Have you ever visited a place that you've heard about and ordered from for years only to find that the place just didn't live up to the hype? I was fairly sure that Annie's Annuals couldn't be as wonderful as the catalogs made it look and was ready to say something like, "what a great nursery BUT..." Seems like the only big But(t) at Annie's was my own. Annie's is a magical place that is even better than the catalog makes it look. To make the visit even more special, we got to meet Annie herself and listen to her share her passion for growing unusual plants from seed without the use of growth regulators. This is a woman passionate about her trade and whose ebullient nature is infectious!
Here's Annie trying to make herself look younger for the camera. Really? Any younger and she'd be embryonic.
There was also some fun artwork!
Tithonia
Aeonium nobile, a plant that's a favorite in my own collection. It's monocarpic so it'll be sad when it blooms once and dies but it's a relief to know that Annie has some more waiting!
Greenovia aurea
In drought situations, Greenovia aurea curls up like the one in the middle of the picture. Isn't that adorable?
Huge Dyckia just outside the chapel.
Crassula capitella 'Red Pagoda' looks even better in person! This is worth bringing in for the winter!
Echeveria (elegans?)
The plant tables go on and on!
Annie's signage is very informative. Since I was flying back, I took lots of pictures of plants, tags, and signs. As you might imagine, there are more things in the nursery than what's in the printed catalogue. However, I was told that one could order non catalog items as well. Hooray!
Aloe, Aloe. Is anybody there?
Digiplexis - Coming next year.
Baby Cussonias.
Solanum quitoense, another of my faves!
Leave it to Annie to come up with a variegated form of Impatines niamniamensis! Purty!
Graptoveria 'Crested Form'
No idea. We'll call it "Assorted Succulent" like retailers sometimes do.
Aloe glauca
Denise having a Growing Obsession with Wachendorfia thyrsiflora.
Just hanging around.
It's a shame they're afraid of using color at Annie's!
From riotous carnival to subdued cottage garden in just a few steps. What's not to love?
These fine specimens of purple yucca drew a lot of attention from the group!
I'm not usually a fan of flowers that are simply beautiful being made into double monsters but this Cosmos 'Double Cranberry' was really quite nice.
This is a truly wonderful nursery! We could have spent a whole day here discovering lust-worth plants! This visit will be remembered fondly each time I unpack a box from Annie's!
Charming greeters hope you enjoyed your visit! BTW, did you miss this celosia?
