It’s been three weeks since the last walk-through, and the garden is going full steam ahead. This is the full circuit—front parking strips, neighbor garden, sunny slope, driveway-turned-side-garden, studio courtyard, and the shady back path—filmed April 24, 2026 in my NE Portland garden, USDA Zone 8b/9a.
I’m not stopping to name every plant (there are hundreds), but I’ll call things out when they catch my eye. If you spot something you want to know more about, leave a comment with a time stamp and I’ll do my best.
A few things I get into: color echo strategy and why it keeps a plant-dense garden from reading as a jumbled mess; my clematis situation (dozens of them, just getting going); the new back courtyard seating area that’s already earning its keep in April; and the foliage tapestry I’m always adding to along the back path.
The garden is my living laboratory—a 50×100-foot NE Portland lot that’s been intensively planted for 25 years, with narrow side gardens, wide parking strips, and plenty of places to actually sit and enjoy it. A lot of what you see here finds its way onto eGardenGo—plant combinations, individual profiles, and downloadable planting plans for Pacific Northwest gardens.
*🌿 Explore plant combinations at eGardenGo: https://www.egardengo.com/explore-plant-combinations*
Curious what this garden looked like last April—or any other time? The full garden playlist has tours across multiple seasons and years: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLuvh7g5Kh60j5Z16tsuwY0n67948RAZH
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
0:00 Introduction & overview
1:54 Front parking strip — gardening to the street
2:20 Garden history: from juniper to 25 years of evolution
3:43 What to expect from a full tour (plant ID notes)
5:00 Backlit scenes: barberry, crepe myrtle ‘Zuni’
5:43 Front entry color story: iris, heuchera, hebe, dark hydrangea
7:05 Color echo strategy — how it holds everything together
8:59 Clematis ‘Blue Dancer’ & neighbor garden collaboration
10:12 Plant range: from collector-y to common
11:04 Mukdenia & bold-vs.-fine foliage contrast
12:26 Front seating area & the clematis takeover zone
12:53 The former driveway & sunniest part of the garden
13:38 Neighbor garden — quick walk-through
15:12 Heading to the back garden
15:56 South side garden & steel edging Q&A
17:04 Early blooming Clematis on the south fence
17:44 Containers, structures & “ladies in waiting”
20:06 Studio courtyard & the new seating area
24:01 Back garden color connections: Weigela and Clematis ‘Asao’
25:46 Back path foliage tapestry — Carex, ferns, Selaginella, and more!
28:25 Rhododendron makinoi & back path details
29:24 Back garden overview: loquat, Stewartia, Eucryphia
30:41 Side yard & the clematis-to-come
31:09 Wrap-up & eGardenGo
24 Comments
I love your Crape Myrtle! It’s so nicely pruned. You don’t do that very severe pruning to the tree which is known as crape “murder”. Everyone down here in California just massacres the heck out of their crape myrtle which is why I’ve never really been interested in the tree. But I’ve been reading up on it and we do not have to hack at it the way a lot of people do! And I do love the bark.
Darcy, what’s the name please of the beautiful pine tree at 13:36? I love pine trees, but I’m afraid they just get too huge! But again this one is pruned to perfection.
Absolutely magical. Thank you so much for the complete garden tour! You’re such an inspiration.
Looking forward to watch your garden tour everytime!!!
Beautiful, so inspiring. Love your color and plant combos
If you're not going to identify plants it would be better to have some nice background music rather than endless chit chat.
I love the use of color & texture in your garden! Absolutely stunning!
Gorgeous as always. What is the name of that fern with red tips next to the blue conifer? 7:35.
The 2 rock trip hazard!
Lovely garden tour. What's the beautiful red colored fern at 7:35 timestamp
Found you recently. I love learning and getting inspiration from another Portland Gardener!
What's the plant on the left to rhododendron macranthum at timestamp 28:26 mark?
What variety of broadleaf carex do you have at 29:18 timestamp?
Thank you for another inspiring video! I enjoy your casual commentary and noticed that you have slowed down a bit as you film which makes viewing more enjoyable – thank you! Looking forward to seeing more of your garden. Also, I have used some of the plant combinations from your egardengo website and love them! Such a useful resource.
Darcy! Your garden looks fantastic!!!
Hi! Carex at 29:18, name please? I am so inspired by your use of color. We have very similiar taste!
Beautiful transformation
Does the loquat produce fruit?
Цей сад просто зачаровує — гармонія кольорів і форм вражає.
Ваш сад виглядає як із журналу — доглянутий, стильний і дуже живий.
У такому саду хочеться залишитися довше — він наповнює спокоєм і натхненням.🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Thank you!
Just beautiful!!!
Спасибо.У Вас очень красиво!❤
Beautiful as always! Where can I get plant tags like yours?
Whats the big leaved blue sedum at about 4:36? Lovely garden