Friday, April 13, 2012

2012 nursery and plant field-trip, part 2…off to Cistus!

Does it scare you when you see a post labeled ‘part 1’ because you know a ‘part 2’ is coming? I try to edit down my pictures I really do, I’m just so enthralled with the plants that it’s impossible to edit much! Yesterday we covered the morning/early afternoon adventures of our roaming group of passionate plant peeps, now we head out to Cistus where we discover California Pipevine, Aristolochia californica…

And the yellow version…

There is something so magical about Cistus in the late afternoon, especially on an early spring weekday when there aren’t many other people around. The way the light hits the plants in this picture comes close to capturing the mood.

I hope I’m not kicking myself next year for not stocking up on Echium this year…I passed on these healthy Echium fastuosum.

And I love the random variegation in this Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira'...

Another mood shot…

As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve got a major thing going for Magnolia laevifolia, this one is ‘Snowbird’…
Trillium kurabayashii

It seems like every time I go looking for a plant, and find it, then on my next visit to Cistus there it is! Case in point I finally got a Mahonia gracilipes at a plant sale a couple weeks back…and now here are even better ones!

Sophora microphylla 'Sun King' blooms.

Water plants…

Beautiful, no?
Agave weberi 'Arizona Star'
Wonderful contrasting red stems!

I’m not a fan of strawberry pots, but this one…I like it…

Agave bracteosa 'Monterrey Frost'

I think someone was working out a little repressed anger here…

Now we travel into the behind-the-scene greenhouses and their treasures. I can’t remember its botanical name but I think the common name is Anchor Plant, regardless, I need one!

The dark leafed plant is Brachyglottis repanda 'Purpurea,' of course it’s made all the better by its paring with the yellow leaves.
I am a sucker for an Echium bloom (and I think I've got 3 forming in my garden!)...

More strange variegation…
I think this is an expired Banksia bloom?

The "elusive" Melianthus major bloom…

Silly me, I got all excited thinking this was a new (to me) big leafed exotic shrub when really it’s a member of the horse-chestnut and buckeye family! Aesculus wangii…
This one is Aesculus chinesis.

Another Magnolia laevifolia.

I think this is a Fascicularia?
I "snuck" into the dry Agave lands for a peek when nobody was looking (actually because nobody else cared to venture there!)
Hemerocallis 'Secured Borders' (there must be a good story behind that name)...
Syneilesis

Graptoveria? Graptopetalum? I get confused…
Love the knobby trunk!

Ah here’s another one of those reportedly unreproducible variegated Trachycarpus like I saw in a garden tour last fall
Look at all the Cycads! Dioon edule I believe?
Ridiculously bright Clivia blooms.
Don’t remember the name but it’s wonderful! And probably not hardy…

Here I go again, lusting after the Pineapple Broom (Argyrocytisus battandieri).
I saw this adorable little plant as we were paying for our purchases and getting ready to leave, Thalictrum ichangense 'Evening Star’

Speaking of purchases this small Agave utahensis became mine. Love those long spikes!
And here’s a photo of my complete haul for the day…
Can you spot the one plant I didn’t talk about in either yesterday or today’s post? It will be the subject of my Foliage Follow-up post on Monday the 16th.

And so ends another fun plant adventure, we all regrouped at Sean Hogan’s house where he prepared a lovely dinner and we rehashed the events of the day…
And I took a moment to appreciate the garden…

29 comments:

  1. I know one thing now: I'll never be able to visit Cistus unless I drive to Portland. I could simply not contain myself there.

    I also like the Agave bracteata in that strawberry pot. It's so slow-growing, it could live there for many years. I hope to snatch an Agave bracteata 'Monterey Frost' at the Ruth Bancroft Garden sale tomorrow.

    That anchor plant (totally cool!!) is Colletia paradoxa and I want one, too, but it grows quite large. If I had to, I could probably find a home for it :-).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But they ship!

      Good luck at the RBG Sale, I'll be with you in spirit.

      Delete
  2. I'm guessing you didn't talk about the podophyllum-esque plant yet. That Brachyglottis repanda, ooh la la! Just googled, and get this...common name is Bushman's Toilet Paper! Beautiful and useful too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good eye on the Podophyllum Denise!

      Bushman's Toilet Paper, well...I guess in a pinch.

      Delete
  3. How big is YOUR garden? I keep seeing you purchase things, but it has me thinking as to just how big is it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would be wondering the same thing...but really it's just a standard city lot 46' x 111.'

      Not having a lawn out front opens up a lot of space, and this year with the Bishops Weed removal and digging out the diseased Rhododendron I've got a lot of new space to plant in.

      Delete
  4. Ah, my Friday evening entertainment is here again :)

    What a lovely nursery with so many great looking plants for sale.

    I grow a couple of varieties of Syneilesis, but I have never seen one like the one above before. Hmmm, I could quite easily find a spot in my garden for that one.

    I spotted a Podophyllum delavyi in your haul. That's a plant that is on my wanted list.

    I find it quite uncanny how similar our taste in plants is at times because I purchased a Thalictrum ichangense 'Evening Star’ just last month!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I also spotted an Aucuba japonica longifolia in your haul and guess what? Yes, that's right I bought one of those last year, lol!

    I must say that I like the shots of Sean Hogan's garden with the Yucca, Agave, shrubs and what looks like Hellebore. It's similar to mine, but I have quite a few bamboo dotted around m back garden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It sounds like our gardens are quite similar only thousand of miles away! I bought my first Aucuba japonica longifolia last year and absolutely love it. When I saw it on this visit I knew I needed a second. Speaking of similar Sean's got a lot of bamboo too...

      Delete
  6. I was looking forward to your Part 2 as it means more plants! Another great collection of gorgeous plant photos from a fabulous nursery. I spotted a Podophyllum delavayi, they have the most fantastic markings for a woodland plant. Ours were looking great but got frosted the other day, I'm hoping it will do a second flush but if not I will have to wait for next year.

    Love the little preview of Sean Hogan's garden (and those brown planters).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep you called it...I am currently in love with Podophyllum delavayi...so beautiful! Sad to hear about your damaging frost, stupid weather!

      Delete
  7. Lovely! So glad to see all the stuff I didn't see.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks like a great place to shop and while away a few hours. Am very jealous of all the agave bracteosa monterrey frost that are available.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't realize that one was still a rarity!

      Delete
  9. OMG......now I have to go out to Cistus. You did this to me last year, there was a photo of a barrel cactus and I went out and bought one. Are you getting kick-backs?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No kick-backs...just spreading the zonal denial love! What is your must have this year?

      Delete
  10. I'm starting to understand your current obsession with Magnolia laevifolia - what a gorgeous combination of foliage and bloom. I know I need more Clivias after you captured that bloom so beautifully - why did I pass them up when I was there last month? And you might have known Cistus would have better (insert species) than the one you just bought...their plants always seem so healthy and happy. That shot of their main plant area is amazingly tidy and totally compelling!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You probably need to add a Magnolia laevifolia to your garden right now! Well, after you get all those other plants planted.

      Delete
  11. Wow! I love the Strawberry planter, I have one which has no strawberries in and I'm wondering if it would look good with Bromeliards instead?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Jealous here. Especially of a variegated trachycarpus which I would take in a heartbeat.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for the tour! That is the best use of a strawberry pot I've ever seen. I love the way the long succulent leaves/stars pop out of the blue pot. Noted. Also noted, the pretty brick and paver work in their garden. I want something like that instead of my 1950 cement walk from front sidewalk to door.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I commented on Scott's blog that I could see your influence in his photos...

    ReplyDelete
  15. That Montery Jack(i mean, of course"Montery Frost) agave is real neat. To bad I can't grow it!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Just wanted to let you know somebody is using one of your pictures:
    https://twitter.com/herecomethewar1/status/1290030937590255617/photo/4

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!