Time for a bit of Shopping - Sky Nursery

We were in Seattle visiting gardens on Saturday and had a bit of time left  for some plant shopping.  Sky Nursery is located north of Seattle in Shoreline and it's always a treat to visit this huge place.

As usual, I don't need any more plants but it's always fun to look.  

Pachstachys lutea aka Golden Shrimp Plant has such an interesting and long lasting bloom structure.

Iresine herbstii 'Blazin' Rose.' Can you imagine encountering this in it's native habitat where it can reach five feet tall?

Plectranthus 'Velvet Elvis' appears innocent enough with it's happy glossy green leaves but it has a dark side...

And, there's always a begonia. B. 'Moracco' is interesting. 

This diminutive peachy white charmer jumped into my cart. One has to watch out, begonias will do that.

Solanum pyracantha 

Salvia apiana also came home with me.

Blogging pal Kris at Late to the Garden Party grows Lisianthus and I always admire them in her Monday vases.  I'm especially fond of the blue doubles and while the tag says double, the image looks like a single so they stayed on the shelf.

"To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, to throw a perfume on the violet, to smooth the ice, or add another hue unto the rainbow, or with taper-light to seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, is wasteful and ridiculous excess."  Shakespeare's line reflects my feeling about the doubling of Oriental lilies but these Asiatic doubles aren't so bad.  They also don't look like lilies.

Shady characters. 

Heuchera 'Forever Red' echoes the color of Coleus 'Inferno.' Heuchera 'Fire Chief'' would also work nicely and make a gardener smile thinking of the  varieties being together.

The house plant section is a community unto itself. 

I was never a fan of cacti but Loree, the Agave Evangelist, made me take a second look a few years ago and now I'm smitten with their variety of forms, sizes, and ease of care. They have swell flowers as well.

Euphorbias like the one on the left and in the middle are From Africa while cacti are from the new world.  Here's an article about the differences.

Labeled simply "Corn Cob Cactus" Google says that's a common name for Euphorbia Mammillari but it doesn't look like the images of that plant and it has areoles so it can't be an euphorb.  Oh, the  problem of common names. It's probably Trichocereus brevispinulosus aka Indian Comb Cactus.  Major lust but I had to remind myself that indoor winter space is limited and plant hoarding is only fun if they have room to be healthy.

It was either "Assorted Succulents" or "Foliage."  Sweet Haworthia!

Tropical foliage 

Cacti/Succulent merchandise seems to be getting even more popular.

Pot is legal in several states, organically growing one's own food is trendy,  being anti-establishment is cool, and now this.  Hey, where did I put those black light posters and my love beads?

 My first trip here was more than 20 years ago.  After reading Dan Hinkley's Book Winter Ornamentals for the Maritime Northwest Gardener, I decided that I needed a Stachyurus praecox.  I called a lot of nurseries but Sky was the only one that had them.   The nursery has grown a lot since then!

Lotus are gorgeous in foliage and flower but I'm not willing to do the work necessary to keep them here.

While you can't tell from this image, the water plant selection here is vast.

These structures could be yours. Phone booth or outhouse with a view?

You can't tell from this image but this hydrangea, from the Seaside Serenade series has deep burgundy foliage and is named 'Fire Island'

 Seaside Serenade 'Cape Cod' is much more subtly colored 

'Wedding Gown' 

Berberis thunbergii 'Admiration'

I could go on and on but it's time to stop this and go water the garden.