This is the second of my informal illustrated reports on the Society visit and meeting to Portland, Oregon, USA in 2019. As usual, a full set of articles by members of the group will be published in the next journal, Clematis International 2020. To those of you who came along, I hope it will bring back happy memories. To others, perhaps it will encourage you to join us on a future year.
My first report covered the first two days of the meeting, including the Welcome Evening at University Place Hotel, Ainsworth House and Garden, Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Argyle Garden and Winery and Red Ridge Farms/Durant Olive Mill & Vineyards.
Dancing Oaks Nursery
Wednesday and a fairly early start for a 1¾ hour journey to Dancing Oaks Nursery, near Monmouth, Oregon. Owned by Fred Weisensee and Leonard Foltz, it is a cornucopia of wonderful and unusual plants, although you don’t get this impression as you drive up to the nursery gates, past the polytunnels and sales area, until you reach the pavilion.This large display garden surrounds the pavilion, which is used both as an office and, with an added patio area, for relaxing and for visitors to enjoy their own lunch, has many different planting areas that run into each other, with water features, dry areas, bamboos, perennial borders, native plants and many more. It also includes the nursery growing tunnels and sales area.After a brief introduction, we were left to wander. It was only then that the true size of the display garden and the huge variety of planting started to become apparent.
 Dancing Oaks Nursery Entrance |  Sales area and polytunnels |
 The Pavilion, surrounded by gardens |  Bubbling water feature |
 C. ‘Juuli’ or C. ‘Arabella’ scrambling through shrubs around the house | Attractive Acer in pot  |
 Clematis, but which species? |  It’s surprising who you meet in a garden! |
 Dry areas can also be colourful |  Dry areas can also be colourful |
 Dry areas can also be colourful |  Viewing corner of the Pavilion |
 Just one of many impressive bamboo groves |  A hidden stream |
Sebright Gardens
This nursery specializes in hostas, with nearly (at the last count) one thousand different cultivars, including some of their own introductions, as well as ferns, Epimediums and shade-loving plants. However strolling through the large (about 1.6 hectares or 4 acres, so I’ve read) display gardens, we also found quite a few clematis. The display gardens were very well maintained, as you can see from some of the photos below.
 Beautifully manicured lawns |  Dotted with flower beds |
 Another flower bed |  C. ‘Haizawa’ |
 C. ‘Piilu’ |  C. ‘Westerplatte’ |
 C. ‘Myōfuku’ |  C. ‘John Warren’ |
 C. ‘Evipo046’ MOONFLEET, a member of |  the Evison/Poulsen ‘Gardini’™ collection |
 Suddenly I spotted a Hummingbird, but |  only briefly, they move incredibly fast |
 A beautiful C. texensis, |  probably Tarpley River Form |
Bauman’s Farm and Garden
Bauman’s Farm and Garden started life in 1895 as a small family farm, run by Elizabeth Bauman. It has developed over the years, with a few ups and downs, into the multi-facited business it is today. It is a nursery, garden centre, bakery, gourmet foods, country store, cider producer, hanging basket specialist, with a play area for children and a petting zoo. Their website even has a number of “how to garden” instructive videos.
We sampled their “famous” fruit pie – absolutely delicious – before having time to wander round their country food store, look round the garden centre and plant tables, and/or venture into the animal area, complete with “high-walking” goats.
 Bauman Farms are well-known for their floral |  displays and hanging baskets, as well as their pies! |
 They have an extensive plant sales area |  Their goats get some unusual exercise |
Silver Star Vinery
Next day and a slightly damp start for the first time during the meeting. We’d also been warned that Silver Star Vinery, situated north of Portland and up in the hills, could often be quite a bit cooler than the city. After a journey of a little over an hour the coach stopped and we got out to walk the final 400 m (just over ¼ mile), uphill in light drizzle, to Silver Star Vinery.
Debbie Fischer greeted us and welcomed us to her nursery, as did two very large carved bears!
We were scheduled for more than 3 hours here, which that included a beautiful locally prepared lunch, but in spite of the weather, this was barely enough time. There are so many different areas in the nursery/display garden to investigate, and every one had many treasures. Roy and Angela Nunn visit quite regularly from Great Britain. Roy has helped a lot with maintaining and developing areas of the display garden.
The rain did eventually ease off and finally stop, so we could enjoy lunch, a final hour or so in the dry and a group photo.
 A somewhat damp walk to Silver Star Vinery |  Debbie Fischer welcomes us |
 We are also welcomed by the local wild |  life, though at least one appears friendly |
 Debbie’s house | Very attractive wooden support  |
 The garden is laced with paths, lined with clematis and other plants |  Loved this C. ‘Arabella’ climbing over an old wooden bench |
 Mixed border with many integrifolia clematis |  Note all the bird boxes around the garden |
 Rose arch, leading the eye further |  Communial bird seed feeder |
 Possibly C. koreana var carunculosa ‘Lemon Bells’ |  Another nice blue but unknown Clematis on a picket fence |
 C. ‘Odoriba’ |  Getting near lunch time by the look of that smoke! |
 C. ‘Jenny Keay’ |  Ever get that feeling someone is watching you? |
 An assortment of integrifolias |  Group photo |
Linda Rectanus Garden
Another garden and another walk, at least in the dry but uphill and a good 25 to 30 minutes, owing to a misunderstanding by the coach company as to where they dropped us. Never mind, exercise is good for you, especially with the good catering we were enjoying. And the garden was very well worth the walk.
Linda lives in an attractive house in the middle of a good sized, but sloping, mature garden. It’s divided into areas, each with different planting. It’s obvious from the various brightly painted posts and bird boxes and the decorative hangings that she is very artistic and has an eye for design.
She also has an eye for plants. Her favourites appear to be roses, fuchsias and clematis and, of the latter, she has a number of less-common ones, for example, C. baldwinii.
As we walked down the hill back to our coach, it occurred to me that Linda’s garden was not just a garden to visit and view, it was for living, working in and enjoying.
 Linda Rectanus (left) |  Lovely display on the patio |
 One of many artistic creations, with C. ‘Sizaia Ptitsa’ |  Wonderfully painted post |
 C. ‘Sizaia Ptitsa’ |  C. ‘Sharpie’ |
 Another bright design, this time on a bird box |  Decorative panel on shed door |
 Another decorative panel |  Fun sculpture |
 C. baldwinii |  Very attractive support, not sure of the clematis, though |
Vanessa Nagel Garden
Vanessa Nagel is a garden designer and writer and this is reflected in her garden, which she has created over the last 28 years. It is divided into discrete areas with different designs and themes, demonstrating her skill and expertise in design and planting.
 Vanessa Nagel |  Clematis table display |
 C. ‘Madame Julia Correvon’ welcomes you as you walk up to the house |  Cosy seating area, surrounded by garden artwork and low gabion walls |
Secluded path with backdrop of tall native trees  |  Many different materials gave colour and texture |
 Textured and artistic pebble circle |  Boules pitch |
 Large bell – Tibetan? |  Complementary row of smaller bells |
More garden art, but with a message  |  Striking colour from this grass |
 C. heracleifolia catching the evening light |  The next project – taming the gully |
 View back to house as we leave |
My next and final report will cover our visit to the Rogerson Clematis Garden at Luscher Farm, including the dedication of the Antipodean Area and the Strawberry Tasting, Lake Oswago Farmers Market, the McCoy Family Nursery and the Gala Dinner. Please click on my third and final report to read about the last part of Portland 2019.