Tuesday, February 28, 2017

NWFG Show; stuff to buy and what I bought

Today I'm sharing some of my favorite vendor booths from last week's Northwest Flower and Garden Show. There are so few nurseries that bother to exhibit any more, I try to show my love for those who do, by buying from them. Christianson's has a big space right at the entrance of the north hall...

This beauty, Leptospermum scoparium 'Ruby Glow', was a little pricey for me ($149, 10-gallon), and of course not hardy in my Zone 8 garden. But wow!

There is always a lot to appreciate in this booth...

Camellia x williamsii 'Freedom Bell'

Euphorbia stygiana, I had this one in my hand for quite awhile — then talked myself out of it — hardiness. Of course once back home I spotted one living on (barely) at Kennedy School and heard from a friend who had one that overwintered in his garden. Damn.

Want.

This! Arbutus arizonica, so beautiful. I assumed it wasn't hardy here (but it is) so didn't give it serious consideration. Plus it was $70.

The Great Plant Picks program is extremely useful for us PNW gardeners. This year they had botanical samples in their booth, similar to what the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon did at the Yard, Garden & Patio Show.

Maybe they've always done it, but this year I finally took note. Hebe 'Hinerua' is going on my lust list.

And I took time to admire the Crypotmeria japonica 'Sekkan-sugi', just because...

Every time I passed this sign I had to roll my eyes.

Swansons Nursery was there again, in their usual spot.

Of course I lust after those tall metal containers.

And seeing this fern and moss display sparks some ideas (it's kind of like the ones I previously appreciated at Joy Creek Nursery).

Dinosaurs!

The Ravenna Gardens booth is a must-see destination, every year.

I wonder if the googly-eye owls and spotted pottery is by the same artist as the octo-containers?

I believe that multi-level display piece is made out of light fixtures. Kind of like these from a previous show.

More goodness from Ravenna...

DIG made what is probably their last appearance at the show, and they did it with high-style.

Luscious bromeliad...

And tons of good stuff to covet.

The "Vintage Market" seemed to really up their game this year, or maybe I'm just getting used to the fact they eat up space that used to be devoted to plant vendors and I'm not as bitter as I once was? Whatever the case, many vendors had worked plants into their offerings.

This vendor, Mazidori, had a ton of planted up containers.

This was my favorite, and a bargain too!

Loved this booth

And this planter, one of a pair.

So...enough of what I could have bought, here's what I did buy...

DIG had brought in huge hanks of Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish moss) and being slightly jealous of how wonderful Peter's collection is looking, well I bought one.

Christianson's had Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty' at a great price, so I bought one of those too.

This guy, Hebe 'Karo Golden Esk',  didn't come from the show, but rather a stop at Portland Ave Nursery, in Tacoma. It was on the 50% off table (last year's stock), so for $5 it became mine.

From a visit to Sky Nursery, north of Seattle, came these four Saxifraga longifolia.

And also from the half-off table at Portland Ave Nursery, this pair of Lewisia 'Little Raspberry' for just $2ea.

This! I was surprised to see it at the Christianson's booth, and wasted no time in grabbing it, Dracaena draco, the dragon tree. Of course the poor thing is doomed to a containerized life here in Zone 8. So it won't reach the towering proportions that it could.

Oh and I bought bulbs, how unlike me. It's a huge leap of faith to buy a bag of sawdust and hope it turns into a plant. At the bottom Cautleya spicata, from Keeping it Green Nursery. At the top a couple of lilies, well see how I do with these...

One bag of 'Conca 'Or' — because I think that's what Heather gave me last summer.

And these guys, because, well....orange!

Due to the fact it's nearly impossible to find my size of Atlas gloves (small), in my preferred color (green) I finally took the plunge and stocked up at the show (4 for $20). The Cornona pruners came in a swag bag from attending the early morning "tweet-up." The tweet-up is a chance for those active on social media to get in before the lights go down, and the dramatic lighting of the display gardens makes photo taking nearly impossible.

These pruners are adjustable depending on your hand size, clever eh?

Finally, from the Vintage Market, comes this treasure. The Agave (aka Century Plant) was the only one of these glasses that I did not have. I was thrilled this vendor was selling them separately and now I have all eight!

Weather Diary, February 27: Hi 45, Low 36/ Precip .04

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

27 comments:

  1. Your show offers many more plants than ours do, probably because it's winter here and you have to keep your purchase alive for a couple of months before planting. Love that booth with the planters you like. I keep seeing Hebes and wishing I could grow it. Planted Spotty Dotty last year and it did well all summer. We will see if it comes back, esp. as I bought another cool one from Far Reaches.

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    1. So your show is in February also? This one was later this year than normal, usually it's earlier in the month (next year the 7 - 11). Funny people around here wish they could grow the large-leaf Hebe, which typically freeze out over a cold winter. I really like the whipcord types.

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  2. Thanks for sharing so many great shots of all my favorite booths! I don't know how you managed to get such good angles on all their wares. I tried, but...people. Or maybe I've just been in a semi-permanent grumpy state lately. I bought two of those Podophyllum too. I hope the lilies thrive for you.

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    1. I think I just timed my stay in each booth right, for few people. Thanks for the push to buy the lilies, I hope I can pull it off!

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  3. I wish the CT show was better... Interesting about alcohol consumption. I know drinks were always served at the CT show but this year the bar seemed more front and center with a faux lounge area although I didn't see any signs encouraging you to walk around :).

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    1. I guess it's the old "get people boozed up and they'll buy anything" idea at play. Still, the wording of the sign seemed particularly "enabling"...

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  4. I wanted those dinosaurs so bad!!! I wasn't willing to shell out $70 for one though. The vintage booth with the Madonna and branches was put up by some friends of mine. They got asked the Wednesday before the show if they wanted the space. I was so impressed with what they pulled off.

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    1. OMG! They were $70? I didn't pick them up to look, just liked their bright colors. And wow...your friends did an amazing job!

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  5. So much to see! I wish the show just kept going on and on, like a mall for gardeners. Fell in love with those planters (there were three but one sold) and almost bought one but they were kind of heavy and I'm lazy. Love the plants you bought. You got some great shots and took home some choice plants/stuff! I've had Spotty Dotty growing in a big pot for several years and it looked really crowded last year so just made it into four plants. We'll see if the surgery was successful as spring progresses.

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    1. I plan to put my Spotty Dotty in a container, inspired by you. I'm hoping the fabulous spots will be easier to appreciate there, they kind of get lost in the landscape.

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  6. I've been able to find the small Atlas gloves on Amazon in the past. You have to be careful because there are so many listings for the other sizes. Thanks for the tour - lovely.

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    1. Thanks for the tip! I can always find small at my local nursery, but sometimes I have to break down and get another color.

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  7. Seeing plants indoors under those lights is always unsettling to me, but I'm glad you found some nice ones! Good job on the bargain hunting at other places too!

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    1. We get used to it around these parts. Spring means unpredictable rain and I'd rather be inside and dry, than see the plants in natural light and be rained out.

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  8. That's a great haul, Loree! You may not have the plant vendors you've had in the past but you still have many, many more than we do at the "local" OC show. I adore that Saxifraga but then it would never survive here even if I could find it. I also found myself strangely attracted to the brightly colored dinosaur planters.

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    1. Ya, there was something about the dinosaurs...

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  9. There's not a chance in hell I'll find that much stuff to buy at the ever dwindling SF Show. We didn't even have a single Lily vendor last year. I love your glasses !

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    1. Ugh, that's just crazy KS, SF should be garden show paradise!

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    1. Thanks! Now I need to find a pitcher...

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  11. As I didn't make it this year, I appreciate the tour. Glad that the vintage market had more "plant-centric" items, that's the general report I have been hearing. It always irked me that so much space was used for dishes and antique dolls rather than plants, so kudos for making it more about the plants.

    Nice haul too, by the way! Oh, and those fern tables? Richie Steffan from the Miller Botanical Garden will be teaching a workshop at Joy Creek this summer if you are interested. It's a cool class.

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    1. We missed you! And oh yes! I bet a glass like that with Richie would be wonderful. I wanted to come to Judith Jones talk last fall, but something got in the way, I can't remember what.

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  12. I also noticed that the vintage booths added plants to their displays. Its a good compromise, I suppose: some plants are better then no plants. Extremely exciting that you found the last missing glass for your collection. That find alone is worth the price of admission.

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    1. "some plants are better then no plants"...well said! And it's good to know that wasn't just my perception but others saw it too.

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  13. What a haul! Due to the timing of our shows, live plant sales are limited to mostly house plants. Hardy stuff is forced and can't be planted for a couple of months. Love 'Spotty Dotty'. At one point I used to have her in my old garden.

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