Friday, May 6, 2016

The Gardener's Choice (a nursery visit)

Heading home from a meet-up down south of town I realized I had enough time to swing by Gardener's Choice, yay! A nursery visit. The sign is new, and a bit flashy for my taste – but this is a very busy route in the suburbs and if it catches the eye of a passer-by then I suppose it's a good thing.

This nursery has a lot of space devoted to plants that I would refer to as "annual color" not a bad thing but not my taste. It's also where I bought my first Schefflera taiwaniana (before any other nurseries in town had them) and the place I discovered Agave parryi 'J.C. Raulston' –  in other words you never know what you might find here.

Love this combination! Schefflera taiwaniana, Aralia cordata 'Sun King' and Ligularia dentata ‘Othello’...

Since I already have two of the three the Ligularia dentata ‘Othello’ was calling out loud to me.

Funny it's being touted for it's "cut flowers"...I would cut these flowers too, and then quickly toss them in the trash. U.G.L.Y.

Moving on we see another hardy Schefflera, this one S.brevipedunculata – getting kind of leggy.

I can't help but stop and stare anytime I see Primula vialii flowers.

I've almost (ALMOST) bought them just for their OMG factor.

Opuntia basilaris hyb. 'Baby Rita'

And Agave utahensis, yay!

These new Sedum Sunsparkler® are quite beautiful. Of course I am hesitant to fully embrace them but if they keep on looking this good long term then I'm in! I recently bought 3 qty 4" Sunsparkler 'Firecracker' which I love. These are 'Cherry Tart'...

Sedum Marina is also a looker but the tag let me know it doesn't stay short, so no thank you.

Rosy Australian Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum hispidulum)

I should have taken a few more overall shots but in case you were wondering, this place is huge!

So far I've been good at resisting the allure of the tree Peony. We'll see how long I last. I planted several at my house in Spokane and hated to leave them behind, but I did.

Containers, they have a few.

These were freshly unloaded and hadn't been completely unpacked yet.

Colorful...

And I appreciate the reuse.

Maybe they need a few more?

For those who want a huge Fatsia, right now!

I've recently become quite enamored of the Kiwi vine.

The fuzz, the colors...

Who cares about the fruit, they've got those at the grocery.

So what did I buy? Well the Ligularia of course.

And it will be going in a container that sits up above the patio, so these fabulous dark undersides of the leaves will be visible to those who linger.

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

23 comments:

  1. Yea for your new ligularia, it's a beauty! Fun nursery with lots of bells and whistles. Kiwi vines are way cool and the white flowers remind me of those of passiflora. They do have a tendency to become giants. Maybe you could sneak into the yard of the bi colored garage behind you, throw up a support, and plant a kiwi vine to cover it up.

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    1. Ya I'm kind of in love with it! Hopefully by putting it in a container I can keep the slugs from devouring it. And OMG...a Kiwi vine on that garage would be supper!!!

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  2. I would go wild in a place like that. They have so many plants nurseries in our area don't sell. Of course there might be a reason for that, LOL.

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    1. Ya think? Oh to get to garden in all the climates!

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  3. Ligularia flowers never seem to match the foliage. Even I, an admitted flower addict, would cut them off.

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  4. I am totally with you on the Ligularia flowers. I got rid of that one and went back to The Rocket because I like the flowers better, though I've never cut them. And that pinkish Maidenhair fern, oooh baby!

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    1. I actually like how Ligularia flowers look before they open, but once they are open...off with their heads!

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  5. Great idea to put the Ligularia up in a container to enjoy those leaves. Like Kris, I'm crazy for flowers, but those flowers look like every other DYC (damn yellow composites); why bother? Primula vialli, on the other hand, that would have come home with me. Funny I've never seen it locally.

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    1. Yes! DYC, over and over and over. I should finally give up and buy one of those Primula, I just the foliage was prettier.

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    2. The primula is pretty much the opposite of your Ligularia, huh? When faced with limited space, it's hard give space over to something that goes 'POW' for a short time. I do it, but then long-interest plant neighbors are all the more important. Of course I fail at that frequently for shameless flower floozies....

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  6. I bought 4 S. Cherry Tart last year..love it ! I always had a hankering for a Kiwi , love the looks of the plant but I have no place to put it.

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    1. Good to know 'Cherry Tart' is holding up for you.

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  7. Kiwi vines are one of those things I want, but I worry they need too much water. There is one with variegated leaves that's really pretty.

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    1. Too much water and too much space...ugh.

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  8. Looks like a cool nursery. I've tried Primula viallii a couple of times now, and they never return for me, so I've given up on them. I adore the flowers too. I need to figure out some spots to put pots that look good from below, like you plan to do with that Ligulsaria. I dislike the flowers on them too, but I'm always too lazy, or too busy, to cut them off.

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  9. I would never think to grow the Kiwi vine--what a great idea! And all those pots!!!

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  10. AnonymousMay 10, 2016

    I visited Dan Hinkley's and his partner, Robert's, home last Friday during an open house. They have a kiwi vine rampling all over a tree at their entrance. Very jungle looking or weedy, depending on your view of things. I was there to pick up several Schefflera rhododendrifolia he was selling. Another Schefflera on my Schefflera check-off list.

    John(Aberdeen)

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  11. I've been avoiding Ligularia because of the flowers but you're right: that's what scissors are for.

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  12. I bought that Ligularia last year and the effing thing is the biggest slug magnet in the whole yard. I can't get it past three inches of Swiss cheese. Your idea of putting it in a pot may be the way to go.
    I bought a Sedum like the first one at Home Depot a couple days ago. I hope it stays that color. I found a half gallon on the clearance rack for $3 bucks. Woot woot.

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  13. AnonymousMay 16, 2016

    Love that Rosy Maidenhair fern.
    I too have tried the Primula viallii more than once and it never came back for me. Much as I love it I think I'll try the candelabra primroses instead.

    Alyson/Vancouver

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  14. I think I would cut the flowers off that Primula quicker than I would the Ligularia.

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