Hortlandia 2013 wrap-up…

Reports are I scooted into the sale right before traffic outside became a nightmare…thank god. There was maximum people crunch right inside the door though. Sometimes I enjoy the crowds, watching what they’re drawn to and eavesdropping on their conversations. This was not one of those times, so after dealing with the masses for the first row I bailed and walked to the back corner and then worked my way out towards the front. This plan of attack helped me keep my sanity.

I don’t know why I feel compelled to tell you about my grouchy ways that morning, unless it’s maybe a sort of apology for not having taken many photos. I did snap a couple at the Rare Plant Research booth, mainly as an excuse to remind you about their open house in May…the 18 & 19th from 11am to 4pm.

Also at the RPR booth, Sophora davidii. I seem to be hopelessly drawn to all Sophora…

Elsewhere I was drawn to this large container of Podophyllum peltatum. Since I was doing a little shopping for the “new” Schefflera planting border I did have my eye out for shade lovers.

So of course the Rodgersia here jumped right out at me...

Salvia discolor! Yay, I’ve wanted this plant since hearing about it when Paul Bonine did a talk on at Joy Creek Nursery a couple of years ago.

Seems like every time I’ve run across it has been in August or September, and that’s too late in the year to buy what will be an annual in our climate. This one will go in the sun.

The HPSO makes it so easy to shop this sale. Just look at all the plants already in the holding area! Grab them, drop them off, grab more…

(danger!)

I saw several blooming Aloes this year. Here’s a shocker though…I didn’t buy a single succulent!

Senecio petasites, such soft leaves and so tender...

There were several Echiums at this year’s sale, first up Echium wildpretii…

I would have grabbed a couple but I already had a pair at home, recently picked up at Annie’s Annuals by my friend JJ. Here are mine…

I was a little concerned the leaves were too wide and blue to be E. wildpretii, as its leaves appear narrower and with a silver cast (below, as it currently looks in my garden) but since the two different sources for plants have ones looking so similar it must be the juvenile form.


Since I’m on the subject my current E. wildpretii it has a chunky little trunk on it now (it's been in the garden for two full summers already)...

And looks like it will be blooming soon. That’s if this unpleasantness doesn't spread.

One more thing I got from Annie’s which I must share (I know this has nothing to do with the HPSO sale, c'est la vie!), Tropaeolum peregrinum “Canary Creeper”…

It’s an annual vine to help fill in the new trellis until the Clematis tibetana bulks up. I love it for the leaves but the flowers are pretty cool too.

Here are a couple more Echium from the show, E. pininana on the right and E. candicans 'Star of Madeira' on the left.

Abutilon, cannas and castor bean, oh my!

There were so many Epimediums at this sale!!! They were everywhere...

Sanguinaria canadensis ‘Multiplex’ (Double Flowered Bloodroot)

If I could have taken home anything from the sale it would have been the pair of trunking Yucca rostrata at the Cistus booth. $200 seemed a great price for such a healthy plant, whose trunk I stupidly didn’t manage to get an image of…

Also at Cistus, blooming Euphorbia x pasteurii ‘John Phillips’…

Here’s a little heads-up about the fall HPSO event, locals mark your calendars!

So what did I buy? Well I realized as I was going through these images I sadly neglected to take any photos at The Desert Northwest’s booth, I was trying to not fall too much in love with anything there because I’d already put in a special order in advance for 3 different Banksia. We’ll start with my second (ehm, okay third if you could the first one which passed on to plant heaven) Banksia serrata…

Banksia grandis…cause it’s SO cool!

And Banksia blechnifolia…because Ian (owner of TDN) suggested it and I agreed. I love it!

And a surprise Ian threw in…Grevillea rivularis, which looks like it might be soft but trust me, those sweet leaves are actually pretty prickly. If you look close on the right you can also see the beginnings of what I think is a bloom...very exciting!

Okay here’s the official HPSO plant sale haul…

The Salvia discolor

Another Libertia, because I needed one more. Love the orange!

Pyrrosia sheareri…

And Peltoboykinia watanabei, both from Far Reaches Farm.

There is a pair of Rodgersia podophylla ‘Bronze Form’…

As well as a couple of Acanthus sennii, I’d offered to watch for one for my friend Ricki and when I found two well, I couldn’t just leave one all lonely on the table…so naturally it came home with me!

There was one other plant visible in the “haul” but we’re not talking about it because it’s a gift and the person whom it’s for might just be reading this, so shhh! (pay no attention mom)

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