Friday, January 31, 2014

One stop leads to another…

It was high time to admit I’d done something to my back (again). If I wanted to be in shape to tackle serious winter clean-up and the start of gardening season it was time to visit the chiropractor. Yep, looks like I chose a good one...

You know I love to support businesses that have great landscaping, and take care of it. Well this one is in a strip-mall, devoid of plants other than the required street trees and a few flopped over phormium. So to walk in the front door and see the wall display above was a welcome sight. I especially love the mix of live (planted) plants with tillandsia and dried Craspedia (Billy Balls).

My eyes processed the wreath as the standard thick willow wreath, because really I was focused on the big Tillandsia xerographica. It was until editing the photos I realized it was made from individual wood pieces.

I asked the receptionist if she was responsible for the beautiful display...no, the installation was the work of Solabee Flowers & Botanicals. Turns out they have a shop in the Kenton neighborhood where I was headed next. Sounds like I needed to visit, right?

Right.

She'd mentioned Solabee shared space with Salvage Works, a place I'd read about and meant to visit but just hadn't gotten around to. Bonus!

We've got one of those old wash basins in our basement. I've fantasized about getting rid of it. Perhaps it has a future use? Let's see what else they've got...

Oh but wait! First I must mention the tallest resident of the Kenton neighborhood, who hangs-out just down the street from Salvage Works, yes it's Paul Bunyan. Why is there a huge (31 ft) statue of Paul Bunyan in Kenton you ask? It was built in 1959 to commemorate the centennial of Oregon's statehood during the Centennial Exposition and International Trade Fair, which was held in the Kenton area. The sculpture was originally prominently placed at the intersection of North Interstate Avenue (then U.S. Route 99) and North Argyle Street, and now stands at the corner of North Interstate and North Denver. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in January 2009. (source)

There's an outside area next to the shop, full of great old stuff.

I don't know what this was in its former life but it makes a great wall planter.

And speaking of great wall planters! Now I'm envisioning a section like this in our new (yet to be built) fence.

What fun...

I love old wheelbarrows. It's a good thing I don't have acreage because I might just start to collect them.

And if I were the type, this old refrigerator drawer would make a great planter.

I finally wandered inside, only to discover the Solabee shop has moved out! Thankfully they left several wonderful things on display...

Looks familiar...

They've still got a shop downtown, I suppose I'll need to visit someday soon.

I was so enthralled with the items on, and under, the table I didn't even notice the baby hanging above!

Love this vignette.

Yep, this was a fun little excursion...

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

27 comments:

  1. Look at all that fun stuff! Salvage shops are so much fun and every town should have one. Great vignettes. In that last photo I had to look twice when I saw the green since it almost looked like your house.

    Tillandsias are growing on me now since they are low maintenance compared to succulents indoors and those display ideas are so inspiring. Local nurseries are stocking more and more of them so I'll probably give them a try soon.

    When our fence guys replaced their wheelbarrow during the project I asked to keep their old one. They were surprised and amused. I'm still looking for the right spot.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are rich with salvage places here Shirley! There are several others that I haven't been to, should try and cross them all off my list. And I would be thrilled to have that last vignette in my house!

      I'm kind of afraid to do a count of my tillandsias, they're addictive.

      Delete
  2. This looks like a fun place to visit and pick up ideas! Sorry to hear about your back and I hope that the chiropractor fixes you right up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, he's been doing good work. I just hope the big shuffle coming up (due to our impending arctic relapse) doesn't undo all the progress...

      Delete
  3. Oh, that photo of the wooden wall planters (possibly in your fence's future) looked like something completely different to me at first -- not planters. I'm adding this to my mental list of projects (what I thought it was, not what it actually is). Thanks so much for posting it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wait....you're not going to tell us what it is your thinking of? Come on! Pretty please? What if I promised you a post full of bamboo? (okay that post is coming up on Monday regardless, but you really should share...)

      Delete
  4. What fun! I love that kind of stuff! I'm sure Peter or I could take that washbasin off your hands if you really don't have a use for it. I'm glad to hear you're getting your back sorted out. I hope it's already feeling better.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alison it's a double sink and no doubt weighs a ton...I don't even know how we'll get it out of the basement!

      Delete
  5. It's amazing how one thing can lead to another, that a trip to the chiropractor has led you this quirky place full of inspiring (and inspired) goodies!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And now I've got another place to visit next time I'm downtown!

      Delete
  6. I've wandered into the Solabee shop several times on my lunch hour. It's in a building with pop-up shops on the MAX line - although I think the shops are more permanent now. You'll love it. I've been eying those wooden wall planters for months now. After your post I think I've made up my mind to buy a pair. So nice to have a plant shop in the middle of downtown. And I like your chiropractor's taste!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay! Glad to have pushed you over the edge, so to speak.

      Delete
  7. Very nice. I love the wood planter wall. I've been meaning to make one of those for years. I saw one in an old vintage book from the 70s with a water feature built into it. I guess I better start planning one soon...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Guess you better, in fact that whole back side of your property could be a huge wooden planter wall, do it!

      Delete
  8. That would probably be a crazy-making search criterion on Angie's List "offices must have horticultural interest". That planting panel is killer, but it seems a little rustic for your taste. What drew my attention was the rusty cylinder standing next to it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right, it is a little too rustic. But it inspired me and I've come up with some fun ideas! I think that rusty cylinder is attached to the stove, but I bet you could make them an offer on the cylinder alone.

      Delete
  9. I love this place!! it has been a while since I visited

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can see you finding several treasures there.

      Delete
  10. You should definitely build that wall planter in to your new fence. Really cool stuff. I love that last photo. Please take us to their new shop! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh this is my dream come true! I hope I'll get to see it when I come up in July (June?). Great post. And boy do I know about back pain...a gardener's plague. Hope you feel better soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. July...and I can come up with a whole list of cool places for you to visit!

      Delete
  12. Oh my word, how amazing, I love them. I would have more houseplants but am dreadful at keeping them alive these would be brilliant. The wooden frame with boxes is brilliant, Wish we had places like that here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are certainly blessed with a riches of cool places here in Portland, no doubt about it.

      Delete
  13. Ah what fun! I love poking around in fun places like that.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow some really awesome ideas there! May have to copy! hehe Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Fabulous displays. I bet they gave you some ideas.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!