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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, March 10, 2016

Visiting City People's Garden Store

After checking out the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, I had a bit of time and decided to visit some area nurseries.  City People's Garden Store is an urban nursery that always has lots of interesting plants and other merchandise.  See previous visits here, website here.   The large retail plant sales area was getting freshened up for the coming season.  I'm looking forward to seeing the treasures  the space will once again be crowded with soon.  The fern tables wait patiently.


Seeing all of the fall planted bulbs in bloom makes me think that I need to find space for iris reticulata and grape hyacinths next year.


Blue and purple!



A jolt of color is especially welcome during this gray sky time of year.

Quiet earth tones are always beautiful. 

Fragrant Edgeworthia.  

All manner of summer flowering bulbs waiting to find a home. 

The house plant area contains some truly choice offerings. 

Lots of stuff  decor, candles, soap, etc. 

Kokedama is springing up in lots of places now.  Will this be the new succulent wreath?  

They're interesting but would need negative space around them to be best appreciated.  Seems like they'd take a bit of maintenance to look this good all of the time.

This one really set off the lust-o-meter.  The combination of bonsai-esque pruning, root ball, and container was spectacular.  Unfortunately, so was the price.  I'd nearly talked myself into buying it when the space requirement to appreciate this beauty and my lack of same made me leave it for someone who would treat it well.  On the other hand, it's really gorgeous.  If it's there on my next visit, I'll take it as a sign that it waited for me.

People's is always worth a visit.  You too could have the whole world in your hands!

22 comments:

  1. The bonsai is fabulous. What a great look. But yes, you would need to treat it like sculpture.

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    1. Most of the space I have with sufficient light inside is already crowded with plants. Oh well.

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  2. It's a fun nursery, I love that orange arrangement of pots. But did you see their post yesterday that they might be closing? Apparently they don't own the retail space, and their landlord is selling it. They don't know what will happen with the new owner.

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  3. Good Morning Peter! Purple and blue combination is beautiful! Blue is my favorite color in the garden.

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    1. Blue is a special color in the garden as it's fairly scarce compared to pink, purple, yellow, etc.

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  4. I was going to mention the same thing Alison did. I am so bummed. Back when I was a frustrated apartment gardener I spent so much time at City People's. I can't imagine their not being there.

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    1. A billion years ago when we'd visit Seattle and Molbak's had a retail space across from Pike's Place Market and I dreamed of someday living in that city,(Almost happened before I bought a place in Graham - long story.) an urban nursery like People's was part of that urban living dream. You know, the kind of place where one could walk or take a bus and haul home plants one at a time to decorate a tiny apartment. Even though fate had other plans, it's still fun to visit a nursery in the middle of the city and think what if. It would be so sad to see that place go!

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  5. It's another wonderful nursery. I'm in love with that wood stool and it's matching table in the 7th photo.

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    1. People's always has a nice assortment of that wood furniture getting even more for the outside area when it's full of plants.

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  6. Loving the colors ! Today was warm for us and I did some work outside...ran out of fuel quick. Maybe tomorrow I'll venture out to a garden mart.

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    1. After an amazing February here, March has decided to be wet and cold. Yuk! Can't wait to hear about your garden mart expedition!

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  7. A fun nursery with something for everyone....love the purples and blues!

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    1. We're lucky here to have so many great nurseries, even though many have gone out of business.

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  8. Sadly they are probably going out of business this year. The property is being developed into a mixed used condo/commercial business. A real loss. http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2016/03/city-peoples-prepares-for-end-of-2016-closure-to-make-way-for-madison-valley-development/#more-2067182688

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    1. Major suckage! The future of Bedrock industries is also in question as their property may be selling to a developer who wants to put in a mini storage facility. The fife/Puyallup/Sumner valley, with some of the deepest and most wonderful soil in the country, once full of growing fields as far as the eye could see is now being taken over by warehouses and industrial buildings. I'm not a fan of this kind of progress. Just a few years ago on my way to work in the Fife area, I drove through those growing fields and could stop by produce stands to buy stuff picked that day to make for dinner; now not so much.

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  9. I think I'll skip the Kokedama faze. but the rest of it was fun.

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    1. Kokedama is okay but doesn't really float my boat either.

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  10. I've been wanting to add Iris reticulata to my garden for years, but never get around to ordering the bulbs! I removed most of my grape hyacinths because the foliage got too long and messy where they were planted, and then the deer would come along and make them look even worse. Now that the deer are shut out, I'm thinking of adding grape hyacinths back to the garden, just somewhere the lush foliage won't smother other plants and look messy.

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  11. I haven't noticed the Kokedama trend at our local nurseries but it is interesting. I think it would take a lot of effort to keep that bonsai tree alive but it is lovely. I love all the spring blooming bulbs…something I'll really miss now that we aren't living in New England any more.

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  12. It doesn't LOOK urban, and I suppose it grows ever harder to find space for this sort of place within the city. Makes me glad to live in a smaller city but we, too, see high rises taking over every available space. That "if it's still there, it was meant to be" mentality reigns here too. May Lady Luck be on your side.

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  13. Great store - love the Muscari.

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