Hi GPODers and Happy Monday!
We’re starting the week off in Oregon, in the garden of Karen and Randy Hopson. Divided into different sections, but all flowing together harmoniously with Randy’s incredible metal sculptures and structures. In less than a decade the couple has been able to create
We moved to our current garden in 2015 and started from a totally blank slate. The ornamental beds are planted with drought tolerant conifers for year round interest and shrubs and perennials and annuals to attract birds and pollinators, highlighted with my husband’s beautiful metalwork. In the lower garden are metal raised beds that provide a bounty of vegetables and cut flowers. Karen Hopson
Here are those fabulous metal garden beds that Karen mentioned. Unlike some other metal raised beds, which are treated and coated to avoid rusting, the rusty look of Randy’s designs give the beds a more natural look. So much so, that if you look quickly, you might mistake them for darkly-stained wood.
As Karen alluded to above, their gardens are on a pretty serious slope (thus the vegetables beds in the “lower garden”), so there were some additional challenges in creating all this garden beauty. Retaining walls create more level planting space while a wide path allows for easy access to explore and enjoy the gardens above and below. As you follow the path you also see Randy’s incredible metalwork sprinkled throughout.
To bring some plant life to the gravel paths and retaining walls around their home, annual containers offer a wealth of foliage textures and pops of color. The contrast of the the grey stone with the many greens of the plants that fill the space
Lastly, Karen and Randy’s gardens becomes even more magical with a glistening layer of snow. While Karen highlighted the drought-tolerant conifers, there is a perfect array of small trees, shrubs, and perennials that create various structures perfect for interest in this more subtle time of year.
Thank you so much for sharing your serene space with us, Karen! You’ve done so much and created so much beauty that it’s hard to even imagine what your landscape looked like before. If you have any old photos, it would be fascinating to see the extent of the transformation.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
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Gardener’s Log Book from NYBG
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This weatherproof five-year log book includes the following features:
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· Five years of 12-month bloom and harvest grids for recording what you planted and when
· Authoritative appendices on composting, pruning, pest and disease control, and container gardening
· Useful reminders by season on fertilizing, mulching, and transplanting
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Pruning Simplified: A Step-by-Step Guide to 50 Popular Trees and Shrubs
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Pruning Simplified shows you exactly how to do it. This must-have guide offers expert advice on the best tools for the job, specific details on when to prune, and clear instructions on how to prune. Profiles of the 50 most popular trees and shrubs—including azaleas, camellias, clematis, hydrangeas, and more—include illustrated, easy-to-follow instructions that will ensure you make the right cut the first time.
