By Gardennia nutii
Most gardeners know that while spring is the most enticing time to plant, fall is the ideal time because cool weather and rain give plants time to “settle in” to their new surroundings. In years past I’ve loaded up on most of my fall additions at two events: the Hardy Plant Society fall plant sale (one stop shopping), and Le Tour des Plants (touring and visiting nurseries). I’d come to think of these as the ‘yin and yang’ of nursery visits.
As many of you know Le Tour des Plants did not occur this year, so the ‘yang’ of my fall plant buying was gone. To honor this event I thought I’d highlight a few of the great experiences I had on Le Tour:
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| Dancing Oaks Pergola |
Dancing Oaks Pergola
Touring the display gardens at Dancing Oaks Nursery. – A lecture on ‘no water gardens’ enticed me to make the trip and I was hooked within 30 seconds of arrival. My gardens still don’t come close to resembling their display gardens (see beautiful picture of their pergola in June), but I continue to strive for that level of splendor.
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| Dryopteris erythrosora |
Meeting Maurice Horn at Joy Creek Nursery – I decided to throw the dogs in the car and go for a drive one rainy ‘Le Tour’ day. He spent hours helping me find new plants for the foundation areas around my house and played happily with my dogs while doing it. He suggested planting Dryopteris erythrosora among the Heucherella ‘Sweet Tea’ plants I picked up from Terra Nova Nurseries. What a great combination!
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| Cyclamen hederifolium |
Discovering Green Gate Nursery – A small but amazing nursery in West Linn, owners Anthony and Julie Bernert helped me select plants for dry shade that provide year-round interest. Just look at this beautiful Cyclamen hederifolium that started blooming a couple weeks ago and will bloom until spring!
Le Tour taught me the wonder of visiting nurseries and meeting nursery owners in their “element.” With that said, I think I’ll go visit some new nurseries, make new friends, and find some more wonderful plants for my fall planting fun.
What wonderful nurseries have you discovered? Let us know!