I am the happiest girl in the world!

Well okay, not really. If I were the happiest girl in the world I would have just found out that I own a home in Santa Barbara (paid for) with an ocean view and an unlimited plant budget. So I guess I am really the second happiest girl in the world. But you are probably wondering why? Because Cistus Nursery has joined up with plant lust! And earlier this week I was invited to step inside one of their “off limits” greenhouses and visit a million happy warm little succulents. Heaven. So many beautiful things!

I seriously considered causing a distraction, grabbing this Agave victoriae-reginae, and running for the door. I’ve been hunting for a good size one of these for quite awhile. But I quickly calculated the pros of getting the desired agave with the cons of not being able to ever visit the nursery again. I’m still thinking about that Agave though.

Back out in the nursery it was time to do a little wandering and shopping (you didn’t think this would be all business and no play did you?). It was a crazy stormy December day with drenching downpours and even a few dramatic claps of thunder adding to the drama and resulting in us having the nursery all to ourselves.

Since they are in full-on winter mode you can see where the inspiration for our shade pavilion winter greenhouse came from.

Minus the propane tank (they scare me).

Look at the plants all huddled together, warm and dry.

With the plants grouped for warmth your eye was able to take in more of “hardscape” of the nursery. Like this simple yet beautiful table.

A little festive holiday green and red.

And spiky stems and twisted rebar.

It seems the magic of Cistus even extends to their Echiums…still alive and beautiful!

And because it’s a time honored tradition that I leave Cistus planning for my next visit I am now completely infatuated with this Dion edule (the Cycad dead center in this photo). It’s only hardy to the lower 20’s but when have I ever let that stop me?

Even though Jim, the knowledgable fellow we were meeting with that day, told me the name of this plant (again) I can never remember it. Maybe Sonchus acaulis “Cerraja”? Or I can just call it a Dandelion on a stick like he did. (**update it is Sonchus canariensis**) I’m also still in love with the foliage of the Begonia luxurians, but so far I’ve managed to resist its pull.

Of course there was a little purchasing done…remember earlier in the week when I vowed to get a Fascicularia pitcairnifolia v. bicolor? Well I did. And remember the fabulous Nolina growing at the Whole 9 Yards? It’s a Nolina ‘La Siberica.’ And I got one of those too.