The Garden Retreat, LLC

12/23/2025

Working on a new project in SW Portland. A dry creek. After clearing/grading the area and adding boulders throughout I added this new dry creek to the side and front areas.

06/05/2025

If you want to develop more of a bug free area at your home try bug repellent and/or carnivorous plants. Adding scented Geraniums in sitting & eating areas helps detract mosquitos. Citronella/lemon scented displayed here. For eating areas try adding carnivorous plants. For bugs like yellow jackets they work like living traps. Not many people actually think of using carnivorous plants in their gardens. They are actually somewhat easy to care for and do look nice as a plant and flower. They don’t need fertilizer as bugs help with that. Some examples here show carnivorous plants in peat & stone pots placed into a water feature as Carnivorous plants live in wet soil. You can also build a bog as also shown in these pics. The bog created here has the outlet of a pond attached to it when it overflows. There are some special soil and water requirements for carnivorous plants. A 50/50 mix of peat moss & perlite for pots works. For the bog I added 60/40 mix of peat moss & mason sand as well as adding some perlite. For water, since there are no really any additives to our Bull Run water supply I have been able to use our regular water from the hose and add a drip system when things dry out. Rain water is best and getting a rain barrel might be handy if you have too many unnatural additives or minerals in your water supply.

06/05/2025

An unusual post but hiking can reveal some nice native blooming plants for native gardens. One place to go is Saddle mountain in Oregon. One of the most diverse in plant material. Over 1,700+ in native plants. Here are a few. Some of these have already been hybridized and sold in nurseries. Check it out. If interested in incorporating natives in your garden let me know. The plants in this post include: Centaury & Monkey Flower
Desert Parsley
Douglas Iris
Ducks Foot
Field Chickweed
Hairy-stemmed-checkermallow
Large False Solomons Seal
Larkspur
Red Columbine
Red Flowering Currant
Selfheal
Shooting Star
Spreading Stonecrop
Thimble Berry & Larkspur
Trillum
Wandering Fleabane

12/24/2024

12/23/2024

Another Christmas and the Smoker is on, the Grinch approves, & the interior landscaping is set for winter. Happy holidays to all, enjoy.

11/13/2024

Once again I am Giving Thanks to those who hire the Garden Retreat, LLC this year by adding a gift that looks nice this time of season and tastes good as well. Hoping all your gardens still look bright until winter comes. Best Russ Renner

11/13/2024

A current install out in Hillsboro showing before and after pics. What a transformation this was in the end. A couple more years & it will be all filled in.

11/23/2023

I like to give gifts to my clients. I decorated these with chocolate from Creo in Portland. A nice table or other decoration to say thanks for hiring the Garden Retreat, LLC. Enjoy the chocolate and Thanksgiving!

02/03/2022

Add a new arbor to your garden & fill it with climbing plants. This one has a Kiwi & roses. Both fill the areas well with flowers & fruit

12/22/2020

The latest project for The Garden Retreat, LLC just finished 12/2020; a water feature with a spitting crane, front yard landscape all with night lighting.