Garden Blogger's Fling, Portland: Rhone Street Gardens


Beloved Rhone Street Gardens, home and garden of Fling organizer extraordinaire Scott Weber, is next on our tour of Garden Blogger's Fling gardens. Tucked away in Southeast Portland, Rhone Street Gardens is a special oasis. 

Sited on a 50 x 50 square foot lot; it's significantly smaller than most by Portland standards. It did not, for some reason, feel small. It felt like a private meadow, something intimate and welcoming.




If I close my eyes and picture Rhone Street Gardens, I see electric purple, sizzling pink and soft grasses that add structure. I feel as if I were a child exploring a hidden garden with something to surprise me at every step. The character of the garden is contemporary in its structure (galvanized tubs and siding and an eco-roof), with a sophisticated selection of plants in a billowy setting. It's literally a meadow on a street corner; what lucky neighbors!


 Scott has created a wonderful eco-roof, less than a year old and already looking well-established.


The south side of the house with a little peek down the path, a few garden bloggers taking it all in.


Every plant harmonizes with the others, Nothing felt out of place. This garden is one for the heart, one I could have lingered at the longest, but, ironically, it is also the smallest of the gardens we visited.


Fellow blogger and plantswoman Anna of Flutter and Hum.


When I think of Rhone Street Gardens, I also think of persecaria. A lot of persecaria.


Aaah, Pennisetum 'Vertigo', which Scott turned me on to this year. I love this for structure, height and color contrast.




Texture, foliage and subtle color everywhere.




Here's a perfect example of what I mean by contemporary structure and sophisticated plants.


Verbena bonariensis sprinkled throughout the garden glowed on this overcast and rainy day. I love this plant and wish it reseeded as much in my garden.


Two tubs, two similar shaped plants, two salvias, two different foliage colors. That is sophisticated and deliberate good gardening in my book. Repetition and variation.


Geranium 'Rozanne' no doubt breezing about. Electric purple.


The sweet front entrance: some grasses and sumac for structure
and a pop of echinacea in a color found throughout the garden.


Echinops, still interesting even after its bloom cycle has completed.


Structure, again - this time in the form of a waterfall.


Sedum 'Matrona', my favorite upright sedum.


Some bloggers getting into the action.


There's Norm and Heather! Heather was also a volunteer for the Portland Fling, and another extraordinary gardener and blogger at Just a Girl with a Hammer. We'll see her garden in a few weeks.



Boots showing me how it's done.


Like this!




A beautiful agastache, another prominent flower at Rhone Street.







Spent alliums are also contributing to the overall vision at Rhone Street with their structure and contrasting color against many shades of green.




Foliage! It all harmonizes.

Fellow bloggers Jane of Mulchmaid fame and Jason of Garden in a City.


Agastache and persecaria, a lovely combination.


Hi Pam! That's Pam of Digging fame, she who started it all! Thank you, Pam!


Aaaand what Portland garden would be complete without the neighbor's chickens visiting?


Hello, Miss Hen!


Such a sweet vignette. Scott's sense of color and design shine through again.






Rhone Street Gardens packs a punch in a tiny area. My hat is off to Scott for his amazing ability to create a sense of place on this street corner in Southeast Portland. What is also amazing is that while he opened up his garden to 80+ bloggers from around the world, he also was key in organizing this year's Fling - from hotels to catering to buses and beyond, he is definitely a multi-talented gardener and I for one appreciate all of his time sacrificed.

It was a joy and a treat to finally be able to see it in person. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Scott and Norm (and Boots the cat, too)!

That wraps it up for this week, stay tuned for more Portland gardens next time.
Happy gardening!

Comments

  1. It sounds crazy, but I always wish for time travel after reading a post like this. No matter how much I love a garden, I know I'd appreciate it even more if I could see it through other's eyes first. Background and details on the design, the plant choices, and sometimes even the gardener, really help the experience come alive! In lieu of time travel, revisiting is pretty good, too. Thanks, Chickadee.

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    1. I do too, Vicki - not crazy at all! I also appreciate seeing through others' eyes, it is always a treat.
      Thank you for your kind words, Vicki!

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  2. Gorgeous, great post! You captured Scott's beautiful gardens perfectly. Love that he put in an eco-roof - so pretty.
    I look forward to seeing your post about Heather's garden.

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    1. Oh, thank you, Kit! The eco-roof is a special treat, love it. I will do a post about Heather in the coming weeks, stay tuned!

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  3. What was I doing in that picture? Stalking the chicken? I think I was. I just kept circling through Scott's garden. It was amazing how he was able to pack so many beautiful plants and inviting seating areas into it. Hats off to Scott for all he did to make the Portland Fling such a success!

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    1. Hee hee...stalking chickens...is that what Austinites are known for? Gosh, no! We were all stalking plants, to be sure. Circling, and circling, and circling....hats off indeed to Scott!

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  4. An amazing garden, I love the textures and the different foliage and colours, just splendid! Really should like to visit but helas too far away.

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    1. Oh, Janneke, if you ever do get to come out this way, I'll take you to all of these great gardens, ok? :)

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  5. Great post about Scott's garden. It really does pack a punch. I am astounded that he managed to open it and do all that organizing. I know if I tried that I'd end up in a straightjacket.

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    1. Thanks, Alison! It does pack a punch, to be sure. He's an amazing person with a lot of talent and patience. We love him!

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  6. It's amazing what they have achieved in their space. Fabulous garden!

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    1. I agree! :) So is yours, from what I can see across the sea....hopefully one day we'll see it in person !!

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  7. I was thinking what a great shot you got of Anna, but then saw lots of other engaging people pix too. I'm thinking an album of all the people from various photographers would be fun. We might cover just about everyone. You really captured the spirit of Scott's garden here.

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    1. Beautiful Anna, I know! That's a great idea, I can send you photos of who I have if you want to do a who's who post...that would be fun!

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  8. Great post on a wonderful garden, Tamara! I'm so grateful I got to see it in person, and on such an overcast day as well. It made the colors absolutely lush and gorgeous! Unusually good photo of me too! :)

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    1. Aaaw, thanks Anna! A beautiful photo of a beautiful woman! You look good in blue, my dear :)

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    2. Anonymous11:07 PM PST

      Thanks T! Do you mind if I copy the photo? I need a new FB pic, now that that miserable election is over...

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  9. There is something to be said about having a small(er) lot--you can make it perfect like this. Awesome tour of a beautiful garden. Thanks, T!

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    1. Yes there is...what I learned is that it's what you do with the land that is given you that counts.

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  10. Oh how I envy your experience as RSG has to be in my top five list. I've been a subscriber for years but didn't realize it was only 50' X 50' and I must have missed his post on a green roof. I've sod enjoyed your PF posts as I'm a quadriplegic who can only dream about so endeavors.

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    1. Oh, thank you Patrick! :) Thank you for reading and commenting, I'm glad you gain some enjoyment from garden posts...we all do here! I'm glad to learn about your blog, too! thanks for posting comments and reading. Scott's garden is certainly one to inspire!

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  11. You got a lot of great photos, Tamara. I hope to tour it in person some day!

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    1. Yes, I don't know - Scott, do you ever do open gardens? It's SO lovely, definitely go if he opens up next year.

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  12. Great post. And a beautiful shot of Anna! It was fun to see his amazing garden through your artist eyes.

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    1. Thanks, Gravy! I know, Miss Anna is our Swedish beauty! Always fun to see gardens through another's eyes, for sure :)

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