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 Mountain Laurel, the slowest-growing plant I've encountered here. It was hidden behind a large rhododendron and the beautiful blooms were totally lost last year. I moved it to the front garden but could not find an appropriate plant for the old spot. 

There are lots of great nurseries in our region with unique plant choices and one of the best is Cistus Nursery. I also like it because it isn't too much of a headache to get to from our house. I browsed their website and made a list of possibilities for a taller plant that would do well in dappled shade.

Cistus is known for their zone-pushing plants but plants that have been proven to do well in the Portland region. I saw many plants there that I'd never heard of, such as a "Tree Dahlia". 

There were many beautiful camellias blooming -

I'm not sure what the story was on this -

The night before I went, I went through their entire inventory on their website and made a list of possible candidates for my empty spot. I was excited to find a plant that I had admired long ago in Pam Harper's garden - a Five leaf Aralia with the tongue-twisting name Eleutheroccous sieboldianus. Here it is in Pam's garden, photographed back in 2012 -

So I went to Cistus Nursery to get that one plant and came home with six. Neither I nor the nursery worker could find the aralia so while she was getting help from another employee, I was looking for possible substitutions although I had my heart set on the aralia. 

While looking, I came across Viburnum tinus 'Bewley's Variegated' and it sounded like it would work. In the meantime, good news - the aralia was located. Hooray! However, I liked the viburnum so much that I decided to get it too. Where is it going? I have no idea.

Viburnum 'Bewley's Variegated'

Cistus has a wide selection of Podocarpus, a plant that I rarely see at Yard N' Garden Land although I have had one for many years called 'Shima', growing in a pot, that came from them. It is a fantastic plant. At Cistus, I got 'Red Tip' that is a more moderately-sized grower.

Podocarpus 'Red Tip' (Photo: Cistus Nursery)

I then picked up Burpleurum friticosum, with the odd common name of "Shrubby Hare's Ear". I have heard raves about this plant and it is a top pollinator. 

Bupleurum fruticosum (Shrubby Hare's Lip)
(Photo: Cistus Nursery)

Penstemon 'Enor' because it sounded good. I have had mixed success with penstemons. I hope this one is a winner.

Penstemon 'Enor' (Photo: Cistus Nursery)

And finally, another major reason for going was to get an Oleander. I can't wait to see how this does. There is a pretty one in our neighborhood.

Nerium Oleander ('Hardy White')
  (Photo: Cistus Nursery)

Another plant that I thought about getting was a Correa, an Australian fuchsia. I decided against that one and felt that I did pretty good by just coming home with six plants. I was practicing restraint!

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy