Visiting Curious Flora Nursery

We're jumping back down to the Bay Area, and my trip last March. Last week I wrapped up our Saturday private garden visits, but on Sunday we hit two public gardens (that I've not yet written about) and a nursery, Curious Flora Nursery in Richmond, CA, the former home of Annie's Annuals. Gerhard was amazing for his willingness to drive long distances each of the three days we were out garden adventuring. 

Oh how I love Ranunculus!

They're some of what's planted in the bed those three people are staring at in the first image.

Moving on into the nursery, I was amazed by the size of this Agave vilmoriniana.

And happy to see the famous cow back home (she was back in time for Curious Flora's grand opening).

Oh that red! It belongs to the green sword shaped foliage on the left at the back of the photo, Doryanthes palmeri - Giant Spear Lily.

Not to be ignored, a ginormous Agave ovatifolia and a blooming Beschorneria...

Another of the Doryanthes palmeri stems, which I had to walk under to get over to the...

Tall Echium that was fixing to bloom soon.

Passing by the Beschorneria again...

And stopping to admire that Agave vilmoriniana...

And I finally made it out to the sales tables! They looked very much like they did back when this was still Annie's... 

If these Bukiniczia cabulica would have been larger I may not have been able to resist.

I was really trying to look, not buy however. I only had one carry-on suitcase, and this was meant to be a very budget-minded vacation.

Damn! Look at those papery buds...

Helichrysum retortum

I found the plant flowering in another part of the nursery.

I'm not so wild about the flowers, but I love the buds!

Oh hello old friend! I haven't grown Lupinus sericatus for awhile, but I have fond memories of that soft silver foliage.

Ditto for Lupinus albifrons (which I am growing again now thanks to a plant from Tamara/Chickadee Gardens)

Cirsium occidentale

Lust!

Ditto for this Aeonium...

And this! Damn. If Lotus jacobaeus were hardy for me here in Portland I'd definitely be growing it.

Since I was lusting, I stopped to admire the Protea cynaroides 'Mini King' ($77.95!).

And fondle the Banksia blechnifolia ($73.95!).

It was nice to see this nursery up and running with lots of happy customers and healthy plants. And yes, I really did leave without buying a thing! Gerhard (who did buy a couple things that day) was back again in June and shared a lengthy post here.

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