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.

Pacific Northwest Palm and Exotic Plant Society Sale / Phoenix Perennials

On Saturday I was able to attend the Pacific Northwest Palm and Exotic Plant Society (PNWPEPS) plant sale.  I had been debating on whether or not to go.  Of course every part of me wanted to see what wonderful things I could find.  On the other hand, there was that fear of losing all sense of control and spending way too much money.  With the sun shining the latter seamed highly probable.  That coupled with the fact it was being hosted at Phoenix Perennials - plant mecca - I knew there would be temptations.  But would that stop me, of course not!

From the moment I walked in and saw these needle palms I knew I was in for a treat! Needle palms are just not seen in these parts.

Now this is something I have been contemplating purchasing for quite some time.  I love the blue green colour of chamaerops humilis cerifera.  I can see it all potted up in a beautiful terra cotta... Remember my dreams of a mediterranean overhaul?!  Do you ever notice how when you've been thinking about buying something you somehow pre-condition yourself to spending the money?!

I found myself saying similar things of pretty much all the plants... "oh I want that!"

I was able to pass on the true tropicals like these coconut palms... But as for agave medio picta alba, that is a little harder. I didn't buy one and have been regretting it.  Next time.

It's nothing new that I have a thing for tree ferns.  I think its all in the drama.

These Dicksonia Antarctica had me stopped dead in my tracks... and only $30! I love plant society sales!

I was so taken away with all the many treasures I might purchase at the sale that I had to walk around Phoenix Perennials to ponder my plant lusts.  Naturally I found myself rummaging through these wonderful agaves.

I had never seen this before ... yucca gloriosa "lonsestar."  I usually have my phone with me so I can do some impromptu plant investigations but I forgot it.  So I passed on these with the adage "next time."

This ... wow! What's better than one trachycarpus? Two! They actually came in clumps of three which was aesthetically much more pleasing.  Phoenix Perennials gained "legit" status in my books for this one.

I think they were speaking to me here with the hesperaloe, chamaerops, and agave medio picta alba!!!  It's like something from my happiest dreams.  I even love the pots!!!

I really wish I could say I purchased this.... It would be right at home with my new agave bovicornuta.

Wow. I think thats all I can say ...

Speaking of drama....

I can't say enough about the wonderful people I met at the plant sale.  I have followed the PNWPEPS for a few years now but have never been apart of it.  This year I took the plunge! I can truly say I look forward to getting to know such knowledgable and passionate people.  That and I somehow feel much more legitimized in my palm craziness.

So what did I buy at the sale?! You'd be surprised to hear that I was incredibly disciplined.  I managed to go home with just one of the Dicksonia Antarctica.  Here it is all planted up.

This spot was actually the home of my other tree fern that was moved down by the bananas.  This one is much bigger and can be better appreciated here.

I was given a tip from a society member that tree ferns love regular feedings of fish fertilizer!  Apparently dicksonia antarctica can put on several inches of trunk when given regular feedings of fish fertilizer throughout the growing season.  I got some epically nasty smelling bio fish fertilizer.  So bring on that fishy stank!!!