Showing posts with label around Portland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label around Portland. Show all posts

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Union Station

Union Station had a lot of renovation work done to it some years ago when it was nicely restored inside and out with a more historic look and feel. While I was there to pick up our train tickets for the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, I took another look at the landscaped beds in front of the station that were revamped at the same time. For public plantings, they have a lot going for them.

This is either a Yucca rostrata or a Dasylirion wheeleri in a prominent place in one bed.

Hellebores are everywhere this time of year, and the train station is no exception.

Lots of spiky, pointy things in this bed. And is that some kind of echium in the foreground?

I'm loving this yucca, which might be 'Bright Edge', but looks a lot more colorful than mine.

Several of the beds are anchored by Trachycarpus species that are starting to get some height.


I'm guessing this is some kind of daphne (maybe D. mezereum?) but I didn't detect any scent. I haven't seen a deciduous daphne  before this and it looked very healthy and happy.

Another happy yucca.

Some of the beds are edged with Sarcoccoca, which was in full bloom.

Others of the beds are edged in boxwood and hebes. And roses and grasses will fill out the summer look.

For public plantings in a well-used space, these beds are a fun green oasis of interesting plants and shapes, with some tried-and-true favorites mixed in. There's a little something for everyone here.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Season's greetings

I ride Max home several days a week. As I approached the station yesterday, I saw several trees, still trussed, but clearly waiting to become part of a holiday display for Big Pink (the US Bank Tower at 5th & Burnside.)

As I got closer, I saw that someone had embellished the bottoms of the trunks with appropriate holiday inscriptions.




A little early, but in perfect style for the season!

Monday, October 5, 2009

A mass of grass

There's an interesting open space between two newer buildings on 4th Avenue in downtown Portland. To the north is the city's 1900 Building, shared space between the City of Portland and PSU, so it houses both the Bureau of Development Services and PSU classrooms.

To the south, the plaza was developed when a new PSU computer science facility was built several years ago. The design is spare, with linear concrete planters and simple seats as part of the planters. In winter it's almost bleak, and in summer the plaza really cooks in the sun.

There are only a few small trees along the sidewalk, so whatever went into those planters needed to be very heat tolerant.


Although I'm not a big fan of single-species plantings, I think this grassy solution is both appropriate and beautiful. I don't know many grasses, so I won't hazard a guess as to the species. Ideas, anyone?

The grasses are in almost constant motion due to the air currents between the buildings. The waving plumes and sheer size of the planting makes me think about how the Great Plains might once have looked.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

This is not a plant.

At lunch time yesterday I visited Pioneer Square, here in Portland. As I arrived, a public relations event was just concluding. And I couldn't see the object of all the excitement until I walked over and entered the crowd:



This amazing little vehicle is all-electric and gets an estimated 190 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). It has a top speed of 55 MPH ... and does it using only three wheels.

The Pulse is made by Eugene, Ore., company Archimoto, and it will be available in 2010.


The GardenTrip wants to plug one in!
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