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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.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

A Rainy Day Visit to Bremerton City Nursery

On Saturday, the rain poured down all day long, a perfect day to stay in one's pajamas, sip coffee, and read a good book.  However, I'd promised one of my students that I'd watch his soccer match.  They play rain or shine so off we went to stand in a soggy field under umbrellas to cheer on my little friend.  Since I was showered and dressed anyway, why not make a day of it and visit a few nurseries?    There are so many great ones and so little time to visit them all, especially when those pesky J-O-B-S take up a lot of perfectly good garden shopping time.   

Bremerton City Nursery is not huge but it's packed to the rafters with well selected plants and stuff. The coffee spigot, a full-service espresso bar, serving coffee and non coffee drinks, was added to the nursery in 2004 and is a lovely place to grab a warm drink on a rainy day.  Early November is a tricky time as merchandise transitions from Halloween to Thanksgiving and Christmas stuff and plants are going through their own changes.  Tables of tropicals and perennials are on sale while a new supply of hellebores in bloom adorns a prominent display area.  Hay bales, jack-o-lanterns, turkeys, Indian corn, mingle with the first Christmas ornaments.  It's kind of fun really, seeing these things all together.  Here's some of the fun:


The brugmansia at the base of the sign is enjoying our warm wet autumn.  
 Annuals have been removed from the black pots and icicles added to the eaves.

Sempervivum bowls.



These Yucca 'Blue Boy' were quite inexpensive but I resisted. 

Abutilons, Cordylines, Melianthus major and others on the sale tables.


Hersperaloes also on sale.

These trees produce really huge fruit!



Must remember this idea for next October!




Shady characters.

Evergreens putting on their winter coats.




Hypericum 'Ignite Scarlet Red' 


Succulents anyone?  The irony of the watering cans displayed with xeric plants brought a smile.

There's a little water feature in the middle of this living pepper wreath.  

And, there's always an agave!

 Dyckia

Very tempted to add another of these beauties to the plant hoard but the greenhouse is already pretty full.

Who hatched this idea?  Cute!

I'm guessing that these are waiting for the upcoming living wreath workshop.  
The Pacific Northwest really is a gardener's paradise and our independent nurseries make it especially so!  Exercising great restraint, I didn't buy any plants as I've vowed to get more of what I have in the pot ghetto in the ground before another plant comes home.  A trio of OM Gallery paper star lanterns did come home with me and will probably end up decorating my classroom. 
 

11 comments:

  1. Haha - I like the pumpkin planters, and wish I was there to take their living wreath workshop. Winter really is around the corner, isn't it? (Even though it doesn't feel that way - yet.)

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  2. While feasting my eyes on the photos of this post I was thinking how fortunate we are to live in an area with an abundance of nurseries that are open year round. A visit to any garden center is Thyme well spent... it's good for the soul. Will those black pots stay empty till next spring?
    Happy election day.

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  3. Didn't buy any plants? It's like I don't even know you anymore...

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  4. Thanks for the tour, Peter and kudos for making it out to a soccer match for your friend.... :) The pumpkins are pretty cool.

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  5. Another post in which I sighed all the way through - I have plant and rain envy. Kudos to you for braving a kiddie soccer match in wet weather!

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  6. Those Yuccas are gorgeous. Must not be hardy here as I have never seen any like them.

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  7. I think it is wonderful that you support your students by going to their game. :)
    I do think your area has some of the best nurseries. I enjoyed your tour!

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  8. I smiled at the thought of you standing in the rain on the soccer field sidelines. We've done a lot of that this fall.
    This does look like a lovely nursery. I hope it is well supported by paying customers.

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  9. Peter, the nursery is simply amazing. I know I say that about all of your posts, but it's true. You've got the wonderful ability to showcase the garden centers and private gardens with your prose and excellent photography. Those pumpkins are really unique.

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  10. Wow! I'm amazed that there is still so much for sale there. I might have been tempted by those Dyckia.

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  11. You've got this shopping thing down.

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