Thursday, November 06, 2014

A Seductive Garden

Okay, we're lagging way behind with our Portland Garden Blogger's Fling posts. We still have lots to catch up on and the remaining gardens will feature in the next few days.

Rather than sticking with our previous format I've decided to veer off from it and present this garden in a different way.

Bella Madrona - the last stop on the fling itinerary and where the 2014 edition was wrapped up with farewell drinks and canapes. You can read more about this garden and the take of other fling attendees on their own page at the fling blog.


Whimsical, mysterious, magical, quirky, eclectic are the adjectives that are usually associated with this garden. And beautiful too of course. But I'll have to add to the list the word seductive.

It's a very seductive garden. The moment you step in, it will lure you to explore even further. And further you will explore as you discover something new and fascinating with each and every turn, making you more curious and excited on what else lies ahead. Or what else that is hidden waiting to be discovered. This garden is a like a temptress, unassumingly luring you and before you know it you're within the depths of her purpose and domain.


This garden is usually associated with the band Pink Martini for they have penned a song dedicated and pertaining to this garden. But as I was looking through the photos I thought of a different song instead - a very seductive, erotic  'gardening' song.  And the lyrics seemed very appropriate for this garden.

Let me describe and take you on a tour of this garden through the photos and the lyrics of this seductive song...



There's a garden in my room
Would you like to take a look?
There are fascinating things you'll find there...







If you dare to come inside
There is nothing I will hide
Come where there is sweet perfume
In the garden in my room







There's a garden in my room
It has apples sweet and ripe
If you'd like to have a taste
I'll let you...







Cherries red as they could be
Such amazing things you'll see
Everything is in full bloom
In the garden in my room







It's not far I can take you there
Where the air is cool and dry...






Lay your head on my flower bed
And I promise you will never
Ever want to say goodbye





There's a garden in my room
Would you like to take a look?
Rest your body on my velvet roses...











Once you've tasted my delights
Many days will turn to nights...








There is nothing you won't do
For the garden in my room.




For those who dare (and fortunate to get the chance) to come inside, you're definitely in for a treat.

Mark :-)

22 comments :

  1. You've captured the garden brilliantly! As I look at the photos you took, I realize I missed some really interesting places. I'm happy to see them here and enjoy those venues I missed!

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    1. Thank you Kit! Have to say that even with our extended stay in the garden we still didn't get to see every part of it too. The bit with the masks and the gnome garden are some of the areas we never got to see. Who knows, there might be a next time.

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  2. Oh that was fun! I listened to the song while I looked at your photos. How did you manage so many wonderful photos without a single person in them?

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    1. I think I just got lucky with the timing Loree. Although I was also the last one to eat...

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  3. You captured a lot of things that I missed Mark. I think we could have snapped for six hours and still wouldn't have seen everything. Really amazing place.

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    1. That's true Alan. I thought I spent enough time already but I kept on discovering new areas to check out. And then we all ran out of time...

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  4. Wow, this garden is like from a fairytale for adults. There are many details in your pictures I don´t remember noticing... an amazing place. And a very original post :)

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    1. It is very fairy tale like setting isn't it Lisa? So many storylines can be set within its realms :)

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  5. We all seem to be seeing things we missed, but then with a garden of this size and complexity, it would take many visits to come close to seeing it all. The Old World tumble-down charm and mystery of the place had me under its spell. Thanks for helping return to that state of enchantment.

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    1. It certainly is a huge place Ricki but it's size made it possible to divide so many areas into different themes/fantasies.

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  6. So fun to go back and remember this unique garden..You've prompted me to go back and look at my own photos ...many things in yours I don't recognize !

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    1. It's nice to look back Kathy :) mind you when I look back at others posts I tend to spot things that I missed too.

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  7. Your post is as memorable as the garden itself. I love how you weave the lyrics of the song into your narrative

    There were gardens I thought were more beautiful, gardens I would want to emulate more, but no garden was as unforgettable as this one.

    In hindsight, I wish I had stood up to the siren call of food and wine and done more exploring instead. It certainly looks like you saw much more of the garden than I did.

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    1. My tummy wasn't too receptive to food that day, which worked out to my advantage in the sense that I explored first before I felt the need to nibble. It is a truly memorable garden!

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  8. Great post about this amazing place! Love the pairing of the song lyrics with your photos! The garden was seductive in its mystery. Each step, each view caused me to want to explore more. Thank you so much for transporting us back to that enchanted evening in July!

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    1. A pleasure Peter! The song was quite a contrast to the innocence and lightness of the Pink Martini song about this garden :)

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  9. Oh, so much to seduce the eye and lead you on. I love those formal arches in the middle of the woodland path! So many interesting ideas, such creativity and colour. Yes, very seductive.

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    1. Those arches are just amazing Janet! So surreal looking amidst all the plants and seems to lead you into more garden mysteries...

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  10. Wow! You are right to describe this garden as seductive, and I love the poem. How long did you spend in this garden? I doubt I would be satisfied with a quick walk-through. I would need more than a day to explore and examine all the delights.

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    1. We probably spent the most amount of time here Debs as it was the last stop and they have let us stay longer than the allocated time. One can easily spend a day here, and not even take everything in.

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  11. Reeeooowwww! What a fun post. That gnome at the beginning that was exposing himself was terrifying though, haha!

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