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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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Winter Jewels


 


Tsuga canadensis 'MonKinn' Golden Duchess ™ (Eastern Hemlock)



The weather has been a bit wet and gloomy (with predictions of snow for next week) but there are some bright spots in the garden.  One of my favorites at the moment is this little hemlock called 'Golden Duchess'™. Every time I glance out the study window and look out into the front garden, it is the first plant I notice. When we got it at the nursery, it was inside the greenhouse and kind of a drab green, nothing like the photo on the label. After I planted it, in a mostly sunny spot, it brightened up and changed color in no time. The ultimate size is supposed to be around 4 x 4 feet.
Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb'

 Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb' is a dwarf spruce that grows very slowly (only about 1 inch per year!), eventually reaching 1 ft. high.


Acer palmatum 'Bihou'

The Japanese Maple 'Bihou' just gets better and better and equals 'Sango Kaku' for its pretty winter bark. I bought this in quart-sized pot and it proves that smaller sized plants grow faster. That little slip of a plant, under 1 ft. tall, was planted in June of 2017 and is now almost 6 ft. tall. It is very narrow and I hope that it continues to grow that way.

 

Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki' (Dappled willow) with the just-mentioned Japanese Maple 'Bihou' in far background

A few more lovlies -

Pheasant's Tail Grass (Anemanthele lessoniana)


Mahonia 'Charity'

Vaccinium M. 'Stevens'


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. Lisa at GreenbowJanuary 11, 2020 at 1:00 PM

    You do have some lovely jewels in your garden. So much color for your winter garden.

    ReplyDelete
  2. chavlinessJanuary 12, 2020 at 9:36 AM

    Bright colors in the winter garden is what keeps us going till spring. Acer palmatum 'Bijou' with it's stunning glowing branches has been on my want list for a while.

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  3. Endah MurniyatiJanuary 13, 2020 at 5:05 PM

    the branches looks so interesting!

    ReplyDelete

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