Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Wednesday Vignette - the haul

After the first of the year — when I start dreaming about the gardening season ahead — there's always a date on my April calendar marked with an all caps heading: FIELD TRIP. It's not the most exciting name, but then again when you were a kid weren't field trip days special? This spring has been especially taxing, and thus this day of fun loomed large. A day spent with incredible people (plant lovers) hitting up nurseries and looking at (and maybe buying) plants...yes please! We meet up early at Sean Hogan's house — which (obviously) is a treat into itself — then we head out, with a previously agreed upon itinerary. This was our 6th annual outing and we finally made good on a long time desire of Derick Pitman (aka Mr. Impatiens and a founding member of the group) and headed to Dancing Oaks Nursery. I'll post about that visit next week on the plant lust blog (previous visits here, here and here) but today I just want to share my haul...

I know, only 4 plants...but they're 4 great plants!

First up on the far left (below) is Quercus dentata 'Carl Ferris Miller' (from Dancing Oaks). "Luxurious leaves over 10 inches long with wavy rounded lobes turn russety reds and orange in autumn." When I asked Evan, The Practical Plant Geek (emphasis mine), if it was crazy for me to buy another tree he responded by saying "It's never stopped you before..." yes, I suppose he had a point. In the middle (and also from Dancing Oaks) is Ligularia 'Osiris Fantaisie'. "Wavy margined leaves of green offer a glimpse of burgundy undersides.". Now if I can just keep the slugs away from it.

On the right is an Abutilon from Sebright Gardens (our second stop), A. 'Victor Reiter'... features "enormous red orange flowers that flare almost completely open and reach almost 4" across." It's only hardy to 20-25 degrees so lest you be remembering the Abutilon I wrote about yesterday and thinking "where is she going to put all these?" This one is a one summer delight.

And finally...Grevillea x gaudichaudii from Cistus Nursery. We didn't actually make it to Cistus but Sean kindly brought this one back to his house for me. "Spectacular protea kin, prostrate and spreading to 10” tall by 10' wide...The saturated red flowers are scattered throughout the year but are concentrated in the winter." I already have two of these (from The Desert Northwest) and love them. I think this one will be going in the front garden.

I've played a little loose with the notion of a vignette but hey, can you blame me with a haul like this? Check out Flutter & Hum for links to all the blogs sharing vignette's today.

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

26 comments:

  1. I thought I knew all plants until I visited your garden a couple of years ago during the bloggers fling. I love your new choices. Oh, to live in a warmer climate, I could grow so many more plants.

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    1. And to think...I wish I lived in a warmer (winter) climate!

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  2. Wow...i am lusting after them all! You had me at the leaves on the oak, how big does it get? I have several varieties of ligularia and would add that one in a nano second if it came into my realm. I now have 3 different abutilons after seeing them in OR two years ago. None have flowers that big but I have one with the coolest pale peach flowers and speckled leaves that would look fabulous in your garden. https://ravenscourtgardens.com/2016/02/08/i-believe-i-might-be-collecting-abutilons-influences-of-the-garden-bloggers-fling-in-portland/ Can't wait to see how your Grevillea x gaudichaudii, what a little jewel! : )

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    1. That Oak is a very slow grower, to 15ft. And I remember (and enjoyed) your Abutilon post!

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  3. Oh, my, NOW I see what all the fuss is about with G. x gaudichaudii! And Evan's response to your question - too funny! It's a cutie - now...

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    1. And now just imagine it (the gaudichaudii) with blooms!

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  4. That field trip always sounds like a lot of fun and it's great to see what you drag home each year. The oak sounds spectacular and that abutilon is gorgeous. Sorry your spring has been especially taxing!

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    1. It will get better...I just know it...

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  5. It's number the quantity that matters, it's the quality. That's become my guiding principle, too. Great stuff!

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    1. Indeed, especially with an (almost) full garden!

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  6. Sweet haul! Another Grevillea? How could you resist? I love my gaudichaudii from Cistus and am looking for the perfect spot....suggestions?

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    1. Somewhere protected, since a cold winter could spell disaster.

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  7. That Grevillea is wonderful. What a nice trove!

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  8. Ooh - I love them all. And, I'm so lusting for a field trip to Dancing Oaks. I have two Abutilons, but they are all leggy and look awful. They spent the winter outdoors, so maybe that's it? I'm kind of learning as I go. I thought for some reason they liked some shade, but maybe I'm giving them too much... I would have bought that gaudichaudii for the red leaves alone. Can't wait to see what the flowers look like!

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    1. I have two that spent the winter outdoors, one was pretty leggy so I cut it back, it's responding well. I should have been even more drastic! I've got another gaudichaudii that bloomed a lot last year...it's a beauty!

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  9. How fun! Your haul might be small, but it certainly is mighty. I wish I could find more of the grevilleas locally.

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  10. Always happy to lend a sassy remark. Cistus has a new Abutilon that I'm very curious to see growing in someone's garden. The leaves can get huge, and the flowers are no slouches, either. I might even plant one in my garden, tender though it likely is, just to see what it can do.

    I wish I had a wall to plant my Grevillea x gaudichaudii on. I'm not quite sure where it will go, yet, but it will probably end up on the south end of the house. It's clay soil, but my Convulvulus cneorum survived the winter in it.

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    1. I took a leap of faith and planted the new Grevillea x gaudichaudii out front, in the gravel next to the sidewalk to the front door. Hopefully good enough drainage and protection...

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  11. Holy Moly! That IS an enormous Abutilon! For once the description isn't an exaggeration. It's too bad I've given up on them, or I might be tempted to look for it.

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  12. Where will you plant that tree? I'm surprised that, in that company, a few more sassy remarks failed to coax you into a few more plants.

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    1. I think it's going to hang in a container for awhile...

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  13. I have that Ligularia, and yes, it isn't being eaten alive as I type.

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