A Quick Stop at Cistus

Years ago, I would drive two and a half hours just to visit Cistus Nursery (previous posts here.) and then drive home.  Now, a trip to the Portland area just doesn't seem complete without a visit so after attending the Yard, Garden, and Patio Show and stopping at a few nurseries in town, we headed out Highway 30 and arrived with only an hour to look around before closing.

Garrya in full and glorious catkin.

The big top is a xeric gardener's paradise.  

One of these years, I may actually spring for a beautifully-trunked Yucca rostrata.  For now my tiny ones are amusing me in the hell strip.

 

Camellia japonica 'Brusfields Yellow's golden charms were beyond my resistance!  Since they have them in small and inexpensive sizes, who would try to resist.

 A little zonal denial is good for the soul!

Abutilon, a Cistus specialty were in bloom.  

The restios are difficult for me to identify as so many of them look quite similar.  Add to that the fact that Rhodocoma capensis, one of the hardiest, sometimes looks like these gorgeous creatures while other specimens appear much a bit more like a horsetail.  Male and female plants?  Awfully beautiful in these five gallon pots but since some winters like to kill these,  my gallons at home will be just fine.  Easier to haul inside during freezes.

Camellia japonica 'Shin Akebono' is a stunner.  Fortunately one of these came home with me from Cistus last year.

This Aspidistra also needed a new home!

This area is one of my favorites in the heat of the summer but the seating was a bit moist to enjoy at this time of year and we needed leave in time to hit one more nursery before they closed!

Okay, I'll come clean, a Prunus mume 'Dawn' also made it into the plant mobile.  The ones at the show were too big for the car and in full bloom but those at the nursery were smaller and still in bud. It's now opening up and adding a nice dash of pink to the slope between the house and sidewalk.  Maybe, I'll  dig a hole right there and plant it.  Not the most unusual tree in the world but so cheerful in winter.  Ann Lovejoy's words "If your heart yearns for a winter-flowering tree, try to avoid those overplanted cherries, plums and whatnots that look dull eleven months of the year" thankfully stayed my hand from ever planting any of those.  However, A.L.  wrote glowing things about Prunus mume, which  I'd not seen offered in nurseries.  Perhaps in years to come, I'll regret planting this tree but an application of the chainsaw can remedy that easily enough.  Ain't gardening grand?