Menina & Josh

February 28, 2016

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⁣ I found myself writing a “made up” fairy s

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I found myself writing a “made up” fairy story to you to introduce this month’s featured plant, the kind I used to pull from the ether for my son when he was young.⁣
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Maybe it’s nostalgia for his youth (he’s just turned 17, the final year of childhood). Maybe it’s the spirit of this plant with its aura of innocent magic.⁣
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Read Buttercup Brave to take a journey to the wonder of childhood.⁣
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You’ll learn how to combine an under-gardened native wildflower with the classics of spring and why doing so brings the deeper joy of helping out the little guys.⁣
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Link in bio.⁣
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#plantthisplant #westernbuttercup #ranunculusoccidentalis #plantofthemonthapril #habitatgarden #gardenblog #childrensstory #adultinfo #butteryourbuns #buttercups and #tulips #buttercupbrave #gardenwriting #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ Ami and Jeff’s garden is intriguing enough t

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Ami and Jeff’s garden is intriguing enough to draw you outside even on a very cold and rainy morning.⁣
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I stopped by to check on updating the large pots yesterday and couldn’t pull myself away.⁣
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All the blooming moments and bright new growth were more compelling than the dry and warm predictability back in my office.⁣
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I absolutely love this garden, its fantastic owners, and the skilled stewardship of @maidenhair_landscapes .
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#openairlivingroomgarden #aprilblooms #prettyintherain #fritillariameleagris #acercircinatumpacificfire #akebiaquinata #tulips #libertiaperegrinans #epimediumamberqueen #arctostaphylosuvaursi #forhergillamtairy #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ Better 1 or 2?⁣ ⁣ In these preliminary con

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Better 1 or 2?⁣
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In these preliminary concepts, I played with layout options and hardscape materials.⁣
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The garden spaces are small for this home under construction now in the former backyard of an existing house.⁣
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Small gardens, especially, need a thoughtful layout. ⁣
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Would you prefer version 1 with the pavers defining a continuous outdoor dining and living room?⁣
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Or version 2 with two distinct “rooms” in flagstone for that social zone?⁣
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The garden along the sidewalk, adjacent to the existing house, becomes an opportunity for a more contemplative experience. Which version do you think fits that mood better?⁣
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Drop your vote in the comments!⁣
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#preliminaryplans⁣
#workinprogress #layoutoptions #smallgardendesign #urbangardendesign #better1or2 #landscapedesign #gardendesign made in #morpholiotrace @morpholio #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ They used to say that a front lawn was “demo

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They used to say that a front lawn was “democratic”, that it represented a generosity to your community.⁣
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What do you think is more generous: the old lawn or the new garden?⁣
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The Tropic of Oregon Garden is in the ground and ready to grow! ⁣
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I loved the opportunity to combine keystone native plants that will support the greatest number of insects and birds along with bold, colorful plants that remind Sarah of her tropical childhood.⁣
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Both / And! ⁣
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But, no lawn! ⁣
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That’s my kind of generosity.⁣
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Swipe to see the newly installed garden and the lawn from before.⁣
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#tropicoforegongarden #generosity #frontyardgarden #beforeandafter #landscapedesign made in #morpholiotrace @morpholio #oregonnativeplants #tropicalplants #colorfulgarden #keystoneplants #bothand #lawnfree #habitatgarden #droughttolerantlandscape #lifenotlawn #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ Recently, I heard the charmingly accented lect

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Recently, I heard the charmingly accented lecture of Swedish author, horticulturist, and tree researcher Henrik Sjöman. He quoted, of all people, Mike Tyson, who once said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”⁣
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Read 𝗧𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂, 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀, new on the blog to learn what this means for the trees of your future in a changing climate.⁣
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Link in bio! ⁣
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#streettrees #urbantrees @henrik.sjoman.botaniska #essentialtreeselectionguide #thisbookismassive #gardenblog #fortheloveoftrees #toyoustreettrees #whattoplant #climatechange #plantsforclimatechange #plantsmarter #treescience #gardenwriter #gardendesigner #landscapedesigner #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

⁣ Sitting in the sun on my patio today, the firs

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Sitting in the sun on my patio today, the first day of spring, I felt like Cinderella. ⁣
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All the little creatures were out playing: tiny bees hovering and nectaring on the candy flower, Anna’s hummingbirds flirting with the fountain, lesser goldfinches singing from the persimmon branches, and a squirrel teasing my dog with its brushy tail.⁣
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But, what I really want to tell you about is this candy flower (𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢). I absolutely love it! ⁣
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A few clumps persisted in my garden from last year, even though they’re typically annuals. And, a fantastic amount self-seeded. ⁣
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I call them our PNW native alternative to forget-me-nots for the way they pop up to fill empty nooks and, if you’re so lucky, come back every year.⁣
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Check out the pink pollen and the way the flowers change from white with pink stripes to all pink. ⁣
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Native bees love the flowers even more than I do. I’ll munch on a few for the joy of eating flowers on a newly spring day, but leave most for my hovering little friends.⁣
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Happy Spring!⁣
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#candyflower #claytoniasibirica #springequinox #pnwnativeplants #oregonnative #plantthisplant #nativebees #edibleflower #shadegarden #dynamicfillers #openyourdoors to #naturesbeauty

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