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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.

Friday, May 5, 2017

Sky Nursery was only thirty minutes away.

After visiting West Seattle Nursery, there was enough time to visit a couple more nurseries thanks to their longer spring hours.   First up was Sky, an huge nursery north of Seattle.

This large and gorgeous Rhodocoma capensis was a serious temptation but they really look best with a lot of space around them, something of which there is a dearth in my crowded garden.

I don't know why I love camellias so much.  Maybe because one or another of them is in bloom in my garden from December through July.  Anything that blooms in the winter makes me happy.  However, since I still have three in pots not yet planted in the ground, these three beauties remained at the nursery.  Camellia japonica 'Bob Hope'

C. japonica 'Chandleri Elegans Variegated'  Some of the flowers were more variegated than this one.

Symmetrical petals of the formal C. japonica 'Nuccio's Bella Rossa '  are swoon-worthy.

The parking lot was full but because of how expansive the nursery is, it didn't seem crowded at all.  



The displays are always inspiring.  Wouldn't it be grand to have truckloads of pots and plants from which to choose to make displays?

Lots of great indoor plants, including some unusual succulents.

The green and white variegated bromeliads are crazy gorgeous.  One got to ride in my cart for a little while.

Sarracenia blooms

Artichoke foliage is lovely.



This place just keeps going and going. 

Some of the hundreds of rose varieties offered this year. 

New growth on Rhododendron barbatum is as nice as the flowers.

Rhododendron spinuliferum

You can even buy your own ruin. 

Wouldn't you worry about grabbing a cactus with which to write? 


Glochids got you down?  try one of these.  They won't lodge in your skin if you touch them.  Of course, they won't grow either.


Here was my cart at one point.  The miniature hosta went back because I have too many already.  It's always nice to have a few pot stuffers sitting around in case a need arises.  The fancy-leaf geranium (Pelargonum) on the far left is called 'Kaleidoscope' and has interesting darker green stripes going through the foliage.  I hope to be more diligent this year about taking cuttings of my geraniums in the fall.

I also found Haworthia 'Chocolate' and it seems like a couple of other things that I'm blanking out at the moment.

May your weekend be sunny, warm, and filled with fun in your garden!

11 comments:

  1. I made a recent field trip to Sky too, but didn't have time to take photos. I hope you do take Geranium cuttings, they are so easy to root.

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  2. When I go to Sky, I make sure I have a couple of hours I can leisurely spend there, uninterrupted. That nursery makes the heart soar with an astonishing amount of everything and anything one could ever wish for a garden. The rusty fence section behind the pot display is beautiful.

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  3. Wow, they've gotten a lot "fuller" since I was there in February.

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  4. When I read your posts, I try to think of reasons it would be bad for me to live in the PNW. #1: I'd spend so much time visiting nurseries and garden centers, I wouldn't have time to garden. #2: I'd be broke. But then #1 would be controlled by #2, wouldn't it?

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  5. Love those leaf-themed, rusty panels, and so much more. We had a group of Tacomans visit the nursery last Sunday and I found myself wondering if they had exhausted all of the fabulous resources you keep posting about before making the trip to the Portland area. Of course, there's nothing better than a road trip with gardening buddies and we loved having them visit.

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  6. My weekend will be sunny and much of it spent in the garden putting in my new plants. I'll be thinking of you.

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  7. Our pots are stuffed, and our garden is full, but that may not stop us from "shopping" at nurseries. They are so darn addictive.

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  8. Someone else influenced by a certain PDX garden with those pens. Huge nursery = a good sign of a great horticultural culture!

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  9. So you have been to Seattle, Peter,haven't you? I see you had nice time in the nursery, I love your choice, especially geranium, they all are so pretty.
    Yes I have sunny weekend with cold wind.
    Happy May 8, Victory Day!

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  10. That Rhododendron spinuliferum is really unusual!

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  11. Hi Peter, Your remark about the glochids - so funny. Seems like an enormous nursery and very attractive displays. I particularly love the Sarracenia blooms, love that dark red colour.

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