Wednesday, March 16, 2011

March Foliage Follow-up…dedicated to Cistus Nursery

How do you know when you are a certified plant nut case?
When this little guy… Makes you jump for joy like you just won the lottery (only better). What is it you ask? Ah come on, I’ve only been carrying on about this plant for months! It is a Schefflera taiwaniana…IN MY GARDEN!!! (Well, okay only setting on my patio but it will be in my garden soon). Just look at those leaves! Image a whole compact little shrub of them!

This foliage follow-up post is dedicated to Mr. Sean Hogan and his incredible nursery, Cistus. If you live anywhere remotely near Portland, Oregon, and haven’t been, what the heck is wrong with you? Get there! If you’re planning to visit Portland then you will need to visit to Cistus, trust me. And if (unfortunately) you can’t possibly make it to Portland, no worries….they ship! Although not a couple of these plants, at least not yet. They are still in propagation. But doesn’t just it make your heart go pitter patter to know that while you’re working in your garden, reading garden blogs, sleeping, the good folks at Cistus are hard at work growing more fabulous plants for YOU!?

So this Foliage Follow-up is all about a few of my “lust list” plants which are now in my hot little hands, via Cistus Nursery. And a few others that had I known about would have been on the lust list too. Fatsia polycarpa ‘Needham’s Lace’ aren’t those leaves just gorgeous? Love it.

Proving not all lust worthy foliage needs to be BIG, is Sophora prostrata 'Little Baby.' Those tiny leaves on golden brown “wiry stems growing in a zigzag fashion” are HOT! More little leaves….but they are black! Pittosporum divaricatum. Another Pittosporum, P. illicioides 'Strappy'…cute huh? This Yucca is a Cistus introduction….Yucca angustissima 'South Side' Look at those fabulous curly filaments! Ok big leaves…. Podophyllum pleianthum (largest form)…is that a glossy sexy leaf or what? And this Mahonia fortunei ‘Curlyque’ is another Cistus introduction. So you want a little color? How about this Cordyline? Hot! So there you have it…several lust worthy foliage follow-up entries direct from Cistus. Are you planning a visit yet?

There is also a lot of Cistus foliage magic to be seen around town, it’s only recently that I’ve began to realize how much of the landscape here in Portland is due to Sean and the talented staff at Cistus. The Portland Chinese Garden (Sean was co-curator and planting designer)…The Hoyt Arboretum (Sean was the director of collections), and countless smaller public and private gardens like the one I recently fell in love with at the Whole 9 Yards. And don’t even get me started about the magic Sean created at the Berkley Botanical Garden in California where he managed the New World, Australia/New Zealand, Africa and California plant collections (see part one of my visit here, part two here) that place is foliage heaven!

And speaking of "foliage heaven" today is Foliage Follow-up on Digging (click the link to visit) and Pam has dedicated her post to Agave lovers like me!

16 comments:

  1. You have some very interesting looking plants here...I like them. When I asked you before about your style of gardening, I guess I was referring to your lack of the traditional flowering plants...I wish you could walk around our backwoods, you would just be in heaven...I have a few things I'm going to photograph and post for some ID...I just bet you will know some of them.

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  2. Cistus is great, and it is SO addictive. Your plant choices are great and I know how much my husband would love them. The Fatsia is probably my favorite.

    As for Sean and his designs, he also created a parking lot planting for the Oregon Garden in Silverton. It may not sound that exciting, but leave it to Cistus to make it look great.

    I haven't seen it in awhile. This is reminding me that I might want to go out there this weekend. Will take photos if I do!

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  3. That Fatsia polycarpa ‘Needham’s Lace’ has to be my fav from the lot, that Mahonia is pretty awesome too. Congrats on finally getting your dream plant! What's your new top plant to lust for? I can't wait for my Cistus visit next month!

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  4. YAY well done on finally getting your Scheffie. It is well worth jumping up and down over. That Fatsia is pretty sexy as well.

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  5. Please keep us posted on how you incorporate these fabulous new finds into your landscape. Those black leaves are BAAAD.

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  6. Congrats on crossing another plant off your lust list -- it's a beauty! I really like that s Sophora prostrata 'Little Baby. Maybe this summer I'll make it to Portland and will finally see the famous Cistus.

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  7. I don't usually like the Yucca/Agave type plants, but that Yucca with the curly filaments has just about won me over. It's almost as girly as frilly flowers. Love the Podophyllum and the Mahonia too.

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  8. Hi Loree~~ I love/lust/want all the plants you featured today. I definitely want to get to Cistus this summer. Kudos to Mr. Hogan.

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  9. Hooray on getting the schefflera! A fine-looking bunch all around. I think the fatsia might be my fave too.

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  10. *sigh* I'm having some serious zone envy right now... :) Beautiful plants--and YAY for crossing a dream plant off your list!

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  11. Hey,

    I have a inquiry for the webmaster/admin here at dangergarden.blogspot.com.

    Can I use some of the information from this blog post above if I give a backlink back to this website?

    Thanks,
    Alex

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  12. Oh, man that Fatsia is 'to die for' for sure!! Your excitement about your new plants is perfect on such a cold, rainy day! Yeah, spring!...spring is coming, right?

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  13. fabulous little Podophyllum pleianthum... I love those plants.

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  14. Darla, I wish I could walk around your backwoods too! I look forward to your photographs.

    Ficurinia, I hope you do go and take lots of pictures! I was there almost 5 years ago, I bet a lot has changed (I think the new owner had just bought it right before I visited).

    Ryan, oh gosh...you ask the hard questions! My new top plant...I'm going to have to think about that.

    Spiky O, right you are!

    ricki, BAAAD is good right? I'll definitely keep you updated, no worries there.

    Pam, I'm counting on it!

    Alison, yay! There is a yucca for everybody. I;m convinced of it.

    Grace, you've got your itinerary planned right? I hope you can get a hold of a van for the trip.

    Denise, you are not alone. I was at a presentation last weekend and a photo of the Fatsia was shown...the audience gasped audibly.

    Blackswamp, having felt my share of zone envy I'm sorry...I know what it's like.

    Anon/Alex, are you spam? Where exactly will you be using this information?

    Lauren, even though we're at twice the normal rainfall for March I did read this morning that April is predicted to be just "normal" which by comparison will probably seem dry. So, yes? I think so?

    Dirty Girl, and hopefully not small for long!

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  15. That's funny you were down in Silverton when I still worked at FLW's Gordon House! I miss that place, but my old boss is still there and I adore visiting her. Many of the native plants I helped to plant on that property are really growing now too. I guess they kind of draw me back.

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  16. Ficurinia...The Gordon House was a small part of why we went, I really wanted to see it. But when we were there...it was closed for a special event. Damn!

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