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Red Dirt Ramblings®

Firmly rooted in the Oklahoma soil

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Stories from the Garden Bloggers Fling: Chickadee Gardens

30 July, 2014 By Dee Nash

by Dee Nash
30 July, 2014Filed under:
  • Garden Design
  • Garden Wildlife
  • Garden Worthy Plants
  • Gardening
  • Native Plants
  • Perennials
  • Wildflowers
  • Wildlife

If your mind is still a blur from all the sensory input even two weeks later, how would you write the stories of the Garden Bloggers Fling? First, we’ll start with some facts:

This year the fling was in Portland, a gardener blogger paradise.

  • Three full days of glorious garden touring. We went to seventeen gardens. That’s a lot!
  • The first two days were sunny and very hot–yes, in Portland. The last day was cool and rainy, perfect for taking photographs.
  • Eighty plus people came. It was overwhelming for this introvert and others I hear, but also, so much fun.

Like other garden bloggers, I’ll tell the stories from the fling with my favorite photos. You can get other fling posts on the Garden Bloggers Fling website. They are linked either under the gardens, or under a miscellaneous category of sorts.

Let’s start with Chickadee Gardens and their creator, Tamara Paulat. I loved her tightly-planted, urban garden located in an historic neighborhood. Tamara and I met at the teahouse in the Lan Su Chinese Garden. Barbara Wise took a photo of us with Leslie Bennett, another of my fave freinds.

Tamara, Leslie Bennett and I having tea at the Lin Su Chinese Garden. Tamara and I also had the "four keys to happiness" plate. It was interesting. At the Garden Bloggers Fling

Tamara Paulat, Leslie Bennett and I having tea at the Lin Su Chinese Garden. Tamara and I also had the “four keys to happiness” plate. It was interesting.

According to its description in our official handouts, Chickadee Gardens is on a typical Portland lot of 50 x 100 feet. That’s not large, but it does give room enough to be creative with plantings and design. I immediately fell in love with Tamara’s garden when I saw her wildlife and pesticide free certification signs.

Pesticide Free Zone sign--after seeing this, all of the bloggers who garden for habitat and pollinators wanted one.

Pesticide Free Zone sign–after seeing this, all of the bloggers who garden for habitat and pollinators wanted one.

RDR is also a Certified Wildlife Habitat from the National Wildlife Federation and a Pollinator Habitat certified by the Xerces Society. Chickadee Gardens is certified “gold” by the Backyard Habitat Certification Program (a collaboration between the City of Portland and the Columbia Land Trust.) Tamara plants northwest natives and other perennials in her small space, and the pollinators were in buzzing good health the day we visited. As I said before, it was sunny and hot, and Mr. Sun smiled upon the echinacea teaming with bumbles and honeybees.

Bumblebee on Echinacea Chickadee Gardens

Bumblebee on Echinacea Chickadee Gardens

Although her lot isn’t large, Tamara makes the best use of it. Here she is in the green dress coming out of her beautiful and historic stucco home.

Tamara coming out of her back door and into her backyard habitat.

Tamara coming out of her back door and into her backyard habitat.

Tamara’s house was built in 1929 and is in the Spanish revival style. It’s adorable. I love her use of color against the white facade. Below are some more shots of Chickadee Gardens. There’s nothing like seeing another’s garden to wake you up about your own plot of Earth.

Certified Backyard Habitats need a water source for birds and pollinators.

Certified Backyard Habitats need a water source for birds and pollinators.

Casa de las gatos (House of the cats) is the name of Tamara's house.

Casa de las gatos (House of the cats) is the name of Tamara’s house.

Tamara and her husband collect black cat motifs. Note the name of their home. Love that rain chain.

In front of Tamara's house. Love her rain chain.

In front of Tamara’s house. Love her rain chain.

Beautiful cobalt blue for the shed in back. It has a green roof. Cobalt is my fave color.

Beautiful cobalt blue for the shed in back. It has a green roof. Cobalt is my fave color.

Okay, that’s today’s Garden Blogger Fling report. Have a great rest of your week.

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Tagged:
  • Garden Bloggers Fling
  • OR
  • Portland

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Comments

  1. Anna Kullgren says

    3 August, 2014 at 1:58 pm

    I thoroughly enjoyed Tamara's garden too. Such a buzzing, flitting paradise! And, she inspired me to plant a Lagerstromia 'Natchez' out front. Can't wait for it to grow big!

  2. Anna Kullgren says

    3 August, 2014 at 1:58 pm

    I thoroughly enjoyed Tamara's garden too. Such a buzzing, flitting paradise! And, she inspired me to plant a Lagerstromia 'Natchez' out front. Can't wait for it to grow big!

  3. Anna Kullgren says

    3 August, 2014 at 1:58 pm

    I thoroughly enjoyed Tamara's garden too. Such a buzzing, flitting paradise! And, she inspired me to plant a Lagerstromia 'Natchez' out front. Can't wait for it to grow big!

  4. Rose says

    3 August, 2014 at 7:56 am

    I, too, immediately was taken by that sign–loved this garden! I’m so glad the organizers included several smaller gardens like this on the tour. They were all so different and so inspiring, showing that you don’t have to have a large space to create a beautiful garden. Tamara was such a gracious hostess, too; the inside of her home was just as appealing as her garden. I even got to meet the feline residents, whose names I’ve now forgotten:)

  5. Deanne Fortnam says

    2 August, 2014 at 12:17 pm

    What a terrific garden, tfs

  6. @adamcortell says

    1 August, 2014 at 8:04 pm

    Stories from the Garden Bloggers Fling: Chickadee Gardens http://t.co/GC0dRlWfLY from Red Dirt Ramblings by Dee Nash

  7. Gardener on Sherlock Street says

    1 August, 2014 at 6:53 pm

    That’s a great garden. Thanks for sharing it. And, the photo of you all enjoying tea is great too.

  8. Jennifer Connell says

    1 August, 2014 at 5:31 pm

    I love the name "Chickadee Gardens". I have been reading all the different posts on the Fling and it seems a great time was had by all. 17 gardens is a lot to see, but I am sure you had a wonderful Fling.

  9. Beth @ PlantPostings says

    31 July, 2014 at 8:52 pm

    What a fun place! I’m glad you all had so much fun. Every year I say I hope I can make it next year, so I’m not going to jinx it this time. 😉 Cheers!

  10. Garden Walk Garden Talk says

    31 July, 2014 at 7:22 am

    That is a wonderful garden, so sad I missed the Fling this year. I was on the waiting list signing up one day late. It is wonderful Tamara has this garden, more should be pesticide free. I am the only one in my neighborhood. I love that sign and will check out her blog.

    • Dee Nash says

      31 July, 2014 at 7:25 am

      Oh, I’m so sorry you weren’t able to come. It did fill up really quickly. I hear that Toronto will do the same because there are so many Toronto bloggers. Just a thought for next year. I’m signing up the first day.~~Dee

  11. Tamara Paulat - Chickadee Gardens says

    30 July, 2014 at 9:42 pm

    Thank you Dee for the lovely post! It was a thrill to have everyone over and to be a “Flinger” this year, too!! So glad we got to meet…and for anyone looking for the Pesticide Free sign, here’s a link: http://www.pesticidefreezone.org/

    • Dee Nash says

      31 July, 2014 at 6:38 am

      Thanks Tamara for the link to the signs.

  12. Donna@GardensEyeView says

    30 July, 2014 at 4:49 pm

    pure heaven in this garden….love that sign as well…need to find one that is big so my neighbors get the message!!

    • Dee Nash says

      31 July, 2014 at 6:40 am

      Hi Donna, Tamara sent us the link to the pesticide free zone signs. It’s in her comments. Have a great day!

  13. @Naturesta says

    30 July, 2014 at 1:36 pm

    Stories from the Garden Bloggers Fling: Chickadee Gardens http://t.co/NdzEVoXEcQ #garden

  14. @reddirtramblin says

    30 July, 2014 at 12:56 pm

    Stories from the Garden Bloggers Fling: Chickadee Gardens http://t.co/awWq5xHjQC http://t.co/nOkecxlMy7

Trackbacks

  1. 12 July: Chickadee Gardens | Tangly Cottage Gardening Journal says:
    1 August, 2014 at 12:39 am

    […] Red Dirt Ramblings […]

  2. Garden Bloggers Fling | Annie Haven | Haven Bra... says:
    30 July, 2014 at 10:23 pm

    […] Three days of garden tours at the Garden Bloggers Fling.  […]

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