Tuesday, March 3, 2015

2015 Yard, Garden & Patio Show, the plants & vendors

Up until this year the Yard, Garden & Patio Show had been a production of the Oregon Association of Nurseries. As such the emphasis was heavily on the plants. The show is now owned and produced by Metropolitan Productions, Inc. This is their first year putting on the show, I wondered what the change in ownership would mean for us crazy plant lovers...

As you saw yesterday the display gardens were heavy on the hardscape. However I am happy to report there were still many opportunities at the show to see, and buy, plants. The Remarkable Green Market was back, showcasing the offerings of local favorites Dancing Oaks Nursery, Gossler Farms, Rare Plant Research, Cistus, and more.

At the Gossler Farms table I couldn't help but ogle this Chamaecyparis ob 'Maureen', I know, it doesn't look like much here but in person there were no less than 50 shades of green on that plant.

Daphne x rossetti was a beautiful, simple, daphne. It's not so blurry in real life.

This Rhododendron 'Everred' almost came home with me. The undersides of the leaves were a dark purple and I was told the new growth as well as winter color have the tops darkening up as well. I came so close to buying one of these!

Over at the Cistus table I was tempted by Asarum maximum, some of that green on green variegation that I love.

Always love the spikes!

The slight variegation on this Pyrrosia was quite beautiful.

I'm not sure how I feel about the crested version however.

Out on the show floor there were a few nurseries I really missed, chief among them Bauman Farms. Their booth was always creative and I don't think I ever left without purchasing at least one plant (but usually more). I hope their absence was just a single year thing and they'll be back in 2016.

On the upside the Dennis’ 7 Dees booth was fabulous this year. My favorite thing was this bromeliad tree...

Individual plants were in bagged burlap.

Dare you to buy just one.

But I did, this one. As modeled by my friend Bridget...

There were many tempting things in their booth...

I didn't look to see if there was a price on the table and benches. I really loved them...

Kokedama was everywhere at 7 Dees. A couple of friends told me to look up the 7 Dees tutorial on YouTube, it's fabulous! I happen to have met Nicole (the lady in the video) at the show, talk about someone who is perfectly suited for her job. She was spreading the plant love and knowledge to every person who had the luck to ask her a question.

This was the N & M Herb Nursery booth. They're a fixture at this show, the NWFG Show and the upcoming HPSO Plant Sale.

I was thrilled to see they'd labeled this ceanothus as Zone 9. After buying one with a Zone 8 label I heard from many people they've lost every one they've tried to grow here in Portland.

I bought this fabulous Begonia luxurians, it's going in Spotty as soon as the weather warms.

I also bought one of those crazy silver and purple/black begonias (Jurassic Silver Swirl Rex Begonia). I blame it on this guy and his begonia loving ways.

This great metal cart was in the Garden Gallery Iron Works booth.

Love the leaf...

From this guy...

I didn't spot the NW Cactus & Succulents booth until the second day I visited. If they had anything spectacular on day one I missed it.

The color on the carnivorous plants was pretty fabulous.

Nice to see hammer + vine at this show...

I really should have bought a couple of those shells.

Speaking of buying, here's a look at the package check area when I went to pick up my plants before leaving. Nice to see folks did some shopping!

All in all I am heartened by what I saw from the new show owners, hopefully things will only get better. It was a good sign they're interested in what we want from the show, there were multiple touch screen stations set-up by the exit, where we were asked to share our opinions. I doubt anyone asked for more hardscape and outdoor kitchens...at least I hope not.

All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

34 comments:

  1. Glad to see that the show went well. Do I remember correctly that there was an initial news before that it will no longer be held and then somebody else took it and rest is history?

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    1. Yes, the OAN sold it to Metropolitan Productions, Inc.

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  2. Ceanothus Diamond Heights is Zone 9!? Dang, who knew? No wonder I keep losing this plant - the whole time I thought it was my mistake. I'm done with this plant!

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    1. Right? Those crazy movable zones. Did you go to the show? What did you think?

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  3. Wow, I missed hammer and vine and NW Cactus and succulents! Rats! I admired many of the same plants you did and almost bought another bromeliad in a burlap bag but already got a couple from Dig at NWFGS so didn't. The one you chose is beautiful! It was great to see that the green market was still there! This is the third conifer that you've written about liking lately along with being tempted by a rhododendron. Nice plants to be sure but who are you and what have you done with Loree?

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    1. I know, nobody is as surprised as me...

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  4. I like this a lot! plants, plants, plants!!! and many nice things. Thanks for sharing :)

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    1. I wish you lived closer Lisa, you'd be fun to plant shop with!

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  5. Thanks for the link, I was wondering why my blog got so many hits from yours today!

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    1. Good to know! More people need to discover your fabulous blog.

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  6. I agree that Drake's 7 Dees hit it out of the park. Could have something to do with our friend Anna?

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    1. Anna is at Drake's, but it was Dennis' that was at this show. Confusing isn't it?

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  7. Great choice on that bromeliad, it would have been hard to buy just one as they were so neatly packaged and ready to go!!! Ceanothus Diamond Heights, been there killed that one a couple of years ago, too bad, such a pretty plant.

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    1. I went back the next day and almost bought two more, they were beauties. Then I decided instead I'd just dyi a couple. Or maybe even do the real kokedama thing. We'll see.

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    1. Too bad there isn't a West Coast bullet train or I'd say come up next year!

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  9. Your garden shows are way better than ours.

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    1. I'd ask about the SF Garden show but I guess that's a little far away from you isn't it?

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  10. Oopsie, forgot to say I and countless others have also killed that Ceanothus, and it didn't take cold weather.

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    1. Well then, I don't know of a single person who claims to have success with that plant! Maybe it's time for it to go away and stop seducing us.

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  11. Great photos. I like this so much more than all the hardscape stuff. Love the asarum maximum (it looked like a watercolor!) and the spiral begonia dude. Those sputnik shells might have come home with me, too.

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    1. I'm thinking I might just need to take the plunge and get one of the asarum. They were on the pricey side but sometimes you've just got to do it!

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  12. So glad you recorded all this--because I missed so much of it. Curses, concussions. I love N&M, and didn't realize they were there. I should have known to follow you and Bridget. Next time, if I promise not be a pest, will you take charge of me and tell me what to do.

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    1. It's easy...you start at one end and walk up and down every row. Even if it doesn't look like there's anything good, because there just might be.

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  13. Yay yay yay! I left with a spring in my step too, Loree. Positive review to come. Cheers to plants.

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  14. I could spend some time there! Looks like a fun day of plant shopping, and you did good on that goth begonia.

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    1. So you are starting to understand what garden shows are all about? (minus the display gardens)

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  15. Ooh, that Asarum maximum is amazing! And I like the Bromeliad leaves - like a hand with outstretched fingers.

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    1. That's it, I'm buying that asarum next time I see it (WWIT?)

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  16. Rickii is such a sweetheart for saying that, and yes - it is ridiculously confusing. At Drake's we're running a tally on how many people think we're Dennis. Let's just say there are many. I agree that Dennis has it all down - they did a fantastic job with their booth! But, about the plants... I had that same Rhododendron in my hand - I loved those purple undersides! Then I got to wonder about lace bug susceptibility, and left without it. Lovely plant, though.

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    1. I can't imagine. When I managed a Hold Everything store for Williams Sonoma so many people would try and return something they bought at Storables, not realizing they weren't the same company. And those names we even 150% different. You guys are fighting the never ending battle...

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  17. Great report and great photos. I'll take those two flats of cactus...

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  18. I've been wanting to try kokedama for a while now. Maybe this spring...

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