One of the highlights of the Garden Bloggers Fling was to visit the gardens of fellow bloggers. This can be a strange experience as sometimes the layout of the garden or the size and perspective of the garden is different in ones mind to the actual garden. Chickadee Gardens is just five years old, although the garden feels much more established than that. Tamara grows a wide range of natives and maintains an environmentally friendly garden, that has been certified by the Backyard Habitat Certification Program.
Tamara's home is unusual compared to the neighbours, having a more 'Spanish' feel which combined with the planting, blue skies and garden decor created a wonderful place to escape.
The front garden spills into the street, with the planting in the verge (hell strip) extending the garden right up to the road side, with the pavement feeling like a private part of the garden rather than simply a public space. The planting up of the verge is more more common in Portland (and elsewhere in the States?) compared to at home. Whilst this is still the property of the city the responsibility for maintenance is down to the homeowner, and many make full use of this extra space.
You enter the rear garden along an attractive driveway under an arch that ties the house and garden together successfully.
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| Tamara guiding the garden tour. |
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| Even the garden shed is an extra attraction.. |
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| Dem bones, dem bones... |
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| I love the little detailing on the chimney stack of the house. |
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| Cunninghamia lanceolata glauca |
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| Hydrangea quercifolia |
Thank you so much to Tamara for opening up your garden to us all, it was a delight to meet you, your husband and the beautiful cats.
Gaz
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
You have some great photos of the front of the house that I forgot to take--not to mention of Tamara and other bloggers. I really liked Chickadee Gardens!
ReplyDeleteSame here Gerhard, a fun garden with a good vibe that set the tone nicely for the rest of the garden tour :)
DeleteNow I know what a 'verge' is !
ReplyDelete:))
DeleteThanks so much for including pictures of Tamara's house. I've seen pictures of the garden on her blog, but I don't remember her talking about the house. It's always interesting to me, to see how a garden meshes with the house.
ReplyDeleteShe has a lovely house too Alison, which I remember asking Gerhard about its architecture as it seemed atypical of most of the ones in Portland.
DeleteI'm impressed to learn that the garden is only 5 years old. It looks beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIt is Kris, and fun!
DeleteTamara is such a talented and knowledgable gardener. It's extra fun for me that she's now a part of my garden blogging world as we originally knew her because she worked at the gallery that Andrew exhibited his art work at. In fact I remember now she first emailed me about my garden and blogging as we waited for our connecting flight returning home from visiting London in 2012...
ReplyDeleteFunny how things work out that way Loree, how one thing can lead to another which made her part of blogosphere and in the itinerary of the fling. Sean showed us one of Andrews work btw :)
DeleteI didn't get to see this garden, but this was a nice start to my blog-fueled "tour" of it. That day was as hot as it looks in these photos!
ReplyDeleteWe did wonder where you were that time but soon remembered that you'll be with your other half as she was in the area. Plenty more of this garden will be popping up in the blogs of other flingers to fill you in nicely what you didn't get to see that day :)
DeleteFor some reason I did more talking here than taking photos. Tamara was such a gracious garden hostess. The Spanish house was a nice surprise...and cool inside! Possibly that's where I spent most of my time. Thanks for being so diligent with the camera!
ReplyDeleteShe was Denise, a garden hostess as vibrant as her garden. We enjoyed the coolness of her house too, nice relief from the heat.
DeleteMark and Gaz, It was SUCH a pleasure having you and everyone over! You captured our garden beautifully, thank you. Too bad it was such a hot hot day, but we had a blast having everyone over all the same. We stand by our invite, if you are ever in Portland again you are most welcome guests at our funky home (yes, built in1929, stucco...not typical for Portland but fun all the same).
ReplyDeleteThat's lovely Tamara, thank you! We'll definitely find ourselves back in Portland again, hopefully soon. Loved the architecture and style of your house, so unique and as you've said, fun!
DeleteHi Gaz, lucky you that you could go to the blog Fling and visit many private gardens. I like the one that you featured in this post a lot. The house is beautiful as well and goes together with the garden. I love that they care to garden environmentally friendly. Looks like they feed the birds as well. I had fun reading through this post!
ReplyDeleteChristina
Thanks Christina and Tamara will be pleased to read this :) the style of her house would sit in nicely in the area where you live too.
DeleteLooks like a wonderful garden. I would have loved to see that Cunninghamia in person!
ReplyDeleteSeveral bloggers were taken by it Evan, it's a beauty!
Deletebeautiful capture of this garden!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that :)
DeleteYou got excellent photos of that garden and how it was placed around the home. Now I also know what a "verge" is. You are spreading knowledge worldwide. ;^)
ReplyDeleteHappy to inadvertently do so Gail :)
DeleteThe relationship between home and garden was a big part of the allure here. Thanks for recognizing that and documenting it so well.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that Ricki!
DeleteI was going to say 'delightful' - then found that is how you ended your post. But it's the word that springs to mind when seeing these pictures. The colours seem to add cool in the heat, elegance as well as humour. The foliage is dramatic too. A lot of work has gone into this house and garden!
ReplyDeleteDelightful can be repeated several times to describe this garden Lucy :)
DeleteI'm with Lucy, delightful. Also, enchanting. House and garden work beautifully together, and the little touches with artwork and paint really make it something special. And in just five years! Love dem bones...
ReplyDeleteI especially like the way how both garden and house reflects the fun character of the owners Janet :)
DeleteGreat post, lovely and creative garden. It's great to see some of the bloggers in your pics!
ReplyDeleteThanks Deanne!
DeleteAnother lovely garden. I really enjoyed it. I loved the succulents in the shed roof. I had not think about the more "Spanish" look of the house...as that is usual for me...
ReplyDeleteI suppose so Lisa :)) The succulents on the shed roof was a fun feature of the garden too.
DeleteI had never been to Tamara's garden in person, so I was blown away. I loved her meticulous use of color. Delicious!
ReplyDeleteThat's cool to hear, your first visit was with the fling too Heather :)
DeleteHow wonderful! And what a delightful garden. I've never been to Portland. Looks like a great place.
ReplyDeleteYou should visit Portland soon Candice, perhaps with Gerhard :)
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