Every year I make a point of visiting Cistus Nursery in January. It's a mood-lifting teaser for the growing season ahead.
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Many years I've visited bundled up against the cold—toes numb by the time I climb back in my car and crank up the heater. During those visits the nursery stock is all tucked in for the season, behind sliding doors and near heaters. When I visited earlier this month there was none of that, our winter continues to surprise with warm (for winter) temperatures and sunny days "sprinkled" throughout. I am not complaining…
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Of course visiting a nursery in January is a great way to get inspired and clued in to plants that will dress up your winter garden, like this Garrya elliptica.
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Or a mahonia, like this one (perhaps Mahonia x media 'Charity'?) which is blooming in the shady garden at the front of the nursery.![]()
Nearby the fronds of a Chamaerops humilis are doing a most excellent "jazz hands" thing.
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This scene supports the illusion I've walked miles through a jungle and there's a village ahead...
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Alas it's a village selling plants, which of course is fine with me.
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Agave 'Burnt Burgundy'
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Agave montana
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Agave montana backed by Yucca 'Blue Sentry'.
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Does this look like January in Portland? No. The answer is no.
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There's one in every crowd, right?
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Sweet! (someone please breed a cyclamen with orange flowers!)
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Camellia sasanqua 'Setsugekka'
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The bamboo grove to the north of the nursery proper has been cleared out a little over the last year or so. It's absolutely gorgeous now...
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Looking back to where I've just been.
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Inside the "Big-Top" now, where I stop to lust after this giant staghorn fern. I used to hate them, but I am coming around, slowly.
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More plant fun in the "Big-Top"...
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Things are very spiky!
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Small Agave bracteosa...
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x Mangave 'Failing Waters'
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A look back...
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Before we head outside again...
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Beschorneria decosteriana backed by a eucalyptus.
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Perhaps Kniphofia x 'Christmas Cheer'?
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And now I'm further back on the property and in the private garden of Sean Hogan and Preston Pew, aka "Rancho Cistus". I came to drop off a copy of Fearless Gardening, but of course stopped to take photos of the plants in the desert island. Agave 'Sharkskin' I presume.
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I threatened to count the agaves...
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Agave ovatifolia
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But the light was fading fast. So no counting on this trip, but I promised to return and do so this summer. I was told there would be even more then.
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Nice combination, Pinus contorta 'Chief Joseph' with a tall Yucca rostrata.
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The front of Sean and Preston's house...
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And just like that the sun has fallen further and it's time for me to head home.
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But not before I stop at the edge of the Sauvie Island bridge to snap a photograph of Mt Hood in the distance. There are several places around town where you get an unobstructed view, but today it was especially nice, glowing even...
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Weather Diary, Jan 17: Hi 52, Low 39/ Precip 0
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