What are your plant lusts?

What do you do when it rains without ceasing?  I dream of plant purchases. I was asking myself this question today - Self, what plants are you lusting after this year?  It's all about focus.  You have to get that instinctive plant radar up and running.  I tried to think of a top ten.  If I could buy ten plants this summer that would revolutionize everything what would they be!? Here's my top ten in descending order.

10. Agave bracteosa - I have finally found a good source ... now the problem is and remains the sticker shock.  But I have the perfect home, sitting empty in wait for my beloved agave.... maybe this weekend. (this plant would be much higher on my list if not only for the fact it is well within my reach)

9. Brahea Armata - This one is a completely new addition to the list.  This palm was completely off of my plant lust radar until I saw one in the flesh a couple of weeks ago... one word, stunning!

8. Chamaerops humilis cerifera - do I need to say anything more?!

7. Sabal Minor - Oh how I dream about conquering the ivy jungle in the northwest corner of the yard and creating a whole new garden space.  These could go in as the new "palm shrubs"

6. Fascicularia bicolor - I was given the idea of "planting" these in the crux of my trachycarpus fortunei ... and then I thought about the boots of butia capitata.  Not to mention having some bromeliads around always makes things happy.

5. Agave havardiana.

4. Trunking yucca rostrata - I already have two of these bad boys in the yard but it appears I simply must have one with a trunk.

3. Jubaea Chilensis - This one I have seen repeatedly over the years but sticker shock always wins out.  Actually, with this plant its not sticker shock.  It's more or less the fact that I would get a giant - declined - If I ever tried to purchase it.  I suppose that's a good thing.  It keeps me in check - for now I will admire them from a distance.

2. Nolina La Siberica - Can some nursery finally order this plant in!?! It's actually a conspiracy I think.  I have scoured the Fraser Valley looking for this treasure.  It is nowhere to be found.  That being said, I was told next spring I could get one if I'm patient... this could be a long wait.

1. Cordyline Indivisa - the real deal indivisa not the thousands of mislabelled nursery pots "cordyline indivsa."  Again after seeing this plant in the flesh at the West Vancouver garden mecca I am on the hunt. This one will be a little next to impossible to find.

What about y'all? What plants are on your plant lust radar this year?!  Happy plant hunting...

Tragedy in the garden...

I have to report a tragedy.  Sometime between Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon a group of bandit squirrels waged war on my beautiful little aloe aristata.  The side story being, last spring I bought this aloe,  planted it in a protected little hollow and watched it sail through the winter and produce a bloom! My first ever outdoor aloe in bloom! I was ecstatic.  But then tragedy struck...

That bloom stalk was just about ready to put on its show when it was brazenly snapped right off.  I think what makes tragedies like this worse is that I have long considered myself a friend of woodland creatures.  I have defended them as more than rats with bushy tails.  No more. This was personal.  I couldn't quite figure out what provoked such a nonsensical act.  Was it retaliation for disturbing a stash of nuts? I did uproot several starts of nut trees this year.  Or was it entirely random?

On a happier note, I planted an entire aloe patch -Take that squirrels!

garden surprises

Who doesn't like surprises?  Well, I was outside the other day admiring my little aloe aristata when I noticed something odd about it.  Whats that in the center? And then I realized, not only did this aloe overwinter, it is going to have blooms!  It kind of made me feel like a proud parent.

This isn't really a surprise, another flax... but the surprise was finding it for just $1.98!

And if you were wondering what plants made it home with me from cedar rim the other day ... Echeveria Glauca.  I planted a couple of these in the garden last summer and then moved them in late fall.  I did not think that they would survive especially with such a late re-planting in the season.

But it turns out they are super tough.  This one is nestled between a couple of rocks that no doubt provided some shelter.

These two were left out in the open with no shelter whatsoever. They are a little bit beat up at the moment but they certainly will stage a nice come back in the weeks to come.

who could resist?

I find myself saying that quite frequently ... who could resist? I for one definitely could not resist this special little plant.  Introducing my new aloe polyphylla! From the high mountains in Lesotho, this gem of an aloe is supposedly hardy to near 10F and is tolerant of water given adequate drainage from what I have read.

I actually already own an aloe polyphylla but have never had the nerve to plant it out in the garden.  The idea of purchasing another one as a backyard experiment had percolated in my mind for some time.  So when I saw this beauty for $20 at a local nursery I was sold - not to mention it was a warm spring like day.  Do you ever notice how it's easier to buy plants on sunny days?

Like all who purchase plants on a whim, I had the daunting question of "now where to plant it?!"  It's a bad habit that I really need to get control of but I find myself in moments of incredible weakness at nurseries. hmmm? there must be a diagnosis for this.  Near the pindo palm was my first inclination. I liked the way it would contrast with the yucca bright star and pick up some of the blue green tones from the palm, but I had a "brilliant" idea - in the garden project kind of sense - of positioning it close to the newly planted yucca gloriosa variegata.

I plan on making it a whole succulent frenzy this spring! I want to get an agave parryi to put on the left hand side of the yucca (for balance) as well as some various echeveria and hens and chicks.  I want to keep it as cold hardy as possible with a couple dashes of bright colour with plants like echeveria perle von nurnberg.

Now I'm hoping that the cold will stay away!

Mini Preview... what does 11F do to a palm garden in the pnw?

what does 11F do to a palm garden in the pnw?  that was the question I was dealing with after some nasty cold that swept through the Fraser Valley.  Thankfully, most things are looking really great.  This was actually a really great test for me.  It kinda legitimizes my dreams of a tropical oasis actually.  It also goes to show just how hardy certain plants like trachycarpus fortunei actually are.

Like I said, all looks great, but time definitely will tell.  I really don't foresee any problems with them given how good everything looks.  I gave the central growing spears a good tug and they appear happy and healthy which is really what is important.  With palms however, damage can often take a long time to show itself, so I will keep checking up on them.

One of my greatest surprises was this little aloe aristata.  I had no idea how hardy it actually was.  Most websites claim it's zone 9a hardy but I have read that they have survived fine in some zone 8a locations in the US south which gave me some hope. There were some old school christmas lights turned on in close proximity to it which would have moderated temperatures slightly which I am sure helped it along. I am really excited about this one.  As for the echeveria glauca nearby.... it survived too!

Sadly, it's twin, just a few feet away has turned to absolute mush!  Stay tuned for some more updates... all the good bad and the ugly :P (yes, there is some ugly)!

Sun and fun in the city!

What a fabulous weekend!  The sun was shining and I had some really spectacular surprises ... like finding a beautiful public garden next to my favourite local coffee chain JJBean.  Like most sunny days, it all started with a fantastic nature walk/hike through Deep Cove just east of North Vancouver.  This is such a special spot! I have been talking about going all summer long, but for whatever reason it never quite materialized until this Saturday.  I honestly have to say it was well worth the wait.

We were greeted to this fantastic view of the cove...

morning sunlight pouring through the trees...

The "hike"

And the view!!!  I was a little bit Hipstamatic* happy at this point

The day got increasingly happier!  We decided to go back to Maple Leaf garden Centre to get some plants for a friends front garden transformation ... and so I could get another AGAVE!!!! Remember the agave ovatifolia frosty blue I bought a couple weeks ago.  I am now the proud owner of another one!! Here it is after being planted on sunday afternoon.  It is situated where the unkown agave used to be.

As you can see I added a bunch of sand. It is mounded a bit and the soil beneath it flows away from the plant.  I'm hoping that will be good enough drainage.  Thankfully there are huge trees behind that actually keep the ground around here really dry.

The garden I "discovered"turns out to be the park and Tilford gardens.  They have an amazing selection of plants!!  The garden was divided into specific zones but overall was incredibly lush and inviting.  here are some of my highlights... 

loquat! I really want a loquat tree and so it makes me greatly excited when I see just how great they can thrive in our environment!

What great garden is complete without a palm tree!?! notice the elongated fronds? This palm is situated in a fair amount of shade which causes the fronds to literally reach more towards the sun. It makes for a really beautiful specimen.

The find of the day!!! Aloe striatula!  This was under the eaves of a south facing washroom up against a brick wall. Whoever planted it here new exactly where this little plant would thrive!  I love when you can read the mind of the gardener!

I almost missed this on the way out... I know... how can you miss great agaves?!  The planting albeit needs some help, but these are great agaves! I wonder how long they have been there?!

So what could make a great day even better? how about visiting ANOTHER NURSERY?!!?! How about Southlands Nursery ? It is only the mecca of garden centres in and around Vancouver.  Sadly, I had spent my plant budget for the day... but would that stop me? NO!  With much will power and determination I kept my purchases down to just one treasure... yucca aloifolia purpurea!  Here it is in its new pot....

Another view ... it has a fair bit of green and blue as well as a deep purple right in the crown.  I have never seen this particular yucca for sale at any garden centre in the area and have been keeping my eyes open for one.  They also had a great selection of yucca gloriosa recurvifolia "bright star" which I'm already planning a trip back to get some more.

To top it all off, the day ended at the Spanish Banks to walk along the beach and enjoy an epic sunset!  All in all, this day will go down in the books!  #LOVE

Succulents and agaves oh my!!

I don't even know how to best describe my love for succulents.  I find that each one has its own personality if you will.  Some are spiky, some are soft, some are gnarly, and some are just plain cute!! So I though I would share some of my succulent collection with you.  It's still on the small side (though growing at a quick pace!!!)

Agave 'blue glow'

 Agave parryi 'cream spike'

 Aloe aristata... I hope this one is hardy enough outside.... It is in a really protected spot but I might remove one of the little pups on it just for winter insurance!!!

 I think this is a little baby agave parryi ... I really have no clue.  It was $3 at the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens plant sale this spring.  I couldn't turn that down!!!!

My attempt at a great succulent pot! The echeveria glauca is king!

more echeveria glauca and two other fun succulents.

Every garden needs sempervivums!! These ones grow so quickly and are hardy!

An Aeonium I named "lucy" :)

Aloe polyphylla!!! I really want to plant this but I'm too chicken to loose it to old man winter.

Finally, agave cornelius! This bad boy rocks!  It screams attitude!