Thursday, November 2, 2017

Merrifield Garden Center, a stop on the 2017 Garden Bloggers Fling

Merrifield's Garden Center was an early morning stop on the last day of the 2017 Garden Bloggers Fling in the Capital Region. I was still half asleep, and really just wanted to focus on shopping, so my camera stayed in my bag until I spotted a couple of Opuntia and had to take their photo.

Poor things, hanging out among all the perennials in Virginia hoping to inspire some future desert plant lover...

I'd of bought them if getting them home wouldn't have been such an undertaking.

Hopefully someone else will come along and show them some love.

If you're curious about the place and would like to see more Kris did a great job of getting some wide shots and shared them on her blog here. Oh! There were Yuccas too...

And this beauty, which I did snap up and tote home.

Alternanthera 'Little Ruby'

In warm locations it will be a short lived perennial, of course in my garden it's an annual.

It's a shame to let foliage that gorgeous just die of though, right?

So I'm trying to get a few rooted cuttings to live on.

To hunker-down and live through winter indoors and then explode in the garden next spring. These have been planted up for awhile now and are doing their best to hang on.

These are newly cut and rooting (that's the last of the fresh Basil on the right). Wish me luck!

Weather Diary, Nov 1: Hi 58, Low 47/ Precip trace

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

24 comments:

  1. I had a gorgeousOpuntia in my last garden which was full sun, so I am sure those will find good homes. Rooting cuttings is always a gussing game but always worth a shot with special plants.

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    1. A guessing game indeed. I don't recall seeing this plant here in our nurseries so I'm really hoping I can keep a few going.

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  2. Good luck with rooting those Alternanthera cuttings. That's some very pretty foliage, and it would be great to be able to carry it over next year too. Did you plant it out in your garden when you got home, or did you keep it in a pot?

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    1. Oh it got planted right away, the photos with the gravel are it planted out in the front garden.

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  3. Whoa, those prices are a bit steep, methinks? Maybe because it's suburban Virginia?

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    1. Really? I didn't think they were too crazy.

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  4. Yes, good luck with the cuttings! May they multiply and you have bazillions. Such a great looking plant. How on earth do you tote it home in luggage?

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    1. I brought home that plant as well as two swag plants. Where there is a will there is a way. I can give you a lesson before the Austin Fling if you would like.

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  5. You don't need luck, you can root anything! I hope these all survive to beautify our garden next summer.

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    1. What? Me? Nope. I think you have me confused with someone else. I suck at propagation. And what's with that "our"... are you planning to move to Portland and buy the house next to us???

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    2. Oops, it was supposed to be your garden but I posted the comment before I read it. Sorry. I thought you were moving up here:)

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  6. I love that Alternanthera and I'm glad I was able to find it locally. The plants will survive for a few years here (if watered regularly!) before they get tatty. Thanks to your heads-up about how easily they root in water, I'm hanging on to the stems I cut for floral arrangements until they're well-rooted now so I can plant them. The first ones I planted have done fine. Best wishes with your cuttings!

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    1. Now I know where to hunt for replacements if my cuttings don't make it!

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  7. I love that plant - good for you for taking cuttings! I took cuttings of a Buddleija globosa a few weeks ago. Anxious to see if they will make it, but if they do, I have absolutely no place to put one. Oh well, the thrill of the chase, I suppose...

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    1. Bring them to the spring swap. There's always a willing taker.

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  8. Nice plants. I was given an Alternathera cutting, rooted easily (days) in a cup of water. Now I wonder if it will survive our desiccating Santa Ana winds.

    I like your dwarf selection.

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    1. I'm afraid they'd all be dwarf here, what with winter and all.

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  9. That place was huge wasn't it ? The only place I could compare it to was Swansons in Seattle . Finding Alternathera plants in Norcal is next to impossible.They are all over the place back east.

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    1. It was! Yes Swanson's, or maybe Portland Nursery. What's up with back east getting our West Coast plants?

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  10. Little red wine to inspire them to grow... or is it for the gardener?

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  11. At least Opuntia humifusa is native to the east coast, so it should be fine there. The 'Burbank Spineless' is likely not hardy, unless it's actually 'Ellisiana' (a lot of nurseries confuse the two). Good luck with your cuttings!

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  12. Wasn't that an incredible garden center? I'm afraid I would live there if I was close by. Though I did manage to resist making any purchases.

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  13. Merrifield actually has two locations; the other also is in Va, but closer to the city. They often have some interesting plants there; bought a 20-gallon Monkey Puzzle there a few years ago that is doing great. There are several mature specimens in the DC area.

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