2014 - Garden Bloggers Fling - Portland Japanese Garden

Our first stop on the second day of the 2014 Garden Blogger's Fling was at the Portland Japanese Gardens. It was another warm, sunny morning so the photography was a challenge again. Thank goodness for Photoshop.

With the challenging light, I stuck to the shadows and focused on the details. And of course those wonderful details were plentiful in such a well-designed Japanese garden.

Just as at the Lan Su Chinese Garden, I really enjoyed the pathways. While the Chinese Garden paths were composed of intricate stone mosaic patterns, the Japanese walkways appeared much more natural and embracing of the imperfect. The Chinese garden paths are all about pattern and geometry while the Japanese paths exemplify the concept of wabi-sabi, or that of embracing imperfection. I have to say I enjoy both styles equally.

Other constructed elements were beautifully integrated into the landscape - from the tree-framed gravel garden to the simple linear bench perched upon a rock wall.

Even natural parts of the landscape like the ponds and plants benefit from a bit of human touch such as some well-placed rocks or smoothly clipped azaleas. Even though Japanese gardens are high maintenance, those that maintain the gardens respect the wildness of nature and attempt to allow us to see that wildness more clearly by offsetting the perfect with the imperfect.

That contrast creates a beautiful tension at the Portland Japanese Garden. 

Asheville Garden Bloggers Fling, Day 2

Day 2 of the Asheville Fling started off at the lovely hillside garden of Peter and Jasmin Gentling. I began my wandering at the top of the hill looking down onto the main house. 

The light through the trees beckoned me further up the hill into a bamboo grove. 

Back down by the house the lawn provided some nice seating areas. 

The planting beds were full of lovely combinations and textures. 

A lovely bench built into the wall:

And this guest house/propagation area was pretty interesting. 

Next we headed to an even bigger house - The Biltmore Estate. 

The vastness of the view from the house was surprising. It seemed to stretch on forever. 

The details were amazing, right down to the lizards. 

The gardens were expansive and immaculate. 

I'm curious what this plant is - with succulent red stems, bluish leaves and living in the greenhouse. Looks like it might freeze in Northern California, but maybe not...

Back up near the house the wisteria walk must be lovely in bloom.