Before the Christmas tree takeover...

In late November, just before Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US, Christmas trees are trucked into some of my favorite garden centers in large numbers.  In many cases, that means that wide areas are cleared of garden plants for the duration of the holiday season to make room.  Although few if any nurseries or garden centers in my part of the country close during the winter months, the plant selection available in December and January can be very limited.  As the cool period leading into our short winter rainy season is generally the best time of the year to plant, this is frustrating to say the least.

I decided to get as much plant shopping done in the next few weeks as possible to spare myself that frustration.  I visited two of my favorite nurseries to the the north in early October with a friend.  This week I targeted Deep Roots, a garden center in Manhattan Beach, about half an hour away from my home.  I used to drop in there regularly after lunch with friends but, for a variety of reasons, I haven't visited since early in 2019.  I'd almost forgotten how much I appreciated their selection of plants.

With apologies for the quality of the photos, which were taken with my soon-to-be-retired 3G phone, here are some photos to give you an idea of what attracted my attention:

This is variegated Agapanthus 'Gold Strike'.  According to the tag, the compact plants produce picotee blue and bluish-white flowers.

Banksia ericfolia 'Compact Form' still gets too big to find a place in my garden

I already have one Correa 'Ivory Bells' in my garden but I was tempted to get another

This is a variegated Fuchsia thymifolia

I've no idea what this is.  I didn't see labels on any of the plants and I never got around to asking.  It made me think of a restio but I couldn't find anything like it online.  A commentator identified this as Pennisetum glaucus 'Jade Princess'

This is the first "red" Plectranthus (P. hilliardiae) I've ever seen

A noID bromeliad, a Vriesea I assume, with a price that was just a little too much for me

Lots of choices among Tillandsias, a few with developing blooms

This Yucca 'Bright Star' had a short trunk, making me wonder if I should have left mine alone instead of cutting it to the ground

I was tempted by some of the plants shown above but most were in large pots and were priced to reflect that.   I checked the sale tables for smaller plants.

Lots of plants in one-gallon and 4-inch pots but nothing I had to have

In light of our ongoing drought, it's probably not surprising that I focused on the succulent selection.

The succulents occupy a large portion of the north side of the garden center

Left to right: Furcraea sellowa var marginata, F. foetida 'Variegata', and a mix of Mangaves

Clockwise from the upper left: Agave potatorum 'Kichiokan', Aloe maculata, a variety of small Aloes and Haworthia, what I believe is Pilosocereus azureus, and a plant that might be Rhipsalis.  Many plants were unlabeled.

When I went to check out, I was told that all the outdoor plants were 50% off!  I'm still not sure why I didn't go back and gather a few of those plants in the big pots but maybe I'll find time to swing by again before everything's tucked away to make room for the Christmas trees.

I bought the Pilosocereus, 3 Aloe 'Moondance', Haworthia 'Savanna', H. limifolia (aka fairy's washboard), and 2 noID Crassulas

The Aloe 'Moondance' and the Crassulas went into the area I replanted with Aloe 'Moonglow' last week.  I'm considering a couple of different spots for the Pilosocereus.

On the way home, I swung by another garden center in Redondo Beach, close to my former home, but I found it's now open on a limited schedule so that was a bust.  However, yesterday I met a friend for lunch and decided that a quick stop by Elwood Nursery across the street was in order, since I don't think I've visited there since early in 2020.

I brought home a few things but this Cyclamen 'Djix' with its distinctive flowers was the most interesting

On my way home, I also dropped in at Armstrong Garden Center in Torrance to pick up a special order I'd placed for two flats of creeping thyme.  I've visited this store regularly throughout the pandemic but, whenever I visit, I feel it necessary to stroll all the aisles to see if there's anything new I "need."  In addition to my 'Elfin' thyme, I brought home a few other things, including these:

I've long complained that our garden centers never get in any interesting Chrysanthemums.  This C. indicum 'Rainbow Circus' broke that trend.

I'd eyed Didelta 'Silver Strand' at Seaside Gardens last month but forgot to pick it up on my way to check out so I couldn't pass this one up.  One online source claims the succulent subshrub is "indestructible" in the face of summer heat.

It looks like I'll be plenty busy this weekend!  I hope you enjoy your weekend too.

All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

A Visit to the Local Nursery

I needed to make a trip to the post office this week.  I hate visiting the post office.  The "local" office is about 7 miles away by car - it's much closer as the proverbial crow flies but I can't fly so I have to drive north, then west, then south, essentially traveling in a U-formation.  The only thing that got me out the door was the realization that I could use the visit as an opportunity to stop by my "local" plant nursery, which is about a block away from the post office.

Entrance to Elwood Nursery

Elwood Nursery sits in the middle of a small community business district.  It has no website so I couldn't find any data on its history but I know its been part of that community for a long time.  It's sandwiched in between an Mexican restaurant and a building containing various small businesses.  As best as I can tell, it's family run.  The same staff is present every time I've been there.  The same dog is always sleeping by the cash register.

A very well-behaved - and nonchalant - Japanese Akita

The nursery isn't remotely fancy.  No weekend seminars or speakers.  No elaborate displays.  Just a selection of plants, pots, and basic gardening supplies.

There are bedding plants

An ample selection of roses

Shrubs

And succulents

The bedding plants are usually priced a little lower than the larger nurseries in the area.  The succulents are also generally well-priced (when you can find a price posted).  I haven't priced the roses but the shrubs seem to run a bit high.  I checked out a Hydrangea 'Little Lime' on this trip and, although it came from the same grower as one of the same size at the closest store in the Armstrong Nursery chain, it cost $5 (13%) more.  Maybe Elwood doesn't have the clout Armstrong has in negotiating wholesale prices or maybe the price simply reflects higher carrying costs.

Generally, my purchases have been limited to bedding plants.  Elwood periodically has things I don't see at the larger nurseries.  Unfortunately, I didn't find anything unusual among the bedding plants on this visit, although I admit that I was tempted by the Lisianthus.

But as I had no idea where I'd put them, I passed.  I was also tempted by the healthy hanging plants on display.

Scaevola

Begonias

Ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum)

But I didn't have a place for those either.

I ventured into the hothouse area at the back of the shop, which contained a wide range of mostly tropical plants.  They were all in perfect condition and very well priced.  I spent fifteen minutes considering selected plants before I got myself out of there.

I stared at this croton for a good 5 minutes before I finally turned away

Did I walk out with nothing?  Those who've gone nursery shopping with me know that's a silly question.  I left with the first plant I noticed when I walked in, a large Plectranthus ciliatus 'Troy's Gold'.  It was offered as a hanging plant but it's going into a cauldron-shaped planter on my shaded side porch.

Plectranthus ciliatus 'Troy's Gold'

It wasn't a great buy but it spoke to me...