On June 23, I had the opportunity to attend Petula' Test Garden 2015 Summer Kick Off. This year's test garden is located in a public plaza in Edmonds, and is stunning! The event took place from seven p.m. until sunset and there was free gelato! Here's some of what I saw:
Glowing in the evening sun were roses in sunset colors like this one, another beautiful orange, and a lovely yellow.
Walking by on the sidewalk, one might think that this was an exuberant municipal planting.
But if you slow down a bit to notice some of the plants, you'll see that there are unusual gems (for this area) in every bed like the fab. Gompherena 'Pink Zazzle' in this bed.
I love this one but haven't seen it in a lot of nurseries here yet.
Then again, I seldom look at annuals so maybe it's been there.
Lepisium cruciforme surrounded by fab foliage!
Teucrium chamaedrys 'Summer Sunshine'
Agave lophantha 'Quadricolor'
Although their goal is to be plant free (I know, crazy, right?) Petula brought a few plants...
Here Tonya (creative genius behind Petula) pulls a pot from the van on the street. Hey man, wanna see my plants?
Euphorbia 'Firesticks are very tempting but I already have some. Agaves vilmoriniana, "Baccarat", and 'Cornelius Variegata' all looked so good but already exist in my collection. Kicking myself for not getting another Cornelius as they are so gorgeous.
Nice Furcraea gigantea 'variegata' and lots of little succulents. The oh-so-silver Maireana sedifolia (Pearl Bluebush) in the middle came home with me!
Meanwhile, back at the garden. Leucadenedron 'Ebony' cavorting with petunias.
The warmth, the lovely evening and plantings like this might whisk you away to California for a while. (Much cheaper than plane tickets!)
Mangave 'Macho Mocha'
Agave americana Var. medio-picta 'Dwarf Alba' and Echeveria affinis.
Here's Maireana sedifolia again singing the blues with a chorus of sherbet-hued happy petunias.
Joined by another beautiful Leucadendron 'Ebony'
Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' Can't wait to see the electric blue blooms!
Phylica arborea dancing with Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls', Aeonium 'Cyclops', Kalanchoe thyrsiflora 'Desert Rose', and others.
Crassula perforata 'String of buttons Variegated'
Osteospermum 'Blue Eyed Beauty'
Cynara scolymus 'Emerald' (Artichoke) Can you imagine how fab the purple bloom would look with the orange Cuphea 'Vermillionaire?'
Purple and white: a classic combination.
Phormium 'Sea Jade' is a lovely thing!
In addition to the Maireana Sedifolia, I came home with the following:
Turns out that Petula is the wholesaler bringing the tentacled pots to the PNW. Tonya had a few in her van which I couldn't resist. like this one and the Rhipsalis which will be planted soon although a crazy carniverous plant might make its way into this pot instead.
The Sansevieria cylindrica also came from the van and will be planted soon! I already had the matching purple tillandsia and the head.
I was given this Kalanchoe synsapala, the Walking Kalanchoe. Let's see if it grows legs!
It was starting to get darker outside, time to pack up the treasures and go home but first, a nice scoop of green apple gelato for the road! It was as delicious as the demonstration gardens which you can visit personally at Hazel Miller Plaza, 5th & Maple, downtown Edmonds. You can also follow the garden's progress on Petula's blog.
Wow! Color! Color like I've never seen before in the PNW postings. I have most of this stuff in my yard except the annuals! Your photos make me appreciate it more. And these plants are placed where the public can admire them, something else I've rarely seen. All so wonderful. Brightens my day this post does! PS Petula Clark singing 'Downtown' was one of my favorite songs. Wonder how long it is going to stick around in my head now like a broken record?
ReplyDeleteSome of us in the PNW are crazy for some of the fab plants hardy in your region. We grow them in pots and drag them inside during the winter. Petula loves to have the public see their work, the city was happy to have them plant the plaza and the local garden club even showed up to help with the planting. Great for everyone!
Delete"Downtown" will be playing in your head for at least a week!
What a wonderful evening you had. I noticed that the plants in the van were arranged so very carefully, not thrown in willy-nilly the way I would do it.
ReplyDeleteYour Kewpie head display is just precious. I had a celluloid Kewpie doll from the fair back in the decades when fairs had Kewpie prizes. I still love seeing one.
Can't beat purple and yellow for a visual treat. Orange glowing in late evening sun is delicious, too.
It was a wonderful evening. Not everyone possesses our talent for willy-nilly plant arrangement and insist on being orderly and safe with spiky plants.
DeleteKewpies are cute!
It looks like they are caring some unusual gems too, like those dyckias for a start.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, lots of unusual plants!
DeleteAnd thank you, Peter, for reporting on this event which I was sad to miss. You got some gems!
ReplyDeleteI did get some great stuff! They'd be interested in doing a blogger event if there is enough interest.
DeleteBoo, I'm sad that I didn't hear about this. Bummed that I missed it. I was just wondering where I could get a couple more Agave vilmoriniana for my Gravel Garden redo. There were definitely some cool plants there.
ReplyDeleteThe plaza can be visited anytime and Petula is interested in doing a blogger event there if there is enough interest.
DeleteNice plants and other treasures you came home with Peter �� Glenda
ReplyDeleteThanks Glenda!
DeleteThe picture of the Rose is a knockout!.
ReplyDeleteI was turned on by Gompherena 'Pink Zazzle' when Les, from Tidewater mentioned it earlier this year, but I never saw it in any nursery. Once it blooms you can't miss it, it's such a sparkler.
The tiny tentacle planter is too adorable; it could double as a soft-boiled egg holder!
PS: it's a bummer you got sick, especially since you just started your summer break. Take care, and I hope the antibiotics make you feel better right away.
DeleteI saw Gompherena 'Pink Zazzle' a couple of years ago at WEHOP's demonstration garden. It was supposed to be the "It" plant the next spring but I haven't seen it anywhere. Thank you for your hope. The Antibiotics worked like a charm. After a boring day of watching bad t.v. between naps, I'm feeling much better and even did a bit of gardening today. It's amazing what a bit of sleep can do!
DeleteWhat a cool event and lovely garden, lots of prickly plants too like the fabulous Dyckia. It would look great in the tentacled pots, how funny with the kewpie doll head. I like the bright Osteospermum with the Lobelia.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lot of fun spending a nice warm evening in this beautiful garden! I always thought that those tentacled pots cried out to have a head put on them. The Osteospermum with Lobelia is a winning combination!
DeleteI kinda feel like my whole garden is a "test garden" at times. Looks like it was a fun event, and you brought home some great stuff!
ReplyDeleteYes, we are all mad scientists testing new things in our gardens all the time! The event was lots of fun!
DeleteCool event and lots of great plants! I love the Teucrium and the Leucodendron. I'd be willing to grow that phormium in a container and protect it over the winter. I think that's my favorite of the bunch.
ReplyDeleteIt sure was! That's a great phormium. There was one on the van that almost came home with me.
DeleteLovely plants and colors Peter. I loved Osteospermum, never seen it before, is it hardy plant?
ReplyDeleteThank you Nadezda! Osteospermum is only hardy to about -4c and is usually grown as an annual. I once had one make it through the winter in a very dry spot.
DeleteThe Outlaw adventures continue. Beautiful plants and even more gorgeous combinations make for a wonderful way to sell plants. Loved it all and need to find some of those new gomphrena around here.
ReplyDeleteThe test garden is a great way to get people to see and maybe be willing to try these mostly non-hardy plants. That gomphrena is gorgeous!
DeleteYou have such cool garden events on your side of the country. Sigh....
ReplyDeleteMove west young woman! Or approach a favorite nursery about throwing an event. Offer to make cookies.
DeleteI wish Petula and her van would pay a visit here...
ReplyDeleteFunny but the big WEHOP trucks visit California to pick up all of this cool stuff and bring it here.
DeleteFunny but the big WEHOP trucks visit California to pick up all of this cool stuff and bring it here.
DeletePeter you have such spectacular variety to choose from because of where you live .. can i say I am green with envy ? LOL ... what is that amazing pink flower with yellow stars in t ?
ReplyDeleteI love agave .. some years Home Depot has them in their garden center .. but it has been a few years now, are you all gobbling them up over there ? LOL
The curly leg planters are too cute ... I would love one so tell these people they have to visit Canada .. specifically Kingston ON ! haha
You took marvelous pictures and I have drooled enough over my keyboard thank you !
Take care
Joy : )
Having gardened in the north (zone 3) before, I feel very fortunate to have landed where we live mostly by accident. That flower is Gompherena 'Pink Zazzle' Agaves seem to be quite a fad right now in this area. They used to mostly come from California but local growers are now starting them here.
DeleteNext time I see the nice folks at Petula, I'll put in a good word for Kingston! :) Have a great gardening day and do let your keyboard air out a bit.
Love those roses, and the Osteospermum! But how was the gelato?
ReplyDeleteOMG! Amazing. I chose green apple and thoroughly enjoyed it!
DeleteWeird how gomphrenas are having a bit of a "moment" with these new kinds on the market. 'Balboa' is one of my fav plants this summer. Good for you grabbing the Pearl Bush! I saw it in gallons in Santa Barbara and was this close to grabbing it, but it gets big here so I passed. I can't get used to seeing leucadendrons and petunias cavorting! I like the Phylica arborea a lot -- haven't seen that one around yet.
ReplyDeleteThey keep teasing us with that gomphrena but for some reason, it''s not available in nurseries. The Pearl Bush is destined for life in a pot here so maybe it'll stay smaller Leucadendrons and petunias are a strange but interesting couple.
DeleteWow. That's no ordinary commercial planting! So interesting, and so beautiful. Not being very knowledgeable about exotic plants, I have no idea what many of these plants are, but I can certainly appreciate them.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how they put exotics and hardy plants together. Looks great for quite a while until all the little exotics have to come in for the winter. Although in the test garden,they'll leave them out all winter to test their hardiness.
DeleteWow - Tonya and Petula rock! Bummed I wasn't able to make it up there. I'm coming up with Gina (our buyer) for a two-day nursery bus tour this week which will be fun, but I'm TOTALLY game for another blogger event at Petula. Anyone else?
ReplyDeleteIsn't the planting wonderful. We were there that night also. We know Molly and was really excited when we saw the plantings. We live in the neighborhood and the garden club had done a pretty good job of standard plantings but the new plants selected by Petula were outstanding! We have been back again to see how it is doing. It is going to be interesting to see how things do. The space is a public so there has been a little damage from usage (sitting on and stepping on) but I love to see how these exotics do. If you are in the neighborhood again, definitely check out the plantings outside the soon to open Cascadia Art Museum in Salish Crossing Center. It is center between the ferry ticket booth and train station near the Edmonds Marina. They do not have as many exotics but an excellent planting of unusual good perennials for the area. Even a Chilean Fire Bush! The beds are raised and waist high so you have a good view of the plantings.
ReplyDeleteMarta--Molly & I have been eyeing that planting for awhile now. It's amazing! Definitely worth a visit.
Delete"Downtown, where all the lights are bright..." oh right, back to typing. What a wonderful post....are you for hire? :-) Our plants & pots have never looked so good---love the kewpie. We're really enjoying the test garden and seeing what performs well in that space and how the plants patiently endure all the public (& dog!) visitors.
ReplyDeleteAs to the Gomphrena 'Pink Zazzle' availability. It was introduced a couple years ago & commercial growers were slow to get it since it was a later crop (not grown with their main seasonal items). However, interest has been picking up. The plant needs heat to thrive, so you won't see it in April or May in garden centers, folks should look for it in June or later.
Yes, blogger day! We would love to have all of you up, name the date and we'll be there!
Peter, I'm blushing from all of your praise, but I can't take credit for all of Petula's kudos. My partners Molly Malecki & Mike Cole (my husband & partner) are responsible for the lion's share of the immense drive and creativity needed to steer this ship. And none of this would happen without our office staff, Karen & Lisa, and our Oregon Petula contingent, John Neeway.
It was lovely to see you Peter, thank you for indulging my very long comments!
dear dog, how do I become a member of this club. fanfrickintastic!
ReplyDelete