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. 

2014 Garden Bloggers Fling - Portland, Oregon - Opening Ceremonies

We were warmly welcomed the evening prior to the start of the 2014 Garden Bloggers Fling at the lovely and striking Pomarius Nursery. 

Ignoring the delicious smells from coming from the Mexican food truck waiting to feed all of us bloggers, I rushed around checking out the plants. I loved the sophisticated foliage-heavy selection. 

Some cool topiaries:

This white trunked tree was overrun with a Kiwi vine, creating a pretty topical canopy. 

In the greenhouse (that was transported from another location and rebuilt at the nursery) I found tender bulbs and succulents. 

Pomarius seems to specialize in large size bonsai too.

After filling my belly with tamales and beer, I took another loop through the nursery and began to notice some nice hardscape and garden element details. 

I like the not-so-waterproof mailbox and the way the nursery used landscape cloth to create black screening walls around the nursery. The black gives a dramatic, sophisticated backdrop to the plants.

Beyond the main retail space were several bright and airy offices connected by raised boardwalks. I wish I could have an office here. The landscaping appeared to be well-arranged back stock from the nursery, an ever-changing garden view for the office workers.

The sunken water gardens next to the boardwalks were particularly nice. 

It was a lovely evening catching up with friends in a beautiful setting. Thanks for having us Pomarius!

2012 Asheville Garden Bloggers Fling - Day 1, afternoon

After our morning community gardens and our eclectic mid-day gardens, we spent the afternoon strolling around the North Carolina Arboretum. I was in need of some quiet time by this point so I headed off for a stroll in the woods by myself. 

After a while I stumbled upon the bonsai collection and enjoyed the woods in miniature. 

Looping back to the entrance of the arboretum, I passed by some interesting plants:

And some interesting structures:

The Arboretum has a variety of garden types from formal to educational to wild, something for everyone!