Winter branches at Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland, Oregon
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Winter branches: Wordless Wednesday
gardening
Tiger lily painting & photo: FFA & FF
Today I’m sharing a picture of a tiger lily painting I recently created with acrylics. I love seeing these showy flowers!
I painted my picture from this photo I took in a public garden. With all those spots, I wonder why they don’t call a tiger lily a leopard lily. Hmm. 🤔
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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A twisted love: Wordless Wednesday
A twisted love between two carrots
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Tropical pitcher plant: FOTD
Tropical pitcher plants are well-named plants. They’re also not quite what they appear to be.
You may think the pitcher is a flower, but it’s actually a leaf. The small flowers grow above the pitcher and look like an upside down umbrella. They appear briefly in the spring.
There are around 100 plants in the Nepenthes genus, and they have one thing in common: they eat insects. If you grow a tropical pitcher plant, you can feed it diluted fertilizer or live and dried insects.
These tropical plants are native to parts of Southeast Asia, Australia, Madagascar, and India. Many pitcher plants grow on other plants instead of in the soil. They are known as ‘epiphytes.’
Tropical pitcher plants can be propagated outside in warm climates, but also do well as houseplants. This plant was thriving at the Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle, Washington.
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Let it Be mural: MM & TFH
This beautiful “Let it Be” mural is at Worthy Brewing in Bend, Oregon. Native columbines growing in the bed under the painting blend in with the mural.
The plant on the left, and growing over the right side of the painting, is a hops plant. They grow very well here. Too well in fact.
In the area to the left of the painting, there is a 3,000 square foot organic garden. The produce grown at the Worthy Demonstration Farm is served in the pub. Extra produce is donated to the local High Desert Food & Farm Alliance Grow and Give program.
Monday Mural (MM)
The Flower Hour (TFH)
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Drawing and photo of a palm: First Friday Art
Today I’m sharing a drawing and photo of a palm tree. I saw this Chinese Windmill Palm, Trachycarpus fortunei, while visiting the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon.
I did a quick pen and ink drawing of the tree as part of the Inktober challenge in 2024. The prompt that day was ‘exotic.’ I always associate palms with hot, humid climates, but these plants do well in much cooler places like western Orgon.
Chinese Windmill palms grow in a wide variety of habitats around the world. These graceful plants have been cultivated in Japan and China for thousands of years.
I wanted to share a drawing and photo of a palm tree because they have such interesting structures. I’d love to grow one where I live, but it probably wouldn’t tolerate our temperature extremes.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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Purple & orange flower border: Friday Flowers
Purple & orange flower border near the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon
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green leaves nonet poem: LAPC
green leaves unfold in dawn’s early light
reaching for the warmth of summer
heart-shaped, oval, linear,
thick, slender, feathery
bending and swaying
crooning ancient
melodies
until
dusk
Lens-Artist Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Choose a color
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In our journey through life: LAPC
In our journey through life, layers of wisdom accumulate in us over the years and become a thing of beauty.
We fondly recall the delicate flowers of our youth,
but sometimes forgot about the tough times.
In those days, we tumbled aimlessly from one place to another,
searching for a soft spot to land.
In our journey through life, we eventually found our way past sharp obstacles
towards a long and fruitful ending.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Textures
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As luck would have it: LAPC
As luck would have it, sometimes I see skies painted with bold strokes of orange
Or blue skies full of popcorn clouds
Sometimes, I’m in a distant place at the right time and see tiny perennials in bloom
Or winged beauties alighting on blossoms in my own garden
As luck would have it, sometimes I pause along a road and a small predator looks back at me
Or I discover a snowshoe-footed creature by the trail that other hikers did not notice
And if I’m very lucky, sometimes I unknowingly photograph something I hadn’t intended to
Can you find two purple pickerel bloom stalks, a pink waterlily, two spiders, and a frog?
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Lucky Shot
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A well-designed garden: LAPC
A well-designed garden considers hardscapes and softscapes
in the foreground, middle ground, and background
Hardscape waterfalls and pergolas anchor scenes in the background
In the fall, softscapes of colorful foliage add visual interest
In winter, the structure of leafless trees and shrubs is prominent
Sand gardens serve as a neutral middle ground
In the fall, color is a main character in large gardens
In winter, string sculptures add an element of artistry
Rock-lined pathways curve ahead in the foreground
In the fall, in a well-designed garden, the colors pull you forward
In winter, structures are revealed beneath twisted, leafless trees near bamboo-bordered trails
These photographs were taken in the fall and winter at the Portland Japanese Garden in Oregon.
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Penjing drawing & photo: First Friday Art
Today I’m sharing a colored pencil penjing drawing I quickly drew this morning. Penjing, or penzai, is the Chinese version of Japanese bonsai. While bonsai often focuses on a single tree, penjing represents a scene in nature in a “three-dimensional painting.”
In China, these plantings have been created since at least the Han dynasty (206 B.C. to 221 A.D.).
My drawing is based on a penjing planting at the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Oregon. In my photo below, the wall of the gift shop made an interesting background.
I’ve always admired the artistry that goes into creating penjings. It requires a lot of patience and foresight.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
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Lunar New Year decorations: RDP
When I visited the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Oregon last week, I saw several Lunar New Year decorations. They were prepping the garden for celebrations on February 17, the day the 2026 lunar new year begins.
This impressive dragon was inside one of the buildings hovering over a table and desk.
I zoomed in to get a better view. The colors and textures were gorgeous.
Outside, a jumping fish floated over the pond.
Here is a closer view of it surfacing near an arch, lotus blossom, and smaller fish.
In another part of the pond, a dragon curls around mountains in the clouds. All of these Lunar New Year decorations showed a lot of expression.
Speaking of expression, I’m also sharing a sculpture of a horse at the nearby Portland Art Museum. I thought it was appropriate since it’s the year of the horse. Recent “Horse” years include 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, and 2026.
The chinesenewyear.net website describes those born in the year of the horse as follows:
Horses are lively, charming, and adventurous. In the zodiac, they thrive in lively settings and are often seen as natural leaders and motivators.
This Prancing Horse sculpture, by an unidentified artist, is made of gray earthenware with traces of calcified green lead glaze. The sculpture is from China, Sichuan province. It is likely from Chengdu, Tianhuishan and created in the 2nd century CE.
I really liked the face on this sculpture. Is it grimacing or grinning? Hmm…
For more info and photos about Lan Su Chinese Garden, see my previous post.
Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) – Celebrations!
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Designs in… :LAPC
Designs in… nature
may be spikey and sharp
curve around contours
or fracture along fault lines
Designs in… the human-made world
may symbolize city skylines
carved details of the cosmos
or footpaths leading us forward
Lens-Artist Photography Challenge – Looking back to 174 – Shapes and design
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Cactus close up: Macro Monday & FOTD
This cactus close up picture was taken at Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle. The cactus was only a few inches tall. Its scientific name, Gymnocalycium fleischerianum, posted on a stake nearby, was bigger than the plant. 😉
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Artichokes two ways: Wordless Wednesday
Artichokes two ways – as a sculpture and in the garden
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Pink & white tulip up close: Macro Monday
This photo shows a beautiful pink & white tulip up close.
This particular flower is special because it’s the only one the resident mule deer have not eaten.
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Petunias up close: MM & FOTD
Here’s a picture of Petunias up close I took last summer. These delicate looking blossoms have a powerful, sweet scent.
Blanket flowers of summer: FOTD & FF
These blanket flowers of summer were growing near the Deschutes River in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon. I took this picture last August, but Gaillardia plants are known to bloom “profusely all summer long.”
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Oregon Garden bench: Pull up a seat
This Oregon Garden bench looked like a nice place to rest while roaming the 80-acres of gardens. I have featured photos of this attraction in Silverton, Oregon in several previous posts.
Reaching for the rain haiku: FF & FOTD
reaching for the rain
bordered by purple petals
hostas welcome spring
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Founder’s Square: Monochrome Monday
Founder’s Square features a large open-air pavilion at the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon. At certain times of the year, the Silverton Market Garden, located behind the pavilion, is full of color.
The Founder’s Square pavilion structure is beautiful year round. I’m highlighting its architecture in black and white. This pavilion is one of several venues available for rental at the Garden.
The Oregon Garden is designed to showcase foliage and flowers throughout the year. It’s easy to overlook the architecture and many outdoor sculptures. This is the kind of place where you will notice new details every time you stroll through it.
Petersen Rock Garden & Museum: LAPC
Petersen Rock Garden & Museum is a unique roadside attraction located halfway between Bend and Redmond in Oregon. The original owner, Rasmus Petersen, began working on this site in 1935.
As you can tell, he loved rocks. He constructed the many features on this 4-acre site using rocks collected within an 85 mile radius. Oregon is known as a rockhounding paradise so there are plenty of rocks nearby to collect.
About Petersen Rock Garden
The “novelty architecture” here includes castles, churches, buildings, and bridges.
Continue readingRudbeckia up close: Macro Monday & FOTD
I saw these Rudbeckia up close while walking along the Deschutes River trail in Bend, Oregon.
Fruit and flowers: LAPC & MM
I decided to take pictures of some of the fruit and flowers in our garden today before they fade away.
Delicate petals of nodding hollyhocks filtered the sun’s light
Snapdragons filled the landscape, exploding in shades of pink
Iceplants with purple punctuations slid towards the pond’s edge
Chinese windmill palm: Thursday Tree Love
So, when you think of trees on the westside of Oregon you probably think of evergreens, right? However, trees associated with more tropical locations also grow there. This is a Chinese windmill palm, Trachycarpus fortunei, growing at the Oregon Garden in Silverton.
Windmill palms have been cultivated in China and Japan for thousands of years so their exact natural range is difficult to determine. This hardy palm has been planted throughout the world. The tough leaf fibers of the Chinese windmill palm have been used in making rope, sacks, and coarse cloth.
Wind palm trees reach a height of 10-40 feet. In southern China, these palms grow at elevations as high as 7,874 feet. They tolerate cold temperatures, wind, salt, and drought.
Lan Su Chinese Garden: One Word Sunday
Near the shores of the Willamette River in downtown Portland, you’ll find a small gem of a garden. Lan Su Chinese Garden is the result of a collaboration between Portland, Oregon, and Suzhou, in the Jiangsu province of China.
The Lan Su Chinese Garden mission is to “cultivate an oasis of tranquil beauty and harmony to inspire, and educate our global community in the appreciation of a richly authentic Chinese culture.”
Kuang Zhen designed the 1.03-acre garden with the help of 65 artisans. The garden opened to the public in September 2000.
Over 400 species of plants can be found here. More than 100 plants grow near Lake Zither, a feature created for the garden.
A pansy rainbow haiku: Macro Monday
A soggy seat: Pull Up a Seat
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden: LAPC & FOTD
In early May, I visited the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in Portland, Oregon.
The 9.5-acre garden contains more that 2,500 types of rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants. This site was donated by the Jackson family in 1950.
After paying admission, you’ll enter the garden over this beautiful bridge.
Mt View Orchards mural: Monday Mural
This Mt View Orchards mural is located in Parkdale, Oregon. The plants growing around the mural make it blend into the background.
This is one of our favorite businesses to visit to buy fresh local fruit in the fall. You can pick your own fruit and flowers or buy what they’ve harvested. They also produce beer, wine, and cider. This beautiful 50+ acre site was featured on a Top Chef episode in 2021.
This business is part of the Hood River Fruit Loop. There are 28 farms open to visitors along the 35-mile route .
Here’s some of the fruit we bought last year. Yum!
Continue readingGarden art in Silverton, OR: LAPC
Garden art may be realistic and small
Or tall and abstract, casting striking shadows
You may hear garden art bark from the shadows cast by trees
Continue readingDaylily Trail: FOTD & WPWC
A colorful daylily trail in the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon.
These perennials have showy, long-lasting flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Daylilies grow well in full sun to partial shade.
Here’s a closer view of violet purple daylilies with bright yellow throats. I’m not sure what variety of daylily this is, but I loved its ruffled edges.
Crazy daisies: Friday Flowers
Wheelbarrow planter: Wordless Wednesday
Purple clematis up close: MM & FOTD
Here’s a picture of beautiful purple clematis blossoms up close in July of last year.
Clematis vines do well in sunny locations with moist, well-drained soil. A thick layer of mulch over their roots helps keep them cool, which they prefer. Once mature, these plants can reach a height of 10 to 20 feet. There are nearly 300 species of clematis. The distinctive blossoms of clematis come in a wide variety of colors, including white, yellow, pink, purple, blue, green, and bi-color.
High Desert dahlia: FOTD
Here’s a pretty lavender-colored High Desert dahlia seen on a garden tour in Bend, Oregon last year. These popular plants prefer full sun and good drainage. Though this one was seen in July, they are treasured for blooming well into the fall months.
This was one of the many flowers in bloom we saw on the tour. I think the color of this one made it my favorite High Desert dahlia seen that day.
Fruitful trip to Parkdale: Wordless Wednesday
White Cosmos up close: MM & FOTD
Here’s a picture of a white cosmos up close, taken a couple of days ago in Bend, Oregon. Cooler weather is on the way so it may soon disappear. They are one of my favorite flowers!
Macro Monday (MM)
Flower of the Day (FOTD)
Edibles & more gardens High Desert Garden Tour: FF
When I went on the High Desert Garden Tour in Bend, Oregon in July 2022, I was impressed by a couple edibles & more gardens. Their yards had edible plants in the front, sides, and back.
These are gooseberries growing on a shrub in full sun. I remember a gooseberry plant at one of my childhood homes.
These radishes were in a raised bed. We grow them as well and I love their spicy taste.
Raspberries! One of my favorite fruits. Over the years, our dogs have enjoyed eating them off the vines so we have to pick them fast.
