WeHop and Petula; Our Kitsap Nursery Romp Continues

It's always a treat to visit WeHop, the gang of bloggers that I was a part of that descended on Western Horticultural  Products were in for a special surprise this time.   We were greeted by beds filled with fabulous color.

I never grow tired of looking at echiverias!

On the grounds of this business, also the site of Sally Priest's own home and garden, there are greenhouses that have served WeHop's needs and those of Sally's other business which creates truly unusual combination plantings in big blue pots that adorn various areas of Poulsbo's downtown. 

Sally's garden also contains some of WeHop's products that Sally is running performance trials with.

And all around are large pots with combinations of plants that are relatively new to being used this far north. Really, if you're going to use plants as annuals, they might as well be interesting, right?

Loree listens as Sally tells us about the pots in Poulsbo.  I got a list and hope to get over there to look before too long to check them out.  Notice Sally's top.

She dressed to match one of her two dogs.  Mr. personality plus had us throwing a stick for him for quite a bit of our visit. What a cutie!

One very special surprise was the delicious lunch that Sally had prepared for us!  Thank you so much, Sally. This was totally unexpected and very kind of you!

Anna, Debbie, Alison, Loree, and Laura hear Pirate stories.

Now they're joined by Tonya and Sally.

Echiveria flowers are almost as interesting as the plant itself.

The festivities are being watched over by this stone-faced fellow.

Aeonium 'Cyclops' (guessing)

We saw Synadenium grantii 'Rubra' planted in several places in the garden and were enthralled by it!

It's quite lovely with the sun shining through it!

A new annual  for next year is  hybrid Gomphrena 'Pink Zazzle'  This annual with it's fuzzy leaves and zingy (I know it's not a word) flowers is sure to be a big hit.  Ask for it (nag) at your local nursery.

Cute idea that Sally came up with.  Inexpensive votive candle holders into which the 2" pots of succulents fit perfectly are caught in chicken wire affixed to a brightly painted window sash. 

Sempervivum (always alive) such a wonderful name for a sweet group of plants more commonly called Hens and Chicks or something else.

Guardsman, one of my favorite phormiums looking quite handsome in front of a chartreuse window.

More gorgeousness.

Dramatic and dangerous Dyckias.

Another surprise was exemplified by this bridge leading to closed gates bearing a sign that reads "The Future"  we can see glimpses of pots back there but  because of the distance, there's  a sense of something wonderful and mysterious to come.

Tonya (Sales and Plant Stories)  and Mike (The Driver with Lots of Ideas) Cole and Sally (Sales and Plant Whispering) are forming a new company called Petula.  Check out their website at http://www.PetulaPlants.com .  It seems that WeHop, the company that trucks plants up from growers in California will be concentrating on liners to be grown on by those in the nursery biz while Petula will be bringing in finished plants ready to plant.  The same truck will deliver WeHop and Petula products.  Petula will also offer marketing  and a variety of other ideas to nursery owners.  Very exciting for those of us who love finding unusual plants in nurseries.  As the picture suggests, the future looks bright.

Thanks Sally and Tonya for such a great time at your place.  We all wish you well with your new and exciting business!