Saturday, April 14, 2012

Bloedel Bedlam, Part 1


I've been to a lot of plant sales, and the Bloedel Reserve Plant Sale is among the best.  Dan Hinkley, Far Reaches Farm, Steamboat Island, Desert NW and a lot more...all in one place!  Yikes!

On the way to the Bloedel Reserve we stopped by a nursery called Foxglove Greenhouses.  They are a wholesale nursery specializing in annuals and perennials.  I think they are usually open on Saturdays to the public.

Foxglove Greenhouses
We explored around a little bit, and then met up with the owner, David, who very generously took us on a tour of his greenhouses.  He spent half an hour showing us all kinds of interesting and unusual perennials he's growing, about a dozen of which ended up coming back with us (he's a great salesman).  He orders many of his seeds from the Jelitto seed company in Germany.  I will be checking out their catalog and I will most definietley be back to Foxglove Greenhouses in the very near future.

The Bloedel Reserve Gatehouse
Alright, back to the main event.  The Bloedel Reserve is an hour (including a 35-minute ferry ride) away from Seattle, located on Bainbridge Island.  This is one of best botanical gardens in the area.  So it is worth going to, but when you throw in a plant sale of Dan Hinkley and Far Reaches Farm proportions, it is definitely worth going to.

Drimys winteri
Don't you hate it when you buy a rare plant, such as a Drimys winteri, a Dan Hinkley collection, and then see the same thing planted right at the entrance of the Bloedel Reserve for everyone to see?  Suddenly, the rare has become commonplace.  I guess that's why people go to botanical gardens though.


I didn't catch the cultivar name of this hepatica, but I'm sure it's incredibly expensive so it probably doesn't matter anyway.  (Update: It's Hepatica 'Cremar', thanks to Riz Reyes & Andy Navage)


Giant expensive-looking trilliums.


Is this a Paris polyphylla? (Update: Nope. It's a Lilium hansonii.  Thanks again to Riz Reyes & Andy Navage for the clarification)

Impatiens omeiana
Impatiens omeiana shoots up very quickly in the spring and is supposedly hardy to zone 6 (min. -10).

Schefflera taiwaniana
What would a botanical garden be without a few hardy scheffleras?

Now, you want to know which plants I bought at the plant sale, right?  Well, you're going to have to wait until tomorrow :)

4 comments:

  1. Dude! We keep missing each other! I was there yesterday to give a talk and do a little shopping. Not quite as bad as you, but I had my box. Heheh

    That Hepatica is a strain called 'Cremar'. I have a start or two of it I'm happy to share with you if you're interested.

    Your Paris is actually a Lilium. L. martagon or a close relative is my best guess.

    Happy Planting!

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    1. It's probably a good thing they don't have carts to load stuff in. I'm certainly interested in the hepatica. Are you going to be at Plant Nerd Night?

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  2. Riz is correct Hepatica 'Cremar' it is. The Lily is L.Hansonii, I hope you all had fun! I am in a bit of trouble with the wife for over indulging in the addiction but so worth it. Thanks Riz

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    1. Thanks for the insight, Mr. Navage. You run an outstanding & inspiring operation.

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