The Death Bed

The Death Bed.  Look, there's a new Tetrapanax pup!

My Pirate will begin planting The Death Bed tomorrow with his new plants.  So, I thought that I'd introduce you to the place where plants used to suffer and DIE a slow agonizing death in our garden.  

The Death Bed in April 2007.

The Death Bed is the flower bed in front of the neighbors fence on the East side of our lot.  It's on the left side of the picture.  There was row of sickly looking shrubs that I ripped out.

If you look past My Victory Garden you'll see that there are a few whisps of Heavenly Bamboo trying to grow in the bed.  When Heavenly Bambo fails to thrive,  you know that there is a problem.

The Death Bed, April 2011

The Death Bed, April 2011

In April 2011, a spare euphorbia and wild rose were barely holding onto life in front of the failing Heavenly Bamboo.  After taking these pictures, I simply had it with the bed.  So, I went into research mode and found strong hardy plants that could tolerate shade and sun and many different types of soil conditions.  And I was smart enough to buy them at Tsugawas Nursery with a one year warranty, because I was skeptical that they would survive the winter.

As I started digging my first deep hole for a new plant my shovel hit black plastic.   And much to my surprise there was a whole sheet of black plastic, two feet down in the bed. I was thrilled to find the problem, but furious with the moron that put it there.  We ripped out as much of the black plastic as we could and used a pitch fork to punch holes in other areas.  Then we over-planted the bed.  And the next spring everything returned!

The Death Bed, June 2011

The Death Bed, June 2011

Then, one rainy spring morning, Comcast workers came to dig in a new cable line for us.  Guess where they dug?  Yup, right underneath the new plantings in The Death Bed.  I wanted to cry as they dug a deep trench with clam shovels and lifted plants out.  But they did put everything back.  And all of the plants survived the ordeal.

So, now The Death Bed is crowded and needs to be reworked.  I'm looking forward to seeing what My Pirate plants.  Let the adventure begin. Do you have any suggestions and/or advice for him?  He's on the prowl for cool plants!

Note:  I hope that you like the new blog format and the comment feature is working now!  I'd love to hear from you.  Please let me know if the comment feature glitches.  Thanks!

Following The Outlaw

On Saturday, The Creative Flux, My Pirate, and I followed The Outlaw, Danger, and a Bonny Lassie on a breakneck plant nerd thrill ride on the Kitsap Peninsula Nursery Romp.  After years, of vicariously pressing my nose against the computer screen following other garden bloggers' adventures, I was out on the horticulture prowl with My Pirate.  (And he wasn't even demanding any rum afterwards!) With our detailed itinerary in hand from The Outlaw and our Google maps app telling us where to go, we were off and running.

We warmed up at Valley Nursery.  It was a great nursery with a friendly and knowledgeable staff. And I saw My Pirate plant shop for the very first time!  He was seriously looking for plants for The Death Bed.  And as he checked out, he teased Danger for not planting in threes, so she grabbed a third James Stirling Hebe.  My Pirate can be such a brat!

Behold!  My Pirate is plant shopping with Danger and a Bonny Lassie in the background.

I admired The Outlaw's new agave that he purchased at 50% off.  Isn't it gorgeous?

The Creative Flux fell for a new plant, but she let it go.  Only to regret it later.

The Creative Flux and her new find.

The Outlaw and Danger are heading back to the car,  so we'd better hurry up!

And somehow, someway, she got compost in her pants.  It was a good thing that we stopped to work out the kinks before we got serious at Heronswood.

The Crony Brothers

I’ve been meaning to tell you about my two neighbors, The Crony Brothers, who live directly across the street from me.  I’ve been trying to secretly take pictures of them to show you, but alas, I’m not cut out for a career as paparazzi.  Every shot had a tomato leaf in it or they're scratching their butt, well, you get the idea.  So, I’m simply going to tell you about them.

The Crony Brothers are two retired brothers who are both widowers.  They sit in the front of their garage each morning and afternoon soaking in the sun, sipping coffee or beer, and stare out at my garden.  They both test each other’s nerves like brothers do, and I’ve heard them arguing about fishing.  The older brother sings Irish chanteys while he works on his truck.  And they both charm me.

I usually bring them a slice or sample of whatever I’ve been whipping up in the kitchen.  And they first look at my hands when they answer the door to see what I’ve brought them, this time.  I even hit them up for an ingredient every now and again when I don’t want to run to the store.

They refer to my garden as The Menagerie.  And I imagine them leaning back in their lawn chairs in their garage, basking in the warm afternoon sun, sipping beer and watching me work in my garden. The younger brother says, “What is she up to in The Menagerie?  She has enough plants.”

While the other brother simply cocks his eyebrow in agreement and says, “When do you want to head out to go fishing tomorrow?”

Today, I stopped by to drop off a couple of scones and the younger Crony Brother handed me a plant sample to identify, a Common Nightshade. "Use it to make jam for your enemies." He always has the first ripe tomato of the season that he hands me with a smile.  I enjoy The Crony Brothers and hope that someday soon they’ll offer me a cold beer too.  

The Last 17 Days of Summer

Indigo Rose Tomatoes

Last night, I puttered in my garden.  And it cleared my foggy funk that had settled in with the change of weather.  I pruned the cardoon down, tucked away some seeds heads in the garage, and deadheaded huge areas of burnt out blooms. I filled up the yard debris container and then I pulled out my camera.  

Front garden at sunset

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bronze fennel seed head

garlic chives seed head

While I was taking shots behind the split rail fence, I heard a man making loud monkey sounds as he passed by the Tetrapanax and I laughed.  He heard me, blushed and glanced up with a smile as he passed by with his wife.  Another lady approached and accused me of using mass quantities of Miracle Grow on My Shock and Awe Bed which amused me and I explained the virtues of organic fertilizer.  

Sungold tomatoes

I noshed on tomatoes out of My Victory Garden as I tried to capture the orange evening light splashed on the garden.  And I felt wealthy and blessed.  I'm going to savor the last seventeen days of summer and hope for a long dry autumn.  

Purple Angelica bloom, Angelica gigas

Celebrating at Castagna Restaurant

Instead of throwing a big bash for my fortieth birthday and our wedding anniversary, I scheduled a whole week of quiet festivities capped with the Chef’s Tasting Menu paired with wines at Castagna Restaurant.  Castagna Café is fantastic and serves the best my favorite hamburger in Portland. ( You need to try it.)  But, I’ve been looking for an excuse to splurge on Chef Justin Woodward's tasting menu at Castagna Restaurant and I'm so glad that we did.  It's the best meal that I've eaten at a restaurant. Ever.

Each plate was an edible poem accompanied by a brilliantly paired wine.  

A snack: beet crackers with sheep cheese inside

We nibbled on snacks and sipped wines from around the world.

Egg salad with roe and sprouts on buckwheat crackers

Each course transported us back in time and we told each other new stories.  Stories that we had forgotten until we tasted the sprouts with egg and buckwheat.

Or the shrimp salad on fried bread topped with fresh lettuce. 

We sighed, giggled, and savored each of the twelve individual courses over three and a half hours.

  And cooed over the fantastic whole wheat and hazelnut rolls served fresh out of the oven with fresh whipped lardo.  

At some point, I sat the phone camera down and simply let the meal have its way with me.  And the desserts wowed us.  I gazed into My Pirates eyes and melted,  just as I have these past eighteen years together.  Chef Justin Woodward knows how to coax the best out of food and people.  Thanks for the unforgettable evening!   

Afterthought:  When we stepped out the front door of Castagna Restaurant, we narrowly missed being hit by a couple riding their bikes, who yelled out an apology behind them. I laughed because that was the final flourish on a wonderful evening in Portland and a vacation that had started by almost being hit by a moped.