Visiting Vassey Nursery

The wind and rain have returned but over the weekend we had some absolutely gorgeous, warm and sunny days.  On the way home from work on Sunday, I felt the need to visit a couple of nurseries.  Really, if it wasn't meant to be, they wouldn't be right there on the road home, right?  It's a great idea, if one is lucky enough to have nurseries open year round, to peek at what's looking particularly good this time of year so that our gardens can be full of plants of winter interest. The fact that there are all kinds of sales going on at this time of the year doesn't hurt, either.

Ah, red!  Such a cheerful color which I used to avoid in my garden.  Now I simply can't understand why.

Hardy Cyclamen.  I remember when these were first planted and now they've become a very attractive carpet of winter gorgeousness.

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena'

 H amamelis 'Sunburst'

Aronia melonocarpa 'Autumn Magic'  would be in my garden if there were more space. 

Salix gracilistyla 'Mt. Aso' has charming pink catkins.  

Filled with lovely plants for three seasons and now hosting an arrangement of evergreens.  Potting soil full of roots makes an excellent anchor for such things.

So much evergreen goodness!

Nandina is overused for a reason.  Look how gorgeous that foliage is.

Sheltered camellias are a bit ahead of those in the open garden. 

Leucothoe 'Rainbow' 

70% off on select items.  

One should collect this thing to remind him/her not to collect it?  

More fun stuff.

All ready for spring!

Golden acorns anyone?

These metal walnuts spoke to me.  The detail is really nice as is the finish.  They're some sort of metal poured into a mold. Bonus: they are holiday merchandise and therefore on sale!