A field trip with my plant crazed friends…

As is tradition (3 years running) the Thursday before the HPSO spring plant sale I met up with some friends for a day of nursery hopping. The first year it was just Ryan, Scott, Derick and I. Last year Ann joined us and this year we had the pleasure of Heather’s company. Sounds like trouble, yes?

Our first stop was a Xera Plants where they were gearing up for the plant sale. It’s rather telling of where my mind is that I didn’t take a single photo in the xeric greenhouse (think cactus, agaves, succulents). Instead the first plant that had me doing a double take was this…

Can you guess what it is? A Barberry!

My Jasminum nudiflorum didn’t bloom this year (thanks to decapitation by the newspaper delivery). I missed those little yellow flowers.

Paul dragged me (not really) across the parking lot to point out this Grevillea juniperina 'Orange Zest.' Growing in rather poor soil it was blooming it’s heart out!

Of course I wanted one…but where to put it? Ya, that’s the question, I resisted there and then again on Saturday at the HPSO sale when I saw it at the Xera booth. Of course I’m still thinking about it.

Several of you remarked on the Pacific Coast Iris bloom I shared on my pre-HPSO sale post. Here’s a couple more, sorry I don’t know their names...

Backtracking through the greenhouses I was surprised to see this fellow.

He was harmless, that was until one of our party felt the need to pick him up, and follow me around.

Time to cash out; can you guess which plants are mine? (you might be surprised) Some are obvious, some not so much.

Next stop (after lunch) was Joy Creek Nursery. I love the way they display so many plants from the same genus together, it really allows you to examine the similarities and differences. I did a little study of Euphorbia, some previously known to me, some new. Euphorbia schillingii...

Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fire Charm’

Euphorbia sikkimensis

Euphorbia x martinii ‘Blackbird,’ complete with its ever-present aphids…

And finally Euphorbia griffithii ‘Dixter’

I was really tempted by these Yucca whipplei, since mine sadly rotted out (I let it get buried by surrounding plants). Such a beautiful little yucca.

I know it’s kinda lame but I love taking photos of plant hauls! Not all of these are mine, and this is just one of two car-fulls of plants.

My plants...the big tall one is an Aucuba japonica 'Longifolia'...my third! I love this plant for the dry shade spots where I need something of height.

Eryngium venustum (because the 4 I already have isn't enough)

Impatiens omeiana (for the shady spot by the garage)

Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ (no aphids, yet)

Eryngium agavifolium (this makes 8)

Echinocereus triglochidiatus (because my Echinocereus hybrid made it through the winter in the ground so why not try a couple more?)

Pyrrosia hastata (look at those leaves!)

And finally Dasylirion leiophyllum...

Because a girl always needs more spikes, especially when they come with curls!

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