Thursday, February 13, 2014

My trip to the 2014 Northwest Flower & Garden Show…


Oh wait! That's right...my trip to the North West Flower and Garden Show was cancelled this year because of our freaky winter weather, so I missed all the garden show splendor. While my dear friends were emailing and posting pictures of the things at the show they knew I'd love (like this) I was scheming on a backup trip. Something I could do so I wouldn't feel sad and like I'd missed out. That's when I remembered a fabulous agave I'd passed up (that darn budget) just a couple weeks ago at Cistus (yes, I really can rationalize just about anything)...

Cistus is always an agave lovers paradise but right now things are even better as there are several gorgeous 3-gallon plants to choose from...

As well as the usual assortment of small "must-haves"...

Along the bottom there, on the ground...

Are lovely 3-gallon Agave ovatifolia 'Frosty Blue'...one of which came home with me the last time I visited.

As did one of those white spiky Opuntia polyacantha.

Is there anything more beautiful than a perfect little agave? I think not.

This was the reason for my visit, Agave lophantha 'Splendida', reportedly hardy to zero (F) I think I'm going to put it in a big container that will stay outside during the winter...

Speaking of big containers this Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' was outside when I visited late last fall. Good to see it came in for the winter.

Lots of blooms on the way!

Echium wildpretii x pininana

My new favorite astelia, A. 'Red Devil'...

It should share 'Red Gem's ability to cope with winter cold, and has even stronger color. Love it...

Astelia chathamica 'Silver Spear', we used to be pretty tight, then death got in the way.

Echium wildpretii, who doesn't need a couple of these?

Look Louis, it's the palm corner!

What really caught my eye was the white undersides to the leaves on the plant in the container. A banksia?

Just like at the Flower and Garden Show there were things in bloom (only these weren't forced)...

I loved this plant last time I visited and did again this time. And just like last time I got distracted and forgot to take a photo of the label.

Okay...enough looking, time to purchase. Here's my haul from left to right: the sexy Agave lophantha 'Splendida', Agave havardiana (a surprisingly hard to find and very hardy agave), an Echium wildpretii and another Nolina 'La Siberica' which I will be planting in the front garden where the now dead puya has been. While I did go just a little bit crazy I still spent a lot less than if we would have gone to the show in Seattle (or so I'll tell the husband, I told you I was good at rationalizing)...

All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

39 comments:

  1. Oh, thanks for this! I now have a good idea what to look for when I visit for the YGP show in a couple of weeks. Agaves! Palms! Astelia! Nolina! Can't wait.

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    1. You're planning to head out to Cistus right? I'm not sure if they're selling at the YGP.

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    2. Guess what! Turns out they will be selling at YGP. Of course you still need to go out to the nursery as well...

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    3. Oh yes, planning to go to the nursery. I'm coming down on Friday morning. Check in at our hotel isn't till 4, so I'm going to check out a couple of nurseries.

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  2. Plant nirvana! Getting ready for a trip out to Cistus and this has me psyched up for it! So glad that Echium candicans is still alive! That's my favorite plant, and I'm going to try another this year and hope arctic blasts will stay away.

    Jim N. Tabor

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    1. You're going to be in heaven Jim, there is so much goodness tucked inside the "big top"...naturally the outside tables are bare but you can spend a couple of hours (and dollars) inside.

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  3. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but A. lophantha 'splendida' sustains substantial damage in the single digits. I have four on a steep fast draining slope and they look really bad after this winter. The plants at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum also look really bad after this winter. The lowest we reached was 7 degrees with one week of sustained wet and deep cold.

    I would say that they can take single digits with substantial protection -- both insulation and protection from winter moisture -- akin to what the Ruth Bancroft garden does for their collection. Teens are fine, but definitely pushing it if there is a chance of sustaining single digits with no protection.

    Otherwise a really great lophantha selection.

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    1. Thankfully single digits are a rarity here, teens are the usual "bad" winter low.

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  4. Oh wow! Now I want to go to Cistus too. Maybe I'll have to go there after the YGP show as well. Those big Agaves in your third picture (A. americana variegata or something like that) are swell and I love the new ones that you got. Red leaves in the fourth picture are gorgeous! Yum!

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    1. Agave sp. salmiana var. ferox 'Variegata'...they are beyond gorgeous! Funny I was so focused on the A. havardiana I didn't even notice the red leaves until I was editing my photos.

      So you're coming down for the YGP too? Yay!

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  5. Going to Cistus will be a highlight of the Fling for me. So many pristine plants. Good thing I'll be driving so I can load up the car.

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    1. So glad you're coming to the Fling, Gerhard! Leave lots of room in the car. Better yet, rent a van!

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    2. I look forward to seeing what you purchase Gerhard!

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  6. Yes, that's a Banksia... probably B. integrifolia. Great pics! I feel inspired to go work in the succulent greenhouse.

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    1. Thanks for the i.d. (I've given up trying, I always seem to get them wrong).

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  7. The perfect antidote to not being able to go to the show! And those 'little must haves', they'll come in very handy for us this coming July ;)

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    1. I guess taking a 3-gal agave home with you isn't realistic is it? Maybe we'll have to hit a thrift shop or two where you can purchase extra luggage to stuff with plants?

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  8. What a great diversion from your cold weather. And you made some great purchases, whether the expense was justified through rationalization or not. I'm good at such rationalization myself - I've pointed out to my husband how I'm spending next to nothing on clothes these days...

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    1. Good point! My gardening wardrobe is certainly cheaper than the old office clothes.

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  9. My Agave havardiana ,The only one planted in the ground looks AWFUL, The pups I think are faring better under trees , on a dry slope.

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    1. I'm sorry Linda! How did you amend the soil?

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    2. I didn't …oh maybe a bit of gravel , but my soul is so sandy

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  10. Loving it all, and especially those red leaves Peter remarked on. I can see a few of these Echiums in my future after the death-cold of December wiped mine out (sob.) Are the pink hanging blooms some kind of Ribes? - Gorgeous!

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    1. Definitely a Ribes. So pretty. :)

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    2. Yes I should have mentioned that, thanks Evan! Jane - definitely grab a couple of those echium, they're a nice big size and only $12!

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  11. Such a tragedy that I didn't know about Cistus until I left the PNW. It's high on the list of visits to be made upon my return. Like Peter and MulchMaid, I love those red leaves in the fourth photo! And the lobed, palmate leaves along the bottom in the sixth photo. Any idea what those are? Thanks for the pictures!

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    1. As "Anon" (below) called out the lobed leaves as Cussonia paniculata, I had a close up I was going to post (with name) but it turned out pretty blurry so I did not (red are Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea'). Perhaps you'll need to plan a little road trip south the next time you're home visiting family?

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    2. Oh, I don't think there's any "perhaps" about it. I'm moving home at the end of March to live with my parents while I apply to graduate schools. I need some time back in the Pacific Northwest with my family. I plan to take full advantage and visit as many of these great nurseries and gardens as I can.

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    3. Gosh! That's soon...good for you! Let me know when you're down this way - I love to meet in person!

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  12. Good choices. I want me one of them there red Astelias. Wouldn't that look hot with the black Leucadendron 'Ebony'?

    The red leaves I think are Dodonea viscosa 'Purpurea'?

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    1. Why yes, yes it would! I can see what you'll be taking home from the Fling!

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  13. Red leaved plant definitely Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea', and the blue gray palmate foliage belongs to Cussonia paniculata.

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  14. AWESOME! I love the palm corner too! And what a great plant haul! you're right about Agave havardiana being hard to find. especially nice big ones like that! OH I NEED TO GO TO CISTUS SOON!!!!

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    1. Louis seriously...come down for a visit!

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  15. The plants you purchased are beautiful! I love that place (only for what I see in your blog...I bet in person it is a plant lover paradyse)

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    1. Lisa we're going to Cistus during the Fling...so you'll get to see it all in person!

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  16. Lots of gorgeous plants, especially agaves (A. ovatifolia 'Frosty Blue', oohh), and great buys!

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    1. Maybe you'll visit Portland one day and I can take you to Cistus!?

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