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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I used to visit Annie’s 1-2xyear when I lived in Pasadena and visited my daughter in the Bay Area. My hack for buying plants was to buy one of their well designed shipping boxes. I would fill it with plants and check it onto Southwest for free. I’m glad to see this wonderful nursery was able to rebound.
ReplyDeleteSo smart! Sadly I recently read that Southwest has done away with the free checked bag...
DeleteThank you for the tour. While I did order from them when they were Annie's I've sadly never been so your photos and tour are appreciated.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fun nursery to wander (CF and Annie's), I think I've been 4 times?
DeleteI'm so glad that Curious Flora resurrected Annie's nursery - and I'm still looking forward with anxious anticipation to the launch of the mail order portion of the business purchased by another company. I SO miss those plants!
ReplyDeleteI was impressed by that Agave vilmoriniana. My variegated specimen never got nearly that big before it bloomed. I saved a bulbil, which is now a decent size but its in a large pot - maybe I need to free it to do its thing! I do have a couple of vacancies...
I too was impressed by the Agave vilmoriniana. It is one that's not hardy here AND its arms are so brittle that trying to grow it in a container is a no-no for me.
DeleteVery cool plants, Loree! Very drool-worthy. Glad to see they are open.
ReplyDeleteSo many great plants!
DeleteNow You Do have a Lap that Could have Carried one or Two Two Treasures Home!
ReplyDeleteYou missed the part about this being a budget vacation...
DeleteI’m glad you had a chance to visit. I’ve been so curious to see how they were doing and how the nursery was looking. Did you visit Marcia and Richard while you were down there by any chance?
ReplyDeleteMarcia yes, I did a three-part series on her garden in late July/early August. Sadly we didn't have time to stop in at the Dry Garden.
DeleteDoryanthes palmeri is a new one on me. Quite beautiful - I'm drawn to luscious reds. I can see where Banksia blecnifolia gets its name from - a fern! The patterning underneath the leaves is exquisite!
ReplyDeleteBoth terribly gorgeous plants that aren't hardy for us. I once grew a Banksia blechnifolia in a container but it died. Perhaps it's time to try again!
DeleteSo that's what my African Spear Lily is supposed to do! Haven't seen a bloom yet, and it certainly seems mature enough. Maybe lack of water. And beschorneria blooms too, aaaagh! My blog says one bloomed in my garden in 2011 -- the Bay Area seems to have an easier time with them. That thistle is a tricky one. I remember Scott had one in bloom during that Fling and we were so impressed. Isn't it great to wander those aisles again, see the cow, etc!
ReplyDelete