A Day in Portland Part One

Or, How to visit four nurseries and three gardens in Six hours.

I love going on day trips because we don't have to worry about finding care for our pets. One fine Saturday, Alison, Nigel, Tom and I set of on a Portland adventure.  Portland is a three hour drive so I set of early enough to hit Cistus Nursery before we were to meet Scott at Joy Creek Nursery.  Together we visited Means Nursery  and Scott and I went on to Xera while Alison and Nigel went directly to the next garden where we would meet.  Each of the gardens we visited were spectacular so I'll post about them separately.  Realizing that I had limited time at each nursery, I decided to spend more time shopping  than taking pictures.  With the exception of Xera, which opened since my last visit, I've posted  about these before.  You will want to see more of what Portland has to offer so I suggest that you start making plans now for next year's Garden Bloggers' Fling which will take place there early in July next year. 


It's so cool to see these huge cannas at the back of the parking lot of Cistus.  When last I was there in April, there were only tiny leaves poking out of the soil.  What a difference a few weeks makes!

 Wonder what the pink flags mean? 


Yucca rostrata anyone?

Agave Americana 'Yellow Ribbons'  Look at those pups emerging from the drain holes in the pot.  Is that adorable or what?
 Shade area of "The Big Top"  one of my favorite spots.


 Here's a section of the driveway leading to the parking area.

Taking a few plants with us, we drove up the road a piece to meet Scott, Alison and Nigel.  The gardens at Joy creek are looking so much fuller than they did in April.

Two specialties of Joy Creek are hydrangeas and hardy fuchsias.  Didn't get any hydrangeas this time.

This time of year, I always fall for a few more hardy fuchsias.
 Not the best picture but this miniature garden was way cool.

It still tickles me that we can grow alstroemeria in the ground here.  I remember seeing them in flower arrangements as a child in Alaska and thinking that they were the most exotic looking thing ever.


A green roof for environmentally concerned  birds.

And we're off to Means, home of the least expensive Acer palmatums anywhere.


Scott assuring Alison that she really should get one of these good sized brugmansias.  (only 19.95!)

Nice to see that Means carries seeds from Botanical interests, a sponsor of the Garden Bloggers' Fling!


Finally, off to Xera, fairly close to one of the gardens that we had the pleasure of visiting.  Xera Plants shares space with a business newly named Repotted which sells containers by themselves or beautifully planted up. 

I seem to be drawn to this orange color.  Could it be because this fuchsia is called 'Thomisina?'


Portland has enough summer heat (most years) for crepe myrtles to bloom happily. 


This little cutie was calling my name.  There's always room for one more cute little agave, right?

Simply beautiful planting by Repotted.
 Sorry I didn't get more shots of the great plants but this is a nursery worth visiting and will certainly be added to my must visit places when visiting Portland!