Spring Has Arrived at Molbak's Nursery!

At the main entrance of Molbak's are these large rusty metal sculptures.  It's fun to see the displays in the foreground change with the seasons.  The rain was pouring so I didn't spend much time outside.

 
Spring comes early in these parts and this year, because of our mostly mild winter, a few things seem a bit ahead in blooming but in the nurseries, things always bloom a bit early!

Must go to the used materials shop near me and find more interesting doors!

The color of this primrose seduced my eye.  Rich saturated purple/violet blending to almost magenta with a cheery yellow eye.  Yum.  Three, since you wanted to know.

There were large tables displaying single colors of plants.  Rich jewel tones are more my cup of tea but pink is pretty too.

A purple heart - I like the Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria? Artemisia?) and Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens') edging.

If I loaded this door into my car, do you suppose anyone would notice?   Valentine's Day is the next big push at the nursery.  The Edgeworthia blooms are a bit ahead of mine which are still buds.

My yellow specimen which had been happy for years did the sudden death thing that sometimes happens to members of the daphne clan.  It was replaced with the orange-flowered Edgeworthia chrysantha 'Akebono' which looks like it won't be blooming until later this month or maybe even March.

Camellia japonica 'Pearl Maxwell' is a sweet pale pink color.  

Forgot to remember the name of this Camellia japonica.  Garish colors like these are often looked down upon by designers and people with good taste because they don't go with anything else.  Not having a ton of flowering happening in my garden right now, I don't so much mind.  The jolt of bright color does wonders for gray-sky weary eyes.

 Sweet!  More hearts!  

Cheery combination table!  

Be watching your email if you've signed up with Molbak's because usually sometime in April they have their big two for one pot sale.  I love metallic gold pots.  One would think that they would stand out like a sore thumb in the garden but surprisingly, they blend beautifully.

 So many great frost proof pots!

So, I'm innocently walking through the indoor pot section and what should I see?

Yes ladies and gentlemen, those are macrame plant hangers!  Groovy man!

I'd no idea!  A search online  brings up a number of sources for them.  I refuse!  I did it the first time!  My bedroom in my parents' house had these hanging about along with stoneware pots that I'd made. (directly after the black light and fluorescent posters)    Oh, such memories. With a price of $50.00, it may be time to re-learn how to make these! 

Beautiful when in bloom but the rest of the year, meh. 

Such interesting blooms, though. I've killed a few in my time.  Some of you grow beautiful orchids and I have a very few that are still alive.  I mostly forget to water them and while they prefer that to having soggy roots, they also don't take the neglect that cacti and succulents do!

Very exciting were the colors of this sansevieria until I realized that it was artificial.  Like Loree, faced with imitation tilandsias, I thought, really, a sansevieria is sooo hard to take care of?  An artificial orchid garden, that makes sense!

These pots are too cool for school.  I found one in white to ride home with me. 

So many great house plants and a super new display of tillandsias all of which I forgot to photograph  as I was so wrapped up in experiencing it all. (Sorry.) 

This is a lovely sign to have in a nursery!  However, I wonder about that marriage  only making you happy for a weekend thing.  Perhaps the honeymoon period was much shorter in those days. So, a barbecued pig brings longer-lasting happiness than marriage?   Probably costs less, too. 

Happy new week!  Tomorrow is the preview of the Northwest Flower and Garden Show and I'm very excited to see the gardens, vendors, seminars, and special gardening friends!  Do you have any special plans this week?  Visiting a garden show? Romantic Valentine's Day dinner?  Taking up macrame?