A Wonderful Secret - Visiting Lee Hiatt "The Hidden Grower"

 

When I'm feeling down (January - March) I think that at my age there won't be any more pleasant  surprises in life and that I could die happily.  Every now and then, a serendipitous occurrence  makes me realize that there are still discoveries to make, still surprises to thrill.  The  garden blogosphere has brought many such surprises,  new gardening friends and grand adventures I'd never imagined.   One such happy confluence of events began with my post, a few months ago,  about Lakewold Gardens.  Several people commented, including Vickie Haushild, the former proprietress of the Shop/Nursery at Lakewold.  I'd remembered her because she found a Clerodendrum trichotomum (don't know if that's a blessing or a curse) for me about 16 years ago.  We've been emailing back and forth since. Vickie mentioned a local grower who used to supply her with plants and asked if I'd like to visit his place with her.   Of course I jumped at the offer and when she gave me the address, I was amazed.  This grower lived within walking distance of our old house.  I'd driven and walked by the place for eight years and never knew what was just beyond the gate.

 

From the street, this looks like an interesting garden with some nice foliage combinations.

 

Vickie said that Lee Hiatt had no lawn around his turn of the century home just flat after flat of plants that he's propagated.  

Lee has a 9 - 5 job and this is something he does in his spare time. He knows the name of every plant which amazes someone like me who often forgets.

Lee said that he wanted me to become addicted to miniature hostas.  Seeing so many incredible examples of this tough as nails plant was a treat.  That I could actually buy his plants was another!  AND there was no minimum order.  Heaven!

I fell hard for the one on the bottom of this picture just right of center.  Turns out this is called 'Curly French Fries' and is the one that Vickie was there to get.

Lee has a thing for variegated and gold foliage like myself so there were lots of temptations! 

 Here's Vickie doing a bit of shopping!  She thinks that Lee should start a blog and call it  "The Hidden Grower" and I concur!

This gold leaved Weigela came home with me.

As we neared the other side the house, there was a huge downpour.  Fortunately we were able to take refuge under the side porch.  Just about everything you see in this garden is in pots.  Many of the trees are ones that Lee started from seed, trying to get variegated forms of some of them. 

The rain simply wouldn't let up but Lee and I ventured out anyway.  The camera stayed on the porch with my pad and pen so I've forgotten most of the names of many of the trees Lee pointed out.  I did see his Davidia involucrata (was that variegated too?)

 Bonsai miniature hostas.  Sorry for the blurry picture.  There was a raindrop on the left side of my lens.

One last look at the hostas before getting back into the dry car. 

What an honor to meet this plant passionate man and see his place.  Thanks Lee and Vickie for this cool discovery!  Lee's next visitors this day were going to be the owners of a well-known Portland area nursery.  The good news is that you too can visit Lee and his plants.  You must email as he's open by appointment only.  Leehiatt@harbornet.com 

Here are some of the miniature hostas that came home with me. Please ignore that they're still in their nursery pots. 

I hope that life keeps throwing happy surprises your way from time to time!

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