A few weeks ago, I got to go on another field trip of sorts with some fellow gardeners (plant geeks). This is the 2nd time I've been able to go and we had a blast. It seems we always hope to make it to more destinations than we actually are able to, and end up cutting a few on the day of, when we realize there is no such thing as a "short" stop at a nursery, at least not for the truly plant-crazed!
For some reason, I started sorting through my photos from the back, so we start with our last stop, Cistus Nursery, located on Sauvie Island, just West of Portland.
Oh, and for the posts of my travelling companions for the day, check out danger garden and Amateur Bot-Ann-Ist.
Cherry
Let's take a moment before getting started to admire this Cherry blossom...and let me take a moment to tell (warn) you that a lot of these plants are outside my area of expertise...so if I get them wrong (or just say something like "Pretty Plant"), feel free to correct me ;=)
Mimosa
I believe this is a Mimosa...don't you just love that red-flushed foliage...so dramatic.
Dyckia
I believe this is a Dyckia...those serrated leaf edges are pretty cool, right!
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| Agave | Carex |
I have absolutely no idea what this is...but I yellow foliage in the background certainly shows off it's chocolatey-purple foliage to nice effect.
Oxalis Oregana
Yay! A plant I know and love...the wonderfully lush Oxalis oregana.
Yucca
I think this is a Yucca...I really dig the ghostly-white coloration and the sparse spines...very elegant.
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| Echium Bloom | Salvia |
Hellebore
You can't throw a stick in Portland during early spring without hitting at least one Hellebore ;-)
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| Melianthus bloom | Ferns unfolding |
Arctostaphylos
You know I love me pretty much every Arctostaphylos ever created! I didn't realize until I was going through my photos, however, that this one is covered in black spots...eek! What are they, do you think?
Corylopsis spicata 'Aurea'
These tiny little Corylopsis spicata 'Aurea' were just sitting innocently on the floor of one of the greenhouses, but somehow managed to captivate me. I absolutely adore yellow/gold foliage...and with the pink flushing and herringbone patterning, it was a MUST BUY! Where am I going to put it...who knows!
Penstemon?
I think this may be some sort of Penstemon...but am not sure. Either way, love those soft shell-pink flowers against the deep claret foliage.
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| Yellow Orchid | Pink Orchid |
Gladiolus
These little species Gladioulus are SO LOVELY, I would love to have them scattered around the garden.
Pelargonium
In addition to it's bright, bi-colored flowers, this Pelargonium had the most amazing, fuzzy foliage.
Echeveria
I am totally smitten by the foliage of this Echeveria (I think). Wouldn't these look amazing surrounded by something with chartreuse foliage...oh yeah!
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| Yucca seedhead | California Pipe Vine |
Podophyllum
I leave you with the cherry-red flower of a Podophyllum as our parting shot today. Next up, we'll visit the amazing gardens of McMenamins Kennedy School!
That penstemon looks like P. digitalis 'Husker Red' or 'Dark Towers.' I want to know how theirs is blooming already!
ReplyDeleteOMG...don't tell anyone I didn't know it was 'Husker's Red', I'll have my Nebraskan status revoked ;-) Oh...and it was in a greenhouse...which is always surreal, it's like going forward in time to June! BTW...you should TOTALLY come with us next time...it's tons o' fun!
DeleteThe only thing keeping me from a roadtrip to Cistus is a truck with 230K miles on it! Whew, that was close...
ReplyDeleteThough I did manage to make it to my favorite island nursery DIG, where I picked up an Oxalis Ore. name Select Pink. Um um um, sweet in the shade.
Hahahahahaha...I know the feeling, I would love to got to Far Reaches up there (In Port Townsend, I think), but it's hard to justify the trip unless we plan other stuff too. OMG...I just got some 'Select Pink', absolutely love it! I'm trying to intermingle it with the white version I already have so much of.
DeleteI can see Loree's influence here.
ReplyDeleteHahahahahahahahahaha...I can't imagine WHAT you mean ;-)
DeleteEvery time I see your photos I wonder if you really have the best looking plants of all, or your photographic skills just make everything look better. Maybe you can give a little picture-taking seminar for the PDX bloggers one of these days?
ReplyDeleteHahahaha...that's too funny...I must admit, I generally try to photograph gardens at their MOST appealing (which is why I generally end up covered in dirt with leaves in my hair). I think a photo-focused outing would be tons of fun!
DeleteScott, whatever those plants are, i just know i love your photos, and i envy your shots...all the time!
ReplyDeleteAwww...thanks so much, Andrea...glad to hear it!
DeleteI've just discovered your wonderful blog and I'm now following ~ so nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Anne ♥♥
Hi Anne...so glad you found me, it's always great to meet another plant person, right!
DeleteI enjoyed looking at your fantastic photos and reading your take on your group trip. The purple leafed plant could be Brachyglottis repanda 'Purpurea', one of favourite foliage plants!
ReplyDeleteAha! I believe you are right! I even remembered after I posted this that Loree had actually named it on her blog (which I probably should have checked before hitting the "Publish" button, right?).
DeleteWhat a nice trip you had amongst those kind of exotic plants! I love the Melianthus, even though I never dare growing one, I think it's too fussy for me! I often think about getting an agave too but then I wouldn't know where to place it, like you.
ReplyDeleteI really fell in love with that salvia and the golden hazel is amazing! Let us know how it perform, please. I'd like to know about that chocolate leaved plant, it's similar somehow to a hydrangea quercifolia crossed with some sort of eleagnus...
Same here, Alberto, I wouldn't even attempt 99% of the plants...some are pretty hardy, others are just straddling the edge (or are just over the edge) or hardiness here. I'm also not good with fussy plants...I just have no patience for them! I love that Salvia too! It's a very odd color, and honestly, not one I would have imagined liking, but something about it just keeps me coming back :-) I love the Hazel...and have no idea what I'll do with it when it starts to reach it's mature size...guess I'll have to edit the garden around it a bit eventually ;-)
DeleteSome great looking plants. Most I've not heard of so apparently not able to have them over here in my zone. Great shots.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
If it makes you feel better, Cher, a lot of them aren't totally hardy here, either! I probably wouldn't attempt to grow them, but lots of more adventurous gardeners in our area thrive on pushing the limits of our zone. Believe it or not, I think I heard somewhere that the owner of this nursery, Sean Hogan, coined the oft-used phrase 'Zonal Denial' ;-)
DeleteWonderful sexy pictures as always! (and I second Ricki's call for a little photo workshop, that would be wonderful). I've heard Sean talk about Manzantia getting those spots and he has a super technical name for the phenomenon, something like "gunk"...
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for your second installment!
We should totally all have a photo workshop day...it would be fun (and an excuse to visit a few gardens)! I love that..."gunk" ;-)
Deletethose echeveria are wonderful! I really hope you bought some. And that dyckia ... it looks extra terrestrial! Thanks for the great photos.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I don't think they are hardy for us here...so I'll just have to enjoy them in photographs ;-)
DeleteI know its not as showy as the echeveria perle von nurnberg, but echeveria glauca has proven hardy for me when given sharp drainage. I imagine it could do well in portland. The nice thing about trying something like that is they are only a few dollars and grow really quickly. I have not grown any dyckia but am planning on trying one this year.
DeleteOh my, there's a lot of eye candy, you really can bring the best out of the plants with your camera! That pelargonium is just adorable. Is it perennial, do you know?
ReplyDeleteThanks! I don't think the Pelargonium is hardy...but maybe if you brought it indoors?
DeletePlant nerds unite! Your trip seems like a lusher version of my trip down to El Paso for their annual plant sale, with Peter Wong (Casa Coniglio) and Ted Hodoba. Some landscape side-trips, etc. The selection where you went is amazing. Not sure on the "Yucca", but I think it's something else...maybe another Dykia or Fucreae (sp?) ?
ReplyDeleteI think you could make a dying tree of heaven or tumbleweeds look desirable. And to me, of all people!
Woohoo! Strength in numbers! Sounds like you met up with some fun guys. I bet you're right about that plant...I'm afraid my knowledge of tender and exotic plants is fairly limited :-) Hahahahaha...I think I'd be too busy hitting the Tree of Heaven with a stick to take pictures of it ;-)
DeleteVery nice selections/plant choices to photograph. Plant Envy!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Greggo...I do try :-)
DeleteA lot of nice photos. Kind of explains why the stops take longer than expected, I would guess. That salvia with the brownish flowers has a cool scent. There was one in a garden I used to work in. The owner used to complain about why the previous owner had planted something with brown flowers, so we took it out, but I always liked it and thought it was pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteTotally, the nurseries we visited allowed us to tour their holding houses...which makes it take even longer (not that I'm complaining, of course)! Oh no...did you save any of it...I'm sure someone would take it off your hands ;-)
DeleteThat Salvia used to be known as Salvia africana-lutea but apparently is now called Salvia aurea which I think is tragic. TRAGIC.
ReplyDeleteI NEED one.
It can be slightly frustrating that they change names so often. I hope you can find one...it was even better in person.
DeleteI've really enjoyed reading each of your blogs about the nursery visits. It's fun to see which plants each of you are drawn too. Looking forward to your post on the Kennedy School! Cheers, Jenni
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jenni! I know, it's always funny to look at other blogs and realize that even though we were all in the same place, we all had totally different experiences, in a way!
DeleteYou Portlanders make me so mad with your ability to grow echium. BOOOOOOO!!!
ReplyDeleteBoo, I say, boo.
...I'm going to go cry now...
Well.....they don't always grow well here...they are pretty tempermental, to be honest. Some years, they sail through, but I would never rely on them to last for any amount of time.
DeleteHi Scott,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos; and surprisingly enough I also really like the Pelagonium! What's wrong with me??!! I normally never like them :)
Carex is beautiful; although I gave up on it after it was flattened by snow and of course being a sedge, it doesn't bounce back like grass does. Pretty whilst it lasted though!
Hahahahahaha...I like it too...it's a strange feeling, to like something after having written them off in the past, isn't it! I'm with you on the Carex (and other evergreen grasses). I hate having to deal with their messiness. I like deciduous grasses, because I can just cut them to the ground and start fresh each year :-)
DeleteCool pelargonium!! I've never seen one like that! I agree that the penstemon is Husker's Red. The dyckia, yucca, and agave look a little stabby!
ReplyDeleteMe either...it was even prettier in person. Yeah...I wouldn't know where to put those 3 that I wouldn't stab myself repeatedly ;-)
DeleteLovely photos today!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane!
DeleteSome good friends of mine just got back from a trip to Washington and Oregon and made to Hortlandia and Cistus and lots of other places. Maybe you crossed paths. I love that Corylopsis!
ReplyDeleteOMG...we just might have! Next time, have them look us up and we'll have a get-together :-)
DeleteAgaves look good in pots, Scott. Then you need to find a space for the pots...
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha...that's exactly the problem, isn't it...there's only so much room anymore!
DeleteWhat a fun nerd tour! I do something similar with my friends, but we focus on larger tree nurseries. Thanks for sharing some of the highlights.
ReplyDeleteHow cool! You must all have MUCH larger yards than I do ;-)
DeleteYou know what I always say when that inner-killjoy starts going, "Where am I going to put it?" I simply say, "In a pot." So start buying pots and get that Corylopsis. It's way too gorgeous to ignore. :) (Don't you love fellow plant geek enablers?)
ReplyDeleteI know a good place for that Corylopsis spicata 'Aurea'... my yard!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many cool Echium too, I wish we could grow more of them here. E. amoenum is a nice hardy one though! At least it's red. Seems when most predominantly non-hardy genus' happen to have a single species that's hardy it's pink, or yellow, or white. WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE PINK, YELLOW, OR WHITE FLOWERS HERE! :)
Scott, the purple leaf plant you ID'd as mimosa is, I think, purple-leaf acacia (Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea'). I only know because I killed one by trying to grow it a couple of years ago. ;-0
ReplyDeleteYou might find that some varieties of dyckia are hardy in your garden. I've grown some tender ones, but recently I'm finding varieties that are said to be hardy in zone 8b -- that's you too, right? They came through the last two winters in Austin with no major damage. You'd probably need to keep them dry in the winter, the way Loree does with her agaves.