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A Visit to Cistus Nursery

I rarely go to nurseries anymore since I work part-time at one and another reason being that I don't have much room for additional plants. When a garden fanatic runs out of room, the brain goes into overdrive, dreaming up ingenious ways to incorporate more plants. And another thing happens - a burning desire to obtain rare and unique plants. I've been moving plants around, a tricky process that has a domino effect. A plant is unhappy - it is getting too much shade or perhaps too much sun. There is a plant that did not get as large as you thought it would or it is just a slow grower and now it is hopelessly hidden behind a taller plant. Sometimes a plant is just a dud for reasons unknown (Rhododendron 'Golden Gate' anyone?). I find the plant in question a better home, but it means that another plant will have to be moved. And the merry-go-round continues to turn... However, for those plants that are to be discarded, a space opens up for a new one! I decided to move a Mou...
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A beautiful day in the garden


It is the last day of March and this past week has felt more like May here in southwestern Washington. I started my seasonal job at the nursery last week and the greenhouse was stifling at times. I kept wishing I had wore my shorts. The weather has just been fantastic and we had a full day in the garden on Sunday. Exhausted but got a lot accomplished.

 Assessing the situation, the plants look like they survived the winter with flying colors. Of course, there was some winter damage, like the Hebe, but all is not lost.

It is exciting to see how things are growing. This Goshiki Osmanthus looks like it has at least a foot of new growth that shot up seemingly overnight.
Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki'

And I really did not think that Camellia 'Nuccio Bella Rossa' has grown that much but when comparing to it last year's photo, it is at least twice the size.

April 2018
Camellia 'Nuccio Bella Rossa' today
Other early bloomers -

Clematis armandii 'Snowdrift'

English Daisy (Bellis perennis)

Spirea thunbergii 'Ogon'

Red Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) - a beautiful native plant to this region.

And, last but not least, the ironclad little Primroses. Michael bought these at the supermarket to go in our kitchen window right after we moved here. I eventually put them out in the garden when they started to sulk inside. They have come back faithfully every year. I noticed on a plant tag earlier in the week that they are hardy to -30!



I spent the majority of the day fertilizing the roses. I generally use an organic granular fertilizer (like Lilly Miller or E.B. Stone)

The fertilizer is sprinkled around the base of the rose and lightly scratched in...

Then watered in. During the season, I will fertilize with fish emulsion every 2 or 3 weeks.

Rain is on the way tomorrow but I still have much more to do, including spreading a truck-load of compost over the borders and mulching them. The grass (what little there is left) needs cutting and fertilizing. Fun times ahead!

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. ShoalandaApril 4, 2019 at 3:28 AM

    All simply beautiful, but I love the rubber duckies!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lisa at GreenbowApril 7, 2019 at 5:53 AM

    Spring is charging into your area. Here is is slowly sauntering in.

    ReplyDelete

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