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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.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

And Speaking of Dragonflies...

Another nursery that Alison and I love and visited on our Windcliff adventure was Dragonfly Farms Nursery.  (Many previous posts here.) Heidi always has fun and unusual plants and interesting stories about the nursery biz.

Major plant lust for Ranunculus lyallii (I think that's the one) with the larger round leaves in this picture.  Like a waterlily pad hovering in the air.

Love this new use of the old T.V. dish!



My love affair with Acer platanoides 'Curly Lamp Post' was short lived.  I had a vision of these large and curly leaves arching out over a large plant and looking almost like a papaya.

Turns out that in many years, this is what it does.  Looks like a curly lamp post.

Schefflera delavayi


I remember a few years ago when Monrovia first released Schefflera taiwaniana and Heidi got a few in.  No local nurseries had them yet so one day after work, I drove an hour and twenty minutes to get one.  Now they are common sights at nurseries but I always think of Dragonfly Farms getting them first.

Then Monrovia released a very few Schefflera macrophyllas and kept promising that next year and then next they would release more.  They never did but there are still a few in collections.  I always visit Heidi's specimen which looks like it had some winter damage but is making a stellar comeback.  Kelly at Far Reaches Farm is hoping that his will bloom so that he can start seed.  It's a spectacular indoor/outdoor plant.

I love variegated foliage in general and variegated Ginkgos are a favorite!  Ginkgo biloba 'Bejing Gold'  decided to come home with me.

Gingkgo biloba 'Sunstream'  is difficult to find in the industry and here were quite a few.  I was tempted to get this one as well but since I already have one at home, it stayed. But look at those beautiful leaves.

We were in a bit of a hurry so didn't tour all of the garden this trip.  Notice the beautiful blu foliage toward the rear of the bed?

It's Berberis temolaica which some say is the most beautiful berberis. 

Large yellow flowers followed by red berries.  Both would look stunning with this foliage!

Stachyurus chinensis 'Magpie' has lovely variegated foliage to add interest after the winter blooms have faded.

There are always many unusual treasures to be found at Dragonfly!  I know I bought several plants here but with the exception of the ginkgo and some tagetes 'Lemon Gem' (love the fragrance) I forgot what they were.

A furry pal dropped in to say hello. 

We know that there's always an agave.

At Dragonfly, there are also shiny stainless steel agaves along with rusty metal ones.   

What a great place to visit.  I wouldn't even mind living there!


28 comments:

  1. We hope to make the trip over to that area later in the summer.Looks like another fun place to visit.

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  2. Full of delights for those of us who like rusty metal, what an interesting place.

    I pondered on why Scheffleras leave me cold. It's a hold over from the 1970s when a 'Shiff-a-lera' was on everybody's list to add to the plant room with all the plants hanging in macrame slings. I aspired to a fiddle leaf fig.

    Stay away from pretty caterpillars. A tiny orange thing almost too small to see stung me yesterday, leaving a 1/4 inch whelp. Today it's a half inch across -- the whelp, not the little wiggly worm which may have been an immature Hag Moth larvae. I'd hate to see what the full grown thing might do.

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    1. I remember the indoor Schefflera craze and even learned how to do macrame. We had a giant Schefflera that grew to the ceiling. I liked the slings better for hanging plants and actually sort of miss seeing lots of indoor plants hanging in every apartment window. Can't say I miss the avocado green shag carpet or the harvest gold appliances.

      We don't have as many different kinds of bugs that bite here as you do. Our volume of mosquitos makes up for it though.

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  3. That satellite dish was the coolest thing I've seen in a long time. The Ranunculus reminds me of Lotus.

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    1. Sometimes I think it would be fun to have a property large enough to do something huge like that dish. Perhaps we'll both need one of those Ranunculus!

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  4. I'm reading your post in the middle of heat wave. It was 107°F here yesterday. So you can imagine how welcome your photos of green lushness are, LOL.

    I bought a Gingkgo biloba 'Sunstream' last fall and this year it has the most gorgeous variegation.

    Have you seen Ginkgo biloba 'White Lightning'? I almost bought one last weekend but it was too expensive. STUNNING!

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    1. Yikes! we only gut up to 60 degrees here today and it was 50 last night.
      Thanks for sharing your link to 'Sunstream' - Yours is gorgeous!
      I've seen a teeny 'White Lightning' in a private collection but never for sale before. It's quite a looker!

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  5. The picture of curly lamp post Acer made me snort my coffee this morning. It least it stayed true to it's name. Although it didn't fulfill your vision, it's lovable in a goofy kind of way.
    I too LOVE the satellite dish idea. Also the metal structures in the second to last picture. They'd make nice rain drums, or they can be filled with draping plants. What's their intended purpose?

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    1. I was so glad to see a more mature specimen as I was considering spending quite a bit on a small one. They're expensive because they're very slow growing, never put out any side branches, must be grafted. Crazy! I think that structure is simply a contemporary pergola type structure. You're right, plants could easily be grown in the top.

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  6. Those spiraly things that look like some sort of farm equipment make quite a statement. Love your Ginko acquisition.

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    1. Just nice old galvanized pipe. The Ginkgo will probably be grown in a pot for quite a few years.

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  7. What a great place to visit.
    I have Berberis temolaica and it is lovely. My only criticism is it has a rather untidy shape with branches sticking out at odd angles. Lovely blue foliage though.

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    1. Good to know about it's untidy shape. Most Berberis can take quite a bit of pruning; is this one receptive to the suggestions of the secateurs?

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  8. They have quite a selection of treasures Peter, not to mention some tasteful and quirky garden art. Great upcycling of an old tv dish, such a unique gravel planter!

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    1. This place always has some great stuff going on!

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  9. What a great nursery. That ranunculus is a gem. Love the look of the 'floating' leaf. Love Gingkgo biloba 'Sunstream' . What a beauty! Sadly we can't grow berberis as the state of NH has 'outlawed' them as being invasive.

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    1. I'm sad to hear that berberis behaves that way for you as thy come in such a range of colors. You could be an outlaw and grow it anyway...

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  10. I love the old T.V. dish! Berberis temolaica jumped onto my wishlist after seeing it at the RSBG. I really must plan a trip up to Dragonfly, and other nurseries up that way, of course!

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    1. There are some great places up that way. Going over there is one of my favorite plant day trips!

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  11. Some neat plants. Fun to see something different from the usual stuff I see here, thanks!

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  12. As I recall, you said you wanted to live at Laguna Nursery too. Do you lose your heart to every nursery you see?

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  13. It's been 2 years now since I've visited Heidi, too long! Must make it back there this year...

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  14. Great use of a satellite dish!

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