Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Checking out the Bloedel Reserve spring plant sale

Searching for treasures at the Bloedel Reserve Spring plant sale...

Everything about Bloedel Reserve is first class - the site, the vast gardens, the house... and so even their annual plant sale that took place last weekend. Due to other commitments, I unfortunately missed world-famous explorer and plantsman Dan Hinckley's lecture, but I did manage to get there on Sunday to browse the offered goodies. And what an amazing choice of plants there were; in true Pacific Northwest style, a great variety of rare perennials and shrubs were available from the well-stocked growers.

Sometimes I've thought that if I was to choose the main characteristic of the Northwest horticultural scene, it would be excellent plantmanship. Collecting, growing and planting unusual plants is almost a sport here, the more rare genus and species, the better. It has been amazing (and instructive - I've learned so much during my almost 3 years here) to follow the extraordinarily knowledgeable local gardening community both in horticultural and botanical terms. This time, despite all the temptations, the only goodies I carried home were the pictures on my camera. I wonder if I should be worried...?

A deep red Trillium cuneatum - any takers...?

An erect Arisaema sikokianum - a quite streamlined, architectural little plant.

A masuri berry, Coriaria nepalensis, is a rare, deciduous shrub with arching stems. It bears red, hanging flowers during the summer. Something for my all too sunny backyard?

The large entrance pond by the main house. The plant sale took place on the front lawn; a magnificent setting for a botanical event.
  


4 comments:

Megan Seagren said...

We'll be inaugurating work on our new yard and gardens-to-be this fall, and I'll be sure to note that plant sale on my calendar so as not to miss it next year. There are so many plant sales here in Seattle, it's wonderful!

Ruben said...

Vilken spännande plantförsäljning. Den där variegerade trilliumen skulle inte bli osåld länge, om jag vore i närheten.

Glad Påsk!
/Ruben

Sophia Callmer said...

Växtmarknader är kul, detta låter och ser ut som en alldeles ovanligt fin en. Måste vara kul att uppleva trädgårdsliv i en helt annan del av världen!
kram Sophia

The Intercontinental Gardener said...

Megan, this really is a paradise for plantspeople, that is sure!

Ruben, jag borde hitta ett sätt att transportera växter till dig, kan man skicka levande sådana med posten? :-)

Sophia, visst är det både härligt och lite frustrerande också, man märker hur lite man kan... tur att jag älskar växter, så det livet här blir aldrig tråkigt!