Yucca 'bright star'

Yesterday I shared some photos from a visit to Southlands nursery I took last weekend. And I certainly couldn't hold out on showing my lovely new yucca in its new home.  I love when you plant something and you get that I can't believe it hasn't always been there feeling (you know the one?).  Much to my joy and surprise, that is exactly how I felt.  I was somewhat hesitant about planting yet another yucca (maybe I had gone overboard - I thought), but I actually felt like my other yucca gloriosa recurvifolia 'bright star' needed a friend.  That and it is the year of the yucca after all!

This is the new yucca directly after being planted... already glowing brightly in the full sun.

And I really couldn't help but throw this one in here... agave medio picta alba! Finally!!

 But back to the yucca; it found its new home next to a nice yucca gloriosa variegata and sedum.  I love seeing these two yuccas side by side for a comparison.

I didn't even think about this sedum when I bought the yucca (sorry David), the Oregon shoulder angel won out this time... but I think it worked out well.

Seeing this photo makes me even more determined to get the lighting sorted out one of these days.  Then I can be done with the protruding pipes like the one you can see here. It obscures one of my wonderful little agave parryi.

This is my other yucca 'bright star' and part of the inspiration for buying another.  It got a few brown spots last winter/spring but otherwise seemed to take the elements in stride.  I actually find myself peaking out the window quite frequently to get a glimpse of its glowing foliage in the sunshine!

So it was an easy sell and I couldn't be more pleased!

Southlands in July

Before heading out to Stanley Park last weekend, I decided a trip to Southlands was imperative. My dear friend Becca, who works there, was celebrating a birthday and so I had extra incentive to stop by for a birthday surprise. And boy was it a good day! I don't remember there to be as many agaves and plant lusts any other time.  And like most trips, I started my rounds in the happiest place of all, the agaves.

Why didn't I get this 'silver surfer' agave? I don't even remember. sad.

Perhaps it was that there were just so many of these little guys I didn't even know where to begin.  This one comes with a pup... and maybe a pet spider.

If you couldn't already tell, I'll have to be making a return agave trip.

Thankfully this brahea armata was tagged as not for sale... otherwise I might have had to break the bank.

But some plants require breaking the bank.

Oh how I wish I could tell you all I bought the big agave medio picta alba....

But I did get this little one!  It spoke to my heart.... it said "looouis I belong with you!"

Ouch! This is what I'm talking about! I love seeing opuntia.  The only problem is that I rarely see labelled opuntia! hmmm... any opuntia experts have an ID?

My secret wish is to have my very own opuntia ID"ing" angel on my shoulder.  One that would whisper into my ears ... "it's hardy, it will grow for you, you should buy it!"

Moving outside I was blinded with colour.  It's as though the phormiums have secret abilities to lure me.  It's always the color that stops me.  Then the form.  Then imagining just where it belongs in my garden.  And before long I consider not buying one, but all of them!  Thankfully with an agave in one hand and camera in the other I walked right on by.

But there were more.

and more.  "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming ...."  In other words, don't stop, keep walking.

Oh those canes... EPIC!

And what's this? A dwarf olive!!! And a beautiful one at that.  This might be worth a trip back for.  Imagine a beautiful terra cotta with a somewhat weathered look and this amazing little plant.

I can see it all now.  This is truly an inspired display.  Am I in Vancouver or Italy?

Moving to the shade section... Of course they would have plenty of dicksonia antarctica to tempt me with.

What's amazing is how Southlands provides equal pottery lust as plant lust.

Spotted - Scheffleras.  It says schefflera taiwaniana 'yuan shan' but I'm beginning to think it may be another variety.  Anyways, if anyone in Vancouver has been lusting after a schefflera, Southlands has two left!!

Remember me saying I needed more yucca 'bright star' in my life? Well this one definitely came home with me.

Air plant heaven.  Southlands always seems to have the best display of tillandsias around.  I wanted to bring them all home.  They are just so wonderfully creepy.

I should warn anyone that visits Southlands, it's impossible to leave without buying something.

I'm not a bromeliad whisperer ... yet.  I can see some major bromeliad purchases in my near future after walking through this greenhouse.

And I'll certainly be coming back for one of these wonderful hibiscus standards.

There can be some serious strategy in leaving some plants for next time.  That is, you guarantee next time comes quickly because you absolutely must have it!

I don't know that I have ever been to a nursery as beautiful as Southlands.  Everything is a feast for the eyes.

I could have filled that nursery cart many times over!! Next time. (I say that often, eh?)