A quick stop at Earthwise Salvage and Pacific Galleries

I found myself with an hour or so to kill on Friday afternoon after leaving the NWFG Show. While there were plenty of nurseries I would have loved to visit they were all north of town. It was Friday afternoon...thus traffic dictated that I head in the direction of my friend Erin's place, were I was due for dinner. Luckily I remembered The Outlaw writing about his visit to Earthwise Salvage in Tacoma and that they had a Seattle location...

I swear the temperature dropped a good ten degrees that afternoon. What had felt like a warmish early spring day took on a stormy, chilly feeling as I got out of my car. Still I was determined to learn what this Earthwise Salvage was all about...

Even these photos appear cold, or maybe it's just my lingering memory of being extremely uncomfortable? Anyway, loved this water feature thingy...

It took me a few minutes to realize the palms were real. Their coloring was so yellow I thought they were fake.

We've got this same utility sink in our basement, thankfully ours is one piece.

That rusted metal circular stacked piece has a lot of potential.

As do these, somehow...

I never would have thought toilet tank lids could look so interesting!

However piles of shiny metal are always appealing.

Those Swiss-cheese wheels!

And this. OMG...

I'd already decided it would be too rich for my blood, but I should have asked. No harm in asking...

Nice chains!

Seeing this collection I was reminded of a planted up pickaxe I saw on Gardening Gone Wild.

Coulda shoulda woulda.

This was a no-brainer though, it became mine.

Metal Christmas tree shapes! (loved them)

Rusted bed springs, hmm...

Bought one of those (fast-forward to home)...

Since I was nearby Pacific Galleries I stopped in there too. I wandered and just soaked it all up, not bothering to dig out my camera until I walked into a second set of rooms and discovered these...

They stopped me in my tracks. I was standing there in awe...

Wanting to capture everything about them but completely unsure what I would ever do with the inspiration.

It was an amazing feeling.

I kind of felt like I owed them some money just for the strong feelings these huge fixtures stirred within. It was magical.

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Visiting Australia via Ventura, California...

Here we are, back in California on December 22nd 2015.

I think it was an internet search that first lead me to the Australian Native Plants Nursery, or maybe it was reading about Denise's visit on her blog? Either way I knew I had to see it for myself and our last trip to Los Angeles provided the opportunity.

Since were there at Christmastime I was concerned the timing wouldn't be good for Jo O'Connell, the nursery owner – especially given the nursery is located at her home, and not open regular business hours. However she could not have been more welcoming.

This cutie is Wallaby, official greeter and chewer. Wallaby was in a horrible accident just days after our visit and suffered a collapsed lung, broken pelvis, broken hip, two broken ribs and a huge cut on his side. I am thrilled to report that with the care of excellent doctors and the help (financial and emotional) of many people Wallaby has made an excellent recovery.

Banksia ericifolia

Xylomelum occidentale

Banksia spinulosa

In her post Denise wrote "...you have to make the trip to Jo’s nursery to experience that peculiar, out-of-body sensation familiar to plant-mad people when surrounded by unfamiliar, intensely desirable plants" yes! I was bouncing around, to and fro, snapping photos, smelling things, touching them, giddy at the feeling of the familiar and the foreign.

Above and below is Grevillea pteridifolia, it came home with me, along with a Senna artemisioides.

Here's what a larger specimen looks like.

Serruria florida

I did not get the name of this Grevillea.

Grevillea robusta (Silky Oak)

Just look at all the interesting leaf shapes...

Banksia grandis

And again...

Grevillea 'Royal Mantle'

Leucadendron salignum (I think...)

Eucalyptus ‘Moon Lagoon’– here you see the juvenile foliage with its blue green small narrow leaves. Later you'll see tall mature trees, well, assuming I managed to get the labels correctly ordered.

Protea 'Naoibi'

The wind was really blowing the plastic at the end of this hoop house. Add in that "other worldly" feel of the plants I was surrounded by, being in the space all alone, and it was quite the memorable experience.

Hakea elliptica

Why does a sign like this make everything more enticing?

Leucadendron 'Jester'

Leucadendron discolor (I think)

I'm unable to identify this Leucadendron but isn't it perfectly placed, growing against that wall?

I think this is Callistemon 'Little John' and I remember feeling rather smug that I had a beautiful plant at home, which I would be planting out this spring.

Little did I know my plant was at home dying...(too little water)...

Grevillea 'Ivanhoe'...a happier personal-garden story here as my three plants are all still alive and growing.

It's not just plants, Jo also has a number of containers available at the nursery.

Although Wallaby tends to eat them. Seriously.

Acacia elata

Eutaxia obovata...I swear every single one of these plants were ones you could stare at for hours. Such interesting foliage and form.

This is the mature Eucalyptus ‘Moon Lagoon’ – again assuming I've got my labels organized correctly.

I hope I've convinced you that a visit to the nursery is a must if you're anywhere near. It's magical!

We're winding down this visit however, it was getting late and I feared we may have overstayed...

Plus Andrew was looking a little tired...(note the Xanthorrhoea preissii bloom spikes in the container behind him!)...

Wallaby was doing his best however to make sure Andrew didn't drift off to sleep...

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

Wednesday Vignette – what do an alien and a fried egg have in common?

Really, what do an alien and a fried egg have in common?

Well...they, along with a smiling rock spider, a strawberry, and a few other things (?) are all products of the imaginations of my neighbor's kids. I wonder what color the tulip will be?

Visit Flutter & Hum for links to all the bloggers posting a vignette on Wednesday.

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.