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?

New Plants!

I am ashamed to admit this but, well, here goes. I have really gone nuts with plant purchases this year. And why not? There are so many cool nurseries to visit and each one has its own special must-haves. How is a gardener to resist? 

I'm really excited about this plant. Check it out.  

Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty'

Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty' has been on my radar since the first time I "spotted" it growing outside the main pavilion at Dancing Oaks Nursery years ago. However, usually I'm so caught up in a spring flower frenzy when I'm there that I forget about it. 

Well, my sister and I took a drive to Nowlens Bridge Perennials last Saturday and dang if Dotty didn't jump right into my hot little hands!  

Part of the allure was knowing that I already had a "spot" picked out for it. That also helped justify the cost which I'm not going to reveal here because most people already think I'm a little nutty.

If you haven't been to Nowlens Bridge Perennials, you really should go. Owner Donna is a kindred spirit with equal parts friendliness and plant knowledge. And her inventory is amazing. Here are a few of the other jewels I was unable to resist. 

Clematis heracleifolia

I saw this shrubby Clemmy last August in the Village Green Garden in Cottage Grove. It was blooming then and a savvy commenter IDed it. Until now I hadn't seen it in a nursery.  

Mukgenia nova 'Flame'

Mukgenia Nova 'Flame' is a new (to me anyway) intergenetic cross between Mukdenia and Bergenia developed by Oregon's own Terra Nova Nurseries. With all of the attributes of both genera, you can imagine how popular this plant is going to be. My specimen is still smallish so I'll keep it in a container for awhile. Click on the Terra Nova link to see better photos.  

When Donna showed my sister and I a large pot of her Beesia deltophylla, I was immediately smitten and had to get one of my own. Looks like a classy, stepped-up wild ginger. 

Beesia deltophylla 

Aren't these leaves delicious? 

And when I spotted this Sophora prostrata 'Little Baby' I turned to mush. Look how healthy it is. It will need winter protection. I lost one a few years ago and I can't let it happen again. 

Sophora prostrata 'Little Baby' 

This plant is notoriously difficult to photograph. Here it is from the top.
It's still in its one gallon pot. Nice, huh? 

And last Saturday wasn't the only plant shopping I've done. Oh no. Here are a few more new acquisitions.

Oenothera pallida "White Evening Primrose" 

I found this White Evening Primrose on Annie's Annuals' website. It was calling my name. This is the very first flowers. The plant was quite small when I got it but has grown quickly. It has a lot going for it: It's hardy, low-growing and has white, fragrant flowers that last all day. You can see Annie's photos here. 

In early June my sister and I visited another nursery, Secret Garden Growers also on the Cascade Nursery Trail. One of the plants I bought was a, then, very small Hibiscus. Here it is now.

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Southern Belle' 

My southern Belle friend Anna Mullins in Texas grows these big-flowered Hibiscus so I've gleaned as much cultivation information from her--full sun, lots of water. Bazinga! 

Well that's all the newbies for now. Oh wait. This rose is new and is putting out a luscious cluster of flowers again.

Rosa 'Adelaide Hoodless'
Thank you to the commenter who IDed it for me. 

Two little Zinnias among the California poppy foliage

My hardy banana (Musa basjoo) has really gone to town this year.
Notice the neighbor's bamboo behind the fence. 

This must be the first year for this hollyhock to bloom.
I can't remember ever having a nearly black blossom. Cool, huh?

Oh wait. One more newbie. The darkest Sedum ever is Sedum 'Touchdown Teak.'
I'm excited to see the blooms. 

 And finally, a few random garden shots.

Keep cool and garden on.