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.
By the time we got to Old Germantown Gardens I was hot and tired. And I'm afraid my photos reflect it. I've posted the least bleary looking ones. Old Germantown Gardens is an amazing place - an expansive garden, sloping away from the house, quite sunny at first and increasingly shady towards the borders. I naturally headed to the shadiest spot I could find as soon as we arrived.
Eventually I emerged into the light, central garden space. The beds were bursting with profusions of color. I'm afraid the strong light was unflattering to my photos and I didn't linger in the heat long enough to get many decent photos.
This tree caught my eye, or maybe I should say caught my nose. I could smell it's deliciously scented flowers throughout the garden and finally tracked the fragrance to the creamy blossoms of this fairly tall tree. The bees had obviously tracked it down too and its canopy was vibrating with hundreds of bees. I asked the owner the name of the tree and wrote it down but have misplaced my note somewhere. If anybody recognizes the tree let me know!
To the side of the garden was the dry garden, even hotter, but full of well-drained-soil loving plants like Penstemons and Yuccas. I tend to like those scrappy, tough plants so I throughly enjoyed this section despite the heat. And the well-placed water fountain was a nice touch too.
Just up the hill from the dry garden was a seating area with a fairly tropical feel. It was a nice contrast to the dryness below and quite refreshing.
Closer to the house I found the greenhouse with lots of botanical treats inside. Some amazing old specimens looking fantastic against the clever, blue-walled backdrop.
I'd love to visit Old Germantown Gardens again, preferably on a cooler day. I feel like there were so many lovelies I missed. Such a spectacular garden, I would have had so many more photos if the weather had been kinder.
OK, I'll just go ahead and say it. I don't like really like chinese gardens. It's something about the ornateness of everything - swooping roofs, scrollwork, patterned tiles, painted woodwork, heavily puckered stone - texture upon texture upon texture! I find it a bit overwhelming. There is also a high-contrast to chinese gardens I have a hard time with - those white walls right next to dark plants and how an overly bright courtyard will lead to a very dark shady spot. And the fact that I always seem to go to chinese gardens on really hot, sunny days probably does not help. I'm sure some folks love the drama of these gardens, to me they just feel too unnatural. Yet chinese gardens are supposed to be creating a hyper-natural style. Maybe it's the hyper part that gets to me.
BUT, that said, I did find some scenes I really liked at Portland's Lan Su Chinese Garden. If I can just focus on a detail or two, put blinders on to strip away some of the drama, then I find some beautiful things that would be lovely to incorporate into a garden of my own.
Who wouldn't love to have an amazing gate like this in one's garden?
One feature I couldn't get enough of are the mosaic pebble floors. I love the pattens and the way the plants and moss soften the edges. Apparently the pebbles act like an acupressure treatment to the feet if you take your shoes off. I found it pleasant but a tad bit painful too.
And the architecture I can take in bits and pieces. I asked the guy dusting the bridge how often they had to dust the scrollwork. "Every day" he said, somewhat mournfully I thought. He did add that it can be quite meditative though. Weeding I find meditative, dusting not so much.
Those rocks I can appreciate in small doses.
The boat and lily pads were pretty charming.
Another moon gate.
Some calmer textural layering here.
And the garden had some neat plants too. Impatiens omeiana definitely likes Portland. They don't look that happy in Oakland. And this was a new pine to me - Pinus bungeana or Lacebark Pine. Love the camo look.
OK, so there was plenty to like. I'd even go visit again.
