Gregg & Ellis Landscape Designs http://www.greggandellis.com Dreams Solutions Retreats Mon, 14 May 2012 22:21:29 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 The New Front Stoop http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/the-new-front-stoop/ http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/the-new-front-stoop/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 22:21:29 +0000 Christine http://www.greggandellis.com/?p=1165 Last december on one of the few dry days we had, our front stoop was expanded by 3 feet and a new walkway to the front door added.  This is an improvement that friends and neighbors have been  raving about.

The story gets better.  When Jim Cross of Jim Cross Concrete came to look at the project he recognized the builder of our house Cooley-Woolsborn as a company that his father did all the concrete work for back in the 50′s and 60′s. So, here we are in 2012 with the new generation of son and grandson improving on their families work.  The concrete has held up well for 52 years and I feel that it will go another fifty.

Call Jim 503 761 9021 when you want reliable concrete work. His great grand children may be back to check on things.

]]> http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/the-new-front-stoop/feed/ 0 Dahlia Garden of yore http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/dahlia-garden-of-yore/ http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/dahlia-garden-of-yore/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 22:22:44 +0000 Carolyn http://www.greggandellis.com/?p=1155 He had to move the glass house in 1959, but  I grew up among these flowers in Oak Grove

]]> http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/dahlia-garden-of-yore/feed/ 0 Nursery Peacock http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/nursery-peacock/ http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/nursery-peacock/#comments Tue, 01 May 2012 19:24:56 +0000 Carolyn http://www.greggandellis.com/?p=1141 At the nursery, it’s a candy shop of plants with a splash of peacock

]]> http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/nursery-peacock/feed/ 0 Roof Top Garden http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/roof-top-garden/ http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/roof-top-garden/#comments Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:34:26 +0000 Carolyn http://www.greggandellis.com/?p=1127

We call this Tar Beach with thanks to author Faith Ringold.  Your rooftop could become a garden too.

]]> http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/roof-top-garden/feed/ 0 Good Rhododendron http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/good-rhododendron/ http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/good-rhododendron/#comments Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:02:00 +0000 Carolyn http://www.greggandellis.com/?p=1112 Ring of Fire-2 Ring of Fire

Even if you don’t think you like Rhodies, there are some that may capture your interest.  You just haven’t noticed them yet.  The badly pruned pink and purple blobs spotted in yards are a poor representatives.  Here are some shots of one of my favorites, ‘Ring of Fire’.  Its loose orange flowers give people pause.  Plus, it blooms in spring and again in fall.

Today’s weather may entice you to the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden where you can see amazing specimens. Paths wind through rhodies as big as trees,  and past awesome water falls.   The bonus is the American Rhododendron Society will be holding a sale there from 9am -5pm today and tomorrow so you might be able to snap up a plant unlike you’ve ever seen.

]]> http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/good-rhododendron/feed/ 0 Meet the Enemy http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/meet-the-enemy/ http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/meet-the-enemy/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:27:33 +0000 Carolyn http://www.greggandellis.com/?p=1108 The Deadly Popweed

It is time to pull up your sleeves and drop to your knees.  The deadly popweed has sprouted and it’s gaining power.  This is not the time for delayed gratification.  Pull it up now.  Believe me, it’ll be worth it tenfold.  Because if you wait, the pods will ripen and even the slightest touch will cause the seed pods to POP! all over the yard.  You never know who could trigger the pods.  Perhaps a gusty wind,  a cat on mouse patrol or those trickster racoons. If you wait for it to ripen, you’ll have even more to pull next year.   Don’t take walk in the sunshine, don’t hop on the bike for fun.  Get down on your knees and pull, pull, pull.

]]> http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/meet-the-enemy/feed/ 0 Color in your life http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/color-in-your-life/ http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/color-in-your-life/#comments Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:19:06 +0000 Carolyn http://greggandellis.com/?p=932

My basement wall.

Artist:Jonathan Gregg

http://escape-attempt.tumblr.com/

]]> http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/color-in-your-life/feed/ 3 Garden Sculpture http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/garden-sculpture/ http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/garden-sculpture/#comments Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:30:00 +0000 Carolyn http://greggandellis.com/?p=927 Portland Art Museum

]]> http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/garden-sculpture/feed/ 0 Garden Trellis http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/garden-trellis/ http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/garden-trellis/#comments Wed, 28 Mar 2012 03:53:09 +0000 Carolyn http://greggandellis.com/?p=915 Every once in a awhile a little touch of fun in the garden can help a gray day become a little brighter.  How can you resist a chartreuse tuteur (new word for the day) for your climbing roses  or a  periwinkle  trellis to  frame garden peas on your fence?  This is a photo of  useable art  by Terra Trellis, www.terratrellis.com.  They say it is the classic garden trellis re-imagined.   The company’s website shows  garden follies in colors like aubergine and kumquat.  Take a look.

Speaking of trellises, it’s not too late to plant sweet peas.  Go directly to the garden store and pick up the intoxicating April in Paris sweet pea.  Soak in water for a few hours and pop them in the ground.

]]> http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/garden-trellis/feed/ 0 Better Living Show http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/better-living-show/ http://www.greggandellis.com/posts/better-living-show/#comments Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:33:04 +0000 Carolyn http://greggandellis.com/?p=902 For the past fifteen years or so Christine and I have attempted to flaunt our design abilities at home shows by creating detailed gardens.  They were fantasy gardens that could be whatever we wanted.  The design process would begin in June or July and we seemed to think about it constantly. Every detail would be figured out so the contractor couldn’t tell us it couldn’t be done.  We’d scour art shows, furniture stores, and nurseries looking for things to borrow.

Better Living ShowEarly on we purchased two refrigerators so we could force bulbs and hostas into bloom in February.  Some plants must have a period of cold before they can be coaxed into sprouting in warmth.  Turns out we couldn’t fool a single plant. It’s not always the thought that counts.

The photo you see has crushed glass with fire coming through it.  A Katy McFadden statue is casting a reflection in a small water feature.  You can barely make out a trellis shaped like a trees amongst the plants.

This year, for the first time since we began Gregg and Ellis Landscape Designs, we are not installing a garden in any show.  But Carolyn will spend some time at the Better Living Show in the Assoc. of Professional Landscape Designer’s garden.  Come see the show.  It’s the best show around for sustainability ideas and products.

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