-

-
Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

A Winter Visit to Alpine Nursery

Judi Hook called me a couple of months ago to tell me that she'd decided to start making garden art to sell.  I was thrilled as I'd greatly admired her pieces in her garden which you can see here.  A couple of weeks ago, she let me know that she had some pieces for sale at Alpine Nursery.  I was excited to see what she'd come up with and the next weekend, we paid a visit to Alpine to check it out.

Oh look, some tiny tillandsias for the trees.  Hmm.

Fun idea for rain chain display!

Trachodendron aralioides.

This echiveria could be a plant, a pet or both!


"Down Under" pots.  What do you think of these? 

Most of the huge table of epiphyllum had bloomed but some were still going at it.  It's hard to resist the beauty of these sweathearts in bloom!



As Loree says, if you seek it, there will always be an agave. (or several!)
Agave americana marginata

Always happy to see Agave parryi but this is the first time I've seen a Monrovia/ Proven Winners pot even though they teamed up in 2010. 

Agave 'Kissho Kan' While I love agaves in the ground in California, I think I'm starting to prefer the ones that I bring inside for the winter.  They require virtually no care, grow well, and look pristine compared to their pals roughing it outside.

Even more agaves!

A Brugmansia 'Miner's Claim' that looks this good at this time of the year is a sign of a gardener with great skill!

Because we visited in the middle of one of our freezes, much of the inventory that would usually be outside was under cover.  I was welcome to check it out but decided to see what was toughing it out in the cold instead.  Here's a 'Chief Joseph' lodgepole pine in a two gallon pot for only $109.00, the least expensive I've seen one of these of this size. Really, I went back and looked at the tag several times.  If you were thinking of getting one, now might be a good time.  I'd be happy to pick it up for you if you want it but can't get to the nursery!
 Alpine is known for their huge selection of evergreens and Japanese maples.  The maples weren't doing much but it was a treat to walk through the conifers.  This one, whose tag I forgot to read really looked red, not the rust color that appears in this picture.  I'm not fond of evergreens that turn "bronze" in the winter because to my eye, they turn brown and look dead.  This one was vibrant and wonderful!
 
Here's what we came to see.  When the sun hits these amber spheres, this piece seems to glow from within!

Here's one of Denny King's spheres, this one painted bright red.  What's not to love?

Judi believes that these are best displayed in a large pot with low growing ground cover, especially sedum/sempervivum.  I think they look great in the landscape as well!

 

Loving the allium color of this one.
 

Truly fun work and very low prices!  Portlanders, I'd be happy bring anything you may need to own to you at the Yard, Garden, and Patio Show!
 

Only 28 days until spring.  We're going to make it!

20 comments:

  1. I like that one that looks like an Allium too, but also the orange and white one is cool. I don't think I've ever been to this nursery. I should check out their conifers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They do have some great conifers! I also love to visit in the summer and fall to look at the Japanese maples. Yum!

      Delete
  2. I have an unstoppable knee-jerk reaction whenever I see an Agave parryi, I just want to buy them all, and those you show are just so darn perfect. Interesting to see Little Prince of Oregon tags on tillandsias.

    You are quite the enabler with all those offers of purchasing and transport! Plant people are the best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A. parryi are adorable aren't they! I was surprised by the LP of O tags on the tillandsias as well. Their tillandsias also showed up at Swanson's nursery in Seattle. LP of O tags are showing up a lot more lately round these parts.

      Well, I'll only need car space for the trip home from Portland so I might as well offer. Plus, it would give me an excuse to revisit the nursery.

      Delete
  3. If I could move the landscape composition, rocks water feature and all, directly to my garden, I'll be a happy woman.
    I know you added the picture of Chief Josef just for me... it may be the best price ever, but it's still a bit too much for me. I'll just enjoy the picture for now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had that same thought many times at the show and just about anywhere I go! Chief Joseph is a lovely tree but there are other pines that are gold int he winter that are equally nice and much less expensive!

      Delete
  4. Wonderful plants, good prices, garden art! I've added Alpine Nursery to my list of places to check out. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. The red sphere, love it! As for the upside down pot, gimmicky!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Funny, I thought of you two and your fab new sunroom when I saw the red sphere! Your take on the upside down pots is similar to my own thoughts about them.

      Delete
  6. Some really neat stuff there. The red sphere is my favorite.

    Here, we're still waiting for winter. Maybe next week...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd be happy to share some or our winter with you Hoov!

      Delete
  7. I like the big one with the large glass spheres, reminds me a bit of fritillaries. I would be nervous about the Down Under pots, I'd lay awake thinking dirt was falling on the floor.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gee, I hadn't even thought about how the dirt is staying up there. Now I'm worried too!

      Delete
  8. Nice nursery! (But then you seem to have oodles of those in the PNW.) I'm willing to bet that your friend's garden art sells well. I'd take home one of her glass spheres and that Agave 'Kissho Kan,' which I don't think I've seen before.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope, for her, that it does. She should know how special her work is! I got an Agave 'Kissho Kan' earlier this year and love it. Not hardy here, it will stay in a pot..

      Delete
  9. The red sphere is fab,as is the "affordable" 'Chief Joseph' pine. Don't you adore feeding our out-of-control plant mania?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Pettable plants would make lovely pets...and no need for a pet sitter. Sami would be offended by such thoughts, so don't breathe a word, OK?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mum's the word around Sami! I hear that house training these is much easier too.

      Delete
  11. Why do people want to put plants in an un-natural position where growth is going to be forced, at best? I will never understand how doing something contrary to the way plants grow in natural circumstances makes a 'smart gardener' rather than encouraging lush growth and a natural look. Maybe they don't understand why I shear my boxwoods, either.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.