garden design

My Shop, Contained Exuberance, Re-Opens for Spring 2022

We await the official start of spring on Sunday, March 20, at 8:33 a.m. in Portland and the Pacific Northwest.

Meteorologically speaking, the official first day of spring started March 1^st. I proclaim the first day of spring is when I re-open my Shop! So, let it begin this Friday, March 4, 2022!

Contained Exuberance, my Shop next door to @xeraplants is open Fridays & Saturdays, 10am-5pm.

Pallets of pottery are unpacked and the Shop is filled with exciting new glazed earthenware, terra cotta, cast stone (cement), and lightweight polyresin pots in beautiful colors/patinas and textures.

Plan to visit. The best selection is in spring (particularly now with pandemic supply chain slow downs).

After our cold snap last week, Portland continues it cheerful, energetic creep into spring. Witch-hazels in my home garden, Harborton Hill, have faded after a month-long ride, but cyclamen, hellebores, winter honeysuckle, Arctostaphylos (manzanita), viburnums, and early flowering plums are in full bloom.

The Pacific Northwest offers a gentle ride into full-on SPRING.

I call my Shop CONTAINED EXUBERANCE to call attention to the lush fantastic beauty you can achieve with plantings in contemporary, artful containers.

This spring my southeast Portland shop is open 1 days/week, Friday & Saturday, from March-June, 2021 (summer and fall hours to be determined). Face masks and social distancing are mandatory during COVID-19 while we anticipate the easing and end of the pandemic.

DISCOUNTS/INCENTIVE: I sell at 20% off conventional retail prices on most stock (take 20% off the price marked on most pots in my Shop at checkout).

Over the course of my 45-year career as garden designer, public garden director, and nurseryman, I have designed lots of public and private gardens and planted many a pot.

In my 7-year-old Shop, I curate and offer a wide range of pots in exciting shapes, textures, and glazes. All are well-built, high-fired, weather resistant, and winterproof in the Portland Metro region and Pacific Northwest.

Let’s take a little tour of my Shop. I am conveniently located in southeast Portland next door to Xera Plants – growers and experts in climate-adapted plants for the Pacific Northwest. Our businesses are separate, but intertwine and support each other nicely.

STREETSIDE outside my Shop
A range of planted and empty pots spills out onto the sidewalk on both sides of the garage door to my Shop. These pots are always for sale. I will unplant a “planted pot” to make a sale (or take it away planted as is).

INSIDE the Shop you’ll find containers generally grouped by type and composition:
• Cast stone
• Glazed Earthenware
• Terra cotta
• Lightweight polyresins
• Metal hanging planters

Cubby hole shelves display a range of smaller pots for indoor and outdoor settings, whimsical garden statuary, Buddhas, pagodas, and more.

Throughout the season, I plant a selection of small pots to go. They make great tabletop decoration for patios, terraces, and balconies… as well as great gifts for gardeners.

I also specialize in decorative cast stone, recirculating fountains from Campania International for outdoor spaces and garden terraces… even office spaces. Price ranges vary from $175 to $1200 depending on size. Electric pumps are included in the pricing. Custom ordering is available and usually takes 6-8 weeks lead time.

PLAN A VISIT TO CONTAINED EXUBERANCE this spring.

Shop Re-Opens for Spring 2022

Get Ready for Spring!