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Opuntia: Articles from The Editorial Side

Huntington Gardens: part 3

Huntington Gardens: part 3

You want to know something funny? Or at least I think it's funny. I'm just as overwhelmed looking at my photos as I was when visiting Huntington Gardens. Is that normal? Have a look see--and tell me what you think. Another lush landscapy vista. A little spiky this. A...

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Never say never, redux

Never say never, redux

I am a long time proponent of the one-plant-per-pot style of container gardening. Even with succulents I prefer to keep it simple and let that one strong plant stand alone -- all the better to appreciate its features. However as I've said before (for example here)...

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The Oregon Garden has spikes!

The Oregon Garden has spikes!

I've previously visited The Oregon Garden only in July, you see a very different place in January. Maybe that's why, in past visits, I'd not noticed the small xeric garden to the left of the formal entrance. It doesn't look newly planted. Even if the Yucca rostrata...

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Snow Day

Snow Day

Controversy! Some of us at plant lust and friends love snow, and others hate it. I’m in the minority on the love-it side. Snow makes my heart happy. We only see it every few years in Portland, and it’s usually fleeting. I watch the winter weather forecast eagerly,...

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Crevice gardens, I’m still obsessed

Crevice gardens, I’m still obsessed

I first stumbled upon the concept of a crevice garden in 2011 when I visited John Kuzma's garden in SW Portland. Back then I wasn't exactly sure what I was even looking at, I did however recognize that style of planting was beneficial for drainage-loving plants, like...

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Autumn abundance

Autumn abundance

No, I’m not talking about the harvest. For most of us autumn means an abundance of falling leaves. Leaves you rake, leaves you use the blower on, and then there are these. These you simply pick up by their stems, almost like you’re collecting a wildflower bouquet. I...

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