Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Another year, another HPSO sale...

Last weekend was the annual Hardy Plant Society of Oregon's plant sale...aka...Hortlandia. Having just been out on a day-long "plant-centric" field trip on the Thursday before (more about that tomorrow here (a haul post!) and on the plant lust blog) and not really needing anything I was slow to get out the door and didn't make it to the sale until 11am, doors open at 10:00 and special volunteer shopping occurs even before that. I wonder how much those factors had to do with not being tempted to buy a lot? I only bought two plants! I know, it's like you don't even know me anymore...

My modus operandi is to head to the very back corner of the Expo Center and then work my way back to the front. Of course it took me almost an hour to even get started shopping because so many of my favorite people were there and I had to stop to talk to them. This fine selection of Asarum (wild ginger) was temping, but some critter has made a banquet of the leaves on the two plants I already have. I don't think they deserve even more to ruin.

You know how it sometimes takes forever to notice something, but once you do then you start seeing it everywhere? Such was the case with this plant. I don't recall ever having seen it before and would confidently declare it THE plant of the 2016 sale...it was everywhere!


Love that foliage!

I think I've finally kicked the "see a Rodgersia / buy a Rodgersia" habit.

I didn't buy a single one.

Rita Lee's is a new-to-me name...

I love it when a nursery assumes the need to educate it's customers.

They had a lot of Epiphyllum for sale and a couple of displays of luscious blooms from their greenhouse plants.

I might need to make a visit to Rita Lee's!

Love this Ligularia...

I probably should have bought one.

Horrid photo I know, but I wanted to share the fabulous foliage color of this Lonicera at the Far Reaches Farm booth.

The blooms (another bad photo) let me know I didn't need this one.

The Sebright Gardens booth is always so darn beautiful, just like the nursery.

The purple makes everything pop!

Ipomopsis aggregata...I really should have bought this one.

The Desert Northwest tempted me with this chartreuse foliage.

But I don't need another small tree...

At the suggestion of Sean Hogan (Cistus Nursery) I think the next challenge (in the vein of the Ornamental OC&K/Poinsettia Challenges) is going to be the Aeonium Challenge. I almost bought a couple of these, but then remembered last year I picked them up cheap at our local everything store. So I will wait. It should also be noted that this same booth (The Tropics) was offering Maihot earlier in the day. I missed out on them...this is a plant that keeps taunting me. So close, and yet so far...

What a nice big Echium at the Rare Plant Research booth! (their open house is in May)

This Aucuba, A. japonica 'Overlook' – yes, named for Portland's Overlook neighborhood, where it was discovered as a sport – has some serious potential for me. I dislike the yellow splotchy Aucubas but this variegation is nice.

It was so nice to see Pomarius Nursery at the sale for the first time, hopefully more people will discover this hidden gem as a result.

Another for the lust list...Homoglad 'West Coast Hybrids' – isn't it lovely?

So what did I buy? Well that purple leaved Clematis...

Evidently I chose well as the "select" indicates: "A selected form of C. purpurea from the old Heronswood which has much darker foliage than typical"...

I also got this (supposedly) compact Abutilon.

I say supposedly only because someone scoffed when reading the tag. I did purchase a compact yellow-flowering plant from Little Prince of Oregon last year and it has stayed small, so I think there's hope.

That's my wrap-up of a most wonderful plant sale...I can't wait until next year!

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

21 comments:

  1. Looks like another stellar HPSO sale. Sorry I missed it this year. Although I bought a few plants at recent sales, I'm not feeling all that motivated to buy plants this year either. There are so many plants still in nursery pots, some just potted up from year to year, kicking around my place that it isn't funny.

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    1. Sorry you weren't able to come down, you were missed! Hope you got some of those plants in the ground.

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  2. Your restraint is impressive! I hope you're actually going to do that challenge - that would be fun!

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  3. Must have been fun, and no need to buy a lot of plants--sometimes just looking is just as good, and that way there is no need to dig holes on arrival home. Your two choices are excellent.

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    1. It was fun, and great point about not having to dig holes...although I still do have quite the stash waiting to be planted.

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  4. You passed up that Ipomopsis! I'm surprised to learn that you don't already have Aeonium 'Kiwi' somewhere in your garden. It was my entry into the world of succulents - I can't even count the number I have now. I just picked up another 6-pack of them last week as fillers.

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    1. I know, what was I thinking!?! (Ipomopsis) And sadly the Aeonium 'Kiwi' won't overwinter in my garden. As I mentioned I did pick some up last year which are in a pot, only barely overwintering inside. I have rotten luck with them inside.

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  5. Rita's did look like a very fun visit to make! I was disappointed that Desert Northwest didn't bring down any succulents.... at least I didn't see any on Sunday.
    Hortlandia is always worth going to, if only to see all of the great energy of all of the gardeners!

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    1. Indeed I can't imagine missing a HPSO sale, ever. It's the gardening event of the season!

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  6. ooooh, love that purple "ombre" affect on that clematis!

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    1. I didn't really think of it like that but you're right of course...it is ombre!

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  7. The Wi Hardy Plant sale is May 21 which illustates our climate difference. I am co-cordinator of the setup which is all plants from member's gardens. Don't know how you could pass up that Rodgersia. And that Ligularia which the sign says is hardy here. I love the leaves though I am not a big fan of the flowers. But the height would sure add drama.

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    1. Oh my...that sounds like a lot of work! Do you get first pickings? I could only pass up that Rogersia because I already have several!

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    2. Way more work than I want to think about.

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  8. Sweet, great haul even if it was just the two. Sometimes it just works out that way!

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    1. Can't wait to see what you ended up with! (Thursday's post?)

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  9. I mail ordered that clematis back when Dan ran Heronswood and killed it a couple times since then. Also went by the name 'Lime Close.' I'm really hoping it likes you so I can see some photos! I've long since stopped trialing clems, tho Hoov gets the big hybrids to grow nicely. The homoglads are great too.

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    1. Oh Denise, I am so sorry! And I hope it likes me too...if it does I promise lots of photos.

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  10. I was working the cash line all morning at Hortlandia - didn't see you. I bought a fairly big C. purpurea last year (somewhere). It's dead now. I think I planted it too late and in the wrong site. Too much sun, too many heat waves. I believe the foliage is only purple when new; it greens out by the end of summer. It looks like a lovely plant, but I was not deserving enough.

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  11. I was admiring that Clematis at Joy Creek yesterday. Maybe next time: there were several.

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