Portland: Ernst/Fuller gardens

Sunday on last month's Garden Bloggers Fling in Portland started with a visit to two neighboring gardens that actually connect -- each garden has its own personality, but each spills into the other a bit. These are the gardens of friends and neighbors Joanne Fuller and Linda Ernst.

As the bus emptied, most people went for the garden on the right (Linda's), so I went toward the other (Joanne's). An overcast morning made the shady front yard extra dark, but I managed to capture many of the great details: furniture, sculpture, pottery -- so much to take in!

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Since the front garden is raised from the street yet so close to it, these screens are a beautiful way to provide more privacy without closing the garden off from the neighborhood:

The space up front includes a seating area (I didn't photograph) then the path to the back yard along one side of the house...

...and the connecting path to Linda's front garden on the other...

I took the path behind the house, although it took me 15 minutes to make my way back. There was just to much to see up front!

Okay, finally making my way to the back...

I'm not usually a fan of quirky sculpture, but this gate made of old garden tools and plumbing worked for me in this space:

Through the gate and the plants started grabbing my attention again...

I've got to learn how to clad wood with metal...

Once again, I didn't capture wide shots of the space, but got plenty of the details. I think this proves that I'm a detail-focused garden visitor. Or that I'm a poor photojournalist.

I loved this next plant, taking photos of the blooms as well as the buds. I've forgotten what it is -- can somebody please remind me?

And with that, we came to the wonderful door (much more than a gate) that joins the two gardens:

I'll continue with Linda's garden tomorrow.

For wider shots of Joanne's garden so you can get a better sense of the space, I recommend reading Pam's post on this visit.


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