee! on the wraparound deck but was mostly about accomplishing chores necessary for the coming winter. We take the removable snow rails down from the deck and pull out the painted plywood snow doors for installation on two of our three entry doors. With central heat and a nice wood stove, we make use the cabin every few weeks throughout the cold season. It’s impossible to know whether we will have 10 feet of snow or none at all and so the smart money is to be prepared for whatever comes well in advance the the first icy flakes.

In my 2018 post Dogwood day…Memorial Day I featured bloom photos from the lone Cornus nuttalii, Pacific dogwood, on our property. I’ve since found that we have one other but certainly that’s not really the making of a dogwood forest, especially when the spring blooms bursting out along the highway to our place have almost a wedding like feel. On this visit the dogwood’s leaves are starting to show their fall color.

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Shaded by a high canopy of cedars, firs and pines it is a little hard to see the russet and purple tones creeping in.

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I got pretty excited when I saw a number of seed clusters well within my reach–maybe I can grow my own little dogwood forest! I texted my native plant mentor Ann for counsel and spent a bit of time on a few California native plant propagations sites to get a sense of the best way to go. The consensus was that directly sowing the seeds would probably be more successful than trying to start in pots. I was amazed to learn that germination could take up to 18 months!! Seed collection is #1 on my to-do list for our next trip–hopefully I won’t have missed my window of opportunity.

Number one of this trip’s list was to take care of our wood supply for the winter. We are able to cut firewood every year in specific amounts and from designated locations on public lands with US Forest Service permits. Every couple of years we supplement that supply with a load of cured and cut almond.

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In preparation for the new wood we shift the older wood remaining on the second set of wood cribs to the front one, making a nice open space for the new wood to be delivered. Even with two sets of hands this is a several hour job.

wood 4 — The big truck makes the big dump

The weight of the wood truck (this one hauling 4 cords of wood stacked in the bed with vertical partitions separating each cord) dictates that the wood must be dumped at the TOP of our year old asphalt driveway–the truck could come down but would never be able to get back up!

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Our wood moving method involves Dave backing up our truck to the pile. We then fill up the bed, drive the truck down the hill and back it up near the wood cribs and unload it into another pile…three times. A strong motivating factor is that we cannot drive off our property until the wood is moved.

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Then that big pile gets stacked onto the empty crib. The whole process takes about six or seven hours. Dave is strong and I am slow but steady. I am not sure I would have survived “the olden days”. He always gets the honor of placing the last log. With every stick tucked in its spot both piles get tarps and bungee cords to keep the wood dry. We use these two wood storage stacks to refresh the smaller wood supplies kept closer to the cabin. I am here to tell you this work makes even the most strenuous garden tasks seem lightweight!

Dogwood Day 3 — Missing these beautiful blooms until next spring (taken May 2018)

In a daze near Denver…sculpture on a grand scale

July 25, 2019 ~ queenofthedirt ~ 3 Comments

THE GARDEN OF SCOTT AND PAULA DEEMER IN NIWOT

Scott, owner of a Boulder landscape design-build company, and his wife Paula have transformed a distressed property in foreclosure into a beautiful and highly functional indoor-outdoor living experience inspired by the fusion of art and nature. Warning–this is another garden whose photos just would not allow me to delete them! A riot of foliage, form and texture makes a statement in its rocky surroundings. The garden is not only filled with art but is home to many specimen plantings whose forms are natural artwork.

GBF Deemer 12 — The home’s clean lines and muted palette allow the landscape to shine

GBF Deemer 18 — Sitting on a rise at the end of a cul-de-sac, massive rock installations create structure and planting terraces in the modest front garden

GBF Deemer 9 — The front walk has a life of its own

GBF Deemer 1 — Boulders grooved to accept curvy lengths of steel produce small flat planting pockets–loved this idea

GBF Deemer 8 — Creeping color is tucked into the rock work, softening edges

GBF Deemer 13 — Access and view from the driveway

GBF Deemer 2 — Peony and catmint loving their time together

GBF Deemer 10 — Casual gravel path right of the front walk from the lawn–almost a small secret garden perfectly visible from the basement windows

GBF Deemer 14 — Massive stones tucked against the house bridge the elevation as the lot falls off away from the front porch

GBF Deemer 15 — Wider angle of the same area with plantings at every level

GBF Deemer 11 — Lovely mix of conifers, iris, perennials and woody shrubs

GBF Deemer 3 — Eye-catching combo tucked between driveway and the front porch–Japanese maple, daphne and a twisty blue spruce

GBF Deemer 5 — Color gets a bit more intense as you approach the front porch

GBF Deemer 19 — Notes of burgundy in both flower and foliage are found throughout the garden

GBF Deemer 4 — A pair of these huge planted metal bowls flank the porch

GBF Deemer 7 — The view from the porch to the mountains on the horizon, we’re in for a brief rain

GBF Deemer 6 — Selenite desert rose crystal

This very large piece of crystal (usually only found as one or two of the little ball formations) was hauled back from Mexico by Scott and foreshadows many other unique pieces of art we will see in the Deemer’s home and gardens. This lovely couple graciously opened their home to the Garden Bloggers Fling participants, allowing us to wander through to view their collection of modern paintings and sculptures and soak in the home’s modern mid-century vibe. As welcomed as we were I would not post photos of the home’s interior or art in deference to the family’s privacy. I did take some shots from the balcony off the second story master bedroom and will share those further on.

Only steps from the sleek modern kitchen is an outdoor world the Deemers enjoy through every season. Multi-level living and entertainment areas have been developed with extensive rock hardscaping and lush plantings and large windows on the home’s rear allow almost all of the shallow and wide back garden to be visible from the interior living and kitchen spaces.

GBF Deemer 37 — Modern but very comfortable dining spot with the kitchen and outdoor grill close at hand

GBF Deemer 45 — Stunning stone and plasma cut steel fireplace evoking the nearby Rocky Mountains

GBF Deemer 39 — The mixed material garden “floor” adds interest and offers wee planting spots

The back garden runs the width of the home but not the full depth of the lot which slopes uphill. The Deemers have left a naturalized meadow strip behind the landscaped areas. The home is flanked by two undeveloped lots and the cul-de-sac is adjacent to an open meadow area. The meadow area is a favorite pass through for many types of Colorado wildlife. The massive stones used throughout form a natural feeling retaining wall and soft line of demarcation between the tamed and the wild parts of their backyard oasis.

GBF Deemer 49 — The fire pit is surrounded by enough open space for seating–yet another garden floor, this one small gravel

GBF Deemer 26 — Looking as if this all has just found its place naturally even though I know every stone and plant was meticulously planned–it is hard work to make it all look so easy

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A massive set of stone steps allow the basement to be accessed from the back garden. The elevation change is significant. Both side of the steps are beautifully planted, again using the stone to create planting pockets. Another twisty blue spruce is perfectly placed to grow as a backdrop for the patio’s grill.

GBF Deemer 41 — No spot is too insignificant to have a bit of cool color–notice the steel waves used to mitigate the steep slope and provide small flat openings for planting

GBF Deemer 33 — This striking green goddess makes her home on the shady side of the steep stairwell in full view of the basement’s windows–Scott calls her *Athena of the Marina*

GBF Deemer 24 — Looking back toward the dining patio and the Rocky Mountain fireplace

GBF Deemer 48 — Up a stone or two from the fire pit-wonderful grouping of specimen conifers create their own skyline

GBF Deemer 40 — Raised beds for veggies–the espaliered apple will eventually screen the mechanicals

GBF Deemer 34 — Fruit trees, veggies and herbs are somewhat obscured from the entertaining parts of the garden

GBF Deemer 32 — This planting of weeping conifers (spruce?) marks the far side of the lot–I think they look like a group of ladies with heads bent together sharing a juicy bit of gossip about whatever is going on in the field beyond

As if the show-stopping fireplace, gorgeous fire pit area and off the beaten path veggie garden is not enough–we’re going to do a deep dive into one of the most well suited for its site pools I’ve ever seen.

GBF Deemer 30 — Pool view from the garden’s midpoint

The pool was designed to appear as if it is a natural swimming hole occurring in the mountains at the base of a small waterfall. The uphill side rock formations have continued across the width of the garden as does the naturalized meadow wildlife runway. The pool is not treated with chemicals but instead employs a biofiltration system utilizing beneficial micro-organisms to remove impurities.

GBF Deemer 47 — Backdrop plantings are kept low behind the pool to be able to see passing wildlife

GBF Deemer 20 — Great spot to dip your toes after long day of garden gazing

GBF Deemer 31 — One of many outdoor art pieces tucked in amongst the plantings

GBF Deemer 38 — The far end of the pool with screening plantings in place should the neighboring lot be built on in the future

GBF Deemer 51 — Little burgundy iris surrounding by variegated reeds

GBF Deemer 36 — Looking back from the pool’s far end

GBF Deemer 29 — A weeping copper beech tucked up against the home

The photos taken from the master bedroom balcony (visible in the next to last photo) offer a wider view of all of the garden’s elements. They emphasize many of the features of this garden that I find most appealing including the variety of foliage color on both coniferous and deciduous trees, the proximity of all the different entertaining spaces to the kitchen and the ability to have more utilitarian areas (like the veggies) a little bit out of sight but not too far away to work in easily. The most central parts like the fireplace and dining patio aren’t visible due to tree cover up against the balcony. Oh…and the view of the surrounding countryside is fabulous. No commentary needed on these–just take it all in.

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As the homeowner is a designer-builder of rock rich custom landscapes it would have not been a surprise if the tons of massive stonework totally dominated this garden, leaving precious little attention given to the plantings. This was not the case and it is clear that much thought was given to careful selection of trees, shrubs and perennials and their placement in relation to the hardscape. A rich and diverse plant palette glows against the stone, softening the hard edges and enveloping visitors as if they have entered a forest. Probably not a garden for a young family with little ones needing running room and lawn for throwing a ball around but certainly a garden meeting the Deemer’s goal of a sanctuary where they can live in harmony with nature and art. For Scott, the landscape is “sculpture on a grand scale.”

GBF Deemer 22 — Scott Deemer greets us with his garden clippers in his back pocket just in case…

Like what you’ve seen in the Deemer’s garden? Go to http://www.outdoorcraftsmen.com to see a gallery of other Colorado landscapes Scott and his team have designed and built.

In a daze near Denver…The Gardens on Spring Creek

July 25, 2019 ~ queenofthedirt ~ Leave a comment

It is not very often one gets to experience a public garden in its infancy. The Gardens on Spring Creek is the community botanic garden of Ft. Collins, Colorado. It opened in 2004 as a public-private partnership between the City of Ft. Collins and the Friends of The Gardens on Spring Creek. The botanic garden’s vision is stated as “to be a world class botanic garden that is community oriented, educational, experiential and sustainable.”

The Gardens on Spring Creek is in the midst of a two year expansion and renovation project which increases its size to about 18 acres, adds four new themed gardens plus a new, larger Visitors Center. Because of their proximity to the Visitors Center construction we were unable to visit several of the garden’s more mature areas such as the Children’s Garden (2006), the Garden of Eatin’ (2009), the Sustainable Backyard and the Daylily and Turf Demonstration Gardens. We did get to see just how the new gardens were shaping up and for some inexplicable reason I was faintly surprised to see that they look just like our own gardens do at the beginning of their lives–lots of smaller plant material, exposed irrigation systems and bare ground awaiting mulch! I guess I assumed public gardens just spring right out of the parched earth, immediately lush and mature.

THE GREAT LAWN AND THEMED GARDENS

The Great Lawn is a two acre garden with a soaring stage and featuring a half acre of amphitheater lawn seating surrounded by educational themed gardens. Garden Bloggers Fling participants assembled on the lawn for our group photo and had a short time to walk the surrounding areas before reuniting for lunch on the stage.

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The asymmetrical roof over the stage is a show stopper. Shade structures similar in style are located throughout the surrounding themed gardens. Raw wood, hefty metal and rock–very Colorado.

GBF Spring Creek 1 — Welcoming spot to lay out a blanket and enjoy a picnic or musical performance

A Rose Garden, Fragrance Garden and Moon Garden are newly completed and adjacent to the Great Lawn.

GBF Spring Creek 10 — Clematis start their climb on supports in the Rose Garden

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The Fragrance Garden’s raised beds bring the scents closer to visitors. Raw and new now, I can imagine that in a few years when the shade structures are massed with foliage and color this will be an appealing area for young and old alike.

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Lonicera reticulata Kintzley’s Ghost® is planted at the base of the metal supports. At first glance to a California girl it looked like eucalyptus but I would later learn it is one of the Plant Select® program which features plants designed to thrive in high plains and intermountain regions. After we returned to our bus I realized I had totally missed a plot dedicated to Plant Select® specimens–a great resource for a local gardener to explore choices well suited to the area.

THE UNDAUNTED GARDEN

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In In a daze near Denver…a praire meadow I introduced you to the work of internationally known landscape designer, author and Ft. Collins resident Lauren Springer Ogden. The 3/4 acre xeriscape Undaunted Garden was designed by Lauren and is in the plant installation phase. Named after one of Lauren’s books, the garden will artistically showcase plants native to western North America and non-native plants adapted to grow in drought prone areas. Fling organizers had arranged for Lauren to meet with us in the garden but we soon learned that just a day or two before she had fallen and seriously injured her knee–as we were walking the paths she had laid out, she was having needed surgery. The structure in this garden will act as an outdoor classroom.

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From a distance the foliage on this succulent looked almost navy blue and made a striking contrast with its bright green neighbor.

THE NEWLY REOPENED ROCK GARDEN

This unique and naturalistic garden features Colorado native plants and plants adapted to local growing conditions. Dwarf conifers and specialty bulbs are set among the locally quarried rock. It first opened in 2011 and is the largest rock garden in northern Colorado. I readily admit to spending most of my browsing time in this area–it was spectacular and came equipped with a very knowledgeable young horticulturalist, Bryan Fischer, ready to answer all our ID questions. This garden was very well marked but over time plants have wandered about and popped up far from their tags and original sites! Happy plants!

GBF Spring Creek 21 — Winding stone paths wander amongst more than a half dozen bermed beds

GBF Spring Creek 24 — Drifts of pink *Phlox grayi* and yellow *Alyssum stribryni*

GBF Spring Creek 14 — I have conifer envy

GBF Spring Creek 12 — Waves of blue flowering ground cover

GBF Spring Creek 23 — A few columbine still blooming

GBF Spring Creek 26 — Whirligig seed heads of a clematis–maybe Clematis scottii and what looks like snow in summer

GBF Spring Creek 17 — A lovely mix of texture, foliage and flower forms

Staychs lavandufolia--mountain tea — Several large mounds of *Stachys lavandulifolius* drew a lot of attention–a xeric lamb’s ear relative

GBF Spring Creek 15 — Every level of mounded rock offers new planting opportunities

GBF Spring Creek 20 — Marked as Clematis integrifolia Mongolian Bells®–loved the two toned bells

Onosma alborosa — Identification anyone??

GBF Spring Creek 16 — The rock offers a canvas on which to paint the plants, never overwhelming them

GBF Spring Creek 11 — A final alpine scene

Our time was very limited at The Gardens on Spring Creek. I could have spent a half day in the Rock Garden alone, noting plant names and combinations. I have an irrational fondness for small conifers (poorly suited to my garden conditions) and they were wonderful here in combination with so many other plant forms. I think much of the appeal of the rock gardens I saw in the Denver area is that they lend themselves very well to the personality of a plant collector. While still resting comfortably in the arms of the design principle of repetition of form and color there is always a little spot somewhere to sneak in that plant that could not be left behind!

The current construction phases are due to be completed this fall. You can find more pictures of the ongoing projects and learn about future events and programs at The Gardens on Spring Creek by going to their website http://www.fcgov.com/gardens/ –I’m going to give this developing garden oasis in Ft. Collins a couple of years after that and then schedule return trip. It will be fun to see how the newly planted areas have developed and to be able to see the older gardens not now open to the public.

Mountain marvels, moos and missteps…

July 8, 2019 ~ queenofthedirt ~ 3 Comments

A week at our small cabin in Fish Camp just outside Yosemite National Park’s southern entrance is always relaxing but never dull. With daytime temps hovering in the high 70s and dipping down to the fifties at night, it is a cool respite from the Central Valley’s summer heat.

We get up early to enjoy the sunrise on the back deck, eat simply and play play lots of gin rummy and Yahtzee. Our good friends Barb and Rod D., along with their sweet pup Penny, came up to hang out with us and grill on July 4th. No fireworks for us here in this very fire prone forest region.

The cabin’s Little Free Library, finally set in its ground sleeve on our last visit, seems to be doing a good business–not many books I put in there remain and I’m getting an idea of what my summer neighbors read from what they’ve left behind in exchange. At our Volunteer Firefighters Association annual potluck I got suggestions for more kids books and a nightlight. I’m on the book quest but a flashlight hanging from a cord may be the best I can do for lighting!

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We took a walk up the road to visit a friend and found these beautiful blooms on the banks of Big Creek where Hwy. 41 crosses the small flow of water. The large shrubs reminded me of the deciduous native azaleas we often saw in the North Georgia mountains. In almost full shade the bright green leaves and white blooms glowed. A little post-walk research leads me to believe they are Rhododendron occidentale, commonly called the western azalea and the only native azalea west of the Rocky Mountains. This colony was very fragrant.

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These are “also seens” on our walk–nothing has changed since my last mountain wildflower post–I still don’t know the names of any of these. I’m hoping this huge seed puffball is something fabulous as they were everywhere!

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Just in case you believe this mountain life is totally carefree and so that Dave doesn’t get out of practice…

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A shower inside is never supposed to create mini geyser outside! The oldest of our leach lines for the septic tank was clearly blocked. Fortunately, we have a second line and had only to turn the valve to remedy the problem. With the call to our septic man made, Dave digs out the tank cap in preparation for both leach lines to be cleaned out next week.

ENOUGH WORK…NOW FOR THE MOOS!

The Bohna family cattle drive has been a part of local mountain history since 1959. Three generations of the family, now led by horsewoman Diane Bohna, and the cowhands of the Three Bar Ranch in Raymond, CA spend about three days each late spring or early summer moving more their 300+ head herd to the high country near Quartz Mountain for the summer. On their way to those grassy meadows at 8700′ elevation the herd crosses Highway 41 in Fish Camp to the delight of summer visitors. The crossing takes about 20 minutes and traffic on this highway leading to Yosemite is closed by California Highway Patrol in both directions. The intersection of that highway and Summit Road which leads to our cabin is a perfect viewing spot for all the action which usually takes place around Fathers Day–possibly the late winter in the high country is the cause for this later time frame for the drive.

Moos 3 — Beautiful vista as we await the arrival of the Three Bar Ranch herd

Moos 4 — The first cowboys and one of several herding dogs

About mid-photo on the right you can see the end of a narrow dirt trail coming down from the hills–this is where the herd will emerge, single file. Fifteen minutes or so earlier a rider had come through giving spectators a 20 minutes to arrival heads-up and asking that everyone stay as still and as quiet as possible to avoid spooking the herd. We will really only be a little more than a single traffic lane away from the animals.

Moos 5 — Another pair of riders and a cloud of dust mark the herd moving onto the highway

Moos 6 — The hands guide the first animals across the highway to the northbound lane and very narrow shoulder

Moos 7 — You can see the ranch’s three bar brand identifying the herd

Moos 8 — We are very quiet and it is remarkably orderly

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This traffic sign (there is a large construction project just ahead) is alarming for many of the animals and causes a little panicky scuffle to break out. The shoulder drops off here and their attempts to go around the sign that way are a little sketchy but a cowboy gently encourages them and all is well.

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This young girl, complete with cowboy hat and a remarkable amount of photographic equipment, told our little group of two dozen spectators that she was a photojournalist for a French magazine. Not everyday you meet a French photojournalist in Fish Camp, whose population sign reads 500 but I think is actually about 60.

Moos 9 — Looking to the north as the herd continues to where it will turn west off the road into a meadow

Moos 15 — Down the bank in a cloud of dust–you can see additional spectators on the construction barriers ahead

Moos 13 — The drag riders at the end of the herd

Moos 14 — Being last means being in a cloud of dust the whole ride

This rider pulled down her kerchief as she passed us and spoke to the photojournalist in French so maybe that is a clue to the story in the making.

Moos 16 — The last rider and canine co-worker make sure no one gets left behind as the herd moves off the highway into a meadow below

Moos 18 — Before the traffic is released to I crossed the highway and got a view of the herd and its people getting settled down back in a more natural setting

Moos 17 — From here the drive will continue on up the mountain until they reach that sweet summer grass of the high country

So that no idyllic mountain day ends unblemished…on my sprint back across the highway (OK 67 year old sprint) an audible pop and searing pain in my right calf signals that the party may be over. We (Dave) packed up and returned to Fresno and after having made my ER visit, I’m now awaiting the Ortho surgeon consult…happy trails!

In a daze in Denver…lessons from a cocktail napkin

July 2, 2019July 1, 2019 ~ queenofthedirt ~ 3 Comments

THE GARDEN OF ROB PROCTOR AND DAVID MACKE IN DENVER

A few months ago my husband outlined the inspirational message he was to give at our youngest son’s wedding to his long-time love on a polka dotted cocktail napkin–you can actually see the napkin in his hand in the photos taken of him with the bride and groom at the altar. In the garden notes about Rob Proctor and David Macke’s phenomenal garden, I learned that 25 years ago Rob drew a layout of the garden on a cocktail napkin as he and David celebrated the closing on their new home. The cocktail napkin’s role in new beginnings and big decisions is starting to take on new meaning for me!

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Rob and David invited us to enter their back garden through their 1905 brick home which displays an eclectic collection of David’s antiques and Rob’s watercolors. Rob Proctor is part of Denver’s horticultural royalty. He is a past Director of Horticulture for Denver Botanic Gardens and has written sixteen gardening books on topics from cutting gardens to how to create beautiful gardens on a shoestring budget. Rob has written for the Denver Post and is the resident gardening expert for Denver KUSA-TV. He is also a noted botanic illustrator and watercolor artist. This garden has been featured in many books and magazines and is open annually in August (at its peak bloom) for the Proctor’s Garden tour which benefits a local nonprofit community-based animal shelter/humane society.

A Denver Garden Bloggers Fling would not be complete without a chance to see Rob’s garden. Caveats to this post which simply does not do the garden justice, even in its first few weeks of the season; you get the light you get based on the time of day we are scheduled to be in any given garden and MY photography skills can’t do much to alter that; we have about 35 minutes in any single garden to not just take it all in but also photograph it. If you are a YouTube viewer, there are multiple videos over several years of this garden, several including interviews with Rob. Especially engaging is a June 18, 2019 YouTube upload set to music by fellow Flinger Janet Davis who blogs at The Paintbox Garden–unfortunately my platform doesn’t support links to video but any of the videos can be found by Googling. Your search engine will also offer you a series of Rob’s own video clips at http://www.9news.com on a variety of gardening topics. All of these are worth watching.

On with the show…

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The brick patio opens to a series of very long and lush perennial borders within a formal structure “walls” provided by brick columns and lathe fencing. The garden’s folly is the visual focus from the seating area and draws the eye to the into to the depths of the garden.

GBF Proctor 2 — Flower filled intimate seating spot just a step or two away from the kitchen door

GBF Proctor 6 — Turf plays the role of pathway between the borders

GBF Proctor 52 — A spot to relax on the way to the herb garden

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The parterre herb garden as viewed from several angles. Again, Rob has used formal structure but let the plants fill it in a blowsy, live and let live fashion. The herb beds are actually sunk below grade to collect water in a technique employed by the Native Peoples which Rob describes as the way a waffle collects syrup.

GBF Proctor 7 — This climbing rose anchors the center of the parterre

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GBF Proctor 8 — Cobalt cushioned seating along the fence line overlooking the herb garden

GBF Proctor 14 — A pair of potted clematis flank the loveseat

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The gravel allee is actually the old driveway, now transformed into a long border completely composed of pots. This is perhaps a good place to note that this garden is home to over 600 planted pots. that’s 6-0-0! They are small and large, tall and squat, mostly but not all blue or terra-cotta. Holy moly–I’m doing well to not let the ivy left behind in last year’s abandoned container croak over the winter…

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GBF Proctor 13 — Rob and Dave snuck this red seating area in to see if we were paying attention

GBF Proctor 11 — Lots of crimson and chartreuse in these terra cotta pots

The next border over–they all extend from the back of the home sort of like tines from a fork–is quite shady due to the tree cover directly behind the herb parterre but chock full of emerging perennials. Pots of color are placed in the borders to add pops of interest at strategic spots.

GBF Proctor 20 — Succulents planted in hypertufa boxes rest on a wooden bench at the base of a large shade tree

GBF Proctor 21 — One type of pot, one type of plant= big impact

GBF Proctor 19 — Looking down the border

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This magnificent plant that is sited on both sides of the border at its sunnier end (look to the very end of the lawn strip in the next to last photo for the billowy clouds of white) was the subject of much interest to many of us–finally identified as Crambe cordifolia, sometimes referred to as giant sea kale. It sort of looks like airborne baby’s breath floating six feet in the air. Even in a smallish garden it could be used as the backdrop for other more colorful perennials and annuals.

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The white lathe folly at the end of the center border is filled a variety of containers potted up with succulents, ferns, tropicals and houseplants needing a little protection.

GBF Proctor 23 — Cobalt blue pots are again prominent, many with yellowy-chartreuse foliage

GBF Proctor 25 — Matched hanging baskets of a huge coral hued begonia flank the folly’s doorway

GBF Proctor 26 — Another cluster of blue pots are nestled at the base of a spiral staircase

Remembering that this garden is just now in its opening weeks of Denver’s relatively short growing season, I am not sure I can imagine all 600 of the pots bursting with blooms at the peak of the season.

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The central border is alive with bright and dark foliage colors and many blooms. While more is not yet quite blooming than is, the overall effect is staggering. Another plant drawing a bit of attention is this huge leafed perennial which is present is all the borders in various stages of maturity. Several Midwest gardeners recognized it right away and referred to it ask hogweed, cautioning unwitting novices like me not to touch it! David Macke identified it for us as Heracleum maximum, commonly called cow parsnip. It is a genus of about 60 species of perennial herbs in the carrot family. Apparently it can deliver a nasty rash if you handle it and then the affected areas are exposed to sunlight.

GBF Proctor 33 — The umbels on this cow parsnip tower least 8 feet in the air

GBF Proctor 30 — Another favorite in this sunny border Kashmir sage, *Phlomis cashmeriana*

The most Westerly border ends in an arbor leading to the vegetable garden which spans the entire back of the property, mostly shielded from the view of the more ornamental borders.

GBF Proctor 32 — A huge weigela is an explosion of blooms

GBF Proctor 34 — *Clematis recta* billows at the base of the arbor

GBF Proctor 27 — Things get a little wilder as you approach the veggie area.

GBF Proctor 37 — A little potting up space

GBF Proctor 38 — Once again having structure and organization firmly in place allows for freedom within the planting beds

GBF Proctor 39 — The “waffle” scheme is repeated here, allowing valuable water to flow into the below grade planting square

GBF Proctor 40 — Each square of edibles has a terra cotta potted succulent centerpiece–art in its own right

GBF Proctor 41 — *Malva sylvestris*, zebra mallow snuggles up against the base of a bench

GBF Proctor 44 — Clary sage pops out of the gravel in abandon

GBF Proctor 43 — Creative succulent containers abound

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I am practically on a dead run from the far back veggies to the house as last call for the bus is made-fortunately I am not alone!

GBF Proctor 31 — Looking back to main patio from central border path

GBF Proctor 50 — Blue pots explode with pansies, succulents and more

GBF Proctor 51 — How could I have missed this patio water feature–hidden amongst the myriad of pots!

The lush back garden Rob and David have planted, nourished and nurtured over 25 years after its initial plan was rendered on a cocktail napkin was beautiful on June 18th, the day of my visit. I expect that each day of its season, while different, is equally as stunning. Layer upon layer of plants will come and go through out the borders, beds and pots, rewarding anyone who is lucky enough to spend even 35 minutes amongst them. The “bones” and fundamental framework planned out on that cocktail napkin have made it possible for diverse plant materials to flourish in both contrast and harmony with one another–bits of interesting chaos resting safely in the arms of the garden’s structure. The message David delivered to the soon-to-be newlyweds was one of building a framework of confidence in one another through caring and communication. The goal being a relationship in which both can flourish individually and as partners, in times of contrast and harmony, but always in a safe space. Didn’t think you could get all that on a cocktail napkin, did you? A huge thank you to Rob and David for their generosity in sharing their garden with us on this day.

In a daze near Denver…tough plants, easy smiles

June 28, 2019 ~ queenofthedirt ~ 7 Comments

THE GARDEN OF JEAN MORGAN IN LOUISVILLE

Jean Morgan’s garden doesn’t take itself too seriously. She strives to offer food, water and refuge for butterflies in all their life stages (including the eating your plants to a naked stem phase) and rest plus a sip of water for her bird visitors within a native landscape that can get by when it needs to with virtually no supplemental water.

GBF Morgan 1 — A raucous clump of huge, bright orange poppies greeted us as we got off our bus just around the corner from Jean’s home

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Jean is standing at the ready to greet us but most of us have stopped to take in the shallow plant filled front yard which runs the length of her cottage.

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While there are quite a few permanent plantings, including this rose, the overwhelming sense of this front bed is that of masses of freely seeding wildflowers. Blue love-in-a-mist is everywhere, including cracks in the asphalt surface of the street. There are large colonies of both pink evening primrose and yellow sundrops–both of the genus Oenothera. Although Jean has both natives and non-natives, she admits that in a conflict where one must go–the natives win every time.

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From the Denver postcards–this chocolate guardian angel watches over the yellow flowered Berlandiera lyrata, chocolate flower. The flower heads of this plants were used by native Americans to flavor their foods. Jean shares that passersby often pick up the Hershey’s wrappers she has used to highlight the plant’s fragrance and bring them to her with apologies for the actions of a careless litterer.

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Jean’s home is one of Louisville’s historic miner’s cabins. The left photo shows its original size and the right photo is of the miner who built the cabin. Jean has lived and gardened here since 1972 when her passion started with a few hens-and-chicks given to her by a neighbor.

GBF Morgan 9 — Jean’s love of found objects is obvious–especially those with a vintage Colorado feel

GBF Morgan 22 — Ants “mine” for crystal near a swath of cranesbill

GBF Morgan 11 — Colorado’s state cactus *Echinocereus triglochiadiatus*, or claret cup cactus

GBF Morgan 6 — Every nook and cranny has something growing out of it

GBF Morgan 12 — *Stanleya pinnata* or desert prince’s plume puts on a show of yellow blooms

GBF Morgan 7 — Jean identified this hardy geranium as the North American species *G. fremontii* AKA G. *caespitosum fremontii*, or Fremont’s geranium

GBF Morgan 13 — Bloggers are pretty much shoulder to shoulder in the rock garden between the cabin and its garage

GBF Morgan 14 — This old tub planted with succulents is called Barney Bazooka De Chomp III–I wonder what happened to I and II?

GBF Morgan 16 — The paths are narrow and there are few places to step without crushing some small vignette

GBF Morgan 18 — Jean IDs plants and answers questions–she has prepared reference sheets because she knows we’re going to want the names for everything

GBF Morgan 17 — The back garden’s focal point is a whimsical pond

GBF Morgan 19 — Bubbles the hippo peeks up from the water

GBF Morgan 21 — Tiny and tight succulents fill the rocky crevices

GBF Morgan 20 — Jean welcomes all to visit her garden, then come back again and again

Jean believes that every garden belongs to the gardener who tends and loves it. She clearly enjoys her garden every day and revels in seeing the birds and butterflies who make it their home. She is active in community causes including the preservation of other miner’s cabins in danger of demolition. Jean is also involved in annual Boulder County butterfly inventories conducted by Jan Chu, author of Butterflies of the Colorado Front Range. Her cabin and very personal outdoor space shines in a small, clearly aging neighborhood only a block from the railroad tracks–the only thing brighter I saw was her enthusiasm for sharing her garden with us.

In a daze in Denver…Confluence Park and REI

June 24, 2019 ~ queenofthedirt ~ 2 Comments

For two days our tour buses passed a lovely riverfront of some kind and a huge REI as we traveled back and forth from our garden tours in the communities surrounding Denver. I am not a camping and hiking kind of girl but both my adult sons are very into kayaking, fishing and all things outdoors so I decided a trip to what I soon learned is the flagship REI might give me some new street (forest?) cred with my boys. Who would have thought my second retail adventure in Denver would take me back to the birth of this mile high city?

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It was overcast as I approached Confluence Park and REI, walking the mile or so northwest on 15th Street from my hotel. This photo is taken from East Confluence Park where there is a pretty shade pavilion and this great stone leaf in which was nestled a little boy wrapped in a wet towel, fresh from some play at the river’s edge.

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In fact, every one of the several kiddos in that family had to take a turn in the leaf’s embrace before they all packed back into their vehicle and I got my turn.

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Confluence and East Confluence Parks are two of Denver’s most urban parks. They encompass the green space at the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek which is just north of Denver’s Lower Downtown historic district. During the Gold Rush it was at this junction that gold miners established a settlement for trade and commerce in 1858. When the gold panning no longer yielded riches, the settlement reinvented itself as the supply hub for new mines in the mountains. The city of Denver eventually grew out of this mining camp.

GBF REI 5 — Shoemaker Plaza with REI in the background

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From the 15th Street bridge over the South Platte River, you can see quite far upriver. Shoemaker Plaza on the river’s bank is a venue for outdoor concerts and picnics. Biking and hiking trails run along the river. On this cloudy day there were a few folks relaxing on the banks and a big yellow dog who was having a great time.

REI’s 90,000 square foot Denver flagship store occupies the historic Denver Tramway Power Company building over looking Confluence Park and the river. It has its own Starbucks with a lovely outdoor seating area which was full of young people sipping their coffees and working on their tablets while enjoying at the fresh air and the sound of the rushing river.

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The building housed the boilers and engines used to generate electricity for the streetcars which were the main link from Denver to the suburbs. Water from the river cooled the powerhouse’s turbines and there was easy access to coal due to adjacent rail lines. At the height of its operations, the Tramway Company owned 160 miles of track and more than 250 streetcars. The system was decommissioned in 1950 and the building was subsequently used as a warehouse and later, to house the Forney Historic Transportation Museum. REI acquired the property in 1998.

REI Co-op was born in 1938 of the need for a better source to obtain a quality ice axe for a reasonable price–which explains its choice of door hardware. Today it has 154 stores in 35 state and the District of Columbia and more than 13,000 employees, all dedicated to bringing consumers top quality outdoor gear and experiences.

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REI’s commitment to the careful use of resources made the rehabilitation of this historic building a project which supports the environmental concerns of its members both through responsible business practices and direct support of conservation causes. There is an amazing amount of information about this rehab project online–just Google REI Denver Flagship store or REI Denver Tramway Power Company if you’d like to read more details.

Being a REI virgin, I thought I might participate in whatever activities were going on in the store or pick up a small souvenir. I felt pretty foolish asking some passerby to snap my photo in front of the store. More so, letting anyone else see me taking a selfie in front of the store!

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Ok, so maybe experientially this might not be for me–the 40 foot tall Pinnacle. Although I did find out that a class was available for beginners after which I could have my first pint of beer free at Denver Beer Company.

GBF REI 8 — The small boulder outside was more my level–these girls were doing time trials with Mom manning the stop watch

Maybe a kayak is more my style…

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Or one of these colorful sleeping bags…

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From the second floor catwalks I could really get a sense of the structure of the building and what a great job REI did preserving what they could and making their needed improvements in a style that was complimentary to the inherent industrial look. My first REI so no way to know if they all look like this!

Feeling ever so much more outdoorsy than I did when I walked in, I took a pedestrian bridge back across the South Platte towards Centennial Park.

GBF REI 14 — Just before the bridge the power of the water is really evident

GBF REI 15 — I’m sure REI has a class entitled “Kayaking for 66 year old beginners with marginal upper body strength” What do you think?

I ventured on to Centennial Gardens and saw some more fun outdoor public art on my way back to the hotel–another post for all that.

In a daze near Denver…a prairie meadow

June 19, 2019July 24, 2019 ~ queenofthedirt ~ 10 Comments

THE GARDEN OF MARY AND LARRY SCRIPTER IN NIWOT

Mary and Larry’s rural Niwot garden occupies about a quarter of their 5 acre lot. With roads on two sides of their property and fields on the other two, you couldn’t ask for a more serene location. Unless you could also have an unobstructed view of the Rocky Mountains–did I mention that they enjoy that also?

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Adding to their sense of privacy, a long driveway well treed on both sides brings us to their neat 70s ranch home. Mary notes in her garden profile that they started their garden in about 2011 challenged with bindweed, thistle, quack grass, dying aspen trees and clay soil. I don’t even know what those first three things are but I’m sensing they are not good.

GBF Scripter 11 — The island in the driveway is only a couple of seasons old and filled with a variety of perennials, small scale shrubbery and iris

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The barn takes on a quasi desert look with this colony of shapely yuccas. Larry recounted that plants in this group have all descended from a small one he found out in the field and stuck in the dry ground. When asked what species of yucca they were (as garden bloggers do) he replied dryly, “field yuccas”.

GBF Scripter 12 — Looks like a field yucca to me…

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This sprightly little pine had a spot just at the end of the field yuccas. It is one of the lodgepole pines, Pinus contorta ‘Taylor’s Sunburst’ and should reach 12 ft. high and 8 ft. wide and sports those new bright yellow needles for about two months each spring. Although this pine was new to me it would not be the last time I saw it during my Denver stay.

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Mary’s front porch adjacent plantings were colorful and traditional–roses, salvia, and a number of other low fillers not yet in bloom.

GBF Scripter 37 — *Centranthus ruber*, also known as red valerian or Jupiter’s beard is a tough prairie perennial very attractive to butterflies

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It was impossible not to gawk at the exquisite woodwork around the front door, not at all usual for the style and age of the home. Larry shared that one of Mary’s many endeavors had been dealing in European antiques and that this piece was from a French cathedral.

GBF Scripter 33 — Our first glimpse of Mary’s sense of garden whimsey: busy iron ants amongst scrambling poppy mallow

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The garden slopes down at the end of the home and as we descend the stairs, Mary’s numerous fairy gardens, both sun and shade, come into view.

At the northwest corner of the garden work began in 2011 to add privacy from the road and increase bird habit. The design was done by Lauren Ogden Springer, an internationally known garden rock star who lives and gardens in nearby Ft. Collins. She and her husband, Scott, have written two books together: Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens (Timber Press 2011) and Plant-Driven Design (Timber Press 2008). Lauren also authored The Undaunted Garden: Planting for Water-Resilient Beauty (Fulcrum Publishing 2011). She is currently overseeing the planting of a newly designed public garden named the Undaunted Garden at The Gardens at Spring Creek which is on our tour itinerary. The Scripter privacy screen contains over 60 trees and shrubs planted with the help of their backhoe and 600 blue grama and little bluestem grasses. To deter the weeds and keep the new plantings moist they were covered with free mulch from tree contractors. Now established, the area is only watered about four times per year.

GBF Scripter 16 — Looking into the privacy screen from the end of the Scripter home

GBF Scripter 15 — Sort of an organic “Please don’t walk on the grass” sign

GBF Scripter 31 — My first view of the prairie meadow–in the foreground, masses of columbine

In 2012, Larry prepped the area behind their home which was destined to become their own personal prairie meadow using 800 pounds of alfalfa pellets and 10 cubic yards of compost, working it into existing clay soil with his tractor. With Lauren Springer Ogden’s meadow design in hand, Mary spray painted the ground, laying out the matrix of plants, section by section.

From Mary’s garden profile, “Over a period of three weeks, we planted 1,800 plants, including 70 types of perennials, shrubs, native wildflowers, and 13 types of grasses. In the fall of the same year, we planted 1,500 bulbs–daffodils, camassias, tiger lilies, eremurus, gladiolus and various alliums plus many flowers for cutting.” Using a shovel and a wheelbarrow, Larry spread 25 tons of pea gravel around all the precious plants to deter weeds from the hayfield and retain moisture. They had realized their goal of having a prairie meadow with a view of the Rockies.

GBF Scripter 18 — Wide gravel paths allow easy access for maintenance

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Keep in mind that this meadow was covered with snow a short three weeks ago. While it is mostly green now, it has many diverse plant colonies which will come into bloom throughout the summer and probably reach its peak in August.

GBF Scripter 21 — *Eremurus* (desert candles) just rising up

GBF Scripter 22 — Waning *Papaver somniferum* ‘Lauren’s Grape’–named after garden designer Lauren Springer Ogden

GBF Scripter 9 — *Sanguisorba,* I think–commonly called burnet and endowed with astringent properties

This prairie meadow under the big Colorado sky lies not much more than a hay field away from the Lagerman Reservoir. Mary had laid out several bug spray options for us on the deck and you only had to venture out into the meadow to understand why–it was swarming with mosquitoes. Many of us, including me, just weren’t able to spend much time photographing plant groupings because you couldn’t stand too long in one spot before they found you!!

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This striking bird bath was one of my favorite meadow elements. Mary shares that the ever changing meadow landscape is full of life year-round, including hundreds of birds. The entire meadow is a certified Pollinator Habitat, feeding wild bees and the bees from neighboring farms.

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Viewing the meadow from the southwestern end of the back garden. This area is shaded and planted with many traditional shade loving species.

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The shaded back deck is perfect for relaxing and enjoying the view of the meadow and the Rockies beyond.

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The back deck bears witness to another part of Mary’s collecting life when she dealt in cowboy and western items. This vintage Americana seems just right for Colorado decor.

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This delightful photographic essay on the meadow development which also included photos of the Scripter’s family and friends was available for us to enjoy.

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Although the meadow is now well established, the Scripters concede that no garden is ever done. A meadow this size requires significant maintenance with weeds, weather and critters all being unpredictable factors from year to year. Regardless of the work involved to maintain their stunning long range view from the meadow to the mountains, they express that they are very grateful to live here. I am very grateful that Mary and Larry were willing to share their garden with us.

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Postcards from Denver…

June 15, 2019 ~ queenofthedirt ~ 8 Comments

Hello friends! In the short 32 hours since visiting the High Plains Environmental Center (In a daze near Denver…High Plains Environmental Center), the traveling Garden Bloggers Fling 2019 participants have toured nine private gardens, one public garden and the home of Botanical Interests, a family owned seed company known to gardeners across the US. All were in the communities outside of Denver proper. Tomorrow, on our last full day of touring we will stay closer into the city visiting the Denver Botanic Garden and one of its extensions, Chatfield Farms plus six more private gardens.

With over 500 photos to sort through already to do each garden justice, I am going to tease you with just one snap of each garden–sort of a postcard from me to you just to show you what I’ve been doing on my vacation. Each garden will get a full post over the next few weeks.

THE GARDENS ON SPRING CREEK IN FT. COLLINS

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THE GARDEN OF JAN AND RICHARD DEVORE IN FT. COLLINS

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THE GARDEN OF CAROL AND RANDY SHINN IN FT. COLLINS

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BOTANICAL INTERESTS SEED COMPANY IN BROOMFIELD

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THE GARDEN OF JEAN MORGAN IN LOUISVILLE

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THE GARDEN OF JIM AND LAURA STROUSE IN LAFAYETTE

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THE GARDEN OF LAURA BOLEY IN BOULDER

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THE GARDEN OF TATIANA MAXWELL IN BOULDER

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THE GARDEN OF MARY AND LARRY SCRIPTER IN NIWOT

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THE GARDEN OF SCOTT AND PAULA DEEMER IN NIWOT

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THE GARDEN OF JUDY SEABORN IN NIWOT

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