The Fishingham Garden

The Fishingham Garden is an eclectic collection of colorful plants, garden art and outdoor living spaces surrounding a 1929 bungalow on a 50’ x 100’ city lot in the Arbor Lodge neighborhood of North Portland. Jeff Fisher and Ed Cunningham have lived in the home for 26 years. Based on early doodles by graphic designer Fisher, the now 20-year-old initial hardscape design was a collaboration with garden designer John Caine; associated with Joy Creek Nursery at the time.The design of paths, patios, planting spaces and a retaining wall were originally implemented with the beds and borders basically an arm’s reach deep for gardening purposes. It could not have been foreseen that the layout, and number of seating/resting spaces, would play a huge role in Jeff being able to continue “playing in the dirt” eight years into his CRPS chronic pain issues. ::Mike Smith, of Joy Creek, was responsible for recommendations of most of the early plantings and tested plants in the garden over the past two decades. Jeff now makes the plant selections, and designs and plants beds, borders and 90 containers with the over 300 flowering plants in hues of orange, chartreuse, purple and more. Plants include natives, tropicals, shrubs, fruit, vegetables and others.::Ed is in charge of anything practical in the garden, including the 8-zone irrigation system, drip irrigation for most pots, and maintaining two large raised vegetable beds and the contents of two large stock containers on casters. Jeff’s duty is to make everything pretty.Throughout the garden are decorative and practical art pieces by the garden owners, local artists – including many from Cracked Pots events, artisans found online, and artists with national and international reputations. ::The Fishingham Garden has been featured on local television Garden shows, in local publications and in national gardening magazines. The garden is known for its international social media presence.