I mean when you see a big Platycerium sitting on the ground...
With a Colocasia growing out of it, well, you have to take a photo. Right?
Ditto for a large pair of Agaves with one of them busting out of it's plastic pot.
I was very tempted by these gorgeous (and large, I'm not sure the photo really conveys how large they are) Alcantarea imperialis 'Julieta'. If I lived somewhere I could leave bromeliads outdoor year round I would have multiples of this plant growing in the ground.
But I don't, and it would have to come into the (already packed) basement for the winter. Plus it's so large it would dwarf every other bromeliad in my garden. It took several visits (just another pass-through to see if someone else had bought them) but I managed to walk away without it.
One of my favorite things about the RPR greenhouses are the many plants that have gone feral and are living their best lives there. Like this Tradescantia pallida.
And this Dalechampia aristolochiifolia...
Hmm, walked by a cart belonging to a friend and had to check out what he'd grabbed.
Echium down!
There were a few Echium wildpretii on offer for the sale, and this older, blooming plant, showing off next to them.
Several clumps of different Eucomis were popping up in the soil at the edges of the greenhouses. Seeds doing their thing?
There were once pots of Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Ogon Nishiki' for sale here. Now there's one growing in the ground, rooted through the fabric.
Moss. I had to stop and photograph the moss...
Out in the field there were Scadoxus puniceus doing their thing...
Waiting for the payment line to get shorter I walked up to check out the owner's home and grounds. When you've got plants and greenhouses at your disposal you can have a lot of fun.
Although not all the plants need to come inside for the winter.
Agave ovatifolia
NoID Arctostaphylos
Yucca rostrata and the man-made lake.
Another blooming Echium wildpretii.
Every year I check out how this wall of bromeliads in the conservatory is doing.
After paying for my plants (which I'll share at the end of this post) I decided to swing by Hughes Water Gardens, One of my RPR purchases had me thinking about a water bowl. Walking their display garden I admired the Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'...
And the lotus growing in the tropical greenhouse.
There was an early blooming water lily...
And the nonstop blooming Bougainvillea.
I adore it's orange/pink coloration.
After that I stopped at an open HPSO garden on the way home. It's always fun to admire plants you like, but don't grow, in other people's gardens.
Oh my!
Poor fellow, his girl is missing her face!
Rodgersia hanging on to it's chocolate blush.
Nectaroscordum siculum, aka Sicilian honey garlic.
So what did I buy? At RPR I couldn't resist this Platycerium bifurcatum ‘Netherlands’ with multiple growing points at a very good price ($14.50).
And almost as though he read my mind, Burl (owner of RPR) started some dwarf lotus from seed and was selling 4" pots for just $5 (I'd been hoping to find an interesting water plant for a small bowl in the garden). They're inside the house for a week or two (we've got an night in the mid 40's in the forecast) but it will be fun to watch them grow this summer.
At Hughes I picked up this Ledebouria cooperi for that same water bowl. It was a very planty Saturday! I hope you did something fun over the weekend involving plants.
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You packed a lot into one day. Some great photos at RPR. The moss and the yucca reflections in the pond were particularly lovely. On a similar note I repotted my waterlilies and got them into our little pond. Would love to try lotus too. Maybe have to try them from seed. Look forward to seeing how your water bowl turns out. Unfortunately, our garden centers don't bring in a huge array of water plants. Always envy the many places you have to shop locally.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked the moss photos, I debated on whether or not to post them. I caved and ordered a nice floater plant (Salvinia minima) online because nobody local (even Hughes which is a nursery just for water plants) carries them.
DeleteHow could you not go?! I love the Scadoxus and the Euphorbia 'Fireglow', and other plants I can't grow like the water lilies (due to the need for protection against raccoons and the pinch in keeping any water tank going during the hot, dry summers).
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if there are any nurseries or garden centers I can claim visiting for 19 years running. So many of my old favorites from my earlier gardening years have closed - I guess I can count the local Armstrong if I include its prior incarnation as the Airport Nursery.
Ya I'm aware that putting together a water bowl is stupid considering my past with raccoons. We shall see.
DeleteThat seems like a good deal for that Platycerium bifurcatum ‘Netherlands’.
ReplyDeleteRight? I thought so.
DeleteAre you planning on dividing the Platycerium? I'd be interested in seeing how you go about it as it's such a big clump.
ReplyDeleteI really wanted to pop down there but I am trying to be more disciplined this year. I, uh, wasn't last year, or not enough, anyway. Even so, I've still got things to get in the ground or repot yet this spring. It's just as well to alternate spending years, but I may weaken and head back down there in June.
That tiny lotus is adorable!
Nope, I like it just the way it is, although I am planning on cleaning it up a bit. I got out of there for just $24.95... I think that's a record low!
DeleteWow! Impressive discipline!
DeleteLooking forward to seeing the Platycerium "spiffed up" and planted in something fabulous.
It doesn't matter how many times you visit a favorite place, there's always something new that catches your eye: such as Colocasia growing out of a Staghorn fern... astonishing.
ReplyDeleteThere used to be a large patch of Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow' in Seattle's Center for Urbane Horticulture. It is probably my favorite Euphorbia but like others, it wasn't successful in my garden.
I'm waiting patiently to see your new water bowl!
Chavli
It seems that euphorbia needs a lot of sun to be happy. The patch at Hughes is much smaller than it was in the past. Hopefully the new water bowl will be photo worthy! ;)
DeleteIt seems like the last open house was just a few months ago. Time flies. I continue to marvel at the number of cool nurseries within easy driving distance.
ReplyDeleteAlcantarea imperialis 'Julieta' is fantastic. I have two, and they've grown nicely (albeit slowly).
Time certainly does fly, no doubt about that. The fact they're such slow growers is what had me considering these large plants (or at least one of them), even though the price tag was substantial. In the end I just couldn't do it (even though I was given the blessing to ignore budget before I left--celebrating re-employment).
DeleteWhat a great visit, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with the water bowl. Ledebouria cooperi is cool, I like the coloring of it. Score on the Platycerium! Of course the agaves growing around all the rock piles is a favorite. The boy doesn't seem to mind his gal is missing half her face. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe day after this post something (squirrel? raccoon?) did a number on my bog containers, maybe it was a warning to not even try with the water bowl? Dammit.
DeleteAm I hallucinating? Or is that a yucca wading through the RPR lake?
ReplyDeleteClearly you are hallucinating. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
DeleteI've learned a lot about gardening from you, so I hope you won't be offended by a little grammar lesson.
ReplyDeleteit's = it is
its = belonging to it (just like his, hers)
(you often write it's when it should be its ... or maybe it's the spell checker?)
(No need to publish my comment, of course)
I am happy to publish your comment and appreciate your gentle correction. I imagine there are others like you who are cringing when you read me writing it wrong. It's not that spell checker changes it (although sadly it doesn't catch the error and alert me), or that I don't know the difference (the correct usage) because I do. It's that my fingers get going and type the incorrect version and I don't catch it when proofing. A friend called my attention to this issue a few months ago and I was better about catching it for awhile, but I guess I have relapsed. Thank you, and I will try to slow down and proof with a more critical eye again!
Delete