Visiting Molbak's Part 1 - Can't Contain My Excitement

Molbak's, a nursery in Woodinville, WA, is one of those places that transforms itself into a wonderland of holiday decor, gifts, etc. each year at this time.  Saturday was their official opening although they had a special event the night before for their loyalty club members at which everything in the place was 20% off.  Friday night, rush hour traffic on 405 didn't sound like a great deal of fun to me so we waited until the weekend to check it out.  The carnival of Christmas that Molbak's becomes at this time of year will wait for a later post but today, we'll take in some of the fab container combinations from the outdoor area. 

Okay, all but one of these contains ornamental kale/cabbage.  There are lots of ideas here for this winter's pots if you haven't planted any up yet or for next fall and winter if you have.

Black, orange, silver, and white make a striking combination for this gloomy time of year. 

Perhaps Loree will host another ornamental kale and cabbage challenge next year.

Not in a pot but the purple veins of the orange-leafed Heucherella 'Sweet Tea' pick up the purple of the kale beautifully.  Black pot, black mondo grass, a little something golden and these two would be gorgeous.

A little bit of everything.  

Ornamental cabbage and kale are ubiquitous in winter plantings and some think they're too common and look more like something that belongs in a vegetable garden but some things are popular for a reason.  Are these not beautiful?  Like big flowers they are.

Oh that color!

Molbak's gets the prize for the widest variety, greatest number, and highest price on O.K. & C. of any of the nurseries I've visited this fall.  The plants were all pristine looking too.

Love this highly-textured variety and have one by my back door  where I can enjoy looking at it every day all fall and winter.

The selection goes on and on!

I wonder how difficult it would be to grow these from seed.  Have you tried it? 

Molbak's does a marvelous job of displaying plants for pot groupings.  Just grab a slice, pot it up, and you're set.

Speaking of common but pretty,  the fuzzy grey leaves of Dusty Miller are looking pretty swell to me these days.

Do you live in an area where you can keep pots outside for the winter?  If so, do you compose new pot combinations each season?  I'm mostly a one pot, one plant kind of guy but have been toying with some combinations this fall..

How lucky we are to have so many places nearby that display their plants in this way, providing inspiration for our own combinations.

Not a fan of purples?  How about this red, white, and silver number that will work for the holidays as well?

Halloween decor was 70% off.  Let's see... no skulls, bones, or body parts but this hat was fun. 

Reminded me a bit of this from the Portland Garden Bloggers' Fling:

Nah, it stayed at the nursery. 

Seems they'll put a tillandsia in just about anything these days.  Cute and the price was right but since the plants were hot-glued in, one would have to keep the jack-o-lanterns out all year.  But wait, what's that in the background?

Gothic tracery is scary?  I guess so because it's Halloween merchandise and therefore affordable.  I'm thinking that with some silicone adhesive and a bit of glass cutting, this could become a stained glass screen.  Fortunately, it just fit into the car and will go on my list of glass projects to do. 

You never know what treasures you'll find at Molbak's!