I've been to two big garden shows in two weeks and I think I showed remarkable restraint in purchasing plants and bulbs. So what did I buy?
Agave gentryii 'Jaws' begged to come home with me. See the sad, yellowed leaf? He was like the quiet little kitten you just had to adopt because you were afraid no one else would. Even with his yellow leaf, this little guy's spines look like very serious business. I hope I can nurse him back to glossy, green health this summer.
Speaking of little, this petite trio of Haworthias will have to be indoors-only pets. Native to South Africa, most are hardy only to zone 9 or 10. I'll be planting them together in a flat dish so they can live in our sunny breakfast room. From left to right are
h. attenuata 'zebra'
, h. greenii and
h. attenuata cv 'lime green'.
Along with a perfectly prosaic culinary thyme plant
(I went all the way to Seattle for that, right?)
I also needed the lime green sedum Angelina (way in the back) as a contrasting ground cover in my garden.
The
abutilon is Red Tiger. I was concerned about how it would fare in zone 8 and the grower gave me some great advice: "It will get to about four feet this summer, so just grow it, enjoy it, and then let it go."
At just $6, that didn't seem fiscally irresponsible, so I bought it. The flowers are small, but a beautiful dark orange with yellow veins.
At the front is
ceanothus Diamond Heights. I love
ceanothus and was swayed by its gorgeous variegation, but it is zone 9, so a pot and protection in winter is in order.
I showed these blossoms for Bloom Day yesterday, but perhaps you're curious to see the whole plant. Here's the
Scilla natalensis. Its bulb and unusual leaves are as intriguing to me as the flower spike.
This particular
Grevilla juniperina is also known as 'Lava Cascade'. I read it had been sold for quite a few years as 'Low Red', but somebody decided that just wasn't sexy enough, so they began marketing it as 'Lava Cascade.' I kind of like 'Low Red' myself - sounds more Australian.
I also bought a
Trillium erectum bulb and a
Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty' root, but there's not much to see there!
That's my show booty.
So who's coming home with you this month?
You are truly a danger gardener to not only purchase such a toothy agave but one that needs a little TLC too, way to go Jane! I love your Haworthias, I had a similar lovely specimen until it got completely taken over by little mites...be careful! Your fiscally responsible shopping booty is admirable indeed!
ReplyDeleteHi Jane~~ Nice score. The agave looks down right menacing, like it belongs in a DANGER garden. LOL. Is Loree rubbing off on you?
ReplyDeletePersonally what you called "prosaic" I think is a beut. I've got two culinary thyme plants in my a dry rock garden-esque area and they do really well. I think the secret is to pinch them back often so stay bushy rather than woody and leggy. I'm kind of slow on learning these things. Now my plants stay compact and green all summer and winter. They're not very big but size doesn't always matter. :)
I lost my 'Diamond Heights' so I can attest to its tenderness however, I've had my 'Nabob' Abutilon in the ground for three years. They don't make it in pots though.
I like the stature of your Scilla. Your finds are a fitting way to welcome spring. I got a Dancing Oaks email today. Plant lust, here I come.
Loree- I just had to have him! Thanks for the tip on the Haworthias: I'll watch over them carefully.
ReplyDeleteGrace- yes, Loree's agave-love is a force to be reckoned with! Good to know how very tender the Diamond Heights ceanothus is and who knows, maybe the abutilon will weather next winter...third time's (winter's?) a charm?
Hi Jane, Thank you for your kind words regarding my blog. You must have read Allen's comment. If I didn't have tough skin and fellow bloggers with which to share my rants, I might be offended. Allen is British and I'm learning that many, by no means ALL but many British consider Americans of a lesser quality, an inferior species that need to...whatever. :) I'll stick with the British kindred spirits. There are a some real jewels across the pond.
ReplyDeleteCountdown to spring, ah yes. I found this by clicking on another blogger's similar button. I've got summer bookmarked and ready for take off. Never satisfied.
I must ask, if I may. Do you see my sidebar? Teza told me he's not seeing it and I wonder if it's his computer or a universal problem. I removed my Blotanical logo/link which I suppose could have caused problems given Blot's MIA status. Anyway, when you get a minute, I'd appreciate your assistance. Thank you, thank you.
As for my being sick: This is weird. A few days ago I wrote a draft on LiveWriter, just a loose stream of consciousness thing, not meant for human consumption. Apparently rather than storing it in Drafts, I published it. Major oops. It's gone now which explains why your hunt was fruitless. Thanks for asking.
Aw...so sweet of you to take 'Jaws' under your wing and promise him a brighter future.
ReplyDeleteI have had Haworthia attenuata 'Zebra' for years without knowing its name. Thanks for answering that. Now, when I give away the many divisions, I can also identify them.
Very kindly of you to rescue that agave, I hope it recovers and thrives under your tender care. I spotted the zebra plant behind it and though, geez, wonder what that thing is, it's pretty cool! Then in the next picture, you both named and had bought it! That's funny about the thyme plant. Well, rational thought sometimes just goes right out the window when plant sales are concerned, for me anyway! Interesting that the ceanothus is not hardy - the green-leaved ones seem to be, at least mine is. I also saw a trailing one that seems to have lived through our winter, I am considering it for my stretch of retaining wall where all the rosemary died. Have fun with your new "babies"!
ReplyDeleteGood pickups. Love your indoor pets. Is that ceanothus a groundcover? I had one like it that was, and it is no longer with me, so maybe it too was destined for zone 9. But I remember loving it while I had it, with those bright variegated leaves.
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling like a slacker on my plant sales now. I'll do my best to catch up at the HPSO sale.