-

-
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.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Has it been a year already?



It was a year ago today that I first hit the orange publish button on blogger and began my journey as a blogger.  I'd read a lot of blogs and even commented on some but didn't think I'd have much to say that would be of interest to other folks on a blog of my own.  At the urging of Ms. Danger, I started anyway.   A year and 276 posts later, I still don't know if I'll run out of things to post about but  for the time being, I'm having fun.  Perhaps in the future I won't post five days a week as I have this year.  The most interesting thing about blogging has been meeting other gardeners and feeling like a part of a community of like minded (and perhaps misguided) souls who love to get their hands dirty.  In reading blogs from around the country and world, I've gained a broader understanding of and appreciation for the differences in regional garden styles, plant palettes, and practices.  In reading blogs from my own region, I've learned about exciting new plants to try in my garden.  Thank you all for reading my blog, leaving comments, welcoming me to the blogosphere and helping me to gain more knowledge of plants and gardening!

 I was thinking of doing  a drawing for this post but will do that for my 300th post.   Instead, today I'll post about a visit to Jungle Fever, a nursery and plantsman (Jerry Cearley) who have been instrumental in my green education and formation as a gardener and plant fanatic over the last 20 or so years. 


Jungle Fever is a small nursery specializing in hardy exotics.  Originally I was drawn here by the huge fragrant flowers of brugmansias but came to love the many tropical appearing large leaved plants that are surprisingly hardy here.  Jungle Fever has always carried a lot of beautiful  Australian natives and desert plants from our own continent  like cacti and agaves.  It wasn't until recently that I started appreciating those and later than that that I began to like palms, another Jungle Fever staple.  A visit to this nursery, 15 minutes from my house, is like stepping into a mini tour of jungles and deserts of the world. Once inside, it's difficult  to remember  that we're just yards from a busy street!   When the big Restio craze hit, Jungle fever was there to supply our plant lust and on this visit, I noticed some great Rhodocoma capensis! Carnivorous and other bog/water plants play on the sales tables  along with a fairly specialized offering of  great annuals that you won't find at a box store.

Just outside the entrance was this grevillea  in gorgeous bloom.  Cisco Morris learned about this group of plants and their hardiness in our region from Jerry. 


Jungle fever also has some funky  garden art!

I'll shut up now and let you look around a little. 

Agave alba mediopicta

Spiky goodness

Agave lophantha 'Quadricolor'


Agave  parryi


Yucca rostrata


Some of the tables of small perennials and unusual annuals.

Hedychium 'Tara'

Schefflera delavayi


Cordyline

And a familiar cordyline admirer


Giant papyrus which came home with me.

Baby Tetrapanax

Clematis 'Early Sensation'

Tricyrtis

There's something here for everyone!  O.K. every gardener.

There's even a nice inside space with a collection of less than hardy beauties.

This keeps following me around!   I'll probably succumb eventually.

Roses and palms, what a nice combination!


Jerry's garden is just behind the nursery and a stroll up the sidewalk should not be missed.


The house sits on a corner lot.  On one side there are large plants that provide shade and on the other side is a dry sunny garden that looks more like something from southern California than it does a garden in the Pacific Northwest.


Beautiful 30-year-old Agave parryi







Details make all the difference!







We'll stop here to admire the remains of  last year's agave bloom stalk about which you can read here.
 
Also no longer  with us this year is Jerry's partner Darlene Allard who died suddenly just before Christmas.  It was she who created all of the exquisite mosaic, fused glass, and beaded work around the nursery.  Her sense of humor and talent will be sorely missed.
 
If you're in the area, especially during the summer, this is a special place and wonderful nursery not to be missed.  Thanks Jerry and Darlene for all these years of friendship, great plants,  education, and inspiration!


32 comments:

  1. I love your blog and all the interesting and funny things you show and say! so happy blog birthday!!
    By the way, very pretty place and very original floor with lizard shaped pavers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lisa! I love your blog and all of the interesting and beautiful places and plants you show!

      Jerry cast all of those lizard pavers using a mold that he bought. The place is full of creative touches!

      Delete
  2. Happy Birthday, O.G.! It's clear you are enjoying your blogging experience - which means I enjoy it, too. I like seeing your part of the world through your lens and descriptions! What a beautiful world we live in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy one! Your blog is my reliable first read of the day..got to keep if up!

      Delete
    2. Thanks Rebecca and Linda! I am enjoying this and love connecting with gardeners from around the country and world! It is indeed a beautiful planet on which we live.

      I'm flattered to be your first read of the morning Linda!

      Delete
  3. Congratulations! Your insights and sense of humor make OG fun to read. I'm looking forward to many more wonderful posts.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Shirley! It's nice to know that smart folks like yourself enjoy my posts.

      Delete
  4. Happy first Blogaversary! I am so glad you started blogging and even more glad that I've met you. We've had some grand adventures together. You're more fun than a Mars bar, my friend! I didn't even realize that you took my picture when I bent down to look at that Cordyline that I thought was a Phormium.

    I love your new header!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks pal! Our adventures together have certainly been a highlight of this whole blogging thing! And just like a Mars bar, I melt in hot weather.

      Glad you like the header, it's fun to change it every now and then.

      Delete
  5. Happy Blog Birthday! What a great post to celebrate with...looks like Jerry's got some jewels there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks oh instigator of this adventure! It's been almost as much fun as a puppy! Summer is definitely prime time time to visit Jungle Fever! Lots of great plants!

      Delete
  6. Happy one year!!! I just want to say a big thank you for being such a joy to wake up to everyday and read of your gardening adventures!!

    Jungle fever looks like a place after my own heart! All those palms and prickly wonders!!! I could see myself having an eccentric micro nursery something like that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Louis, I'm glad that you find me a joy to wake up to. I'd be even nicer if you'd make the bed once in a while! (Sorry, couldn't help myself.)

      I too could see myself having a fun nursery like Jungle Fever. A fun dream.

      Delete
  7. Congratulations on a year of blogging some really great experiences and places to visit. I envy Alison having a garden travel buddy who finds such interesting gardens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! We'd love to have you join us on our garden adventures! We both find fun places!

      Delete
  8. I'm so glad you blog!! You are awesome!! LOVE all those mosaics. :o) That papyrus is amazing. I would have been tempted to bring it home, too. I had a dwarf variety last year that was fabulous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tammy & right back at ya! I usually get a papyrus of one kind or another to throw in my pond. Hope you're enjoying your summer break! Mine just started.

      Delete
  9. A fabulous nursery with plants and planting to our own heart!

    Happy Blog Anniversary and looking forward to reading your posts for years to come!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought of you guys while I was walking through the nursery!

      Thanks. I'm looking forward to reading your posts for years to come, too!

      Delete
  10. A year blogging that is wonderful, many more I hope. That grevillea flower has an amazing colour and I never thought I would say this as I am not really into garden ornaments. But there is just something about the top one whatever animal it is. Have a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Karen! I think that's a dinosaur neck and head. It might look interesting popping out of a eucalyptus tree with some leaves in its mouth.

      Delete
  11. Another wonderful post full of exotic plants! Congrats on your one year anniversary, I can't imagine doing 5 posts a week, and such interesting posts. The mosaics are really special, Darlene was a gifted artist.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Hannah. Darlene did lovely work! I remember her being one of the first to mosaic bowling balls and they were fabulous! Happy Friday!

      Delete
  12. Happy First Anniversary Peter! The quantity and quality of your posts is admirable-always an enjoyable read. Next time I'm in the PNW, I'll certainly have quite the list of places to visit. Enjoy the Fling!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Sue! How nice of you to say. I hope you do visit the PNW again as it's a wonderful place and Alison and I would love to be tour guides or if you'd prefer, we could put together an interesting itinerary of places for you to visit.

      Delete
  13. I can't believe you've only been blogging for one year--happy anniversary! Your writing and photography are so wonderful--I'm so glad you hit that publish button.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Heather! You're too kind. If you enjoy my blog half as much as I enjoy yours, we're both pretty lucky!

      Delete
  14. Happy Blogiversary to yoooou! Keep those one-liners coming.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love such natural beauty...Wonderful post about gardening...lovely snaps!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Congratulations and sorry I missed your blogiversary. I am using the threat of rain to keep from doing anything meaningful in the garden and to catch up on my blog list.

    ReplyDelete

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