I knew about San Gabriel Nursery thanks to Hoov answering a question from Alison about nurseries near The Huntington (we visited there too, and yes there will be a post). I'd looked them up online but wasn't sure what to expect, plus Christmas is an interesting time to visit nurseries, it's high season for all sorts of tchotchkes (and they seemed to have more than their fair share), but of course what I really wanted to see were plants. I wasn't disappointed...
Pretty much love this sign...
The 80 degree day (in December!) was good for my soul, as was seeing plants for sale that are only high summer rarities in my climate. Echium 'Star of Madeira'...
Salvia apiana
My Portland nurseries don't have crazy alien communication towers! Oh wait, I think it's a heater, well we don't have those either...
Tropicalisimo!
Crinum A. Baby Burgundy
Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers' is so much more impressive en masse!
Somehow this sign makes the danger so much more real than the cartoon one. It looks positively radioactive.
Don't you just love a nursery with paths under established trees?
And can't you just see people returning a cactus to the nursery..."it died"..."did you water it?"..."no, it's a cactus!"...
Lots of goodies...
Abromeitiella brevifolia, display only...
I had this one in my hand...
The first one I saw looked like it was $7.98, then I realized it was actually $17.98. I put it back.
Front and center is Agave 'Snow Glow', it taunted me throughout this trip.
I know this one as Agave 'Royal Spine'
Agave gypsophila $45.98
Finally a shot of one of the "it" plants of 2014, Alstroemeria 'Rock 'n' Roll'...
But wait, there's more! Next door was Rosemead Gardens. They were closed but that didn't stop me from casing the joint...(so to speak).
Just a few different styles of statuary to chose from.
This one I liked.
A little too Siegfried and Roy for me.
The column (?) is cool...
The "star walk" at the academy awards?...
And let's not forget, it was right before Christmas...so Rudolph and friends were huddled, making plans for their big night out...
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Oh, thanks for this post! We're counting down the days till our trip! San Gabriel Nursery looks like an interesting place.
ReplyDeleteSo will you make a point to visit?
DeleteI will. I wish I could bring a steamer trunk with me, so I can fill it up with plants.
DeleteI've learned not to look to hard at the warm-climate plant photos you post, regardless of how awesome they are (like the Abromeitiella brevifolia) -- too frustrating. But that column(?) is fantastic! I'm sure it's quite reasonably-priced...
ReplyDeleteOh I'm sure. If they were open I probably could have taken home a pair, no problem.
DeleteLooks like a great place. Love the space heater.
ReplyDelete"space heater"....hehehe
DeleteSurprised with your photos of statues Loree :)) some spiky gems there and did you buy lots?
ReplyDeleteThey were just begging to be photographed, what with that blue sky and their clashing styles. I didn't buy a thing, we were flying home so I had to be reasonable.
DeleteAnother nursery to visit on my next trip south :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's not a bad price for Agave pumila. They're hard to find and always expensive.
And that Agave 'Snow Glow' is perfect. It would have gone home with me!
I'm glad you took a peek at Rosemead Gardens. I want that moai statue in the 2nd photo. I've been looking for one for a long time.
Sounds like you need to rent a van for your visit! (were you serious about the statue?)
DeleteInteresting statuary at Rosemead. I saw Crinum A. Baby Burgundy at Vizcaya in Florida last fall and when they came up on the availability list from one of my growers I bought some. Sadly they haven't found there way into the ground, yet! I think that I saw some Abromeitiella brevifolia, in the Berkeley botanical garden. To bad it was display only.
ReplyDeleteI bought a couple of burgundy Crinum at a industry trade show a couple of years ago. Sadly they didn't even make it long enough to go in the ground! (the hazards of buying a nonhardy plant in the late summer).
DeleteOh, that illustration of the walking cactus on the succulents-need-water sign is so cute!
ReplyDeleteGood ol'clip art.
DeleteWhy is the walking cactus' face on its crotch? The deer photo is fun! My 'Rock n Roll' is blooming like mad.
ReplyDeleteHa, I wondered the same about the cactus. Glad to hear ''Rock n Roll' is doing well for you. I should ask Peter and Alison how theirs fared over the winter.
DeleteOh, I love the Abromeitiella brevifolia. They must've had problems with children on those wagons, hehehe.
ReplyDeleteYes, a law-suit no doubt.
DeleteAgave 'Snow Glow' I'm in love! It's always such a treat to see so many of our "special" plants offered as common choices. Fun statuary place!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a beautiful agave, and I've yet to see it up this way...
DeleteIf it was below 80 that day, the heater probably would have been on. Can't let those poor SoCal folks catching a chill. I love the Salvia apiana and Agave 'Royal Spine'. I think I might pick up an Abromeitiella from Cistus.
ReplyDeleteHaha, funny. The Salvia apiana I brought back from Berkeley has turned green, I miss that ghostly white.
DeleteI passed on an Agave 'Snow Glow' a few months ago and have regretted it - and searched for another - ever since. I'd love one of those A. gypsophilia too...
ReplyDeleteHave you tried Rogers? They had quite a few in December.
DeleteYes, I saw it at Roger's in January - but they were gone by the time of my next visit. My friend Lynda picked up one. She says she'll give me a pup.
DeleteFunny how people see things differently ...
ReplyDeleteI rarely look at the cactus and succulents at San Gabriel Nursery preferring to find Chinese and Japanese vegetables and things especially bred by SGN like their famous sweet peas and 'Mission Bells' azalea.
Methinks the walking cactus (saguaro) is wearing a sombrero. Imagine a line across the image below the branching arms.
Re: the Chinese dragon pillar. Prices aren't given online for those made to order, but could range from $300 to $3000. I think it is gorgeous.
You are really quite lucky Rosemead Gardens wasn't open because they have loud blaring irritating music going all the time.
We generally have one frost per year and it almost always comes about third week in December. Hence the heater. Beats a smudge pot, doesn't it?
Ugh, I hate loud irritating music, especially when it's outdoors. Although I must say the noise from the traffic could have used some drowning out.
DeleteA. 'Snow Glow' and 'Royal Spine' are so gorgeous. $45.98 seems a lot for that A. gypsophila, I had just assumed they'd all be generally cheaper over there. Love all the danger signs!
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty big, but yes, that seemed like a lot to me too.
DeleteObviously, danger comes in many forms.
ReplyDelete