Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Calm, Cool and Very Collected.

There are just some plants that I must collect.

Even if I don’t have an immediate project or place for the plant to go to, I still crave to obtain it.


And so it was when I saw Phormium Dazzler when it first hit the nurseries several years ago.

I collected several of them , knowing that some day I would have the perfect planting scheme for them to fit into.

Dazzler is dazzling in the lower left corner

From R E D



Then one day last year I came across Eucomis Sparkling Beauty at Emerisa nursery in Santa Rosa.

It too made it into my ‘Ladies in Waiting Collection’ that lurks next to my small greenhouse in the back yard, waiting for that perfect project.

From R E D



Aeonium sunburst is always on my plant collection list. Whenever I see it pop up in the north bay wholesalers I horde / collect it in anticipation that they will be used in a garden project.

From R E D


Cantua buxifolia is perpetually on my Must Collect list. I just found a yellow variety at Annies Annuals and can’t wait till it blooms. Though I think it is going to be awhile considering that it was found in a small 4 inch size container. Here’s the hot pink variety :

From R E D


Brugmansia Charles Grimaldi is usually easily found during the summer months here in the S.F. Bay area but during the late winter through the mid spring it is rare to find , so I collect and over winter several in my greenhouse.

From R E D


The plant that I am in the hottest pursuit for is Leucadendron Jester. Only a few growers grow this plant and it is consistently out of stock. When I see them in the nursery I’ll buy as many as they have just to have them on hand. I adore the coloration on this plant and it does so incredibly well in our mild winter climate.

From Garden Porn


6 comments:

Phrago said...

Hey, Leucadendron 'Jester' has very pretty coloration, WOW! Interesting comment about its name and previous identity:
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=2616

Unknown said...

Great list of plants! Portland is too cold of course, but if my husband continues making wine down there, I'll know some of the plants I'll want when I move. Keep up those amazing designs of yours too. They're so inspiring!

Evita said...

Hi Michelle,
I stumbled upon your blog a while back and am continually amazed by your work. So much so that I had to write a post about you!

http://thehappyheathen.blogspot.com/2010/05/bon-weekend-trip-to-fantasy-garden.html

Keep up the wonderful inspiration.

danger garden said...

The phormium, eucomis and aeonium are all favs but this Leucadendron 'Jester' is a new one...and a beauty judging by the picture on the San Marcos website that phrago linked to. Of course now that you put the thought out there in such a big was you are going to come across 12 of them tucked away in some nursery for cheap!

Phrago said...

Michelle, I thought that red plant in your garden was an Iocroma. Cantua buxifolia eh. Well by any name it sure is purdy...
and Aeonium sunburst, how big does that get. I might have to order one of those. Heck I don't even have a Calif garden to place all these succulants in. The Orchids in my greenhouse are starting to fuss at all the succulant weeds hanging around the lower shelves.Ha! I will try and post a photo of the succulants you sent me tomorrow on face book. They're growing!!!

Janine zone 7.625 said...

I'm always awestruck, by not just your choice of plants, but mostly by the way you effortlessly combine them. On a pissy, rainy Seattle day (i.e. Oct thru June) your blog is a treat for us lesser mortals. Thanks.