Visiting Wind Dancer with the grass guy…

One of the many things I love about the garden blogging community is that we all have our own distinctive passions, and yet we enjoy them all because they stem from a love of gardening and PLANTS! While it’s great fun to hang out with like-minded people (like visiting Rare Plant Research with my co-plant-lust’ers) it’s also wonderful to visit nurseries with people whose tastes and knowledge are vastly different from your own (bonus: you don’t have to trip them to get the plants you want before they do!).

Why am I rambling on about this? Because a couple weekends back Scott (Rhone Street Gardens), whom everyone knows loves ornamental grasses, organized a little outing to one of his favorite places, Wind Dancer Garden. For those of you who missed it Scott put together a lovely tribute to Carolyn (the owner) and Wind Dancer last fall when it was announced they were closing the nursery, you can see that epic post here. Even though they’re now closed Scott (and friends) were invited to tour the garden and perhaps purchase a few plants. I jumped at the chance to join Scott, Heather, Jenni and Linda (plus her slightly bored husband Philip)…

I’d heard Carolyn was a wonderful lady and that couldn’t be truer. She toured us around the garden answering questions and pointing out favorite plants.

Her garden was impeccable!

I liked this vignette so much I had to include it twice.

However my regard for Carolyn's taste and talents went way up when I spotted this…

She loves spikes too! And there is definitely a design idea here to steal; the raised bed stair-stepped up and visible from all sides is a magnificent way to display prized plants like these in containers.

I was in awe of the beauty of her specimens…

Of course I was still taking pictures of all the succulents when everyone else discovered the grasses for sale and started shopping.

This was another favorite moment of the day, listening to Scott and Heather talk grass! I’m standing there looking at a couple of plants which to me look exactly the same and yet they’re discussing which is which and the merits of both. I was impressed.

This beauty caught my eye, Scott and Heather reminded me where I'd seen it before, on Denise's blog A Growing Obsession.

Above the spikes was a favorite tree, Robinia Pseudoacacia ‘Twisty Baby’

There was also a nearby vegetable garden.

I didn't need to buy bricks to edge my garden, I could have used my empty wine bottles!

Is this not the most beautiful hosta? I should have asked Carolyn it's name.

I really hope my libertia blooms this year, mainly because I want these little orange seed pods!...

This is a renewed love, Rhamnus frangula 'Ron Williams.' I first incountered Fine Line Buckthorn at the garden of Lauren Hall-Behrens but seeing them here I'm reminded how beautiful they are...

Here the Albizia julibrissin 'Summer Chocolate' is just starting to leaf out too.

Before we left I had to sneak over and check out the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) up close.

Which also gave me a chance to discover this interesting tree...

Based on an ID from my friend Peter's blog post on Heronswood I think this is an Acer pseudoplatanus 'Esk Sunset.'

Thankfully Heather's guy Greg had furnished his truck for our adventure, as the group purchases wouldn't have fit in a car...

Are you wondering if I bought anything? I did, although since was just the day after I spent a pretty penny at Rare Plant Research I was on my best behavior. On the left is my Wind Dancer purchase, Stipa arundinacea 'Sirocco' and on the right a Pennisetum purpureum 'Vertigo' picked up at Portland Nursery on my way home. I'd admired it last year in Scott's garden and he'd mentioned they were available there.

I hope my fellow shoppers won't mind me sharing this group photo Carolyn took of us that afternoon before we left. It's a perfect illustration of the benefits of blogging...here I am with three people I never would have met had it not been for our garden blogs...

This seems like the perfect time to mention an upcoming workshop at Joy Creek Nursery. Titled "How to Form a Garden Community Through Blogging:  A Workshop with Scott Webber and friends." This will be an opportunity for us ("us" being Scott along with Heather, Jane (MulchMaid), Ann (Amateur Bot-ann-ist) and myself) to talk about how we got started, why we blog and most importantly answer questions and encourage you to start a garden blog. It will be held Saturday, June 8th at Joy Creek Nursery at 1pm, free and no pre-registration required. If your're in the area I hope to see you there!

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.