On a sad note, another wonderful independent nursery is calling it quits. Heidi at Dragonfly Farms Nursery is closing her fab nursery after years of delighting us with great plants, garden art, and fun events. If you attended the Seattle Garden Bloggers' Fling, you will remember having the closing cocktail party (thanks Alison!) here. You can see my previous posts here.
August 8 will be the last day of her plant sale (40% off all plants) and when I visited, there were still a lot of rare and unusual gems like variegated ginkgos, unusual maples, and more so if you're in the area, stop by and get some great deals!
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Heidi has and operates heavy equipment so when she decides to re - envision a garden space, she does it in a big way!
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this whole area has been re done including the rustic log pergola. I can't tell you how huge that thing is.
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The blue eucalyptus/gold bamboo combination is one I've copied in my parking strip but my eucalyptus isn't as large as this yet.
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Heidi will continue to live and garden here, the online shopping site will continue, and the garden will be available as an event space (thus a lot of the re-envisioning of space) but the retail on site nursery will be no more.
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The upper garden by the house has undergone fewer drastic changes over the years, probably because the backhoe would have to take out some outstanding trees to get here.
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Everyone needs a life-sized bovine in his/her garden right? Heidi has named him Ferdinand after the children's book. ("Ferdinand is the world's most peaceful - and - beloved little bull. While all of the other bulls snort, leap, and butt their heads, Ferdinand is content to just sit and smell the flowers under his favorite cork tree.")
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Going to the greenhouse (which actually always happens first) to visit the resident Schefflera macrophylla seen here in it's former glory.
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So sad to see another independent nursery close, especially one that specialized in unusual stock for plant nerds. With the Costcoization, Disneyfication, Walmartinizing of retail, it's difficult for small independent specialty nurseries to survive. As we bid farewell to Dragonfly Farms, let's try to support our local specialty growers! One way to do that is to attend the Fronderosa Frolic this Saturday!
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August 8 will be the last day of her plant sale (40% off all plants) and when I visited, there were still a lot of rare and unusual gems like variegated ginkgos, unusual maples, and more so if you're in the area, stop by and get some great deals!
Let's take one last look around this art-filled garden, shall we?
Heidi has and operates heavy equipment so when she decides to re - envision a garden space, she does it in a big way!
this whole area has been re done including the rustic log pergola. I can't tell you how huge that thing is.
Hot pot combination.
The blue eucalyptus/gold bamboo combination is one I've copied in my parking strip but my eucalyptus isn't as large as this yet.
There was a recent art festival and some of the artists left pieces. Is this cool or what?
No fire pit is complete without firesticks, right?
Oh that I had space and the resources...
Heidi will continue to live and garden here, the online shopping site will continue, and the garden will be available as an event space (thus a lot of the re-envisioning of space) but the retail on site nursery will be no more.
What a great space to be married or celebrate a significant event in one's life!
The upper garden by the house has undergone fewer drastic changes over the years, probably because the backhoe would have to take out some outstanding trees to get here.
This guy likes to watch people and is the guardian of the schefflera on the left.
Sorry about the light. Strolling through the shade gardens.
Everyone needs a life-sized bovine in his/her garden right? Heidi has named him Ferdinand after the children's book. ("Ferdinand is the world's most peaceful - and - beloved little bull. While all of the other bulls snort, leap, and butt their heads, Ferdinand is content to just sit and smell the flowers under his favorite cork tree.")
Great pot and plant combinations!
Meanwhile back to the lower space...
Going to the greenhouse (which actually always happens first) to visit the resident Schefflera macrophylla seen here in it's former glory.
I found this - No S. macrophylla. It had looked worse and worse over the last few visits. Heidi said that that the trunk just came away from the roots. There was lots of new growth around the top and Heidi tried to root cuttings in a variety of ways but, like everyone else who's tried, she failed. Schefflera macrophylla - DYK(Dead You Know) (Difficulty in propagation is the main reason this great plant isn't more widely available here. There's still hope as the Rhododendron Species Foundation Garden Conservatory has several although they've mentioned difficulty in propagation as well. Oh well, where would I put it anyway?
On to happier things.
On to the future of Dragonfly as an event space. I wish Heidi much success in her new adventure.
So sad to see another independent nursery close, especially one that specialized in unusual stock for plant nerds. With the Costcoization, Disneyfication, Walmartinizing of retail, it's difficult for small independent specialty nurseries to survive. As we bid farewell to Dragonfly Farms, let's try to support our local specialty growers! One way to do that is to attend the Fronderosa Frolic this Saturday!
Hail and Farewell Dragonfly Farms Nursery and may your future trails be bright Heidi!
