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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...

Finally - a good weather statistic

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra 'Gold Heart')


Weather is in the news a lot these days and it always seems to be for the wrong reasons. Just the past year has seen records in temperatures (last summer), diminished rainfall (most months) and late snowfall (this month). But now, a statistic to cheer about - the month of April has seen a record amount of rainfall. Recordings at PDX show that we got a total of 5.37 inches. One year ago (April 2021) was the driest on record at .37 inch. 

The rain is welcome although the weather hasn't been conducive to working in the garden. In addition to the wet weather, it has been really cool and night temperatures are still dipping into the 40s. I'm sure vegetable gardeners are having a frustrating time.

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

Camassia leichtlinii

Daphne cneorum (Rock Daphne)



Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. It appears that your garden is responding to all the rain. I am happy for you. We have had a decent spring too. The wind has been annoying but it has been cool and wet enough here too.

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  2. Congratulations! I love the Camassia, which isn't something that will grow in my part of the country.

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  3. We've had a cool rainy spring too, but it's too early here for annuals. But soon!

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  4. We’ve had a cool wet spring too, but we aren’t quite ready to plant annuals. But soon!

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  5. The chartreuse of the bleeding heart is shining in the shady garden like no other. What a sight! Brunnera 'Jack Frost' is an old favorite; I've moved volunteers into other places in the garden: I could ever tire of this plant.

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  6. Wonderful news on rain for your region. Happy for you. Maybe next year for us...

    The Camassia leichtlinii is gorgeous! "moist soil" means not for "SoCal". 😒

    Do you grow any Martagon Lilies?

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