Memorial Day at McMenamin's Edgefield

We spent the long weekend in a beautiful Steiner log cabin in Welches, OR.  During the 1930s and 40s, Henry Steiner and his son John built between 80 and 100 of these amazing log cabins on the slopes of Mt. Hood, using only hand tools. Before we get to the plants, here are just a few pictures illustrating their unique vernacular style.


All the interior logs had acquired the patina of time.

Every element was hand-built, including the half-log stairs.

The sleeping loft was railed in Manzanita branches, added by the current owners. (Thank you for setting the record straight below, Jeff A!)

Even the rustic kitchen seemed ideal, with its horn handles and open shelving.

It was a perfect weekend with dear friends.

On the way home, we stopped to see the gardens at McMenamin's Edgefield.  I was out there this past summer for the Cracked Pots event, but it can be hard to really appreciate the gardens when the property is filled with booths, tents and crowds. In contrast, although the hotel and restaurants were clearly doing some business, it was pleasantly uncrowded on this spring Monday.

I was stunned by the color in the first plant group I spotted against a south-facing wall.  Fremontodendron, Ceanothus and Cotinus were underplanted with what I think could be Lonicera nitida.

Fremontodendron has the most wonderful variation in color as it blooms, from bronzy-orange buds, through gold, to bright yellow open flowers.

Close by, Melianthus major was blooming!

I had no idea they had these super-cool flower heads.

Another lovely shrub in bright yellow bloom over a dark barberry.

 Anyone know what this is? It's tall - at least 8 feet. (update: this is Cytisus battandieri, or Pineapple Broom, per Grace and LeLo - thank you both!)

Another view, with a Callistemon at it's feet.

Aeoneums flourished in a terra cotta pot. Could they have been here all winter?

A magnificent copper beech.

In the Herb Garden we discovered two sweet baby rabbits who had mastered the art of getting inside the protective netting...

...and back out again, probably to the gardeners' frustration.

A mass of cerinthe.

An artichoke in the perfect pot.

Hesperaloes and succulents in concrete drain pipes.

I would never have guessed this was Sisyrinchium, but a gardener told us. She didn't know the cultivar, so I'll have to do a little research. (update: ID'd as Sisyrinchium striatum by Ricki - thank you!)

A sleeping bee on a Calendula flower.

Mullein. One day I'll grow some of these stately flowers.

These looked like Melianthus major seedlings sitting in the sun outside the greenhouse.

The dry garden troughs were full of Lewisias in bloom.

A tiny Dianthus accompanied the Lewisias.

We speculated on the origins of these huge troughs...were they the former foundations of small buildings?

On our way up to the vegetable garden we passed another huge Ceanothus.

The entrance to the veggie garden - typical of McMenamins' whimsy.

Cold frames were full of lettuces.

It was early in the season for most of the veggies. As we walked back down to the car we enjoyed the wildflower mixture that had been sown outside the vegetable garden fence.

 

Our tour of Edgefield's gardens was a delightful end to a perfect holiday weekend.