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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.

Friday, March 3, 2017

Bark and Garden - I'm Not Going To Buy Anything!

Seems like it's always February when I get to Bark and Garden Nursery and then vow to go more often. This is a huge nursery and it's only about 40 minutes from home.  What a delight to see so many great plants at this time of year!

This entry garden, totally redone last year is looking very nice.  

This was the first time I'd seen Hebe 'Jewel of the Nile' in it's winter finery.  It was love at first sight but I resisted.


Bark and garden does an excellent job of combining their plants with winter color interest.  This alone is worth the trip.

The air in the unheated greenhouses is heavy with the scent of daphne, pansies, primroses, sarcococca, and witch hazel.

Camellia 'Carter's Sunburst' has gargantuan blooms. 



A feeling of gratitude overcomes me.  How lucky am I to live in a climate that allows for so much green, exquisite fragrances, and colorful blooms at a time when much of the country is still frozen and covered with snow?

While the title says I wasn't going to buy anything, I was looking for another Agave stricta as after three years, mine perished in the wet and cold of this winter.  When I bought that plant here, they had tons of agaves.  They must have been popular as there are very few left.

Lots to explore.  



Why does this make me think of my pal Alison? This perhaps?

Hellebores







 Still am undecided about Heucherella 'Leapfrog.'  Is it a carnival of color or does it look diseased?

Maybe we should sit and ponder for a moment.  

And just what is that frog pondering, one wonders.

The screaming color of Heuchera 'Fire Alarm' seduced my eye and a couple of them hopped into my wagon.  So much for not buying anything.


Really, wasn't going to buy anything but then there was this huge display of Amerihybrid tuberous begonias.  For some reason, these seem to do better for me than any others I've grown. Visions of hanging baskets of begonias danced in my head and a dozen of these hopped into the cart.

Too tempting to even look.  There are still seeds all over the house that need to be planted. 

Wouldn't it be cool to have a greenhouse this size?  Although, who would have time to take care of it all?

Like green tongues of flame,  a choir of sansevieria sings silently.



The sun came out and illuminated dancing grasses.


This guy almost came home with me because there's always room for another head planter.

Oh the possibilities of what could rest in his hands. 

So, in the end, a camellia, the heucheras, begonia tubers, and a bale of potting soil were stuffed into the plant mobile. So much for not buying anything.  One last look at the new garden.  Must go back soon.

 Happy weekend everyone!

18 comments:

  1. Just looking, nice try and it never works for me either. You do have great luck with begonias so well worth it. Heuchera foliage always looks amazing in the garden or at least in areas where it will grow. That's a sad agave selection. We have a lot of dead agaves around here due to one single wet and cold weekend so yours did well to last three years.

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  2. Haha, thanks for the shoutout! It's been so long since I was at Bark and Garden, I need to go back. Last time I think they had just finished or were putting the finishing touches on that entry garden. It would be cool to see it now. Also, you've reminded me I wanted to grow some tuberous Begonias this year. Love the shot of the singing Sanseveria. Not sure what the frog is contemplating, but someone should have stuck a bug on the mermaid's boob to give him a reason to stare. She does look like she is giving him some serious side-eye. You made some good choices.

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  3. I'd planned to stop here on the way home from the show, then completely forgot! Oh well...

    The choir of sansevieria was clever, very clever...

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  4. I almost bought one of those large metal roosters at Homegoods last week 😉. Nurseries are not open for the season yet here and even when they are the selection is never as good.

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  5. I have reconciled the fact that any nursery visit I make before July 1 will result in a purchase of something. It's much easier to walk in saying "I'm definitely buying something" I've found. :)

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  6. I've never been to this place! And you Peter, I think, can already publish a local nurseries directory!
    So many plants begging to take them home! That hebe... My several Hebe plants, including Quicksilver, look pretty sad after this winter.
    You have a nice weekend too!

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  7. What a wonderful place! I'd have a hard time leaving there empty handed.

    Enjoy the new additions to your gardens ~ FlowerLady

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  8. What folly: entering such a place with the intention of "just looking". But you relented: that's the Peter we know and love.

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  9. Love all those dusky hellebores. Heucherella Leapfrog.. no.

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  10. A choir of mother-in-law's tongues? I love the plants, but that doesn't sound pleasant, and I'm not even married. That frog seems to be enjoying its view. I don't make it to Bark and Garden as often as I'd like, either. It's just over an hour away. Hoping to make it up there next week to check out their dwarf conifers.

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  11. I can count the number of times I've left a nursery/garden center without anything in the past 10 years on the fingers of one hand. And really, your nurseries put most of ours to shame. I love the dark purple hellebore and the hebe, which looks to be even more colorful than my 'Purple Shamrock'.

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  12. I'm glad you bought something-one needs to support their local garden centers ! I know you are diligent about this.

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  13. Nice place and good purchases. The Camellias are gorgeous. I miss them. There used to be camellias everywhere here, but now not so many, mostly in old neighborhoods.

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  14. Great nursery Peter, yep, "Just Looking" I say to hubby and we walk out with a Magnolia, cow manure, bulbs and Oh! must have the mulch. Have a great weekend and new week.

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  15. I guess plant people can never "just look".

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  16. The black double hellebore is pretty spectacular.
    I seem to think that you sued to avoid Heucheras in the past. What ever the hold up was, I think you got over it. A purple Heuchera that I purchased last fall after seeing one of yours, survived the winter with glorious colors, looking better then ever.

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  17. It's the thought that counts. After all, you could have bought so much more. Nice hellebores! Judy might have bought those metal roosters.

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  18. You definitely made the right Heuchera choice. That double dark Hellebore is a beauty. I think I ordered about 10 Hellebores this year, some for flower color and some for foliage.

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