THIS BLOG HAS MOVED

Our new address is:
www.bloomtown.typepad.com

Bloomtown's blog has moved to a new hosting service - TypePad. While I really like the blogger service, the added flexibility for layout at TypePad and the posting possibilities it allows prompted the move.

One of the cool new features on this site is the ability to have photo albums. I have a couple started and will keep adding to them:

• Photos of Bloomtown, my home garden
• Photos of Client Gardens
• Photos that are my current favorites
  

Additionally, posts will be categorized so you will be able to more easily find topics that interest you.

See you there!

Kitchen Garden

A photo showing the overall layout of the kitchen garden is posted above.

The planting beds are raised. In addition to providing an ideal growing situation for a variety of edibles, the changes in elevation coupled with the angular lines contribute to a more interesting space.

The back "wall" is an open wire mesh suitable for supporting tomatoes and vining plants. The top of the fence is embellished with an iron, stone & glass element fabricated by Keith Yurdana of Taproot. Some detail photos of the finials are posted below.

A photo sampling of our current garden bounty:

Plenty of Basil, several varieties

(shown here is Genovese Sweet Basil)

Lettuce, of course!

Cherry Bomb Hot Pepper

Thai Green Eggplant

Yellow Boy Tomato, shown here with Purple Ruffles Basil

We've also got several varieties of cherry tomatos going strong.

All this and more; lots of zucchini & yellow squash, various peppers and eggplants, cucumbers. We're really enjoying the fresh food we're getting from the garden!

Upcoming Event: Cracked Pots Art Sale

Cracked Pots' 2006 Annual Garden Art Show will be taking place at McMenamin's Edgefield on Tuesday July 25th & Wednesday July 26th, 1 pm to 8 pm each day. Over 60 artists, making garden art from recycled materials, are expected to participate in this years event.

3rd Annual ANLD "Behind the Scenes" Garden Tour

Bloomtown, my home garden, will be part of the ANLD's 3rd annual Behind the Scenes Garden Tour taking place this Saturday, July 22nd, from 10 am to 4 pm. Tickets are on sale at several sponsoring nurseries including Garden Fever (located at NE 24th & Fremont), Portland Nursery, Larsen Farms, Hughes Water Gardens, and Bobz Garden Center.

Proceeds will benefit the ANLD (Association of Northwest Landscape Designers) and horticulture students of the Portland Community College & Clackamas Community College programs.

The tour includes six gardens which are either the home garden of the designer or a client garden designed by them.

Upcoming Radio Interview

Tune in tomorrow, Saturday the 15th, to In the Garden with Mike Darcy, Mike's weekly program on KXL 750 am. I will be talking with Mike from my garden. The show runs from 9 am to noon, but Mike expects that I'll be on the air from about 11 am - 11:30 am.

I've moved in ...

I moved into the studio about 6 weeks ago but have been busy with client work and getting the nursery ready for the season so I have not had a chance to update the photos on this site. I'm posting a couple of shots of the studio (taken on our "snow day" in mid-March) and will get some photos of the garden remodel up soon.

My workstation.

Vaulted ceiling with skylights lend a bright, spacious feeling to the space.

Not fully furnished at this point, but you can see how open it is to the garden.

Bloomtown Nursery - Open for the Season!

The nursery opens Saturday, April 1st, so I hope you'll drop by and see us. We’ve brought in a select group of perennials, grasses, shrubs & trees that are sure to please. From the downright common to the outright extraordinary, we offer a range of plants that will assist you in creating dynamic combinations in your own garden; combinations that rely on form, color & texture.

DIRECTIONS: You can enter the nursery via one of the following ways: 1) via 50th Avenue (a short, unimproved gravel road off of NE Fremont) or 2) via our display garden located in the courtyard outside Jim & Patty's Coffee Shop, at 5015 NE Fremont. We can be tricky to find the first time, but well worth the effort!

HOURS: APR - OCT, Wed - Sat, 9 am - 5 pm; also by appointment

DINING PATIO is well under way!

© Darcy Daniels Bluestone Squares & Recs

Rectilinear bluestone was selected for the floor in the dining area to complement the underlying geometric pattern of the hardscape surrounding the new studio. (Click here to see the garden plan). The apparent formality of the pattern will be toned down by exuberant plantings lapping at its edge.

In preparation for laying the stone, the area was excavated to a depth of approximately 8”and a layer of coarse gravel was installed. Next a thick layer of sand was brought in, on which the stone was laid. That is the phase of the project that these images portray.

© Darcy Daniels Niall of Pete Wilson Stoneworks