Ravenna Gardens

How many great nurseries have you been to that are in the middle of a shopping mall? Not very many, right? To be fair it’s not a traditional mall, but rather the open-air type that marketing people refer to as a “lifestyle center” (puke). The location, in Seattle’s University Village, is one of my favorite things about this nursery.
Ravenna Gardens isn’t the cheapest garden center, nor does it have the widest selection but it does have a well edited group of plants, pots, books, tools and the like. Plus it softens and greens up what is otherwise a mall parking lot. It’s a locally owned and more “connected” version of the deceased Smith and Hawken.
All the displays at Ravenna Gardens are so colorful and well put together, and they are always in-touch with the seasons (unlike me), just look at all that great fall color! I love this container planting, which is surprising if you’ve noticed my usual 1 plant per planter style. I hate (make that absolutely HATE) the whole “thriller, filler and spiller” recipe for container plantings. That might be necessary if you’ve got a bunch of pansies, but not if you stick with bold, spiky and dangerous plants! Most impressive to me was their fabulous selection of succulents, agaves and aloe. I wanted them all! But managed to not buy a single one. Now that’s impressive eh?

In the gardens of friends, day two

My friend Erin has two large and playful dogs, Lucy (standing) and Gus (laying down), who love to run around and have fun in their back yard. Unfortunately sometimes this involves digging and the ensuing plant destruction. Erin has overcome doggy destruction with a fabulous container garden on her patio; these plants are in the safe zone. If she weren’t such a good friend I’d be jealous of how good some of these look. Like this Umbrella Palm, (Cyperus involucratus) she bought in July, in Portland, while visiting me, I swear it’s doubled in size! Her Fatsia japonica are benefiting from shade with beautiful dark glossy leaves!
Erin is about to embark on a patio redo, they’ve been making-do with the brick and terra cotta patio that came with the house, I’ve always loved it but something clean and modern is a little more her style.
I love this Dwarf Papyrus, Cyperus ‘Nana’ another plant she purchased in July that has at the very least doubled in size. She rescued this Kniphofia caulescens from my garden. It was going crazy and getting ugly in my front yard and I ripped it out. It’s very happy here and behaving nicely.
Isn’t this Variegated Bamboo gorgeous?
And she finally has an Agave! She adopted one of the pups from my brother in Arizona. It too is very happy in Erin’s garden.
More of her happy healthy container plantings…. Here’s to quality patio time with a good friend! Hope you all have something similar planned for the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

In the gardens of friends

I had two goals for my trip to Seattle last weekend:

First, to see my friend Steve’s new house. He moved in June and I needed to see the “before,” before he got rid of it. Second, to enjoy a summer evening with my friend Erin chatting on her patio, whenever I’ve visited her for the last few years it’s been too cold and rainy to be outside! Both goals were achieved.

This is Steve’s first house; it’s full of possibilities and a lot of previous owner “issues” to overcome. He’s been busy pulling up shag carpeting and tearing down dated wallpaper but has still managed a few garden improvements. Like planting this Trachycarpus fortunei (below) and Musa basjoo (above) – by next spring he should be well on his way to disguising the neighbor’s "estate" and the chain link fence. He’s also shopping for some nice screening bamboo.
In the front yard he gets to start with these “healthy” foundation plantings and “landscaped” side yard. Lots of room for improvement!
And a blank slate of a backyard, with a huge lilac (on the left) and a mature laurel hedge. I have no doubt that next summer I will be posting some amazing pictures of the transformation!
I am in love with this. I’m assuming it’s a Caladium? I need one with these colors!
He’s hoping that someone can identify this volunteer. It sprouted up in the dead lawn and so far is looking like a keeper. Anyone know what it is? He planted up a few pots to anchor the end of the drive; one has this fabulous airy plant with the burgundy balls on it.
Inside the house I was excited to find he bought a Bullet Planter! I LOVE bullet planters, just wish they were a little more affordable.
We went out for coffee Saturday morning, to a Starbucks in disguise! The 15th Ave Starbucks on Capitol Hill is now 15th Ave Coffee and Tea…only it’s still a Starbucks! The only place you see the name is on the door where it says “inspired by Starbucks” – but it isn’t inspired by, it is! The cups and napkins have no name on them, the staff dresses in street clothes (no uniform apron), the décor is NW Salvage/Industrial. They even serve beer and wine. So you have a company that built this huge brand, and now they are hiding it? Interesting. We did enjoy the courtyard; it was very private and well done. The plants are in whiskey barrel halves and the table is an old door.
BTW I read an article in the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce quoting a Starbucks employee who said the reason for the new look was to “inspire people and to create a deeper connection to coffee and community.” I wonder why can’t they can’t do that and still keep their name?

City People’s Garden Store

Every time I visit Seattle I have to stop at City People’s. This store bears a lot of responsibility for making me into a gardener. When I moved to Seattle from Spokane I was like a kid in a candy store at City People's. So many plants that I had never seen! Exotics that would parish in Spokane’s zone 5 thriving in Seattle at City People's.
It’s hard to know what I would think of City People’s if I just discovered it today. No doubt I would enjoy it, but it wouldn’t hold the special place for me that it does now. When I was a frustrated apartment gardener without a car this was the only nursery within walking distance, a long walk mind you and of course uphill on the way home. Sometimes I had to take the bus, having bought too much to carry.

I was in Seattle last weekend visiting friends and the first place I went was City People's. I expected them to be winding down for the season as so many nurseries are, but they actually were going strong! The first thing I saw were these beautiful Chard. Unfortunately they are ornamental only, can you imagine a beautiful salad made with these? This sweet little bumble bee was napping on the Echinacea. They had a whole display of beautiful Cordylines, hard to pass up. But I did.
I’ve never seen Variegated Lily of the Valley before.
And I’ve never stopped in my tracks before for an Edgeworthia. This Edgeworthia Chrysantha was amazing!
More Cotinus calling out to me.
Astelia nervosa, I love this plant, it is amazing, but $31.99 seems a little pricey, mine was only $12.50 from Rare Plant Research. And there were Agaves! These were in the outside nursery, a handy hint to the uninitiated that with good drainage they would over winter outside just fine. Unlike the more tender ones inside.
Inside they have a great selection of pots and tender plants. Like these little Puya. Only $4.99, hard to pass up, not sure how I did it.
I fell in love with these Agave ocahui x attenuata blue, the tag calls them “Retro Succulents”. Oh god. And notice the sign. There was not an Echeveria in site but if the staff found one they shouldn’t water it (the sign is stuck in one of the Agaves)
What I bought: An Aspidistra elatior, or Cast Iron plant great for dark dry shade, I’ve got just the place and been looking for these for awhile, I didn’t think they would be so hard to find!Of course I had to get an Agave ocahui x attenuata blue, how could I pass it up? And a Selaginella kraussiana 'Brownii' or Emerald Isle Spikemoss, so green and so cute! I hope it spreads…