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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

It's That Special Time of Year...

Shorter days got you down? That tiny chill in the air at night making you feel a bit melancholy?  Here's something that's bound to put a smile back on your face and s spring in your step.  It's late summer sale season at nurseries in these parts.  One that I try never to miss is Vassey Nursery in Puyallup.  Everything in the nursery will be 30% off starting tomorrow, lots of giftware (many bird items this year) is already 50% off and there will be a special bargain area with lots of frost proof pots on sale at 50% off.  I'v gotten some great pots and plants at this sale in the past!  Far from looking picked over and boring, the nursery is full of great plants and related stuff.  


I was tempted by this pine at full price but thought that I should think about it.  

Isn't it gorgeous?  
 Lots of nice fall and winter combination planters are begging to go home with someone.  

Th miracle of where we live is that this pot will look just as gorgeous in January as it does now. 

 If you would prefer to plant your own pots for winter interest, there are lots of options available. 
 Did I mention that there's also cool garden furniture available?

Lots of green goodness.  Vassey has a very nice selection of Japanese maples, their prices are always pretty low, and with the additional savings, yikes, you could get a truckload.  Didn't get a picture of the maples.  Bad blogger.  I also didn't get any shots of their great tree selection or the incredible conifer offerings.

These Edgeworthias are regularly priced at  twenty dollars for the small one (two gallon I think) and forty for the large one - a bargain - but then take off the sale amount (carry the one, divide by PI, add the year of your birth and multiply by the square of the hypotenuse) and WOW!  (Did you come up with 14 and 28?)

Hesperaloes (Alison)

These large Witchazel 'Diane'  will soon have the brightest red leaves of any of the Witch Hazels and are regularly $40.00.  Please leave one for me as I've been lusting after this variety for a couple of years now.
 The large selection of berberis just beyond this picture is also delightful if you're looking for them.

I know where I'll be going right after work on Friday!  Do your nurseries do late summer and fall sales? Autumn (just around the corner) is a great time to plant so let's get out there and support those truly special people who supply our plant addiction year round!

19 comments:

  1. Should I meet you there after work on Friday? I'd love another Hesperaloe.

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    1. Sure. I can't be there until about 4:20 though. Will that work for you?

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    2. I can definitely be there at 4:20.

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  2. Ohh they definitely do here and so looking forward to it!

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  3. Portland Nursery has a sale on annuals and tropicals this time of year, there are always a few things I have to have (surprised?). Then of course there's the "tough love" sale at Cistus, a fall favorite. Wish I could make it up to the Vassey sale, I do love that place!

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    1. One of these years I'm going to make it to the tough love sale! The Tropicals at Portland Nursery sound enticing as well!

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  4. You've got a lot of nice plants to choose from. Something else to envy about the PNW, although I suppose the nurseries want to clear their shelves before cold weather does that for them. Do your nurseries close during winter? Here in the land of year-round gardening ;) , we seldom see any significant sales - at best, a few pots of expensive plants (like the Itoh peonies) are offered at 30-50% off when they head into dormancy.

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    1. Almost all of our nurseries are open year round. There are a very few small hobby greenhouses that grow bedding plants and veggie starts and are only open for a few months. They like to do end of season sales to clear out inventory from this season and make room for all of the holiday stuff. It's easier to sell plants, especially perennials, now than it is to care for them and get them ready for another year on the sales tables.

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  5. Chill at night? I wish! I loooove end of season sales! Don't know that I need any more pots this year though, although there's always room for more plants. :)

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    1. It's not cold by any means but we have been closing a few windows at night and actually put a blanket on the bed for the first time recently. We won't turn the furnace on until sometime in October or November. Living so close to the sound, our nights seldom stay hot even in the hottest part of the year.
      Hope you get lots of great plants at your end of season sales!

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  6. You are making me have that itch to go plant shopping.

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  7. What a fantastic nursery, this reminds me I really do need to do some winter pots this year. I'm not allowed to go plant shopping until I get my massive tender plant collection settled in for the winter...

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    1. Oh Deanne, it's going to take you quite a bit of time to get all of your tender plants settled in for the winter. Maybe you should shop before just to be on the safe side:)

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  8. Thank you, Peter for pointing so poignantly the upside to fall. I hate that my garden is in decline but I love that I can start moving plants around and add more. I wish this nursery were closer.

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    1. It is sad to see the garden in decline but mine is so overplanted that I look forward to the cleaner look that winter will bring. Don't forget bulb planting, a wonderful fall activity that helps us remember that spring is not far off.

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  9. You're so lucky! Down here in NoCal, fall is prime planting season so no discounts until November, if then :-(.

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    1. Fall is a great time to plant here as well but the big nurseries like to clear out as much inventory as possible to get ready for their holiday stock and activities. Sometimes I envy folks in warmer zones but at fall sale time, I'm happy to be where I am! From the end of November to mid February I'd happily move to California!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.