It Would Have Been Enough! The Northwest Horticultural Society Spring Plant Sale.

Dayenu (Hebrew:דַּיֵּנוּ) is a song that is part of the Jewish holiday of Passover. The word "Dayenu" means approximately "it would have been enough for us", "it would have been sufficient", or "it would have sufficed" (day in Hebrew is "enough", and -enu the first person plural suffix, "to us"). This traditional up-beat Passover song is over one thousand years old. The earliest full text of the song occurs in the first medieval haggadah, which is part of the ninth-century Seder Rav Amram.

I often think of how lucky gardeners in the Pacific Northwest are to live where and when we do!  If we only had one of the best climates for gardening and didn't have amazing nurseries, it would have been enough.  If we had fabulous nurseries but had no plant explorers who discover and propagate new plants to bring us joy, it would have been enough. You get the gist, we are blessed with a very garden friendly climate, stellar nurseries, plantsmen and women who bring unusual plants into the trade and now we start the season of plant sales to which these plantspeople and nurseries bring what they've grown to one location.  O.K. so, it's not the deliverance from bondage in  Egypt but it's pretty spectacular stuff for plant addicts!

The first plant sale I attended this year was the Northwest Horticulture Society sale at the Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle.

Right away I was greeted by this podophyllum.  

"This Chinese podophyllum is quite distinct from other species, with two boldly cut leaves, side by side, like angels wings sprouting in the moss. Rare to see in the trade.  I love the celedon color and the exotic shimmer these bring to the woodland.  Require deep shade and even moisture in the summer and good drainage in the winter." 

Had I read the description, one would have come home with me but in just looking at the leaves which aren't as darkly marked as P. delavayi, I decided to pass. Fortunately, the tag has the grower's name and number so perhaps...

  So many plants, so little garden space left!

There were so many things to see that I almost missed 

This lady!  Fortunately, she had already shopped and saw me.  Neither of us knew that the other was planning  on going to the sale.  What fun to run into Alison and her haul.

This was my first time to attend this sale and the room was full of good stuff but I thought that there would have been a few more vendors.  I'd only seen about a third of the sale as there were more vendors outside and in this greenhouse.

Even if this were the only plant sale of the spring, it would have been enough.  Notice that the Heronswood sale is coming up on March 28!  Anyone else planning on going?

 Inside the foyer of the Elizabeth C. Miller Botanical Library, (I think)  The N.H.C. had put together a cutting display of plants of interest at this time of year.  Reminded me of the display at the Portland Yard, Garden, and Patio show.

The tables went on and on.

Love that large Schefflera delavayi leaf!

Heading out, I decided to explore the garden a bit.  Here's a future gardener admiring the daffodils.

It was a beautiful, sunny and warm day for the beginning of March (60 degrees!)

Interesting combinations.

Here's a list of vendors present.   They're photographs because I'm too lazy to type them all.  A few of these are places that I've yet to visit but based on their offerings at the sale, that will be remedied soon!

So, what did I not already have in my garden except for that podophyllum?   A cool new rhododendron hybrid called "Wine and Roses" and three more Cardiocrinum giganteum to add to the group.

 On the way to the car, I had to stop and admire Yucca 'Bright Star'

 A nice large specimen but it has that acne problem that drives some gardeners to distraction (Loree.)

The one gallon that stayed in my greenhouse had far fewer spots than those that lived outside but still had some.  I love this plant and hope that a dermatologist will soon come up with a solution to it's unfortunate winter and spring complexion.

Wordless Wednesday; Magnolias!

Winter Walk-Off 2015

This is the fifth year that Les at A Tidewater Gardener has hosted the Winter Walk-Off meme.  I'll let him explain, "For those of you who aren't familiar with my little challenge, this is a way to encourage all bloggers to rise from th couch, cast off that musty Afghan, grab a camra, and get out of the house to show the rst of us what their part of the planet looks like."  There are a few rules that can be found here. In past years, I've shared images of things that are uniquely Tacoma.  Today, I had a very short time to walk so I headed a different way from the house than I had in previous years.  In looking at what I saw, it could be just about any town U.S.A.

Of course, I was noticing all of the plants.

Magnolia stellata

 The interesting but unwelcome berries of Hedera helix which the birds eat and "plant" everywhere, including at the bases of trees where the ivy grows up and, if left unchecked, usually overtakes the tree, killing it.  Sometimes the additional foliage will bring down deciduous trees in winter wind storms when their own foliage is long gone.  It also creates great habitat for rats of which Western Washington has a huge population!  

Next on our tour of El Paso...  Oh wait, this is Emmanuel Presbyterian Church.

A glance down the street at Commencement Bay, part of Puget Sound, assures us that we're indeed in the Pacific Northwest.

These are popping up everywhere these days.  I love the idea but have not used a Little Free Library yet.  Have you?

Nandina in glorious fruit.

A row of  houses in Tacoma's most common historic house style, the American Foursquare.  Popular from a the mid 1890's to the early 1930's this style of home is a common sight in many parts of the country.

The Church of Saint Patrick, Roman Catholic, has a gorgeous interior with a carved marble back altar and incredible stained glass.  (Happy Saint Patrick's Day, BTW)

Perhaps next year for winter walk-off, I'll see if I can walk inside and take photographs.  

It's all fun and games until someone has to clean up!

I rather enjoy the carpet of purple and white petals, it makes the garden look dressed up for a special event!  Once the petals turn brown, a quick once over with a mulching mower would take care of them in no time!

Old brick fire house turned into condos. 

Another fun old house on the street. 

So cheerful!

 Notice the tag on this yellow fungus.  I think it said something like Sphereiphyllum  wilsonii. 

I decided to walk back through an alley.  This Bergenia flower looked quite springy to me.  Also to the little green spider who seems to have taken up residence.  Do you see him?

What kinds of ladies ply their trade in back alleys?    As I spoke to the buff colored one, the other two came running.  I love chickens but don't want to give up the space it takes to keep them.

I love brick walkways but this one seems to be saying, "Get OUT!"  Maybe it was simply trying to tell me where to go.

 So, there it is, my ever so brief winter walk off post for this year.  Next year, I'll start earlier but the couch with the musty afghan was too tempting this time!  Happy almost spring!

Foliage Follow - Up March 2015

Foliage Follow-Up is hosted by Pam Penick at Digging on the day after Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day each month to remind us of the importance of foliage in the garden every day of the year! Click on over there, and join in the fun!

Random shots of foliage that caught my eye while wandering:

Rhododendron 'Wine and Roses,' a new hybrid that I got from the Rhododendron Species Garden.

Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty' had some rust issues last summer so I treated the soil with copper. Hopefully that will take car of the problem.  Looks like it'll b time to divide this next year if the rust goes away!

This part of the garden is fairly green all year long.  

Rhododendron 'Super Flimmer' 

Impatiens omeiana 'Silver Pink' 

Helleborous 'Silver Dollar'

Rex Begonias in the greenhouse.

Rex Begonia 'Fireflush' was doing very well until someone left the pot soaking in water.  Who would do such a cruel thing to a plant?  Perhaps it will recover.

Erythrina crista-galli that Danger gave me last year grew very well through the summer until someone forgot to water it. (So hard to get conscientious and knowledgeable garden help!) I thought that it might recover in the greenhouse over the winter but it mostly sat there.  Now look at it!  For it's great effort, it will get a bigger pot in which to stretch it's roots.

Banksia grandis putting out new growth.  So, how does one fertilize a phosphorous sensitive plant?   Blood meal?  Would well rotted manure bother it? I found an answer here.

This guy looks a bit like Sideshow Bob with his new Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' hairdo. 

Sideshow Bob image copyright 20th Century Fox.

He sported a Sedum morganianum (Burro's Tail Sedum) coiffure last summer.  It's now hanging closer to the sun for the winter.  Looked a bit like dread locks.  There's always the Euphorbia flanaganii that looks a bit like a crown or up do.  Maybe I'll photograph all three possibilities and let you decide.