I know it's been a while since I posted about the Garden Bloggers Fling...but fear not...they are still coming...just slowly! Today, we're going to take a look at our visit to the offices and trial gardens of Sunset Magazine.
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Yum! Bouteloua 'Blonde Ambition', looking fabulous!
Even closer up...love it!
Sunset was introducing a line of signature plants this year...and one of them really wowed me (and quite a few others). Salvia 'Amistad'...utterly gorgeous!
I just love those rich purple blooms emerging from the jet-black calyces...just stunning!
While wandering around their test garden, I was struck by this arch. I liked the form and size, not so much the bright, shiny color (I'm in the minority on that part)! Ironically, I saw a similar arch last weekend at Farwest that was rusty metal...which would sit much easier in my garden.
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I quite liked this stylized totem, standing sentinel in a swathe of Stipa gigantea.
I was surprised at the enormous lawn they had at the office...I can only imagine how much water and mowing that entails! Then again, they use this space often for events...which makes sense...I can't remember how many people they said they could fit there...but it was astounding (I want to say 20,000 or something crazy like that)!
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I spent quite a while wandering in their mini-meadow.
At the end, we all met up again at the entrance for one last look at the trial gardens. Thanks again to Sunset for opening their doors to us and letting us check out their digs!
Beautiful photos as always oh light master! Thanks for the fun post, it takes me back to that hot day full of wonderful gardens.
ReplyDeleteHahaha...any time, Peter...it WAS hot...wasn't it...yikes!
DeleteI so wish I had been there. Christina
ReplyDeleteMe too, Christina! I hope you are able to come to the Portland Fling next year :-)
DeleteI get the impression that the gardens here are actually rather small -- I thought there would be lots more to see!
ReplyDeleteI've seen plenty of blue grama grass recently, in *mass* plantings ;)
Also, that arch is a good concept, but it seems much too wimpy. Bolder would be better (and I don't mean color). Why isn't something growing up and around it?
I agree that the arch is wimpy but not that it needs something growing up and around it. It looks too short, as if you have to duck to go through. It nicely frames the spiky plant behind it and would be MUCH better if the tubes themselves were heftier. I like the colours.
DeleteThe trial gardens DID seem smaller than I imagined, Alan...the expansive lawn took up most of the space, to be honest. I agree about the arch...it's probably too dainty to hold up in your garden...but in a tiny garden like mine...would be practically overpowering...ahhh...scale :-)
DeleteThe funny thing about that arch, Pat, is that it's MUCH taller than it looks...I could easily (well, sort of easily) walk through it...it really LOOKS stumpy, but it pretty tall. I do agree, though, that for something of that size, they might want to beef up the bars.
DeleteGreat photos and great memories! So glad it's not that hot here. I have two clumps of Blonde Ambition, right now they're kind of skimpy, but I'm hoping they'll fatten up and eventually look more like the one there at Sunset.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Alison...although it's going to be almost 100 over the next few days here in PDX...you are so lucky up there! I bet your 'Blonde Ambition' will look amazing next year!
DeleteGreat photos as always Scott! Looks like some interesting plants. I really love that salvia, reminds me of 'Black and Blue' only bigger. The arch is a nice touch but I have to agree with you that the color doesn't work where it's situated. It dominates all the plantings.
ReplyDeleteI think that Salvia would look so amazing in your garden, Deanne...with all your warm colors...it would contrast beautifully! I agree about the arch...it would work in other gardens I've seen...but it's too "insistent" in that setting.
DeleteThe grasses look fabulous and i love mostly that composition with the meadow! I love it as my background for the PC.
ReplyDeleteI love that area too, Andrea...it was a sea of calm amid the chaos of the day!
DeleteThat Salvia amistad was amazing ... though I admit my favorite part of visiting this garden was trying out the lawn furniture on the shaded porch.
ReplyDeleteHahaha...I know what you mean...I was totally a sweaty zombie that day...I con't remember EVER being so sweaty!
DeleteI going off subject as usual...you know those arches at Farwest were for sale? I can totally see both of them in your garden..l
ReplyDeleteWere they really?!?! I really loved them...I showed Norm my picture of them...and,, ever the realist, he was like "Where on earth would you put them?" Reality is not as fun as fantasy!
DeleteGreat photos as usual Scott! It's fascinating to read the different take from various fling attendees of the same garden.
ReplyDeleteThat's the beauty of the Fling...getting to see everyone's different takes on the same subject... I love it!
DeleteYour photos are incredible - I really enjoyed this post. AMAZING GRASSES!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I love them too ;-)
DeleteWhat a beautiful garden. The giant lawn is a huge surprise. I wonder why they don't grow a lawn alternative. I'd love to know how much water they use a month.
ReplyDeleteI was totally surprised as well...but I do think it's a fairly low-water use lawn...and at least they actually use it quite a bit, from the sound of it. Still...I just want every inch of ground to be covered in gardens!
DeleteI just bought Salvia Amistad this weekend - such a beautiful deep colour. I hope it settles into our garden as beautifully as it does in that one. Lots of lovely pictures, as ever...
ReplyDeleteThat's fabulous...I hope it does well...they are GLORIOUS plants!
DeleteI have to say this is one of my favs of the gardens shown from the Fling. I like the idea of the round arch just not the price. And that salvia is a wow!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Donna...very expensive! I often find myself tempted by things like that, fountains, benches, trellises, but always think...wow, I could buy so many plants with that money ;-)
DeleteI missed that day, glad I get to see it now--thanks. It does look like it was roasting.
ReplyDeleteI agree, rust would look better than shiny orange with that arch.
OMG...it was like we were being slow-roasted for some wicked BBQ!
DeleteMy signature memory of this garden is wandering though the building into the kitchen where a nice gentleman was making beer...I don't even remember that arch! The size of the lawn did leave a big impression, and the heat.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha...I remember you mentioning that, Denise...too funny! Of course, nothing tops a cold gelato ;-)
DeleteI like that salvia. I bet it would not look like that in TX. The first Blonde Ambition photo is my favorite. I need to decide where I am going to plant mine. Poor thing has been waiting for a year to get planted.
ReplyDelete'Blonde Ambition' will look amazing in your garden, Michael...actually, you need more than one...maybe a dozen ;-)
DeleteInteresting. I've never been. Clients sometimes say they want a 'Sunset garden,' and then I have to figure out what they mean by that. The photo showing the curvy oversized lawn with 1 large tree and then Coleonema, bunch grasses, something purple, and Crape Myrtle up against the building seems to be what they usually want. It's a pretty enduring formula.
ReplyDeleteThats's a very interesting point, Ryan...they do have a formula, or sorts, don't they...I don't know if I would have known what a "Sunset Garden" was, if someone had said it to me!
DeleteI was thinking the same as Bluestem re: that salvia -- it would be limp and small right now in our late summer heat/drought. Sigh. But I can revel in your pictures, Scott. I read up on that lawn after our tour and think that Sunset's website said it was a drought-tolerant grass type, and that they host a number of events on it. So in that case, a lawn may serve a need. Of course we gardeners would rather see more garden spaces, right?
ReplyDeleteSo very true, Pam...I actually overheard the hostess talking about the lawn and how they had lots of large events on it...which, of course, makes it seem at least useful...and it's good to know its drought-tolerant!
DeleteI like the idea that the magazine had a trial garden. Often these days I get the feeling that the editors simply have a basic understanding of Google and that's how they get their information. Sunny day photos are difficult, but highly instructive for gardeners to understand what looks brilliant in such high light. If that's your climate, I think you've show some excellent examples of what looks great.
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Thanks, Barbara! I agree...I really appreciate when a plant has been "put through the paces", so to speak. I'd rather plunk my money down for something with a little more confidence that it won't shrivel up and die if I so much as look at it cross-eyed!
DeleteWith all the super-bright flower, the orange arch looks good, but yes: in your garden rusty would be better. They had 'Blonde Ambition' in the booth next to Jockey Hill, but I blinked and they were gone. Oh well, she who hesitates, and all that.
ReplyDeleteHahaha...I was wondering if they would all fly off the shelves after seeing the crowd's reaction to Dave Salman's slide of it during his presentation!
DeleteScott, I found what looks exactly like Salvia 'Amistad' at Home Depot about a month ago. The label was worthless but I was thinking it was S. 'Purple Majesty.' I had it years ago and then it died after a brutal winter. I'm thrilled to have it again and plan on taking better care of it. I'm not a huge fan of blue so Salvia guaranitica isn't my cup o' tea but I love the purple. Also, I'm with you, the rusty loop is better. I have a big one in my garden. Orange would never work, despite the fact that I'm in OSU country. :)
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