Visiting Far Reaches Farm

It's always a treat to visit Far Reaches Farm to see exquisite plants and what Kelly is wearing. Chartreuse toenail polish was a standout on this visit.  Kelly and Sue, the owners of Far Reaches are such entertaining and humorous people that it's worth the drive up just to see them.  To see previous posts from Far Reaches, click here.

The dry bed in front of the house is looking grand.  Was this here last year?  

In the huge mixed border that lines the drive on the other side are cool plants a go-go.  Here is Embothrium coccineum in glorious bloom. Mine has just changed leaf form so hopefully next year it'll bloom.

This Cornus is a riot of bright pink blooms.

Quercus dentata pinnatifida is looking delicious!

The border ends in this fab green-roofed gazebo  in the center of a bog.  From extremely dry to very wet, the needs of a large variety of plants can be met.

Happy looking gunnera!

Let's see what's on the tables!

Very tempting but where could I find space?

On the other hand, there's always space in the greenhouse for another brugmansia!

Jerry at Courting Frogs has been up to his magic again.  Notice the unusual blooms on the left.  They last for a very long time.  Mine's been with me for at least a month and, with the exception of new "pitchers" emerging, looks the same as the day I bought it!

Podophyllum in storage.  Can't explain why I love this group of plants so much.

Shady characters inside.

Begonia pedatifida has great foliage and nice flowers.  

Out in the sun.

I wish now that I'd picked up a couple of these!  They'd look fantastic with the maroon and orange variety in my garden that came from Far Reaches a year or two ago.

Arisaema!

Let's see what's happening in the shade garden.  First we must pay our respects to this lovely puya.

Is that Stachys 'Bello Grigio'  He's sure getting around this year!

 Looks like Begonia grandis with gorgeous pink Maianthemum blooms.

OMG!  A Purple Polygonatum! Not burgundy, not lavender but grape purple. Major plant lust!  Evidently the opening in the flowers doesn't allow native polinators in so seed production has been difficult.

Of course, everyone wants this one.  

Including this in their garden;  Great marketing technique or sadism?  Whatever, it's a beauty!

 Tom noticed this great marbled coloration on several Cardiocrinum giganteum plants.  

Beautiful new variety or leaf chlorosis?  They'll iron (manganese or zinc) it out.  

Nomocharis  looking charming.  I'll never forget seeing masses of this for the first time in Les Brake's incredible zone 2 garden in Alaska.

They're killing me with this ever more gorgeous schefflera delavayi with it's deeply incised leaves.  Variability of seed?  I'm looking forward to seeing seedlings of this beautiful creature for sale!

 A very nice woman working at the nursery asked if I'd seen the big red trillium.  I've forgotten the names of both the cool woman and the marvy  trillium.  It's the largest blooming trillium of this type and it's stunning but carries it's flowers below the foliage.  Isn't it sweet?

It was time to pay for my plants and be off for Windcliff.  Thanks Kelly, Sue and staff for another fun visit to your exceptional nursery and gardens!

Springing over to Vassey Nursery

If you're a long-time reader of my blog, you know that I visit Vassey Nursery often.  Great plants, friendly, knowledgeable people, cool stuff, and on my way home from my Sunday job;  who could ask for anything more?  For more about the nursery, see their website here and see my previous visits here.   

Evergreens look great year round and Vassey carries a great selection of them.  They carry us through the winter and provide structure in the summer but it's spring and our eyes, like butterflies flit from beautiful boom to beautiful bloom and ignore the conifers for a time. 

Like the beautiful butter cream colored  blooms of my favorite yellow magnolia, 'Elizabeth.'  

The large flowers and cheery color are attractive and since my mother's name was Elizabeth, they make me smile.

Perhaps I'll make space for one in my garden someday. 

Don't you love that time of year when the hosta foliage comes out and hides so many of the sins in your garden?

 Gorgeous Saxifrage!

Attractive foliage of Itoh peonies about which read more here. 

 Three buddhas agree, let's skip the workout and order pizza.  There's a reason why the fat buddhas are usually happy!

Or were they just excited about all the cool plants?  

Speaking of cool plants, isn't the foliage of Erythronium dens-canis 'Snowflake'  lovely?

Re purposed flatware.

Gotta love that name!

Sweet three circle/bird hangings. 

The large spheres are sending out runners.  These will gently bend as the small ones grow allowing the spheres to take root and grow.  It's a lovely way of propagation.

Dig these cool oval planters!  

succulent beauty!

This NOID  Aloe had to come home with me. 

 Locally made concrete leaves and spheres.  I'm kind of digging the small leaves.  Having made a lot of large leaf castings, this might be a fun and certainly less heavy project!

Not really a fan of cutesy but these fairy babies are really sweet.  

One almost came home with me but I caught myself just in time.  It starts this way - you pick up one cute little thing and before you know it, fairy gardens are springing up in every extra pot you posses. Crisis averted! Although, just one on a leaf wouldn't be such a bad thing would it? 

Fun!

I like the "stuff" part of Vassey as so much of it is garden related/nature themed.   These vases are curious with the bird/nest part at the top where foliage might obscure it.  Upright contents would work well.  On the other hand, I've got lots of interesting vases that never see a flower.

 Handsome fellow!

On the way out with my plants and stuff (you knew it would happen) I walked through the Acers palmatum.  Hooray for spring!