Snout-Hunting in the Woodland

We have 2 Springs in Oregon. We always get approximately 2 weeks of beautiful spring weather in February and then it goes back to being cold and rainy until June. But our "First Spring" is always enchanting because it is when the snouts appear. Sounds like we're hunting pigs, but what we're really looking for is the snouts of wonderful woodland plants.



Polygonatum biflorum is a tough little woodlander that spreads nicely but isn't invasive. Snouts above, plants below.




Dactylorhiza fuchsii is a terrestrial orchid that likes growing in damp soil in the woodland. Very easy to grow. Snout on top, and flower below.




Disporums are one of my favorite woodland plants. This one is Disporum 'Night Heron'.





Arisaema serrata comes out of the ground like a rocket.




Podophyllum pleianthum poke their noses out early and can get frosted if not covered with evergreen branches

Eye Candy

There is nothing like a picture to inspire us gardeners. So since I'm not terrifically witty today, I thought I'd rely on the pictures to speak for themselves. Just sit back and let the gardens seep in.



Brugmansia at Morris Arboretum, Pennsylvania



Grand Thistles at Great Dixter, UK



Spiral Staircase in the Palm House at Kew, UK



Rhododendron Grove at Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island



Brighton Pavilion and Gardens, UK



Under the Wisteria Arbor at Chanticleer, Pennsylvania



Stone stairs leading out of the Grotto, Stourhead, UK



Tulbaghia Sweep at the Getty Museum, Los Angeles



Boat House at Trevarno, Cornwall, UK


Stone and Aconitum at Hever Castle, UK

My pick for New Blogger of the Week is Crystal Coast Gardener

Garden Show UK Style

With all of the garden shows happening on the West Coast of the US this month and next, I thought I'd give a little comparison to the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in England. Although the Hampton Court Show is listed as the biggest flower show in the world, I honestly can't say that it's better or worse than the ones in the US. But they are differant.



The Hampton Court Garden Show is held in July, so all of the display gardens are created outdoors instead of inside. This garden was mulched with slate pieces. Very lovely, but impractical, if you walked on them, they broke.



I loved the simple color scheme of this birch garden.



There was a rather large pond with a cute little tiki hut built on it.



This display was called "Couch Potato" and was put together by a bunch of college students. All of the plants in it were in the solanum family. There was also a couch and a TV in the display, off to the side.



I normally don't care for contemporary gardens, but the colors in this one were so rich and elegant.



Romney carts were quite popular and you could get them small enough for a children's play house, or large enough for a guest room.



One massive tent was given over to extravagant displays of flowers, fruit, and vegies. I'd love to shop in a produce department that carried veg like this!



The tropical Flowers were quite stunning.



I call this "Cactus Dessert Cart".


They were raffling off a stone cottage and actually built a stone cottage in the pavillion so you could see what it looked like. This is the real thing, not cardboard!



After a very long, hot day, my sister and I walked our weary feet back to the bus that would take us to our car and paused for this jail-break photo.

New Blogger of the Week - The Born Again Gardener