Tuesday, April 4, 2017

So I had to play in the sunshine (my visit to Swansons Nursery)...

Let's turn the clock back...it's February 24th and I was on my second day at the Northwest Flower and Garden show, inside the Washington State Convention Center. Suddenly I caught sight of a clear blue sky outside. That was it, I had to break free and spend my afternoon exploring a couple of Seattle nurseries. Gardeners can't last long INSIDE on a sunny day...right?

My first stop was Sky Nursery, and I enjoyed every minute of it, even bought some Saxifraga (shown here). But I was not in the mood to pull out my camera so that stop went unrecorded. I thought my next stop, at Swansons, would play out the same way but then I saw this...

What the heck? That's basically an XL tree-fern kokedama!

Of course once the camera is out it can't be put away. I want to steal this fabulous rusted metal shopping cart. So. Bad.

Isn't it marvelous?

However the on-guard crow does discourage such thoughts, after all you have seen this, right?

Oh! Metal things planted up and hanging from the ceiling...

Just my cup of tea.

So to speak (I am not a fan of tea).

You may remember my January visit to Joy Creek Nursery, where I shared photos of their fern tables. This next group of photos was more in the same (wonderful) vein.

Extra credit points for the signs identifying the plants!

If you're curious about these and want to learn more Joy Creek Nursery is offering a class "Ferns and How to Use Them to Create Fern Tables, with Richie Steffen" on Sunday July 2nd at 1pm, just $10. Details here.

So good!

It really was a beautiful afternoon to be out under the (extremely rare at that point) PNW blue sky. I was feeling quite lucky.

Libertia ixioides 'Taupo Sunset'

And again.

When I lived in Seattle, many years ago, I visited a very different (but no less magical) Swansons. Once and awhile I catch a glimpse of that nursery, the one that exists only in my memory. Swansons was one of my mainstays, back when I gardened on windowsills and dreamed of having my own dirt. This table reminds me of an area I used to visit, before their fancy-pants remodel.

But then I turn around and I'm back in the (not so bad really) present.

Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow'

That thing! Acer palmatum 'Bihou'

I thought it was glowing simply because the setting sun was highlighting it. Nope. The glow lasted long after the sun had fallen lower in the sky. Freak!

That's when I went into the gift shop and poked around. These caught my eye, but right about then an old friend texted me about meeting up for a drink, and I hit the road...

Weather Diary, April 3: Hi 57, Low 35/ Precip 0

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

22 comments:

  1. Ah, a sunny day and a visit to Sky and Swanson's. Heaven. Love Acer palmatum 'Bihou' and have one in (surprise) a large pot. If I were a braver gardener, the big coral bark maple that came years ago from my former garden would be cut down and replaced by Bihou but the large maple screens the house across the alley during the summer and it would take quite a few years for the youngun to attain that size. Reportedly Bihou keeps that color on the trunk and branches while coral bark looses the color except on branch tips.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know how hard it is to cut down a natural screen, I think you're making the wiser choice.

      Delete
  2. All of it, fabulous. But do you mean to tell me you left those linens behind?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Right about now is the time of year when I usually take to the road and spend the day in town visiting both Sky and Swansons, so I've really enjoyed this look at Swansons. I've seen their fern tables before, but it looks like they may have even more of them now. Richie Steffen taught that same class a couple of years ago at Dig on Vashon, and Peter and I went to it. It's a great class.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll definitely be taking the class at Joy Creek, just wish it were sooner!

      Delete
  4. Loved the rusty cart, including the tree and even the crow. I wonder if a fake crow would keep real crows out of my garden? They've been heavy into nest building for a month or more and my Agonis flexuosa seems to be prime material.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's worth a try. Or wait, maybe you could make a scarecrow!?

      Delete
  5. SO INSPIRING !!! :)

    thank you - for the fun stuff and for posting on behalf of Seattle! :) love it -

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'll take the cart and the crow and a couple of fern tables, please! I love the contrast of the ferns and concrete.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too. I'm scheming on making one of my own...

      Delete
  7. So many must-have things on this visit. The rusty metal is such a great plant companion and I love the slab plantings. I don't think I've encountered 'Bihou' before. Oh, to have room for more trees!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right? Although you could follow Peter's example...

      Delete
  8. The PNW has the BEST nurseries, I swear!

    ReplyDelete
  9. "Of course once the camera is out it can't be put away." So true. It's funny how we can be totally not in the mood to take photos, and then suddenly something catches our eye and suddenly we're snapping away.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have to say Swansons' is one of the more impressive nurseries I've ever visited-I mean who has parking lot attendants at a garden center??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A nursery with a greatly undersized parking lot and rich neighbors?

      Delete
  11. I like the Libertia.

    ReplyDelete
  12. People always fall for the fern tables...should be a great class at JC.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment. Comment moderation is on (because you know: spam), I will approve and post your comment as soon as possible!