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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.

Friday, February 28, 2014

Visiting a Couple of Great Seattle Nurseries

Another Saturday with heavy rain and wind that make working in the garden not really an option had us venturing to Seattle to visit a couple of great nurseries there, one I'd visited before and one that I knew by reputation only.  This inclement weather does not bode well for a garden tended by a weekend warrior! 

Our first stop was City People's Garden Store.  You can see a post about a visit here that Alison and I made to this place last summer here.   Part of the nursery was closed off as they're getting ready for the season to come.  In just a couple of months those tables will be brimming with plant treasures of all kinds.  This is an urban nursery very close to downtown Seattle.  Notice all of the trees in the background?  One more reason to love the Pacific Northwest!

There were lots of great plants to be found in the other areas!  This Helleborus 'Golden Lotus'  seduced me.  There's always room for another hellebore, right?  (That's helly o bore to you, Alison)

Cute combination in this twig trug.  (try saying twig trug three times fast.  Go ahead, we'll wait.)

Helleborus 'Amethyst Glow' really did seem to glow with that thin band of amethyst around the deep purple of the petals.  Golden Lotus would have been lonely coming home alone.  It was the right thing to do.

I've admired H. 'Onyx Odyssey' for some time now.  I keep thinking that I have it so I didn't buy this one. When I get home and discover that I have a single very much like this, I kick myself for not buying it.  This has happened more than once.  Oh well, it was nice having a memory at one time. I think. 

Among the other agaves displayed outside were these Agave x leopoldii. Are these hardy here?

Baby Yucca 'Bright Stars' with their pink winter coloring.  I want them all!
 
I didn't get many pictures because of dodging raindrops the size of these cool glass eggs.  Once inside, it took a while for the camera lens to loose it's layer of condensation.  Lots of great house plants, including a nice variety of tillandsias and great garden and garden related merchandise populated the shelves of the mercantile part of the store that seems to keep going on and on. 

Do all gardeners like birds?  Do you? 
 
 
Next up is Swanson's Nursery which is celebrating it's 90th year.  When we visited, all perennials were on sale for 40% off! 

I love me some pots! 

Isn't it funny that once you become aware of a new variety of a plant, you seem to find it everywhere?  Helleborus 'Anna's Red'  is that plant for me this spring. 

This combination is unusual and one I plan to steal borrow emulate sometime -  Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow' and Helleborus 'Penny's Pink.' Yum!

If the rain hadn't been falling so hard and sideways I could have spent more time exploring outside. Best to leave something for the next visit I suppose.

Popping inside the houseplant area to get out of the rain, we found a nice koi pond with active koi.  Ours are in their winter barely moving, not eating time so it was a delight to se these indoor guys having a grand time!


Kangaroo paws.   It's almost spring!  The radio announced today that NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is predicting a warmer than normal spring and summer this year.  The good news is that we have plenty of snow pack in the mountains to carry us through a dry season.  The bad news is.  Wait, there is no bad news!  Heat loving plants rejoice, this is your year! 

That being said, and it still being winter, there is an arctic air mass on its way down to us which is predicted to bring temperatures in the high 20's and snow in the lowlands from Saturday night  - Monday morning. Really?  Snow in March?  We are not amused!

Plastic pots in black, various terra cotta shades, brown, and...chartreuse!  Hmmm.

If you need a quick dose of saturated color...

Not the greatest picture but the combination of that heucherella and that tulip is outstanding!

I've been noticing Acorus gramineua 'Minimus Aureus' a lot lately.  It's a baby acorus, is evergreen, has nice golden color, and doesn't mind a little foot traffic or shade.  Must find a place for this cutie.

Helleborus niger 'Snow Frills'  (yes, nigers usually aren't as strong here as orientalis but aint it purty?)
 
Palm lined parking lot.  I look forward to visiting both of these fine nurseries again this year!

Across the street and up a block was this house.  Interesting.
 
I wish you a weekend of favorable gardening weather! 

26 comments:

  1. That looks like it was a fun day. No shots of Tom napping, though, so I hope he had fun. I'm stealing that Hellebore/Euphorbia combo too. The two Helley-o-bores that you bought are lovely, I'm jealous. I want them all. Except I don't have Onyx Odyssey either. I should get it!

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    1. It was too wet to nap outside and there weren't lots of places to nap inside. We should both look for Onyx Odyssey at the show this weekend!

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  2. "helly o bores" are the stars of the garden this time of year, and so we forgive them looking down all time. I often use one in a flower arrangement: they last so long. You must return to Swanson's on a sunny spring day, when the place is hopping: they direct traffic in the parking lot. Hands down, it's my favorite nursery. My own garden is just down the street, so you know I'm there for "color saturation" fix more often then I'd care to admit.

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    1. I'll certainly be back to both of these cool nurseries! It would be dangerous to live so close.

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    2. I live in a condo in West Seattle and garden at a friend's house on the weekend down the street from Swanson's. When I say MY garden, it's only by proxy really... If we plan ahead I may be able to show it to you.

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  3. Wouldn't it be nice to have an indoor pond? Not just an aquarium but a pond wherein you can enjoy seeing koi and goldfish active all the time. And the pond doesn't have to be that deep too. One can dream...

    Golden Lotus and Amethyst Glow - stunning!

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    1. It would be very nice to have an indoor pond indeed. Will that be your next project?
      Glad you like the hellebores!

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  4. We always enjoy our visits to Swansons. I especially like the way they feature plant combinations on displays and in pots.

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    1. I need to spend more time exploring the nurseries around Seattle. Looking forward to future visits to these two great places!

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  5. I love that 'Golden Lotus' hellebore. I hope the predicted March snow passes you by and that you get some warm weekend days.

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    1. Thanks to your wish, we got no snow and, while it's raining every day during the work week, they're calling for a few sunbreaks between the showers on Saturday. I didn't know you were so powerful! Thank you so much!

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  6. I visited Swansons with my Idyll friends a couple years ago..good food in the cafe and by god that place is huge !

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    1. It's one of many rather large nurseries that we're lucky enough to have in this area!

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  7. I would fly out to Seattle to get me some of those 'Anna's Red' and 'Snow Frills'. And - do I like birds? You have to ask?

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    1. Hey, let me know when you're coming and we can meet for lunch while they're packing your plants for their trip back to Chicago!

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  8. Did you visit Swansons in the "olden days?"...I guess I'm talking about the 90's. I still can't get used to the new, cleaned up, version. The old one had so much character, it was a very special place for me when I lived in Seattle.

    What is this "warmer than normal spring and summer" you speak of? I am beyond thrilled (mind you we do have a/c which makes sleeping possible). Although truth be told I might not be able to sleep tonight, between the excitement of seeing you tomorrow and the thought of a warm spring...!

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    1. I think I did visit Swanson's back then and there were plans for the new "improved" facility hanging somewhere.

      It was so nice to see you yesterday!

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  9. Pot heaven! I want allll the chartreuse ones. I wish I could be out in the garden, but then I'd have to leave the air conditioned house. 38c is too much for me! I'll be burned and disappear in a puff of smoke.

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    1. Probably best to stay indoors as your disappearance would sadden all of us fans of your blog!

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  10. Seattle.., hm did you meet Frasier ;O)? I love those hellebores...

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    1. Frasier wasn't shopping at the nurseries on the day we visited. He lives in an apartment and is not much of a gardener. I'll have to attend the opera soon and see if I spot him there.

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  11. I love those glass eggs and all those ceramic pots! It would have been very hard not to bring them home. I have Ascot Rainbow. It has amazing winter color. How many nurseries per square mile do you think WA has? I'd put VA's nursery density at 1 per 15 miles. :(

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    1. The only thing keeping me from buying the glass eggs is the fact that I have quite a few of them at home. Since I discovered that they were available at an area aquarium shop in bags of five or six for the price of a single one at the nurseries, I stocked up.

      That's a had question. On the western side of the state, we have a lot of nurseries around our urban areas and various specialty places that are destination nurseries scattered around the countryside. On the eastern side of the state (colder winters, hotter summers, little rain, some desert areas) there are fewer nurseries.

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  12. I like birds but I don't feed them. Bird feeders are a messy pain in the ass. I admire those who do though. There are very few green Windmill palms in these parts. The cold weather really did a number on them. I'm so ready for spring!

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  13. I love your nursery visits. I've learned of so many places to visit when I move back to Washington thanks to you!

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  14. Do you know the grower of the Anna's red in the blue pots?
    Please let me know asap
    Cheamview nursery

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