Earlier in the month, while I was away (playing in Toronto), things got hot in Portland. What's a gardener without an irrigation system to do but depend on a kindhearted and capable friend? Naturally there needs to a a suitable reward for such efforts and that's why Patricia and I were pulling into the Cistus Nursery parking lot one morning last week...
A bloom covered Genista aetnensis was there to welcome us...
Along with a gorgeous Bupleurum fruticosum, Patricia and I both agreed we need one. But only one of us actually has room in the garden to plant one (and I bet you can guess which one that is).
Dunno, but I want it.
Does anything say "summer in the sun" quite as well as blooming California poppies?
Romneya coulteri
There's no room in my garden for this one either. Good thing I can visit the ones at Cistus!
Stipa barbata
Not quite at it's most wonderful bloom state yet, but it's close!
Caesalpinia gilliesii, it turns out both of mine overwintered just fine last year. No blooms yet but they're alive and that's enough for me!
A sight that always makes my plant-lusting heart beat a little bit faster...
And it just gets better as we start to shop (SHOP!)....
Only $495 and this big, beautiful, Dasylirion wheeleri could be yours!
I always have to pay my respects to this big Schefflera delavayi.
And mourn the fact I don't have room for a Fremontodendron.
Here's what I was hoping to find! Aralia cordata 'Sun King'...
Do you hold little beauty contests when deciding which plant to buy? I got the one on the right.
Cornus alba 'Hessei'
This is paradise, right?
Patricia fell pretty hard for this Schefflera delavayi, can you blame her?
Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Glauca', I think. And I want.
There were many blooming Yucca rostrata all around the nursery.
I know many people don't like Yucca blooms. I don't understand why!
Salpiglossis sinuata 'Royal Mix'
Agave gracilipes
We toured through a few of the growing greenhouses too. It's been a long time since I saw a blooming Phormium.
These little Eryngium flowers were perfection.
Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Atropurpureum', I believe.
This guy was not happy to be inside the greenhouse and was darting about wildly. I was sure it was going to land in my hair, which would have not been okay. Thankfully he did not.
Don't you just want to pinch these?
This poor guy got kicked out of the greenhouse, probably started a fight.
So much good stuff!!!
It's always a good day to visit Cistus! Oh and what did Patricia get? Well I gave you a hint, and if you're curious you'll want to read her post tomorrow over on the plant lust blog.
All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
What fun! I'm always up for a look at Cistus, such a great way to thank Patricia for taking care of your garden. Is it better stocked now than it was earlier in the spring? I didn't realize they had growing greenhouses, do you need a special invitation to wander there?
ReplyDeleteLots of great stuff! They have several (amazing) growing greenhouses, which are not open to the public.
DeleteThat's a pretty sweet reward, and one that I wouldn't mind giving (or receiving). She didn't choose the big Dasylirion? Well you probably set the budget limit at $500 and with tax that one would have been over... ;)
ReplyDeleteNo sales tax in Oregon.
DeleteI was enjoying your reasoning (and the idea I could afford to be that generous) and then Paul had to go and ruin it! (haha, just kidding Paul).
DeleteIt sure is paradise!! and I´m happy there is a little place for spanish plants in that paradise: Bupleurum fruticosum and Stipa barbata!
ReplyDeleteBut of course!
DeleteWe could visit this nursery everyday given the chance! Big yes to your plant beauty pageant question, and yes the place is a paradise :)
ReplyDeletePerhaps when you move to the U.S. you'll buy a place on Sauvie Island?
DeleteAnd wasn't she watching Megan-on-Safari's garden too? She does deserve a reward. I was shopping right along with you...brought home that bupleurum from Cistus, killed that aralia some years back, etc. That thistly plant looks like Cynara baetica ssp. maroccana just blogged by Chickadee Gardens. I wonder if that dark-lvd pitt is more stable than the ones I've seen locally that revert to spotty green and make the whole plant look sick. It'd be great if that was sorted out. What a fun virtual visit I had with you and Patricia!
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly I think she only visited there a couple of times. Perhaps Megan had her own caretaker?
DeleteI kept reading thistly as thirsty and couldn't imagine why it would be thirsty!
Even a virtual shopping trip with you is dangerous (to my pocketbook). I checked on that Bupleurum, only to find it's currently available at Annie's. I have an Annie's gift card but I swore I wasn't going to use it until fall planting season...
ReplyDeleteIt's a great plant...(do it!)
DeleteSuch a lovely nursery. I really enjoyed my visit there last year--and all your visits via blog.
ReplyDeleteGlad you came along!
DeleteI was tempted to come down on Wednesday when I heard you two were coming. I sowed seed of that Bepleurum, but I think I'll be taking cuttings, too. I'm so impatient. It's sad that I haven't seen those Yucca rostrata blloming in Big Top. I need to tear myself away from the back occasionally and see what's happening up there.
ReplyDeleteOur timing wasn't good for seeing you or Sean, but we had a nice visit with Nathan. Next time! And yes, you do...
DeleteI got a Cornus from Vanessa at the last swap that looks suspiciously like 'Hessel'...so excited! I have a friend coming to spend the night tomorrow with the intent to nursery-hop on Saturday. Don't know but that the weather will defeat us earlier than we would like. High 90's is way beyond this webfoot's comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteI got that same plant from Vanessa a few years ago, hers is Cornus sanguinea 'Compressa' - love it! Maybe the weather gods will make us all happy and keep the temperature under what's predicted?
DeleteCistus is always such a pleasure to visit. I really love it there. Thanks for a shopping trip where I didn't spend any money!
ReplyDeleteGlad to help, but of course you're bound to make up for it eventually. I don't think I've ever left without something in my hands!
DeleteI bought that Eryngium this year and love it.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to look into that Aralia. I'm a sucker for that color leaf.
I've been eyeing the Aralia for awhile, since I finally came up with the perfect spot I had to have it. Of course that's the complete opposite from my usual "gotta have it, now where am I going to put it" approach...
DeleteYou're torturing me!!!!
ReplyDeleteI saw a shrub/small tree in Tacoma today that I couldn't ID; it looks a lot like Genista aetnensis.
And I saw several HUGE Romneya coulteri at the Outlaw Garden. I had no idea they grow so far north.
DROOL-INDUCING POST!
Glad you made it to Peter's! Was the huge, possibly a Genista, at Jungle Fever? If so yes - that's what it is.
DeleteConsider this post a prod to be sure you make it back through Portland so we can visit...
I definitely do a pageant before buying - probably ad nauseam to those waiting for me to make up my mind. My guess is Patricia opted for the Schefflera, but that's just a hunch. If it were me, I probably would have caved for the Bupleurum. What a cool plant!
ReplyDeleteYou are a smart lady! (yes, it was the Schefflera)
DeleteAlways a beauty pageant! Thanks for the virtual visit to this great nursery! Looks like you both had a good time.
ReplyDeleteWhen will you be back down this way to visit Cistus???
DeletePoppies say "spring is now here" to me! They grow wild with Dasylirion wheeleri, a plant I need to appreciate more, even though they are everywhere here.
ReplyDeleteYou've painted a beautiful picture.
DeleteCan you tell me what the plant is with those orange/yellow hibiscussy (new word) flowers is?
ReplyDeleteIt's an Abutilon, but I don't know which one.
Delete