On June 23, I had the opportunity to attend Petula' Test Garden 2015 Summer Kick Off. This year's test garden is located in a public plaza in Edmonds, and is stunning! The event took place from seven p.m. until sunset and there was free gelato! Here's some of what I saw:
Glowing in the evening sun were roses in sunset colors like this one, another beautiful orange, and a lovely yellow.
Walking by on the sidewalk, one might think that this was an exuberant municipal planting.
But if you slow down a bit to notice some of the plants, you'll see that there are unusual gems (for this area) in every bed like the fab. Gompherena 'Pink Zazzle' in this bed.
I love this one but haven't seen it in a lot of nurseries here yet.
Then again, I seldom look at annuals so maybe it's been there.
Lepisium cruciforme surrounded by fab foliage!
Teucrium chamaedrys 'Summer Sunshine'
Agave lophantha 'Quadricolor'
Although their goal is to be plant free (I know, crazy, right?) Petula brought a few plants...
Here Tonya (creative genius behind Petula) pulls a pot from the van on the street. Hey man, wanna see my plants?
Euphorbia 'Firesticks are very tempting but I already have some. Agaves vilmoriniana, "Baccarat", and 'Cornelius Variegata' all looked so good but already exist in my collection. Kicking myself for not getting another Cornelius as they are so gorgeous.
Nice Furcraea gigantea 'variegata' and lots of little succulents. The oh-so-silver Maireana sedifolia (Pearl Bluebush) in the middle came home with me!
Meanwhile, back at the garden. Leucadenedron 'Ebony' cavorting with petunias.
The warmth, the lovely evening and plantings like this might whisk you away to California for a while. (Much cheaper than plane tickets!)
Mangave 'Macho Mocha'
Agave americana Var. medio-picta 'Dwarf Alba' and Echeveria affinis.
Here's Maireana sedifolia again singing the blues with a chorus of sherbet-hued happy petunias.
Joined by another beautiful Leucadendron 'Ebony'
Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' Can't wait to see the electric blue blooms!
Phylica arborea dancing with Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls', Aeonium 'Cyclops', Kalanchoe thyrsiflora 'Desert Rose', and others.
Crassula perforata 'String of buttons Variegated'
Osteospermum 'Blue Eyed Beauty'
Cynara scolymus 'Emerald' (Artichoke) Can you imagine how fab the purple bloom would look with the orange Cuphea 'Vermillionaire?'
Purple and white: a classic combination.
Phormium 'Sea Jade' is a lovely thing!
In addition to the Maireana Sedifolia, I came home with the following:
Turns out that Petula is the wholesaler bringing the tentacled pots to the PNW. Tonya had a few in her van which I couldn't resist. like this one and the Rhipsalis which will be planted soon although a crazy carniverous plant might make its way into this pot instead.
The Sansevieria cylindrica also came from the van and will be planted soon! I already had the matching purple tillandsia and the head.
I was given this Kalanchoe synsapala, the Walking Kalanchoe. Let's see if it grows legs!
It was starting to get darker outside, time to pack up the treasures and go home but first, a nice scoop of green apple gelato for the road! It was as delicious as the demonstration gardens which you can visit personally at Hazel Miller Plaza, 5th & Maple, downtown Edmonds. You can also follow the garden's progress on Petula's blog.