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?
