Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Solo shopping at Secret Garden Growers

The weekend before our Governor officially issued a stay-at-home order I emailed with Pat Thompson about paying a visit to her rural Oregon nursery, Secret Garden Growers. She'd posted on Facebook about arranging for people to schedule visits so they were able to shop solo. Being there was wonderful...

Pat has some pretty fabulous plants...(and does mail order!)

I adore the subtle variegation on this Pyrrosia lingua 'Ogon Nishiki'...

Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty'

I think I take a photo of this mossy bowl every time I visit.

The hanging solar lanterns must cast a lovely glow at twilight.

Looking out across the nursery...

Only $30 for these Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies' seems like a steal!

Speaking of steal, those green marbles were so, well, tempting...

Polygala chamaebuxus, so cute!

Lonicera crassifolia, wearing it's winter red.

I've never found Azara microphylla 'Variegata' to be particularly appealing, but I think I'm in the minority there.

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Wissel's Saguaro' in the display garden. I have one of these now thanks to Tamara, aka Ms. Chickadee Gardens.

The ducks—runner ducks—were very entertaining. They definitely wanted to maintain more than a 6ft distance from me.

No worries, I couldn't have touched them if I'd tried.

This is Spanky telling me I have no business going into the greenhouse. Sorry buddy but you're wrong. I asked your mom and she said I could...

I'm spoiled having been here on several private trips in the past...

Well and evidently so are the dogs! You've met Spanky, the other two are Gaia and Zeus. They are absolutely adorable.

Sorry, I didn't snap a photo of this one's tag. Pretty foliage though, eh?

Ditto for this flower...

Begonia pedatifida that are this nice looking are hard to pass up, but I managed to do so, since I already have a couple of happy clumps at home.

Clumps I will now be referring to as "Bigfoot Begonia"... ha! Who knew?

Cestrum fasciculatum

Passiflora jamesonii 'Coral Seas'

I have one of these corokia and love it.

Not sure what the yellow bloomer is but it's rather sunny.

Rubus lineatus, one of many plants I've loved, and let go...

This is a striking combination, don't you think?

Lepisorus bicolor is a new one for me.

Pelargonium 'Colocho'

Dog butt! (there was something in that flat that was very interesting...)

Arisaema ringens

Okay I rounded up the plants I couldn't live without and headed back down towards the checkout area, pausing a moment to consider stopping to play...(I did not)...

Here are my treasures...

Another Lonicera crassifolia added to my collection. This makes three...

Arisaema ringens, let's hope this one lasts longer than the last arisaema I purchased (it never returned after it's first winter).

Coniogramme intermedia 'Yoroi Musha'

Pyrrosia lingua 'Ogon Nishiki'

Pyrrosia polydactyla 'Taipingshan'

Passiflora jamesonii 'Coral Seas', which I absolutely love when it manages to bloom, which isn't always for me. I, however, found one with buds. Hopefully they won't be discouraged by our cool temperatures and will pop open sometime soon.

Here's another shot of the haul once home, because...

I neglected to get an earlier photo of the Solanum atropurpureum 'Malevolence' and it's purple spikes...oh ya!

Pat threw this one in with my haul and it wasn't until later, at home, that I noticed the danger garden reference on the tag. Fun!

And yes, I mentioned it before, but I'll say it again... Secret Garden Growers does mail order and they're open for private shopping appointments if you're in the area.

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Weather Diary, Apr 6: Hi 64, Low 40/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

16 comments:

  1. I'm curious about how she handled checkout in a safe way. We put a lot of thought into that at JC. Even so, I succumbed to pleas from Richard and our children to stay at home...going a little buggy and missing the gang at work. Appreciating your daily posts even more than usual. Thank you!
    rickii

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    1. She has a square secured to the checkout area, you swipe your own card, no signature required. It felt very safe! As for your staying at home, I am thrilled to learn that you are doing so, although yes, I am sure you would much rather be at JC.

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  2. Danger danger...love those purple spikes. Too much fun.

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  3. What a remarkable range of plants, so many with cool leaves. That Solanum was made for you!

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    1. It's such a great nursery. Wish you could visit!

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  4. These outings are so precious now, right? That bigfoot begonia is very intriguing, and I think the blue flower above it might be brodiaea -- lots of which I planted but hasn't turned up yet. Good luck with 'Coral Seas.'

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    1. So very precious. That begonia is hardy for me, I love it. Have you had issues with 'Coral Seas'?

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  5. Niiiice. I'm starting to pay more attention to Pyrrosia....

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    1. As well you should, they are such cool plants. Collect them all!

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  6. I've got a list of plants I want from Pat but I can't decide if I should just go ahead and order them. I'd really like to visit but... life is weird right now.

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  7. "...schedule visits so they were able to shop solo" was echoing in my head while I was reading, slowly turning to a pale shade of green. You are so lucky having the ground to yourself, except for the lovely dogs. If my memory serves me right, you have at least 2 other Pyrrosia and a growing collection of Passiflora in your garden; looking forward to a GBBD when you can show them off.

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    1. The pyrrosia species count is currently at 8, and I have several of a few of them. I'm addicted! As for the passionflower collection, I can't wait to see them blooming again...

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  8. As our season for nursery openings approaches, I wonder what will happen here. I can't imagine spring without visits for plant fixes and worry what will happen to our precious few businesses that operate in our little backwater. Tough times. :(

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  9. Forgot to mention how much I admire the signage with so much valuable info.
    rickii

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