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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.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

A Quick Stop at Cistus

Years ago, I would drive two and a half hours just to visit Cistus Nursery (previous posts here.) and then drive home.  Now, a trip to the Portland area just doesn't seem complete without a visit so after attending the Yard, Garden, and Patio Show and stopping at a few nurseries in town, we headed out Highway 30 and arrived with only an hour to look around before closing.

Garrya in full and glorious catkin.

The big top is a xeric gardener's paradise.  

One of these years, I may actually spring for a beautifully-trunked Yucca rostrata.  For now my tiny ones are amusing me in the hell strip.


 

Camellia japonica 'Brusfields Yellow's golden charms were beyond my resistance!  Since they have them in small and inexpensive sizes, who would try to resist.

 A little zonal denial is good for the soul!

Abutilon, a Cistus specialty were in bloom.  

The restios are difficult for me to identify as so many of them look quite similar.  Add to that the fact that Rhodocoma capensis, one of the hardiest, sometimes looks like these gorgeous creatures while other specimens appear much a bit more like a horsetail.  Male and female plants?  Awfully beautiful in these five gallon pots but since some winters like to kill these,  my gallons at home will be just fine.  Easier to haul inside during freezes.

Camellia japonica 'Shin Akebono' is a stunner.  Fortunately one of these came home with me from Cistus last year.

This Aspidistra also needed a new home!

This area is one of my favorites in the heat of the summer but the seating was a bit moist to enjoy at this time of year and we needed leave in time to hit one more nursery before they closed!
Okay, I'll come clean, a Prunus mume 'Dawn' also made it into the plant mobile.  The ones at the show were too big for the car and in full bloom but those at the nursery were smaller and still in bud. It's now opening up and adding a nice dash of pink to the slope between the house and sidewalk.  Maybe, I'll  dig a hole right there and plant it.  Not the most unusual tree in the world but so cheerful in winter.  Ann Lovejoy's words "If your heart yearns for a winter-flowering tree, try to avoid those overplanted cherries, plums and whatnots that look dull eleven months of the year" thankfully stayed my hand from ever planting any of those.  However, A.L.  wrote glowing things about Prunus mume, which  I'd not seen offered in nurseries.  Perhaps in years to come, I'll regret planting this tree but an application of the chainsaw can remedy that easily enough.  Ain't gardening grand?

11 comments:

  1. All of my Abutilons died from not getting watered this winter. I'm hoping the A. megapotamicum that was planted outside survived.

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  2. Hmmm...I'd planned to visit Cistus this week and here it is Thursday and I haven't been yet. WWIT? Must fix that.

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  3. A good friend just bought a house on Sauvie Island so I'll be in the neighborhood even more often. Sometimes the Gardening Gods look after us.

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  4. I have that same problem with restios. I can't remember if the first one I planted many years ago is Thamnocortus insignis or Chondropetalum tectorum! The last couple times I was at Cistus it reached 100 degrees -- must have been wonderful this time of year!

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  5. Yucca rostrata seems like a desert plant. How do they do on your hell strip? The mature ones are to die for!

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  6. I LOVE that yellow-flowered Camellia! When the yellow forms first came out, I bought a small plant and installed it in my former shady garden. As my current garden is less hospitable for Camellias, I haven't even considered getting a yellow one here but you may have pushed me in that direction. There is still room on my "new" shade (former lawn) area...

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  7. Cistus is a treat any time of year! Glad you got to stop and also found a few beauties for the plantmobile - nice selection!

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  8. Yay, Cistus! Glad you found some goodies to take home. I have to admit, though, after propagating so many abutilons, I'm a little sick of them. Shh, don't tell.

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  9. Even as a person immune to the charms of succulents, I do like that Yucca rostrata.

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  10. I love that last pic with the chairs. Great lighting. Would love for my garden to look like that. I've got that aspidistra. It's terrific in a shady spot. I think it followed me home from Cistus, too, last fall.

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