I Am An Addict

Hi, my name is Grace Peterson and I'm a hort-a-holic. And I'm not the slightest bit interested in recovery. This time of year, as with all hort-a-holics, I'm at my worst--or best, depending on how you look at it. Immediate is the endorphin rush I feel when I see the words, PLANT and SALE. They magically obliterate any financial stressors that might be looming in some amorphous realm. The hunt is on. I carry my wish list in my purse to keep a semblance of sanity, but I don't stick to it because most of those plants are difficult to find and I don't believe in limiting myself. 

Anisodontea x Tara's Pink' 

This past weekend, I ventured north to my sister Laura's in Woodburn (Oregon). Her birthday is this week and I had some gifts for her. Luckily she too is a hort-a-holic! But, unlike brave hort-a-holics who attended the plant extravaganza known as Hortlandia in Portland, my sister and I drove around the countryside, enjoying the sunshine while in pursuit of those out-of-the-way nurseries we both love. 

Here are some of the goodies I brought home:  

Most of these plants came from Secret Garden Growers in Canby.
The flat of Geraniums are from seeds I sowed in January.
It's supposed to rain later this week which will allow me to plant them out. 

These plants came from various other nurseries.
I was psyched to find this Parahebe again at--of all places--Wilco Farms in Oregon City.
I grew it years ago and loved it. 

One of the nurseries we visited had one gallon perennials for $2.50!
Shut the front door!
I bought these. 

N&M Nursery in Hubbard was impressive.
Of there many plant goodies was this one gallon Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web' for $8.00.
Too good to pass up! 

They also had this Polygala for eight bucks. It will need winter protection
but it's such a cool looking, continuously blooming plant.
There is a huge one I've admired for a long time growing inside the tropical greenhouse at Dancing Oaks.
My specimen is just about to burst into bloom!

And for $12, this two-gallon Anisodontea x Tara's Pink' It's a Zone 8 so maybe I can winter it over.
That's a huge IF, of course.

At Secret Gardens, I admired this sizable clump of blooming Pulsatilla. 

I bought an Edgeworthia here at Al's Garden Center.
My camera doesn't do justice to this impressive springy display. 

The bees were all over these flowers.
Happy bees make me giddy.

The Digitalis and Scilla were also bee magnets. 

This Ceanothus, blooming in the Oregon Garden parking lot, was the deepest shade of blue I've ever seen. 

My camera doesn't do justice to this container at N&M Nursery either.
Cuppressus 'Wilma Goldcrest' is the thriller while Coprosma does the filling
and 'Angelina' Sedum does this spilling.
Pure genius.

This water bowl is gigantic--I'm guessing at least four feet across. But you can't tell from this
photo I took in the shady part of Secret Garden Growers. 

I was shocked to discover that I didn't take one photo of my sister's garden. 

What the heck was I thinking? Here is one of my favorites from last year. 

Like most gardeners, my sister has since removed all of the lawn for more plants!
Don't you love it? 

So there you have it. My confession. 

Are you a hort-a-holic?