🌿 WELCOME TO MY PORTLAND, OREGON GARDEN!
This video was filmed in mid-April in my Zone 8b/9a backyard garden—my personal “living laboratory” where I experiment with plant combinations that are beautiful, practical, and sustainable.
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We’ll do a slow walk-through of my garden where I grow a wide variety of plants and test out creative ways to combine them. This space—and the many client gardens I’ve designed—directly inform the content I create for eGardenGo.
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Thanks for stopping by and touring my garden!
—Darcy Daniels
Garden Designer & Creator of eGardenGo
www.egardengo.com
… Hey Hello…
Hello hello. And welcome to my garden. My name is Darcy Daniels I am creator of egardengo.com, a garden designer, and avid gardener that lives and gardens in Portland Oregon. We’re in USDA zone 8b, and I’m on a modest-sized, small city lot that is fifty feet by a one hundred feet. What we’re gonna explore today is my backyard garden. So we’re just gonna…pan around look at it from lots of different angles…explore some beautiful plants, look at some nice combinations and vignettes, and give you a sense of how I’ve segmented it into different areas for people, places to relax and enjoy and be in the garden. Let me give you a lay of the land so you can kind of get a sense of how the layout goes. Over here we have our house We’re a small little bungalow…
and we have a detached studio kind of sitting right where you are sitting. That is a a seating area that we enjoy, and that vantage point that you sit in is one that we enjoy throughout the summer months…this is just a really great, shady retreat that we gravitate towards in the high summer There’s another little more intimate seating area just right over here. This path that I’m on continues and connects up to my front garden and then there’s another path on the south side. So this way is north…
That way is south…in terms of light situation it’s very changeable. In high summer there are blasts of sun that just come right through here that are pretty strong …
Generally speaking though this side here is pretty shady because it’s shaded by this tree and the house and whatnot. This area here can and used to be really sunny…but now not so much. So this is my living laboratory This is where I play with plants This is where I make planting combinations and I want to share it with you today So…this is that back seating area and you can see…we’re in the very far back part of the garden and we’re looking down the path that we had there and back towards the house. And we can see the other…living / seating area We’ll look at that in just a moment …
I love the feeling of enclosure that these…two small shrub-like trees provide. Now we’ve come off the deck and we’re walking down that path And as we continue along we’re gonna pivot here in a moment And at that point you’re gonna be able to really see an example of these color connections that I’ve talked about in previous videos
The color connections of both foliage and flower as we look down the path and look through the garden, your eye just floats from one to the other example of the pinks and the corals. And the yellows and the blues, and each of them just kind of knitting together and just really, just leading your eye and ultimately your body through the garden. Making this collector’s garden kinda hang together and look cohesive. I haven’t mentioned the date yet I don’t think. This is mid April here. most of this footage was shot on April twentieth on a beautiful spring day. And there is tons going on but so much more to come We’ve got lots of beautiful foliage and flower happening now, but there’s also just so many hints of what’s to come next. That trellis there actually has four clematis vines that are gonna start blooming here sometime soon Behind the trellis is the small seating area. As we continue to pan there’s another room and behind that my studio…
There’s a dining area, and the sliding doors lead into our house… …The next fifteen minutes or so I am gonna be walking you around the garden and kind of just showing you some detailed close-up, views of some of the plants some of the vignettes…and just kind of like as if you were walking through the garden with me. but I’m not gonna talk through the whole thing i will try and do some plant identification here and there. But generally I’m just gonna let the garden kind of speak for itself. but periodically I will, try and identify some plants There’s just so many plants I can’t identify them all for you so…I’ll just do what I think might be some of the standouts for instance this is Choysia, right there…
that’s looking so great A lot of these plants I’ll also mention at this point…you know many many of these plants are on eGardenGo. And you can find descriptions and plant combination ideas there. I will also probably do a little bit of labeling on this video do some kind of caption or…
titles over some of the plants that I pause on for any length of time just to do my best to try and tell you what you might be looking at. but I won’t be able to do that exclusively…or extensively…
Couple of nice rhododendrons in there though…
I collect rhododendrons I’ve been working on that I probably have, oh I don’t know thirty some odd, rhododendrons in the garden, mostly which I’ve collected for their foliage i really appreciate …
rhododendrons with attractive foliage and a compact size …
This side of the garden is very narrow We’re on the north side…
and it’s just like…
it’s under five feet because the setback there is five feet. I try and can’t cram a lot of garden in there. and one of the ways that I do that is with clematis I’ve got some clematis growing up on that fence. but it’s also a place where I can grow some of those shady treasures. So the really showy foliage right there that is Portofilam spotty Dottie. she’s always a show stopper and really fun to grow … Some of the rhododendrons are starting to bloom…That one is cherries and Merlo or wine and roses one of the two…
And won’t be long before I have a lot of clematis and bloom …
Love that the pools of gold…that some of the plants just kinda really light up the garden’s floor There’s that carex and then there’s a a…Acorus Ogon also on the path So I like to do those create these pools of light with the golden foliage…
You can kind of see it…
towards the end of the path there You can kind of see what I’m talking about… In ferns lots of ferns …
My trilliums are finally kind of getting some stature on them That one’s been in the garden for a while and this is really good year for it…
I grow a lot of heuchera but I try to be pretty picky. That particular one that you just saw is the best one that I am growing It’s just really just held up exceptionally well…
That’s rhododendin makanoi … And we’ll pan past that ebony pearl, which is gonna bloom pretty soon with,, magenta, flowers that are really striking against that dark foliage So that’s a pretty fun one
…
Lots of little ground covers…Lots of bare ground still but it’s coming along Oh here this is fun This is an Arisaema …I’ll put the name up there for you but just look at how look at that, that flower Is that just,, otherworldly. That’s really fun … Another trillium this is trillium luteum…
backed by a golden, a dicentra with golden foliage…
Jeffersonia …
More ferns. Ferns ferns ferns. Ferns that are unfurling and ferns that are pretty far along That’s a Athyrium ghost…With the silver foliage there … You probably noticed that I’ve used containers in the garden I’ve got these …
blue containers that are situated in the garden at various pivot points … And I’m playing with the color blue both in those containers and in some of the furnishings …
It’s a Stewartia monodelpha…with that cinnamon colored bark which is fantastic … Again you’re gonna start seeing those color connections so you’re gonna see the blue kind of threading throughout the garden…and a lot of the golden yellows and some of the corals and the pinks. And this gives you an idea of what’s happening above above our heads and what’s creating kind of the enclosure in the canopy … In this shot we are coming from that dining area, and we’re approaching the garden from a, the…from the south side So we’re walking from the south and into…this part of the garden, and to the to our right there is entry into the studio. But if I follow that path and I turn around the corner here then I I’m seeing another view of that seating area outside of the studio on the other side… Brunnera and Japanese forest grass there … That big glossy foliage there is another Podophyllum This is Podophyllum pleianthum …
Recently we reworked this little section…and so it used to used to be different So I changed that out this spring so a lot of those plantings right there are new but it’s a fun little color vignette that I’m playing with there … This is that we’re going in and we’re gonna take a look…
go into that small seating area and kind of experience the garden from there…So one of the things that I really like is that we have…
, I’ve developed a number of different rooms…that really allow you to experience the garden in in different in different ways So in the back there’s about four different places that we can sit and experience the garden So there’s here or the dining patio or up on the deck or in that living area outside of the studio with the couch and whatnot That’s where when we have groups in the garden where we gather … I like this vignette coming up That’s a Carex Sparkler and a rhododendron that is getting ready to burst into bloom…
That smoke tree will be…a feature a little later It’s just leafing out. That’s a witch hazel right there So in winter it’s got really it’s Jelena and it’s got orange blooms in…winter…
Just lots of …small plants along the edges there…That’s with Weigela in the middle…Again that’s a Stewartia. We’ve got the the structure there that’s gonna be covered in vines…and be full of flowers…
in a few months…
Hostas are emerging and there’s one of the rhododendron that one is rhododendron laramie …
It’s got really nice white indumentum … Rhododendron pachysanthum…
Mahonia soft caress … Lots of dwarf conifers for structure…
and containers these are tender succulents that I’ve brought out for season I do have to protect those over the winter …
That Fatsia is Fatsia camouflage it’s a it’s a favorite And I just love that bold foliage … Loropetalum and at its feet is a Japanese painted fern… We’re gonna pivot here around and I think you’re gonna get a pretty good view of…the…
Well I guess of this conifer, but we’re gonna pan and…this is that dining area …
so we can look now down the south side of the garden … It’s probably it’s about twelve feet, fourteen feet wide total … The south side garden has…a mix of shade and sun as well a front along the front of the border a lot of those plants that you’ll see are in the shade of other plants so it’s shady , but many of the angles get a lot of sun So it’s really a mix of, plants that need and want sun those are usually situated, against the house, and then other plants along that front edge of the curved steel…raised bed Many of those are kind of woodland or shady…
treasures … But to the right this is pretty sunny spot there. So there will be a lot of color a little later in the season Again this is in April, so very early in the gardening season for Portland. So things will really start…
getting more …more flowers You know right now a lot of the color is coming from foliage. There are flowers of course but a lot of the interest is just interesting foliage textures and colors … This is a new rhododendron for me. I just love that color…and I love the color story that’s gonna unfold This is recently planted little section but You can see the color connections that are gonna be…coming into play there I think it’s gonna be really…really nice if everything does well for me … I grow a lot of things on that fence Some of them evergreen so I’ve used some evergreen shrubs that are kinda espaliered along that fence to create kind of an evergreen screen So I’ve got couple of camellias trained on to the fence and I’ve got… that’s an unusual pendulous boxwood that’s kind of trained against the fence. So I’ve got clematis for color, some camellias for evergreen screening and structure…
and …
just…
gardening up like that …
adds a lot of interest when you have a narrow space you know just as another plane that you can use … And there’s the view back … And now we’ve done a full circle…
of the back…
section of the garden … …Thanks so much for joining me today I hope you enjoyed, this little walkabout as much as I did And if you like this type of content I would really appreciate it If you would like and subscribe and don’t forget to hit that button for notifications. So I appreciate you Thank you and we’ll see you next time…
31 Comments
really was interested in your video but the focus was so off, I couldn't watch it.
Thanks for the tour. I really loved loved the bright heucharas throughout, I wish I could have heard their name and color ❤
Can’t wait to see the front and that marvelous hell strip!
Greetings from Ireland, Beautiful natural looking garden, We have a small front garden with four flowerbeds, fifty two pots of perennials and ten pots of annuals grown from seed on the two front windowsills. My wife has no interest in gardening and tells me it looks like a mini garden centre and if she sees one more pot I will be sleeping in the garden. Our back garden is much bigger and is all grass and at the bottom of garden there is a glass house, three big compost bins, fifteen water barrels and a garden shed. We have two westies that love to dig up the grass out the back and as long as there happy I'm happy, I water all the pots and flower beds with watering cans I find it very relaxing. I mulch the flower beds with homemade compost in early April and I don't fertilise the flowerbeds. I fertilise all the pots with tomato feed with a npk ratio of 6-3-10 which works well because I don't get aphids because they are attracted to nitrogen rich plants. I have copper tape around my pots to keep the slugs away and I have seventeen slug traps in the flowerbeds with a homemade bait. I put one cup of water into a jar and I add two teaspoons of flour, two teaspoons of sugar and one teaspoon of dry yeast put the lid on and shake well and put it in the slug trap. I change the traps once a week and lift the pots up to get them you would be surprised how many you would find under your pots. The ones that I do find get a first class ticket over the next door neighbours fence.
Hi Darcy! Thanks for the visit! I wanted to tell you that I sat in my garden the other day! And also, I think I'm about to enter my "fern" period. Much appreciation for you and eGardengo!
Beautiful as always ……where is your favorite nursery to find these unusual plants ! Thank you for sharing!
Love it! Thank you for sharing your garden. I was missing you ❤
Darcy it was a pleasure to see your gorgeous backyard. You have such a wonderful variety of beautiful plants. Have a great day. Love and blessings 💚💛🩷💛💚
Probably my favorite garden ever! I only wish I could see what you'd do in a z5 garden (I'm in z5b Massachusetts.)
As you talke us through your garden, please tell us the name of the plant.
Wonderful tour of your back garden. I’ve seen it before and this was a very detailed tour and I really enjoyed. Your gravel areas seemed to be weed free and well maintained? Do you have any hints on keeping it looking that nice?
Beautiful garden! Portland is now zone 9A. I love what you did with the paths 🙂
How did you get the clematis to climb up the wood fence?
Gorgeous rhododendrons and colorful shade plants. Love all the garden room areas. Such a beautiful garden!
Thank you Darcy for the beautiful walk about in your gardens. I am in Beavercreek OR on 2️⃣ acres lots of room for gardens. Do you ever have an open garden?
I love all the different shapes of leaves. Absolutely stunning!
Spectacular!
How much shade will Geum tolerate? Thanks.
What is the name of the large blue columnar conifer?
LOVE the tall corten steel edging.
If you amend your ground soil, can you please share what you add–(it's all so lush)? Thanks.
Lovely garden and I so appreciate seeing what can be done in a small urban plot! We have an urban garden in Skagit County about the same size as yours and have been slowly evolving it. Thank you for the tour and inspiration!
You have lots of jewels. You're a texturalist and leaf colorist painter. Lovely spot you created. Very lovely. Spotted Dotty I got to get.
You so much my dear friend for another great post love the garden tour today. It was so beautiful.
Did I see Artichoke plant?
Thank you for sharing your beautiful front and back gardens! I’m in awe!!! Inspired by how you use a variety of color blocks to lead the eye. Understanding repetition as a way to be able to use many different colors and shades of a color while having a sense of cohesion in your garden! Hope that made sense. So rich! I could go on…but I have to watch these videos again😂
Keep the videos coming! Love the color stories you use , really helps tying the different areas and styles together. I’ve been on the hunt for Podophyllums and Arisaema in the Portland metro area. Where can I find some without ordering online and paying so much for shipping?
Absolutely beautiful garden! I just love all the color, textures and foliage. I appreciate the plant identification but there were more that I wish were identified. You just have so many unique plants that I would love to know the names of. Do you have a local nursery or nurseries that you get most of your plants at? Thank you for the wonderful tour!
Beautiful garden! Are you in the Hawthorne District?
By chance, are you from the Bay Area originally? I knew a Darcy as a teen some 45 or so years ago (who looked like you).
What a wonderful garden! Hugs from Hawai’i!
Love your garden. Greetings from Poland.