Agave hunting at Kalama Harbor Lodge

It had been a good long while since I put eyes on the gardens at McMenamins Kalama Harbor Lodge, so here we are.

It's pretty amazing how mature the plants are, then again when I stop to do the math I realize this garden is over five years old. I first visited late in 2018, and posted about it in early 2019—here.

The Hesperantha coccinea / Schizostylis coccinea (I think?) were amazing. I rarely see this plant massed and in bloom. Well done!

I think this is a Franklinia alatamaha flower?

Flawless Melianthus major.

I was going to call this Woodwardia unigemmata...

Until I saw this, which looks even more like Woodwardia unigemmata. Even though they look a little different, I think that's what they both were—they were growing at opposite ends of the building.

Lots of repetition in this part of the garden. It's powerful.

Now we're looking at the border along the paved walkway. On the other side of the plants is a strip of sandy beach and then the Columbia River. The City of Kalama is in Washington State, the land visible across the water is Oregon. I rather like what they've done with the barrel rings here.

I wonder what creature has been eating on the Yucca rostrata to get the leaves bound up like that?

The large, dense, shrub on the right is a Fabiana imbricata.

At least that's what I surmised based on the flowers.

Grevillea some something

Yucca linearifolia and Agave parryi

The day was as chilly as it looks, so that (plus it was a weekday) helped to keep the beach clear of people.

I didn't realize I was holding my breath, wondering if this big guy (Agave americana) would still be here, until I saw it and relaxed.

Last winter was a very bad one for agaves in the area, I was worried.

I see spikes! I guess I'm going to have to go down and walk along the other side of the border and see what's hiding down there.

But first there are a couple more agaves to admire up here, a pair of Agave 'Mateo'...

And a trio of Agave parryi.

Over on the beach side I found an Agave ovatifolia...

Along with a blooming colletia, for extra spiky fun.

Agave parryi v. parryi, maybe? (are you starting to understand the title of this post? It really did feel like the agave version of an easter egg hunt)

The Euphorbia characias 'Tasmanian Tiger'  were the best I've ever seen.

Now I've walked out on the metal "pier" visible behind the first photo of the large Agave americana. The pier is new since I last visited, and provides a great view of the lodge and the narrow garden that separates it from the beach.

Walking back to my car I spied this arctostaphylos being grown as a single trunked specimen.

Headed home I pulled into the small McMenamins Ahles Point Cabin just about a half-mile down river from the lodge.

I'm not sure why, maybe I was still in agave hunt mode, but I walked around to the backside of the cabin. Curious if the plantings extended that far.

Look what I found...

Judging by their looks (the pups for example) I suspect they've been there awhile, which probably means they were planted by Ryan Miller. Ryan is the gardener responsible taking a chance and planting the big Agave americana. Ryan is also no longer with McMenamins, I will miss running into him when walking through the gardens at Kennedy School .

My favorite weed, verbascum.

This poor fellow is alive, which if he was in place thru last winter is an accomplishment.

Better from this angle.

There were lots of opuntia tucked in the rocks too...

It was pretty amazing how many agaves there were, I'm really glad I wandered down. 

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Botanical Garden roadtrip to Kalama, WA...

What, you didn't know there was a botanical garden in Kalama, Washington? That's probably because it's cleverly disguised as a McMenamins hotel and restaurant, Kalama Harbor Lodge.

Okay in all seriousness. I needed to get out on the road, even if it was just a 45 minute drive north on I-5. I knew it would do my head good, and since I had just sent someone a photo I took of an agave at this property last year, well, it was on my mind. Let's have a look around...

Great combo of Woodwardia unigemmata and Schefflera taiwaniana.

This is perhaps the only plant in the collection that looks better in my garden than it does here, Magnolia macrophylla.

Perhaps the wind is a little too much for it?

I've no clue which bamboo this is...

But it's pretty fabulous.

As are the Melianthus major blooms! Wow...

I used to grow this beauty for the foliage.

But I did get flowers one year, that was memorable.

This display however was over-the-top good.

Yucca linearifolia, I believe.

Two of them!

Another wowsa moment, look at those beschorneria!

Those are some seriously sturdy boom stalks.

Since I last visited the rocky slope down to the river's edge has been replaced by a beach, I believe the city's work, not McMenamins. I rather like it, although it does mean the garden can be walked through, which is never a good thing.

I find the mix of plants to be quite exciting. So many spiky things! It's going to be amazing to watch them grow in.

The beach had a view visitors the morning I was there, I bet on a hot summer day—in non-COVID times—it could get quite packed.

Ah, the Agave americana clump I came to see is still there, and looking good. 

I spotted this pup, off to the left, but completely missed one that's growing up through a seam in the asphalt pathway, I heard about it via Instagram when I was back home.

Beautiful!

The (somewhat unlikely) success of the Agave americana seems to have inspired the McMenamins gardeners, there were so many more agaves! I eventually went around to the other side of the planting to see if I could identify these three, no luck.

Agave ovatifolia, I believe. This one should quickly turn into a monster here (yay).

These blend in so it's kind of hard to tell, but that's at least seven small clumps of Agave bracteosa. 

Here's one that's been in place for awhile.

There were people dining just out of frame, so I tried to be sensitive in my photo taking. The tall clump of grass like leaves on the left is Aloe cooperi, I didn't see any blooms, but then I also couldn't see the far side.

Wow, in addition to multiple new agaves they've also planted a saguaro! Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Wissel's Saguaro' that is.

Now I'm down on the beach-side, scoping out more agaves. Agave parryi...

More Agave bracteosa

Taking this shot I noticed the umbrellas on the roof and later learned there's a near-rooftop bar "with expansive views of the Columbia"... I might have to check that out in person someday.

Another A. ovatifolia.

As is this, but I already shot this one from up on the pathway.

Here is one of the three I was unsure about. It's lovely, but just doesn't have any identifiable characteristics for me.

Maybe Agave chrysantha?

I couldn't resist, another image of the A. americana clump.

And another group of Agave parryi.

As I was leaving I spotted this bunch of juicy berries...yum.

And this! There are a few huge gunnera around the parking lot, in the run-off bioswales. This paring however is pretty genius. Huge leaves, meet tiny leaves.

The tiny leaves belonging to Sophora prostrata 'Little Baby'.

Weather Diary, Aug 30: Hi 77, Low 51/ Precip 0 

All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.