On prior year's visits to Rare Plant Research my friend Peter has had his camera in-hand as soon as we parked the car. Monkey see, monkey do, I did too. This year he didn't even take his camera with him, as he's on a bit of a blogging siesta. Would I follow suit? Tempting, but no.
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All it took was the annual spotting of the wrongly signed agaves to get my camera finger twitching. No these are not Agave utahensis var. eborispina, not even close.
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The first year I was able to chalk the sign up to last minute preparations for the open house. The second, third years...well, now I just don't know. I think next year I'm going to take a black sharpie with me so I can change the name to Agave Montana (or a cross between A. Montana and A. 'Baccarat’? Anybody?). People should know what it is they're buying.
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Okay thank you. It felt good to get that out of my system.
Once the camera was out, it was impossible to put it away, so here we go...
Agave parryi and some flaming canna neighbors....
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The real Agave utahensis (but not var. eborispina)
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Damn, look at those colors!
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There were so many lovely bromeliads to be tempted by (again)...
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This is just one plant, or rather one plant pot (two gallon I think). Mama's had a lot of babies!
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We both selected a few bromeliads to take home (and I'll share a haul photo at the end), but moving on...
Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Ogon Nishiki', which I kick myself for not grabbing a couple of. This plant can be hard to find!
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My annual photo of the blooming watsonia...
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Close-up
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I think the kniphofia are an annual subject too.
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Testing my will power there were several bromeliads dispersed throughout the other polytunnels. As soon as I resisted one beauty another would present itself.
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As usual eavesdropping is a must. I heard several versions of "I can't believe you can grow these things in Oregon!" which of course had me concerned they thought you really could. I mean you can, but not outdoors in the winter time, at least not most of them.
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I was seriously consideringpurchasing killing another furcraea this year, but the price seemed higher than previous years so I managed to just walk by.
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They're so lovely though!
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The selection of carnivorous plants seems to have expanded. They're definitely achieving "it plant" status at nurseries everywhere.
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I bought one of these Nepenthes alata, they were only $12 how could I not? The sign did have "houseplant" written on it, which I applaud. No putting this one in the ground here in Oregon.
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Again, I heard a little girl's voice call out "take me home!" (a little girl named Aloe dorotheae), it happens every year. I managed to resist her siren song.
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When we finished up shopping the line to check out was LONG—shades of Hortlandia and the long line there, long—which I think is an fantastic sign for how strong the gardening scene is here in Western Oregon. Rather than just stand in line we decided to walk up to the house and hope the line cleared while we ogled the garden (a plan that worked, by the way).
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I always love visiting the big boulder crevice garden. I wonder if some folks think these bromeliads stay out here year 'round? I hope not.
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Peeking over at the house...
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Wow! The Aesculus hippocastanum 'Laciniata' (aka cut-leaf horse chestnut) has grown significantly. That's it on the right...
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Close-up
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Tuscany via Oregon City.
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This vertical arrangement was inside the conservatory/wine tasting room. Funny thing though, I have this image (or rather one like it, the specific plants have changed a bit) saved on my iPad. I found it somewhere on the internet. This is the second time I've walked right into an image I know from an online source, but never knew where the photo was actually taken (Balboa Park in San Diego was location of the first). It is an odd feeling!
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People are encouraged to enjoy lunch on the grounds, with a glass of wine from the owner's winery, of course.
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The view is not too shabby!
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Here's our haul. Mine is on the left, just a single flat. Peter's is in the middle and on the right, stretching all the way up towards the passenger seat. We hit three more nurseries before the day was over, I should have gotten a picture when we arrived back at my house and loaded everything into Peter's car. Oh well, it was definitely a good day.
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Weather Diary, June 3: Hi 74, Low 52/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
All it took was the annual spotting of the wrongly signed agaves to get my camera finger twitching. No these are not Agave utahensis var. eborispina, not even close.
The first year I was able to chalk the sign up to last minute preparations for the open house. The second, third years...well, now I just don't know. I think next year I'm going to take a black sharpie with me so I can change the name to Agave Montana (or a cross between A. Montana and A. 'Baccarat’? Anybody?). People should know what it is they're buying.
Okay thank you. It felt good to get that out of my system.
Once the camera was out, it was impossible to put it away, so here we go...
Agave parryi and some flaming canna neighbors....
The real Agave utahensis (but not var. eborispina)
Damn, look at those colors!
There were so many lovely bromeliads to be tempted by (again)...
This is just one plant, or rather one plant pot (two gallon I think). Mama's had a lot of babies!
We both selected a few bromeliads to take home (and I'll share a haul photo at the end), but moving on...
Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Ogon Nishiki', which I kick myself for not grabbing a couple of. This plant can be hard to find!
My annual photo of the blooming watsonia...
Close-up
I think the kniphofia are an annual subject too.
Testing my will power there were several bromeliads dispersed throughout the other polytunnels. As soon as I resisted one beauty another would present itself.
As usual eavesdropping is a must. I heard several versions of "I can't believe you can grow these things in Oregon!" which of course had me concerned they thought you really could. I mean you can, but not outdoors in the winter time, at least not most of them.
I was seriously considering
They're so lovely though!
The selection of carnivorous plants seems to have expanded. They're definitely achieving "it plant" status at nurseries everywhere.
I bought one of these Nepenthes alata, they were only $12 how could I not? The sign did have "houseplant" written on it, which I applaud. No putting this one in the ground here in Oregon.
Again, I heard a little girl's voice call out "take me home!" (a little girl named Aloe dorotheae), it happens every year. I managed to resist her siren song.
When we finished up shopping the line to check out was LONG—shades of Hortlandia and the long line there, long—which I think is an fantastic sign for how strong the gardening scene is here in Western Oregon. Rather than just stand in line we decided to walk up to the house and hope the line cleared while we ogled the garden (a plan that worked, by the way).
I always love visiting the big boulder crevice garden. I wonder if some folks think these bromeliads stay out here year 'round? I hope not.
Peeking over at the house...
Wow! The Aesculus hippocastanum 'Laciniata' (aka cut-leaf horse chestnut) has grown significantly. That's it on the right...
Close-up
Tuscany via Oregon City.
This vertical arrangement was inside the conservatory/wine tasting room. Funny thing though, I have this image (or rather one like it, the specific plants have changed a bit) saved on my iPad. I found it somewhere on the internet. This is the second time I've walked right into an image I know from an online source, but never knew where the photo was actually taken (Balboa Park in San Diego was location of the first). It is an odd feeling!
People are encouraged to enjoy lunch on the grounds, with a glass of wine from the owner's winery, of course.
The view is not too shabby!
Here's our haul. Mine is on the left, just a single flat. Peter's is in the middle and on the right, stretching all the way up towards the passenger seat. We hit three more nurseries before the day was over, I should have gotten a picture when we arrived back at my house and loaded everything into Peter's car. Oh well, it was definitely a good day.
Weather Diary, June 3: Hi 74, Low 52/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.