Mrs. Miller planted so many trees on her 7-acre estate overlooking Puget Sound that what could potentially be a panoramic view of the water framed by a few trees is more like a view of a lot of trees framed by a couple narrow views of the water.
One of the culprits is this live oak,
Quercus chrysolepis, which happens to be a state champion.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMzHJchC4qU/T_ErJffR-lI/AAAAAAAACu0/YGAjhbuIQiE/s640/IMG_1736.jpg) |
Quercus chrysolepis (Canyon live oak) |
It is practically begging to have a tree house build in it.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZGXb20RzU_g/T_EnVpFGhgI/AAAAAAAACuo/cWIFqBDpeS8/s640/IMG_1753.jpg) |
Quercus chrysolepis (Canyon live oak) |
A giant
Schefflera delavayi looking happy. Yes, it is evergreen and reliably hardy in the greater Seattle area (to around 5F/-15C). It seemed a little out of place here because the tropical look is decidedly not a theme in the Miller Garden, but I'm glad to see them growing it anyway. I also noticed a couple
Schefflera taiwanianas growing in pots.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x1pILO3hCME/T_EsRgQeTQI/AAAAAAAACu8/ZRbV4braYFI/s640/IMG_1752.jpg) |
Schefflera delavayi |
There is one big drawback to the Miller Garden: name tags are few and far between. None of the groundcovers, perennials, or small shrubs had name tags and very few of the trees did. So while I know this plant below is in the rhubarb family, I don't know much more about it.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vy1NKDQFVMs/T_ExP4XAJLI/AAAAAAAACvI/RrYRTfy7rqk/s640/IMG_1773.jpg) |
Mystery Rhubarb |
I think this is a
Mahonia fortunei.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qMyXN0VsSys/T_Iu1e3vCTI/AAAAAAAACvo/ha97mNHuMks/s640/IMG_1710.jpg) |
Mahonia fortunei? |
Along with Rhododendrons & Japanese maples, their collection of ferns is very extensive. This is a fern called
Pyrrosia sheareri. Most of the old fronds from last year still look great.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_-WdfJyvJGc/T_IyxUuQBpI/AAAAAAAACv8/EMvi2NPG-84/s640/IMG_1762.jpg) |
Pyrrosia sheareri |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-omn4kbOMunc/T_I3a29doxI/AAAAAAAACwk/EgmVRZRoHKs/s640/IMG_1757.JPG) |
Adiantum pedatum (Northern Maidenhair fern) |
I have no idea what this is:
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5wemDLLO7Q8/T_I4eb7F50I/AAAAAAAACws/98ZQelW-y4E/s640/IMG_1682.jpg) |
Mystery fern |
They also have one of the most incredible nurseries filled with thousands of rare plants, but nothing is for sale. I find that a bit odd because they could raise a lot of money from people like me trying to spend their life savings on rare plants.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lJpHIdw6O-o/T_I0YfwUIfI/AAAAAAAACwM/pq5JVY5GBNQ/s640/IMG_1777.jpg) |
Tables filled with plants you've never seen before |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VRi_jeS7Fa4/T_I0HO6FwYI/AAAAAAAACwE/DRSla69cDrA/s640/IMG_1779.JPG) |
Inside one of the greenhouses |
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BJl1X1IWvbk/T_I43SloAAI/AAAAAAAACw0/bGF0OHhqGKE/s640/IMG_1776.jpg) |
I don't know what this is, but I want it!! |
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uL4jSTesXRI/T_I0wuliGII/AAAAAAAACwU/AEoiC6QNO1E/s640/IMG_1778.JPG) |
Extensive hepatica collection |
Even though you can't buy a single plant, they are nice enough to give away a free one at the end of the tour. I left with an
Ercilla volubilis, which is an evergreen vine that
Far Reaches Farm happens to be selling on their website.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pLPGXEHFjd8/T_IuMEGmeLI/AAAAAAAACvg/pifUwFSGDMY/s640/IMG_1804.jpg) |
Ercilla volubilis |
Continue on to Part 3.
You'd think some enterprising individual would have come up with a way they could raise plants but still sell them too. Even if it was only at some off site once a year sale like at Bloedel (because I'm thinking all it would take is you, me and a few people I know, to visit in back to back weekends and their onsite nursery would be wiped out). Cool about the free plant though...
ReplyDeleteMystery rhubarb is a typical ornamental rhubarb: Rheum tanguticum
ReplyDeleteMystery fern is one of my most favorites, E V E R! Polystichum setiferum 'Plumoso-Multilobum' or the Plumose Soft Shield Fern.
Your Mahonia fortunei is possibly a hybrid, according to Ritchie, but it closesly resembles M. confusa, which botanist want to lump with M. eurybracteata. You confused yet??
Glad you had a chance to visit. Was this your first time??
What a great place! I'm thinking that if you still have savings, you aren't buying enough plants:)
ReplyDelete