I love a pretty parking lot!
There are lots of treasures here. Soon the largest selection of hardy fuchsias I've ever seen in one place will take up a huge chunk of space. Must go back soon.
Another specialty of Joy Creek is Clematis. Here's a fraction of their selection. Notice the clever way that they keep them from blowing over all the time.
Pleione formosana or Windowsill Orchid. Pretty but not for me.
Closing time was fast approaching and the kind folks working at the nursery said that if we parked our car out on the road, they could close the gate across their driveway, we could walk the garden at our leisure, and simply exit through the "man gate," a new term for me. (A gate through which a person may pass.) Mike, one of the owners who lives on the premises, said that he hadn't walked through the garden for a while (?) an offered to walk through with us. We were not expecting the special treat of having this knowledgeable plantsman and entertaining fellow give us a guided hour and a half tour of his garden.
Gunera beginning it's show stopping summer aria.
So many wonderful colors and textures. My only regret was that I hadn't pulled a pad of paper and a writing utensil out of the car. Mike knew every plant and named each one as we passed. Having a background in liturgical Latin, I can take botanical binomial nomenclature dictation pretty well. My brain, however, can only store a few things at a time. Fortunately, I had a camera and can inquire about plants in my pictures at my next visit to the nursery. Also fortunately, this is very much a working garden and trials, produces or showcases much of what's offered at the nursery. Picture/name/plant/purchase...It's a beautiful thing.Yowler, who runs the place, was acting very silly and kept attacking this grass as if it were a mouse. Be sure to check out Alison's post about this day for more and better pictures of this adorable feline who followed us through the whole garden playing the whole time. What a great cat!
Joy Creek is located in the middle of several acres and has gorgeous views.
Having always gardened in a relatively small space, I so admire sprawling properties where one can have lots of huge, beautiful trees.
Here we are at the front of the house.
Muscari macrocarpum 'Golden Fragrance' which I'd also admired in Linda's garden earlier in the day was also blooming beautifully here. Mike instructed us to get a little closer. Oh my, I see where it gets the fragrance part of the name - incredible and now on my list of things to get for next year!
Random rhododendron. Aren't these wonderful blooms?
Speaking of heavenly fragrances, this daphne was perfuming a huge area of the garden. It was difficult to move away.
Wonderful blue and gold area. Notice the blue needles of the conifer as well.
Trillium cuneatum
podophyllum pleianthum is one of my favorite plants. (Aren't they all?)
Rodgersia. Who can resist that bronze color, fabulous leaf shape and amazing texture? This reminds me, I haven't seen mine yet this year. I'd better go rummage through the weeds to see if they're still around.
Something that I'll be asking about. Foliage looks kind of like an anemone but look at the tops. Cool, huh?
This shows that common plants like this euonymus (not trimmed into a little box) and Euphorbia wulfenii can make a stunning focal point.
Magnolia 'Elizabeth' blooms are a sweet sight with it's buttery yellow inner glow.
And here's our host showing that he's one of those crazy Pacific north west tree huggers. Thanks so much, Mike for the wonderful, informative, and fun time in your garden!
Alison already posted pictures of the car which she thought was full. Silly Alison, we could have re arranged and made space for a lot more plants. This image, in particular, shows a lot of unused space.
From the other side. Look at all the room we have left.
Glad that I cleaned out my trunk before we went! Truth be told, we could have fit a few more things back there too. What a fun day this was. I still don't know where half of this stuff will get planted. Last Saturday I just got around to planting the hellebores I bought this winter when I visited Bark and Garden.
A satisfying ending to a marvelous day!
Wow, I could get into some trouble there. I've always heard of this nursery but have never ordered from them. Speaking of Beauty Bush (on my blog), have you see the one called "Dreamcatcher"?
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of 'Dreamcatcher' before but I did a search...YOWZA! I'm a sucker for yellow/golden foliage so now the question is, do I keep the lovely older bush planted about 17 years ago or get rid of it and try to find a 'Dreamcatcher.' Maybe I should wait until I win the lottery and buy a modest house with 40 or so acres where there would be space for a small grove of each.
DeleteHaven't been to Joy Creek in years. It is time to go again!
ReplyDeleteIt's always time to go to the highway 30 trinity!
DeleteI love how you always get pictures of and notice things I didn't. We spent so many weekends together (three in a row!) I think I'm going through Peter withdrawal. (Oh wait, that doesn't sound quite right...) I need to go back to Joy Creek too.
ReplyDeleteRight back at you! It's interesting to see the same event on different blogs! It's almost like reliving fun events.
DeleteNormally they have clipboards with paper and pencil available so you can write down the names of plants you love. They really have it dialed in at Joy Creek. Also: cookies!
ReplyDeleteYup, cookies & there probably were clipboards but I wouldn't have thought to impose since they were getting ready to close. It's great to visit all three as I think they compliment each other very well!
DeleteI've been in love with that Muscari for years now (every time I see it at Joy Creek) but never realized it smelled good too!
ReplyDeleteThe fragrance was wonderful but you had to get fairly close to experience it. I know how much you love tulips, and those insidiously cheerful daffodils so when you're sending your massive annual bulb order to Brent & Becky's or Van Engelen, you can add them to your list!
DeleteSo glad you both made it in time! Maurice mentioned you had stopped by, glad to know you were given the royal treatment you both deserved :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was so unexpected. I'd met Maurice (always very nice) before and have enjoyed the nursery so I was gushing about what a wonderful day we'd had at the plant swap & he asked after you. It was totally enexpected and extremely kind of them, especially Mike, to do this!
DeleteI was lucky to have Joy Creek as a stop on the itinerary last summer when the Hydrangeas were in bloom. Soon I will be taking plant shopping expeditions with friends as well. Will have to post pictures of the bin system my friend's husband developed to maximize space in the back of their SUV and still have room to tuck me in somewhere :).
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see your plant expedition posts & especially the bin system!
DeleteThere is no bad time to visit Joy Creek, so plan for many more, and one of those times you can come by for tea.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking it's best to visit during business hours otherwise it'd be considered tresspassing but we'll certainly be back! Thanks for the tea offer, that sounds like fun!
DeleteI would love to have just 1 or 2 such nurseries in my entire huge state. But it's a tough job, so someone's gotta do it!
ReplyDeleteAnd you're the perfect person for the job! Have you ever considered opening a nursery?
DeleteWhat, you didn't think to rent a trailer? Love the Gunnera and Muscari.
ReplyDeleteI always go thinking that I don't need anything and somehow the car gets filled. A Uhaul truck might be a good idea.
DeleteWow, what a haul! Sounds like another fun nursery visit indeed. And love that muscari!
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun nursery visit & garden tour! The muscari is pretty groovy!
DeleteYour Anemone looking plant is an Anemone nemerosa 'Green Finger' I think.
ReplyDeleteMax P.
Thanks Max, you're absolutely right and Joy Creek's website says that they have 65 of them in stock! Hooray!
DeleteThank you for that preview , I'll be there on Sunday. Those ' Wuffeni' flower heads look a bit puny compared to mine !!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are the queen of the huge Wulfeniis! Glad you'll be going on Sunday & know that you'll have fun!
DeleteMust get that Muscari for the garden in Michigan... So much more elegant than any of the ones I have seen. And that Pleione... drool.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why that Muscari is not more widely grown as it sure is swell! The orchid is relatively easy & is commonly called windowsill orchid.
DeleteI am smitten with Primulas, and the red one right after the orchid is a knock-out! As far as I can tell it is maybe a Primula veris? Though I haven't seen any with that rounded of a cluster.
ReplyDeleteYour foliage colors of the plants in your trunk look great together!
I'm not sure what primula that is but they'd know at Joy Creek!
DeleteThat's good since I'm out of space to plant anything in my garden and will most likely have to fill my trunk with soil and use it as a planter:)