Friday, March 8, 2013

I almost forgot…I bought some plants!

What’s a trip to a garden show if you don’t buy a couple of plants right? I realized I got all “talkative” about the display gardens at the NWFGS and haven’t said anything about the plant vendors…that’s not cool!

Swansons Nursery seems to own the corner where the display gardens end and you cut through to the plant vendors across the sky bridge. Both days I was at the show their booth was packed so I just skirted the outer edge.

Naturally my eyes were drawn to this spiky yucca, which they had labeled as Yucca whipplei. I'm not sure I agree, Y. whipplei has much narrower leaves, this looks more like Yucca baccata. What do you think?

I forget which vendor was selling this Rodgersia from Terra Nova Nurseries. For the life of me I can't figure out why I passed it by.

I'd never seen Musella lasiocarpa sold bareroot before. It was certainly quite the attention grabber at the B&D Lilies booth.

After reading about Bark & Garden Center on both Alison and Peter's blogs I was quite surprised to see they had a huge booth at the show. Funny how a nursery that I'd never heard of a month before was now everywhere!

Such a lovely subtle color combos.

And I like their display fixture, so easy to see all the plants!

Freaks! (on the right)

Why do I insist on touching every agave I see?

Tempting...

These purple yucca haven't exactly been super star performers in my garden, I'm still drawn to them though.

Here I must rant. The plant vendors at this show seem to be dwindling and it makes me sad. This year a huge section was given over to a vintage garden market...shabby chic stuff "for the garden." While I love a good vintage shopping trip as much as the next person this is not the place I want to find such a thing. I want PLANTS at a garden show. Or at least plant related things. Not lamps, pillows and  picture frames. So sad.

So...what did I buy? Here's my collection enjoying a sunny moment on Saturday morning before we checked out of the hotel.

Like I said, drawn to the purple yuccas. Couldn't pass without buying one, Yucca aloifolia 'Blue Boy.'

Another Jasminum nudiflorum...the one currently in my garden was snapped off level with the ground by the newspaper delivery.

Embothrium coccineum (Chilean firebush). I passed on these last year and regretted it.

This Juncus effusus 'Quartz Creek' didn't come from the show, but rather one of my favorite local nurseries City People's Garden Store. I can't make a trip to Seattle without visiting. Back when I lived in Seattle if I couldn't afford to go to the show (my mid 20's were the very poor years) I'd treat myself to something from City People's instead.

I've grown this Juncus before and it is a bit of a thug. This one will stay in a container where it's brown bits (what do you call them?) can be appreciated.

Also from City People's my new weapon! This baby is sharp. I used it to cut back a big ole clump of miscanthus the other day and it made quick work of the dreaded project.

Finally, yes I succumbed to the charms of Phlebodium pseudoaureum, or Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern. Having watched a bad winter kill one in the ground this plant will also be containerized.

But that's not all! (said in my best television infomercial voice) I still hadn't reached my fill of plant fun so on the way home we stopped at Bark & Garden in Olympia.

Looks like they're redoing their display beds...

"Cutting Edge" haha, get it?

Looking at this Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana) I was struck by what a great Christmas tree it would be!

So graceful...

I was so temped by the Foxtail Fern, but it's one of those plants I love and hate at the very same time.

Still in the throes of schefflera-lust from The Lost Gardener display garden I imagined how wonderful it would be if this were a hardy variety not a houseplant, of course if it were I doubt I could afford it.

The same goes for this one.

Carludovica palmata, or Jungle Drum, I thought $16.99 was pretty reasonable for such a cool plant.

Another Christmas tree candidate, the Norfolk Pine.

That little star at the top is my favorite feature. Can you see it?

Sexy! Sansevieria 'Bantel's Sensation'...

Beware the leaning cactus with caution tape.

Another Foxtail to tempt me. This one on the clearance table.

But this is what really tempted me. I remembered it from Peter's blog post and truth be told it was a big part of why we stopped. Guess what? I didn't get it.

But I did grab one of these Euphorbia. This little grouping was done by me as I selected which one was my favorite (do you do that too?). The one on the far left won.

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

40 comments:

  1. Ah yes, the Bark and Garden Center... "Death Star" of Olympia area independent nurseries. I used to go in there quite a bit. They sometimes have some interesting plants at great prices, but you never know what or when. Once they had a huge collection of one gallon Penstemons for $3.99 each. As for that Yucca, you are right, it is certainly not Y. whipplei. It could be Y. baccata but I would guess Y. schottii. Nice looking plant anyway!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah so they've been around for awhile then. Interesting...

      Delete
  2. Love the Sansevieria, fantastic barcoding, this family of plants has become one of my favourites for this garden project in Barbados,,,,enjoy youre blog immensly.....David

    ReplyDelete
  3. I always end up getting the one that "sings" to me...my husband used to think I was crazy, but he's learned better... :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I also had horrible results with my Yucca aloifolia 'Blue Boy.' I'm not even sure if it is still alive. I rescued it and put it in a pot so I can nurse it back to health. What did I do wrong? Any tips? I also covet Phlebodium pseudoaureum (Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern) and will probably succumb to the urge this year. I use to not like fox tail fern (asparagus fern), probably because I associated it as a grandma plant. But it looks great in a pot and a nice foil to succulents and agaves. Check out David Feix's online slide show and you migh fall in love with this plant. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/anniesannuals/sets/72157614346658861/show/)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting, I've never seen the foxtail with blooms...can't say that makes me like it more.

      As for the Yucca Denise's comment below kind of reinforces what I mentioned last night. I think it just doesn't like our winters, too grey, wet and cold (Denise is in LA).

      Delete
  5. I actually loved the vintage market at the show. I want more plant vendors too, but what bothers me about the Flower and Garden Show is all the vendors selling stuff for the home, like gutter guards and jaccuzzis. It's not a home show. At least the repurposed junk can be used out in the garden as ornaments.

    I sometimes do the same thing when trying to pick out a plant. Pull out a bunch and compare them. I think that sharp Agave that you pictured and touched is the one I bought.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was intrigued by the idea of the vintage market but disappointed they had very little garden appropriate stuff (in my opinion).

      Delete
  6. Yes, I know there's allure in the Vintage Market booths for many, but I would have preferred more plants. Besides the number of display gardens, I think that's one of the biggest differences between our Yard, Garden and Patio show and the NWFG show - it seems like we have more plants (and often better ones, I think.) Believe it or not, I couldn't find one plant that compelled me to buy it at the NWFGS, though I was tempted by the Golden Banana roots. Carludovica palmata is striking and compelling! I consider asparagus ferns when I see them, but I haven't taken the plunge yet. I'm beginning to think my wallet needs a hinge adjustment...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I agree completely Jane, that the YGP has more of a plant focus, yay for Portland!

      If this is true about your wallet I think Andrew would like us to trade.

      Delete
  7. I always pull all the plants out to compare and judge which is the best. A plant with a lot of new growths, or babies, will always outweigh a plant with a flower spike.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes...plant babies are better than flowers any day!

      Delete
  8. "I bought some plants." Of course you did! Looking forward to hearing updates on your Embothrium over the next few years. I got one of those sexy Sansiverias at Molbak's 30% off sale & love it! You are certainly not alone in dragging the semi finalists in the plant beauty pageant out to do a little talent competition before choosing the winner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The leaves on my new Embothrium are so much larger than the ones on the other plant I've got. In your experience are the larger ones more frequently seen?

      Delete
    2. I only have experience with the one that I killed in one year, one I killed over two years and the current one which doubled in size last year. The leaf size seems a little variable although the shape is always the same.

      Delete
  9. So many nice plants, I don't even know where and which one to comment first....

    The Phlebodium's a new one to me and I really like those hairy rhizomes (I think). And looks like you're planning for Christmas already and I like your approach of planning for a traditional Christmas substitute to sneak a rarer conifer :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I the rabbit's foot common name of the Phlebodium must come from those hairy rhizomes don't you think?

      Delete
  10. Fun stuff, Loree. You're so right about the Shabby Chic stuff. I love rusty, dirty farm implements and chippy wood but pillows and picture frames? Aren't those items that we use on the inside of our house? And taking up precious plant space at the show is bad, bad!

    I have a Juncus just like yours that volunteered a few years ago. It's big now and stays green all winter. What's not to love, right?

    Have a great sunny weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah yes...the Juncus does provide wonderful winter interest, good point Grace.

      Delete
  11. More plants...yikes! I like the spirit to plant shop given the 47 on the thermometer and the mud puddles on the ground. What selections and displays, no wonder you all in the PNW do what you do.

    Agreed with Ian on the Yucca - looks Y. schottii. (isn't what they labeled it now "Hesperoyucca whipplei"?)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't keep up with all the name changes...kind of makes my head spin.

      Delete
  12. I will never buy another Fox tail fern. I had some in our front planter for years and years. It took a lot of digging to get them up. Looks like you had fun and went home with a lot of loot. Love all the agaves. And I am in agreement about the pillows and such. Yuk! Hope that I don't see that stuff at SFFGS.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll look forward to your (and Gerhards?) report from the SFFGS!

      Delete
  13. The Yucca aloifolia I found at the Dry Garden in Berkeley is looking good, in fact so good I was thinking of moving it because, as usual, I crowded it by planting the phyllica too close. I'm hoping it gets height and the phyllica spills at the base. Rarely see this yucca local.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My theory on the yucca disappointment here was that our winters were simply too gloomy and cold for it to be happy. Your success seems to support that.

      Delete
  14. You got some nice finds there. I like the 'Blue Boy' Yucca and the fern.

    Got to disagree, though others must know better, bu that sure looks like the Y. whipplei that we see when we go hiking in the local hills. It's native to right here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm basing my opinion about the yucca on what I see in the nurseries here labeled as Y. whipplei. They have much thinner, flatter leaves. It's a mystery...

      Delete
  15. How do you keep shoehorning all these new plants into your garden? I got one of the Bronze Peacocks last fall...a little worried that it hasn't put in an appearance yet. Nice purchases, but how could you leave the Carludovica behind? That has got to be one of the coolest plants I have seen in a long time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was just out looking at my Rodgersia yesterday...or rather looking for them. I can see one group peeking out of the ground but there is nothing from the other two. As for fitting them into my garden...where there's a will there is a way.

      Delete
  16. I remember when the Musella lasiocarpa commanded those kinds of prices when they first showed up here in the Bay Area at least 10 years ago or so. Knowing how prolifically they pup and how easily divisions take, I'd balk at spending $40 for one bare root, UNLESS it was the red flowering recently described cultivar. I don't know why you'd dislike the Foxtail Asparagus, and appreciate the link to my photos on Annie's web site. For those who like the Phlebodium aureum, the similar yet larger growing Polypodium aureum glaucum grown by Suncrest Wholesale Nursery in Watsonville, Ca. is substantially more cold hardy, and reliably evergreen here in a zone 9b setting where the Phlebodium gets knocked back or killed at 28/29°F. Re: Asparagus ferns, also tender but gorgeous is A. retrofractus which can get 10 feet tall and has such beautiful fluffy chartreuse foliage and will take deep shade and also does well as a house plant. Ive got some planted as a privacy screen at my side yard fence, and it is also dramatic when it turns entirely white with flowers. I've never made it to the Seattle or Portland shows, and only get to the SF Landscape and Garden Show occasionally, although several years ago I did the design submittal for the local SF Bromeliad Society's Display Garden and it was fun but stressful. I just don't relate well to installing a garden in such a short time period.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe it's 70's flashback memories of the Foxtail fern that have me shying away from it?

      I can't imaging the work that goes into designing, building and then tearing down a show garden. I hope it's worthwhile for those that do it.

      Delete
  17. Love that 'Jungle Drum' palm. Thanks for sharing your trip and your latest purchases.

    ReplyDelete
  18. The vendor area at the CT Flower and Garden show is filled with "infomercial" vendors and stuff totally unrelated to gardening. If allowing all those vendors in is what keeps the show afloat financially I guess I can tolerate it but it is annoying. I do wish a more unusual plant pallette was used at our shows though-lots of azaleas and spring bulbs. Maybe next year I'll just jump on a plane for garden show season :).

    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!