With nurseries having their fall sales, last week I decided it was high time for a visit to
Dancing Oaks Nursery. Given that it is at most a half hour drive, I don't know why I don't go more often. So I made up for lost time. After my first visit I went again a few days later with my friend Heather from Eugene. I took more photos on the first visit because the weather was better that day.
If you've been to Dancing Oaks you know that the final stretch is a two-mile gravel drive across a field, up and over a ridge, down into a valley and a sharp left to the gate. Along the way, I stopped to take photos of these vultures guarding the fields. Such fascinating and creepy birds.
After scrolling through the website, I had a list of plants I wanted to purchase. But I also wanted to take a quick stroll through the gardens. I didn't get nearly enough photos.
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| My camera doesn't do these wispy blue flowers justice. They were kind of magical. |
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| A pretty hardy fuchsia |
After several fails, I've decided I need to try one more time to grow Plume Poppy. Here are photos of the large and glorious stand in the garden.
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| Macleaya cordata or Plume Poppy |
I admit I went a little overboard with photos. I just love these uniquely shaped gray-blue leaves.
I should also find a spot for Four O'Clocks again. I love these cheery flowers.
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| Mirabalis jalapa or Four O'clocks with lighter colored Gaura |
I bought one of the 4 inch pots of Bergenia ciliata. Check out the mature specimen! We're talking big leaves here.
At home, here is my loot.
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| Clockwise starting at 12, Clethra barbinervis 'Takeda Nishiki', Plume Poppy (dormant), Sisyrinchium striatum (Yellow-Eyed Grass), Pernettya mucronata, Cyclamen coum, Bergenia ciliata, Blechnum penna marina, and Elsholtzia stauntonii (Chinese Mint Shrub). | |
After Dancing Oaks, Heather and I decided to drive the short distance to Dallas to see what
Daryll's Nursery had in stock. It had been a few years since I'd been there. I was pleasantly surprised with how fun it was, despite the stupid rain.
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| I love all of Daryll's rusty goodies. |
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| So many cool plants in rusty or galvanized containers, just my style. |
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| Probably the nicest clump of Ajuga I've ever seen. |
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| I was completely smitten with this bright red Agastache and had to have it. |
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| What is growing in that mailbox? |
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| Wire vine and maybe a hardy Geranium? |
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| Whenever I try to grow Schizostylis it flops. It looks really nice here. |
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| Nice rocks too! |
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| If you're looking for a tree or large shrub, Daryll's prices are really hard to beat. |
So, here is what I bought on my second trip to Dancing Oaks and to Daryll's Nursery.
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| Clockwise from 12, the aforementioned red Agastache 'Kudos Red' (I bought two. At $4 each, Eryngium 'Miss Willmott's Ghost, Clerodendrum 'Carnival', Soldanella sp. and Eupatorium 'Pink Frost' |
And a few more:
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| From left to right: Penstemon 'Ruby', Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues' (Little Blue Stem) and Clematis 'Little Mermaid' Daryll's prices, $5, $7 and $5 respectively! |
One last nursery,
Garland Nursery on a recent visit. I was inspired by these container plantings:
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| Yes. That's a bonsai wisteria! |
Finally in the shade house, one, just one. But it was a beauty. At $45, I didn't buy it but it was tempting.
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| Rhododendron 'Sinogrande' |
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| Rhododendron 'Sinogrande' |
I didn't see the Dancing Oaks' felines. They were probably hiding from the rain. But I got a quick glimpse of Fanta at Garland. Not a very good photo though. Her ears are normal.
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| Fanta, the garden cat. |
Next time, I'll be back to garden photos. I've been working on a muddy case of musical plants and having a blast. No frost yet so there are still a lot of flowers.
