The plants are here!

Whenever I watch a landscaping show on TV*, my favorite part is when the nursery truck rolls up and the crew starts to unload the plants. It’s a bit like Christmas even though the presents are for the lucky homeowners and not for me.

Today was a bit like that, except the truck was our 13-year old minivan and the crew was just yours truly, with my long-suffering wife lending a helping hand. But for once the lucky homeowner was me!

My plant haul came from Village Nurseries in Sacramento, the wholesale nursery where I’d previously bought two palo verde trees. What I picked up today will be the anchor plants for the new space I’m preparing next to the house (technically on the outside of the backyard fence).

A minivan full of plants: trunk…

…middle row…

Palo verde peeking out between the driver and passenger seat

…and front row

Here is a list of plants I purchased from Village Nurseries:

• Agave gentryi ‘Jaws’
• Aloe ‘Hercules’ (tree aloe)
• Aloe ferox
• Caesalpinia gilliesii (yellow bird of paradise)
• Calliandra californica (Baja fairy duster)
• Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Compacta’ (compact Texas ranger)
• Parkinsonia ‘Sonoran Emerald’ (‘Sonoran Emerald’ palo verde hybrid)

Happy and healthy plants full of potential

 

LEFT: Aloe ferox (15 gallon can)    RIGHT: Aloe ‘Hercules’ (15 gallon can)

Agave gentryi ‘Jaws’ (5 gallon can)

Caesalpinia gilliesii and Calliandra californica (5 gallon cans) and Parkinsonia ‘Sonoran Emerald’ (15 gallon can)

The nursery rep was concerned about the exposed roots of the palo verde but I don’t think it’s a problem. Still, I was able to get a discount.

The ‘Sonoran Emerald’ palo verde has a quite a few flower buds already…

…some had even started to open

The yellow bird of paradise (Caesalpinia gilliesii) also has flower buds

The two Baja fairy dusters (Calliandra californica) are actively flowering

Baja fairy duster (Calliandra californica)

The plants from Village Nurseries complement the plants I recently bought at Annie’s Annuals in Richmond…

• Aeonium escobarii
• Aloe broomii
• Aloe marlothii
• Aloe wickensii
• Cussonia paniculata
• Cussonia spicata
• Echium gentianoides
• Echium russicum
• Lupinus succulentus
• Penstemon centranthifolius
• Penstemon grandiflorus
• Penstemon palmeri
• Penstemon pseudospectabilis
• Verbascum olympicum

4 inch perennials from Annie’s Annuals and Morningsun Herb Farm

…at Morningsun Herb Farm in Vacaville:

• Agastache aurantiaca ‘Navajo Sunset’ (2x)
• Agastache mexicana ‘Acapulco Rose’ (2x)
• Agastache rupestris ‘Apache Sunset’ (3x)
• Epilobium canum var. latifolium ‘Everett’s Choice’ (2x)
• Epilobium canum ‘Calistoga’ (2x)
• Gaura lindheimeri ‘Snow Fountain’ (3x)
• Lavandula stoechas ‘Sugarberry Ruffles’
• Lavandula angustifolia ‘Irene Doyle’
• Lavandula angustifolia ‘Violet Intrigue’
• Penstemon ‘Firebird’
• Penstemon barbatus ‘Schooley’s Coral’ (2x)
• Penstemon hartwegii ‘Scarlet Queen’ (2x)
• Salvia africana-lutea (shrub 4-6 ft.)
• Salvia greggii ‘Moonglow’
• Salvia greggii ‘Violin Music’
• Sphaeralcea ‘Newleaze Coral’ (4x)

…and at UC Botanical Garden’s Landscape Cacti and Succulent Nursery in Berkeley:

• Aloe cameronii
• Agave macroacantha
• Agave ovatifolia
• Agave parrasana
• Agave colorata

Aloe cameronii, Agave ovatifolia, Agave colorata, and Agave parrasana

Aloe macroacantha

Tomorrow morning the tree guys will remove the pittosporum hedge along the fence. Then I’ll be able to have dirt brought in for planting mounds. And then the fun can begin!

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*My favorite landscaping shows are both on Home & Garden TV (HGTV):
Superscapes with Gary Gragg (now canceled) and The Outdoor Room with Jamie Drurie (season 4 will start on April 2).