Monday, May 20, 2013

My visit to Tower Perennials…

Another nursery that I had the pleasure of visiting during my April trip to Spokane, WA, was Tower Perennial Gardens...

I'd only been to Tower once before and that was last June after the Friends of Manito Plant Sale. That day we were hungry, overloaded on cool plants already, and it was pouring rain. Not the best of times to visit a new nursery. We left fairly quickly, but what I saw told me it was a cool place and that I need to return. I'm glad I did!

Their tables were full...

And their prices very reasonable. Mom fell for Euphorbia polychroma the day before at a different nursery where it was going for $10.95. These were much nicer and only $6.95.

Plus they have a great selection of unusual rock garden plants...

I also really enjoyed reading their plant tags.

Yep a Cylindropuntia whipplei 'Snow Leopard' came home with me...

So fun to see Maihuenia poeppigii here!

Ephedra equisetina, I know it looks a little "rangy" but I fell hard for this one...it followed me home too.

Cytisus purgans 'Spanish Gold'

Denver Botanic Gardens! That reminds me I should also mention one of the reasons I knew Tower was a cool place was because Panayoti visited them last summer (same time he hit Desert Jewels)...

Yucca nana is pretty darn cute...

Acantholimon caesarum, I bought one of these too. Are you getting the idea there's a little rock-garden(ish) project in my future?

Genista carinalis

Spikes! (these look like they might be pets, in a protected spot undercover in a greenhouse)

Odd trimmings on a Yucca rostrata trunk...

Even though I shy away from most mixed plantings I really liked this one.

And here is my new tree-crush! How beautiful is this? Quercus dentata 'C.F. Miller'...

Salix yezoalpina

Blush of color on a rodgersia...

Artemisia ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis' again! I fell for this plant in Linda's garden (during our garden bloggers plant exchange), and here it is again, looking gorgeous!

I think this is my favorite stage in the development of a rodgersia leaf...

And you know what a sucker I am for a gorgeous lupine leaf!

Don't you just love a nice full greenhouse?

Ligularia przewalskii

Let's all snicker like teenagers when we read this plant label...

Look it's ribbed!

Yikes!!! Bishops Weed!

Think before planting, think VERY HARD...

'Valerie Finnis' in the ground...

There is an extensive portion of the nursery grounds given over to plantings. This blooming cordyline was in a container right by the front gate...

And these potted agaves on a patio overlooking the nursery...

Sexy!

My camera was aimed at the agave, but looking at this photo later it's the trees beyond that really grab my attention.

Part of the lower display garden. Keep in mind this was late April in Spokane, a zone 5/6 climate...things were just waking up!

Those trees again!

And some spikes.

If my eyes aren't playing tricks on me that's an Archtostaphylos! (in Spokane...yay!)

Looks like the pile behind my garage! (I kid...but only because I recycle my containers weekly)...

In addition to the three plants I've already mentioned purchasing I also bought an Eryngium alpinum. Not that I ever need encouragement to buy an eryngium but since Linda Cochran had just blogged about this plant the day before it was fresh in my mind and I had to buy it...

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

25 comments:

  1. Another great Spokane nursery! You got some cool plants - LOVE the 'Snow Leopard' Cholla! Thanks also for the fun morning laugh!

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    1. As you may have noticed in the photo 'Snow Leopard' was not inexpensive...still I had to have it!

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  2. Wow! great stuff! Really love that blooming cordyline!

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    1. Me too! It's pretty unusual around these parts to see a blooming cordyline.

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  3. Looks like my kind of nursery, especially with the decent prices!

    I've been looking for a 'Snow Leopard' -- do you know if they mail order?

    You recycle your pots weekly? How do you pot up new plants then? I've always got a good supply of pots on hand, although I've run out of smaller ones. Need to go diving in the recycling dumpsters I think... :)

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    1. I don't think they do Alan, I can't find any mention of it on their website. If mine were much bigger I'd offer to send you a cutting. Maybe it will grow fast...

      I do recycle weekly, but I didn't say I recycle all of them. I hold back a few. For awhile I enjoyed making towers out of the empties but then I realized how easily one could calculate the expenditures. Yikes!

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  4. Amazing! The entire Sacramento area doesn't have a nursery this cool--and there are many more people living here than in Spokane.

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    1. Well that's sad! (and indeed there are, I looked it up, I was curious).

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  5. Great looking nursery. Looking forward to seeing your alpine project.

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    1. I would be misleading you if I called it an alpine project. It's a place to put more agaves (of course!) and I wanted a few other things to work in.

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  6. Looks like Spokane was a proper incubator for a dangerous gardener. Lovely setting for a lovely nursery: living proof that you CAN go home again.

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    1. They must have been in business when I moved back from Seattle, before moving to Portland, but I never went there...I wonder why?

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  7. Oh, that Artemisia! I'm in love.

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    1. Honestly I picked it up and was going to buy it, but then I put it back when I decided I couldn't leave without the 'Snow Leopard'...

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  8. Seriously, I so wish I had better luck with Artemisia...I just adore 'Valerie Finnis'!

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    1. That's the one Ryan was hunting for a few years ago isn't it? Now I know why. And me too (better luck).

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  9. Giant 'Dick', hehe! Still teenagers at heart here....

    I'm intrigued by that Yucca nana, want one!

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    1. Sadly I had one (Y. nana) that died...or I guess actually it's not quite dead yet but it's not looking very good. I should have bought another!

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  10. You have some really great nurseries up north! I'm impressed by the truth in advertising as signified by the tag on the Bishop's weed - putting truth before profit doesn't happen much in the nurseries down my way. Thanks for the tour.

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    1. I was so glad to see that warning on the Bishops Weed, although I kind of wanted to get a highlighter and and emphasis!

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  11. Another reason to make a trip to Spokane! It must be a good nursery if it has Eryngium alpinum.

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    1. You couldn't have had better timing with that eryngium post Linda. My mom spotted the plant first and was considering it but when I walked up and saw what she had I couldn't have grabbed it fast enough.

      Hope you have a good hauling vehicle for your road trip!

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  12. Re the Ephedra equisetina, it gets even bluer in the garden, and requires no care at all, but be aware that it travels. It wants to be at least six feet across.....

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    1. 6-ft is about the space I have allotted for ALL the plants I'm putting in that area! Of course the tag said 5ft but I have never been a real numbers person. It wasn't until I got home, looked it up online and saw a photo that I realized what I'd purchased. Yikes! Maybe my climate will keep it in check? Maybe I'll be ripping it out and sending it to you?

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