FINALLY A PLANT SHOPPING trip! My first of the season, if you can believe that. My garden buddies and I took a trip to Dancing Oaks Nursery today. And wouldn't you know it, the first day of rain in almost, what? Two, three weeks? But what's a little rain, right? With multitudes of blooming beauties to gawk over, I hardly noticed the rain. I took exactly 115 photos but narrowed it down to 37. My apologies for not knowing the identities of many of these.
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This is a Pimpinella, a pink, spring-flowering Queen Anne's Lace-looking beauty.
I tried growing it twice but it doesn't like my crowded garden. |
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| This is a pink-flowering Hawthorn. The "tree" was a 3 foot dwarf and very cool. |
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| This is some type of Muscari, right? |
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| Allium with Geum 'Prairie Smoke' behind it. |
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| This is a newer selection of Viburnum. The picture doesn't do it justice. |
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| Dancing Oaks has many raised rock garden-type beds. Mid-May is a great time to see them. |
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| My garden buddy Carol bought this Sedum. I can't remember the cultivar name. Love that color! |
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| This dangerous-looking plant reminded me of Loree. |
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| Clematis 'fremontia' stays short, (no staking required) and in spring has these bell-shaped flowers. |
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| I love baby Hens & Chicks. |
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| More Rock Garden Love! |
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I'm pretty sure these are Eremuris or Foxtail Lily but it seems early for them to be blooming
so I could be wrong. |
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| This Podophyllum took my breath away. |
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| This Hosta was a bright spot in an otherwise dark area. |
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| Fred and Leonard know how to do Lewisias! |
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| You've got to love this little gem of a Japanese Maple. Below is the entire "tree." So precious! |
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| This is some kind of Cistus with Soapwort (Saponaria) snaking through it. |
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| Variegated Lunaria. That foliage, ooh that foliage! |
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| One of the many shady nooks hidden within the garden. |
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| I'm pretty sure this is an Enkianthus. |
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| Situated just a few feet from the Enkianthus was this sweet Columbine. |
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| A variegated Rhododendron. |
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| Too early yet for the bloomers along the allee. |
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| This shrubby Maple is a real eye-catcher. |
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| I don't know what this little creeper is but it's pink! |
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| These stacked troughs were fun to look at. |
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This photo has not been photoshopped or altered in any way.
Is that pink, or what? |
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| The Alliums were amazing! |
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| Alliums with 'Bill Wallis' Hardy Geranium |
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| Another unaltered photo. How's that for bright red? |
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| No shortage of delights. |
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| This is one of the raised water bowls. It's not crooked. The photographer is. Sorry. |
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| Ornamental Rhubarb! Is that not just outstanding? |
I only bought three plants, if you can believe that. A Lobelia tupa, Lobelia laxiflora, both are Zone 8-9 plants so it's a gamble. And I bought a cute little Oxalis with raised flower stems. I'll post a photo of it next time.
So what is your favorite?
As always,
Well naturally my fav is the thistley thing that you said reminded you of me! Great eye Grace. Fabulous photos all around, it's interesting to see what the place looks like this early in the season.
ReplyDeleteGrace my gosh what a beautiful garden nursery you visited. Stunning I am sure even more so in person, I can see why you took so many photos.
ReplyDeleteOf all those beautiful plants you posted the one I want is the variegated lunaria - I will be looking for it!
Oh Grace! What an amazing nursery! This is a place after my own heart. I love the raised rock beds. I'm pretty sure that spiky danger garden-esque plant is a Morina longifolia. I just bought one for my gravel garden about a week ago! You may be in luck with the Lobelia tupa, I saw quite a few last spring and summer on garden tours here. Enough that I figured it might be ok in my garden, so I'm giving it a go this year too. I love the colors on that ornamental rhubarb, and the Japanese maples too.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I am trembling! Eremuris? I've been looking for it everywhere! I have one and it's going to bloom, and I want more of it! Podophillum! I fell in love with it in the garden of Little and Lewis! Rhubab is outstanding! Saw something similar in Heronswood Gardens yesterday. Fantastic! Grace, I know that you know, but I want to tell you anyway -that is one goooood nursery! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteOh My! What a beautiful place!! I would go nuts there! I never saw a podophyllum, Enkisnthus,or shrubbery maple. Very pretty. I can never get Lewisias to grow here! I didn't know ornamental rhubarb was in this color. I have only seen green. I do have a Japanese Maple. Thread leaf. Marginal here. We put burlap around it in the winter. Don't want to take any chances with it. I brought it from my house when we got married. I couldn't leave it or a few other plants behind. (well maybe more then a few)! Your pictures are wonderful! I could look at plant pictures forever. If you could see my yard you would know how serious I am about saying that.
ReplyDeleteGrace what an amazing place. That columbine is in my front garden and is Nora Barlow. I don't know if I could just buy a few plants. Taking my first trip to a nursery this week for container plants.
ReplyDeleteThe newer virburnum is very pretty. Can't quite decide the leaf color, chocolatey? Next photo of the pink creeping phlox just reminded me that mine needs a trim and a little division..The dangerous looking plant looks very similar to a common weed around here, hmm. Do you know if the side of the blades were more soft, just intimidating looking? One day and one day very soon I will get the hang of growing hens and chicks....note to self: Leave them alone. Japanese Maple is on my "Want" list. I started some Soapwart from seed a couple of years ago no blooms yet. Stays green year around so that's a plus.
ReplyDeleteI wish the Alliums with the Geranium had one more color mixed in there. Do I see an entirely different purple bloom right bottom? Thanks for the Nursery Trip, it's a very nice one. You sure didn't buy much.... :)
Oh my gosh, what a wonderful tour and I can't believe you only left there with three plants.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week ~ FlowerLady
Did you end up purchasing anything?
ReplyDeleteWOW! what a phenomenal place Grace. How you had the self restraint to only buy three plants out of all these beauties, I'll never know! Oh wait, your garden is already full!!! Got it!
ReplyDeleteThat gorgeous purple bulb in one of the first photos is a Peruvian Scilla. Believe it or not, I had one survive the winter & bloom here even tho we are way out of its zone. and oh yea, those are definitely foxtail lilies! Must be the warm weather that made them bloom so early?? I think that white color is awesome ~ they are such stately plants. A little rain would never dampen a visit as good as this one ~ glad you got it in Grace. You must be super busy to just now be making your first run??!!
Love them ALL!....but, if I had to pick, that ornamental rhubarb is killer! Wasn't it a great day to be out at Dancing Oaks? Thanks for posting all of these great photos, Grace!
ReplyDeleteThe peony, variegated japanese maple and viburnum are all fabulous. I can't pick one.
ReplyDeleteAre you glad that it is raining again? Just a little? My plants are needing some water and my irrigation system is less than perfect (it was put in before I made so many changes to the yard).
I had a good trip to Fry Rd. Nursery.
Oh my did you ever take some beautiful shots, how did you manage to get out there with only that many photos. I would have card, after card filled, and then the car would be filled with plants...lol.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots, I really enjoyed myself vicariously.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
So jealous! We actually drove past Monmouth on our way back from the Schreiner Iris Festival this weekend...and if I hadn't just subjected Norm to several hours of flower-related ogling already, would totally have gone. You've just made me regret not going after all! Love the Rhubarb...I had some for a few years...but it just never was happy for me...so I ended up giving it away...and every time I see it in someone else's garden, I have a pang of sadness :-( Beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteWow...I 'll have to get myself out there. Beautiful plants.
ReplyDeleteHavn't things taken off with this rain.
One of my favorite spots on earth...but a long drive from here, so I especially appreciate the virtual tour. The podophyllum gets my vote.
ReplyDeleteDancing Oaks is one of my favorite places to go. Rain or shine really but I like to take a picnic and eat in the gardens. I think you showed powerful self-control in your shopping there Gracie!
ReplyDeleteI like the enkianthus and the little yellowish maple with the red edges but everything looks great. What a cool place!
ReplyDeleteLovely garden, Grace. I will have to try to get there someday. I like the walk with the wood beams, and I am a sucker for the variegated Lunaria, and the Bill Wallis geranium with the Alliums.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great place!!! I had to stop halfway through the post and Google that burgundy leaf viburnum....not sure if I found it.
ReplyDeleteLove that ornamental Rhubarb too.
What a wonderful nursery!
ReplyDeleteI am wild about container gardening and herbs.....lots and lots of herbs!
Sherry
Grace, I've tried that pimpinella too -- no luck here either. That muscari looks like my Scilla peruviana which bloomed way back in Feb. Interesting to see the bloom time differences. I bet this is one of those nursery/gardens that's fabulous to visit spring thru fall. You must have trembled before all the pinkness! And that rhubarb is phenomenal.
ReplyDeleteGracie girl .. I can NOT say enough of how I loved so many of these plants .. the peony ? looks exactly like mine .. it is that hot PINK .. they are almost done though .. I have to post on them .. and that little Japanese Maple ? I am totally in love with it .. probably never would survive my zone though .. what a beautiful place to do a walk about in .. the alley is perfect even without the blooms .. I love secret places to walk in .. I wish I could have been there with you girl ! There would have been some giggling going on for sure !
ReplyDeleteJoy : )