Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Bear Valley Nursery

You guys know me by now; I’m always up for a nursery visit! So while staying in Lincoln City, on the Oregon Coast, and I saw a sign for Bear Valley Nursery what else could I do? I had to visit.

It was surprisingly good. You know how we “big city folk” can get ideas about the hinterlands. I expected a lot of pansies and petunias. Maybe an exotic crocosmia or two (that area is positively infested with crocosmia), no…it was way better! Plus they had a great selection of those specific to the beach landscaping essentials, like the lashed together timbers for mounting a pair of concrete seagulls…

And who among us doesn’t need a big chunky rusted chain and some wire wheel rims?

Okay I’m being a little sarcastic but I really did think the selection was fun. Heck they even have picnic tables and phormiums…

And a planted trough which it looks like some critter might have been digging in.

Nice dyckia…

And there were even agaves! (there are always agaves if you just look hard enough)

I love helpful signage…

Oh what’s that…

Interesting,. I like it and it will look even better once it fills in.

These were labeled Yucca whipplei but I don’t think that’s what they are (growers label, not a nursery label). Perhaps actually Yucca baccata?

Nice

And yikes!!! “Snow on the Mountain” sounds so peaceful and sweet. I’d never heard of this common name, Bishops Weed is the one I know. I looked it up online and found these frightening words: “Fast growing and beautiful -- even grows under maple trees! It's hard to imagine a more versatile, yet beautiful ground cover than our Problem-Solver Snow-On-The-Mountain. Grows fast covering the ground in record time. What's more, this lovely 8-10" tall, green and white variegated beauty will grow in any soil or location -- rich or poor, wet or dry soils!” OMG...run run run as fast as you can away from this plant.

In an attempt to clear my mind I decided to try and be arty…

Oh look, bathrooms! With a planted bed pan...

I know the gunnera caught your eye but look to the far left, top shelf. We'll revisit those plants at the end of the post.

The gunnera.

And these yucca! I was very tempted. Look at that crazy variegation!

Even all white...I passed thought.

Yikes! Here's "truth in advertising" image for the wire vine (Muehlenbeckia axillaris)...

Even the poor frog is choking on the stuff!

So this...Agave 'Mateo' was what caught my eye earlier, on the top shelf.

Of course it came home with me! A hybrid of Agave bracteosa (known) and Agave lophantha (speculated) it's reportedly hardy down to 10-15F...

What's not to love with that subtle tone on tone stripe? The only other one of these I've seen was very very small. This one has presence! The moral of the story? You never know what your going to find. Thus you need to stop at every single nursery you come across.

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

20 comments:

  1. It's true! You never know where you might find treasure. I'm loving that big rusty chain; it reminds me of the big chain arbor at Dragonfly. If only I knew how to weld!

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    1. I can't recall the chain arbor at Dragonfly!!! Guess I better go visit again soon.

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  2. A monkey puzzle tree, and a nice specimen to boot! Do you remember how much it was?

    Your specimen of Agave 'Matteo' is very nice and full. I got one last year at Succulent Gardens. It's been in the ground since October and has done very well. Mine's a litle darker than yours and the leaves are more undulating, like bracteosa. And yes, I do think there's A. lophantha in there as well.

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    1. I'm sorry I don't even think I looked Gerhard.

      Are your stripes more vibrant? I wish mine stood out just a little bit more...

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    2. No, my stripes don't stand out any more than yours. Maybe with age?
      BTW, I misspelled the cultivar name, it's 'Mateo', with one t. See http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=3259.

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  3. I KNEW I should have managed a return trip to that nursery! When we were in LC and passed it, I was wrangling five grandchildren and couldn't stop. Thanks for the taste of what I missed. The colors on that agave look fabulous in that red/orange pot, too!

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  4. Ohh a very nice agave hybrid, both in appearance and hardiness! We do miss a good nursery visit, which we don't have time for at the moment. Once things settle here off to a nursery we'll go!

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    1. Here's hoping you'll find lots of good things on your next outing (whenever that might be).

      This guy had a couple of small pups, I decided to be really crazy and planted them in the ground.

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  5. Very nice! You never know what you will find. It's always good to stop and look around. Something might have to come home with you.

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  6. Wow! I love your new agave!!! wise wise words you offer about visiting every nursery. I couldn't agree more!

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    1. It's pretty fabulous (the agave) and yes...you just never know!

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  7. Agave actually beautiful.

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  8. The coast is Phormium heaven, and more and more gardens seem to be popping up there. Gotta be a few good nurseries to support the habit. Another place to visit in Lincoln City is the Connie Hansen Garden. I think it's in the HPSO open gardens book. It was there that I first saw Euphorbias. That should tell you what a novice I was.

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    1. I couldn't believe the car sized phormium I saw everywhere...and blooming! Pure heaven if you ask me (except for that wind). Thanks for the HPSO heads up, next time before I head out I will consult the book!

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  9. You are such an enabler.

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    1. You "say" that like it's not a good thing.

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  10. you overlooked a snarky comment about the great blue heron under the gunnera. how did this bird get chosen by yard art makers as the 'it' bird? in my neighborhood there are two of them, that stare at each other from opposite sides of the street. how confusing is it for the actual heron birds to fly over seeing fake copies of themselves in every other garden?

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