This was my second visit to this great nursery (previous post here) which has a long and interesting history. Portland has so many marvelous nurseries that it's difficult to choose just a few to visit in an afternoon. Fortunately there are several that are only minutes away from the convention center where Alison and I spent the morning.
Portland Nursery on Stark is huge and even in March was well stocked with plants, although most of their deciduous trees, as you'd imagine, were dormant or just breaking dormancy.
Something that always blows me away at this nursery is their great pot displays.
It's lovely the way they combine plants in single colors of pots.
The stacked birch branch fencing/edging was a new sight at a nursery. My niece, Alison, used birch logs to make her raised vegetable beds.
Love the big moss covered tree limb. This would look great in my greenhouse with bromeliads, tillandsias, Spanish Moss, etc. Now, where to find a large branch? Perhaps I'll have to wait until the next winter wind storm.
More sunny goodness.
Wouldn't it be fun to simply have beautiful pots laid out like this with a constant supply of plants looking their best to plop into them?
Speaking of pots, there was a nice selection for both outside and in.
An added bonus was that the prices were less than what I see at most of the nurseries in Washington.
It wasn't until I looked at my pictures that I figured out that the turquoise planters bottom center and right are peacocks.
One called out to me. It reminded me of Mark and Gaz's lotus vessels of which I'm enamored.
On of these Helleborus foetidus 'Wester Flisk Group' jumped into my cart. Dig the cool silver foliage. More about this plant can be found here.
Wandering into the indoor plant area I admired the staghorn ferns. I'd no idea there are so many different varieties. I was tempted by this Selaginella erythropus 'Ruby Red' about which Loree wrote recently. I've killed the turquoise form so decided to leave these for someone else. How is yours doing, Loree?
They certainly have a very nice selection of textured pots with very interesting patterns and shapes too, could easily spend loads there! That Hellebore is gorgeous, so hardy too and self seeds nicely, enough that you get more backups but not so much as its a nuisance :)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, I have a garden full of hellebores and have never had one seed around at all. I've heard some gardeners talk about how overly prolific hellebores are in their gardens. I don't mind as it gives me an excuse to buy more of them.
DeleteI love all the pots at Portland Nursery, but especially that one with the feathers. And the peacock ones are great too. Love the Lotus pod one that you picked. I've considered saving downed limbs, but unfortunately, they never look as architecturally interesting as the ones I see in displays like that.
ReplyDeleteAnd these pots were a lot less than they are at some of our local haunts. I occasionally see limbs that look interesting but usually they're far to big once you get up close.
DeleteTheir displays are inviting and so are the prices making it easier to spend both time and money in a nursery. I like your choices, the silvery hellebore is so pretty. The feather pot would have jumped into my cart.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to have it not too far away! You need that feather pot. I'll bet they'd mail it to you.
DeleteMy selaginella is still alive, I planted it out last week. (fingers crossed)
ReplyDeleteGood for you! The plant really looked great but keeping plants consistently moist is difficult for me.
DeleteNice post, Peter! I live down the street from them and shame on me, I have yet to do a proper post about them. Good for you - I'm glad you found some goodies to take home! Next time you're in the hood, I'd love to have you over!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tamara. I love visiting nurseries down your way as they have some different things from what we see here. Thank you also for the kind offer, next time we plan a trip, I'll let you know.
DeleteI love the squat ones with the vertical lines (the photo after the blindingly blue pots). Squat ones are not easy to find! The lotus pot is very cool too, but looks like it could tip over too easily. I like pots that can withstand some bumping. :)
ReplyDeleteThose squat ones were sweet. I can be a bit of a klutz around pots but have found that a few wads of museum putty placed beneath tippy pots keeps them nicely in place.
DeleteWow - great place, Portland Nursery. We have driven by for years but never stopped - it is on our list now - thanks! Funny, you visit nurseries in Oregon while we travel up your way to shop - Watson's and Molbak's are a couple of our favorite places so far. But there are many more on our list.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting pictures from the Portland Yard, Garden and Patio show. We haven't made it back in several years and your photos help to inspire us!
Watson's and Molbak's are fabulous places. I visit Watson's often as it's on my way to my Sunday job. Molbak's is about an hour drive but I go several times a year. If you're ever coming up this way, I'd be happy to suggest more excellent nurseries. Sort of depends on what you're looking for. We're very lucky to live in the pacific northwest which has so many great places to shop for plants!
DeleteSpring is definitely bursting forth up your way! Down here in SoCal, we appear to be skipping spring entirely to head directly into summer.
ReplyDeleteI loved those pots!
Spring is a bit early this year but I don't hear many people complaining about the sunny weather! Wow, summer there is quite warm. Maybe you need to take a nice trip up here to go plant shopping in our nice, air conditioned out of doors.
DeleteWhen you are out our way visiting Joy Creek and Means, you should stop by. We can tramp through our back woods and find you a nice big moss-covered branch. Several come down every winter.
ReplyDeleteOh, what a nice offer, Rickii! Don't think my little car could handle too large a branch and I wouldn't trust our truck to make it down and back. Every year, after the big winter storms, there are lots of fallen limbs, I just didn't think of appropriating one until I saw what Portland nursery did. I'd love to see you and your garden someday though!
DeletePortland Nursery is one of our favorites. We always seem to find something. We've gotten several nice hostas. I think their outstanding displays are great sellers also. We'll see it in the display and then search it out in the nursery area. I do like that Helleborus foetidus - nice choice.
ReplyDeletePortland Nursery is huge and wonderful. There are so many awsome nurseries in our region that I can't choose a favorite. They all have such different things. It seemed for a while that Helleborus fotidus had lost some popularity in the trade and then this year I'm seeing it everywhere. Before mine died, it was always the first to bloom so I'm glad to have another!
DeleteThose are some great pots! It would be hard to pass them up.
ReplyDeleteIt's always a joy to visit your home state!
DeleteI really enjoy seeing nurseries where they know how to merchandise and make enticing displays. This looks like a good one.
ReplyDelete