Monday 11 June 2012

Phoenix Perennials visit

I have found my new home. A few weeks ago I posted a few pictures from Phoenix Perennials at the Pacific Northwest Palm and Exotic Plant Society annual plant sale and I keep finding myself coming up with excuses to go back.  This weekend I had the most legitimate excuse yet, sun! The sun was apparently shining everywhere but at my house (a conspiracy I'm sure).  Not that I needed an excuse to visit a place this wonderful.  I actually find myself overwhelmed when I go.  I walk around aimlessly for hours holding different plants.

Every time I see this trochodendron aralioides I want to plant it at my neighbours house.  You see, I really don't have a home for this, but if it just so happened to land on the other side of the fence, I really would not complain.


This acacia pravissima on the other hand could always find a home in my yard.

And of course an object of plant lust... chamaerops humilis cerifera.


Pineapple guava is a plant that always attracts my attention.  I think its the silvery undersides of the leaves.  I have never grown one of these though I am told they do really well here in the PNW.


 Azara microphylla I believe.  This was a stunner!



Here's where I started to lose it.  I even had dreams about this plant.

aloe striatula

opuntias, yuccas and agaves... I think the owners of Phoenix Perennials are my people

oh but it gets even better...  dasylirion Wheeleri, yucca rigida, and dasylirion longissimum.  I sense a desert bed overhaul in my near future.  I first have to tackle a jungle of ivy and blackberries.



I almost grabbed another aloe polyphylla - apparently squirrels don't only like to hurt my aloe aristatas.  I found one of my beautiful aloe polyphylla desiccated and torn into hundreds of pieces not too long ago when I came home from work.  It wasn't pretty.

More plants to temp me with with.  I have long been an avid fan of eucalyptus trees and Phoenix Perennials has one of the best selections of these beauties around.


But more than anything, I lusted after this planter.  I know just where this belongs... with ME!







I actually felt like my head was spinning after a while.




And my head is still spinning looking back on these pictures.  I don't even know if I can say it, well type it (which theoretically should be easier) ... I didn't buy anything! WHAT?! I know, I don't know what happened. I was so very much overwhelmed.

Don't worry... I'm going back.  But first off I will tackle some ivy and work on the new planting space.

10 comments:

  1. Surely you'll be buying an Agave bracteosa when you return?

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    1. Without a doubt! They are beauties... And they have a baby agave medio picta alba that I hope to own!!! I'm up in the air with the dasylirion but am hoping to snatch it up as well!!

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  2. That huge Agave medio picta alba is fabulous, you truly need that in your gardens. I bet Danger Garden would agree with me.

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    1. One day, one day. They have a baby one for $25 dollars (if its still there when I go back Im getting it) but those large ones are a whopping $150! It so belongs in my garden though. Dare I say it's my favourite agave - at least for the moment.

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    2. BSG knows me too well! Love that Agave. Sadly mine was never healthy and finally kicked the bucket last winter...

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    3. thats soo sad! I'm sure one day we will both have epic ones.

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  3. That is better spiky plant stock than anyone in Abq...must have that Agave bracteosa!

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    1. That is for sure some high praise for a PNW nursery! It's funny watching peoples reactions to these plants. Some dive right in, others snub, and others just look confused. I'm one of the divers! I was actually picking spikes out of my hands and even feet! I consider it part of the fun in a twisted kind of way. I love the bracteosa and will be getting one in the next few days!!!

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  4. Wow, thanks for the pics! I have been a fan of theirs for a while, from over on Vancouver Island. As we don't really get to the mainland at all I just kinda dream about a huge shopping trip there and loading up the car. At least now I know what the place looks like. Of course they DO offer delivery to the Island for a small fee. Hmmm.....

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    1. Phoenix perennials is definitely a gem. Luckily I have a small car or else it could be dangerous. I'm not too familiar with garden centres out on the Island but between phoenix perennials, maple leaf, cedar rim, and southlands we are pretty spoiled around here that's for sure. I think a shopping spree trip is in order for you!

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