I hope you have a wonderful day!
Your enthusiasm here is much appreciated!
Happy Birthday bonitin!!!!!
A happy, happy birthday!!! I agree with wallaby, we really do appreciate you!!!
Blush.... Only saw this now!
Thanks a lot for the wishes and compliments Wallaby and Pepper! They look cosy there together under the fern!
I did spend the day in a small forest, owned by a private person that gave permission to visit whenever I like.
Being an artist has some advantages in certain cases!
The day after that I got a treat from a friend who has a car and gave me a ride to a very huge nursery as a birthday present.
I hope you got some interesting plants at the nursery!
What a priveledge to be able to visit a private forest. Glad you did something special.
Lucky you!! A private forest and a nursery! Don't get better than that!
Yes, I consider myself lucky to!
The nursery had loads of interesting plants, but I had to avoid all the full-sun lovers and I have to be very severe in my choice as I have so little space. Its a challenge to keep silencing that ever nagging inner voice; 'you have no space for it'.
I got:
Sanguisorba armena, because of the beautiful blue-gray foliage, hope I can keep it happy with only 3 hours of full sun.
Viola cornuta 'Lady Scott'
Euphorbia Waldsteinii, looks like a close relative of the cyparisius. I know its a full sun-lover but the cyparisius in my garden looks happy with only half-sun, so I want to give it a try.
Trifolium repens 'Green ice'. I had it before but lost it.
Picture from last year:
I like them all!!!
and then Aconitum 'Stainless steel'; another one I had but lost.
It came up in the late winter but suddenly wilted. I bought 3 of them and planted in different places to increase the chance that at least one will thrive.
Picture from last year, as the ones I bought are still not in bloom.
thanks Pepper, our post had crossed!
then one last more 'common', but non the less interesting;
Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver'
I love your choice of plants bonitin!
I wish I could visit your specialist nursery, they look to have a very interesting range of plants, ones which would not be seen at an ordinary garden centre.
I really like the Aconitum. That is plain gorgeous!!
Yes that nursery is really very huge and interesting!
Its deliveres to the royal court of Belgium and export to other countries like the UK and France.
I made one mistake in forgetting to get a Helleborus foetidus 'Wester Flisk'; the one with the gorgeous silver-blue-green foliage and redish stalks, but I was more or less in a hurry because the friend who drove me to there is not so much interested in plants and I was afraid to bore him with taking too long. It is soo huge that I could have spend at least a whole day there.
Here is a link to their web;
http://www.vasteplant.be/index.cfm?attributes.taal=UK&c=6&pro=no
There's a lot to look at! Interesting that there is a UK link too, but they only sell wholesale online and deliver amounts over 100euros in Belgium only. That must be for the private individuals.
You must be very happy with what you got, but missing Wester Flisk, that must hurt! Next time you will have to take more time and make your excuses after!
yes, wallaby, its true that I feel I missed the opportunity to get that so much wanted wester flisk. It is possible to get there by public transport, but it is very difficult and you have to take first a tram, then a train and then a bus, and still have to walk a few kilometers, but one day I might just do that as I've done it before!
Its indeed a pity that they don't deliver in small amounts but if I can help with sending seeds or cuttings of interesting ones I got, I will gladly do that!
I am already drooling on there. lol. I love the Alcea Rosea. That really caught my eye.
Gosh, if you have to walk a few kilometers as well you will need a large trolley for all your plants! You need another plant enthusiast with a car! It's a little too far for me...darn!
How could I refuse an offer of seeds from your plants, they are all so interesting. I am really taken with the Trifolium Green Ice, Sanguisorba armena and Euphorbia waldsteinii if you happen to get seeds, thank you! I must have something you would like to have too, if you see anything let me know.
Wallaby, I still have my brother who is a plant enthusiast and who has a car, but he's always so busy having a landscape-business and I don't want to abuse of his kindness.
The time I went that whole long way by tram, train, bus and on foot (that was on my birthday last year) I had a lot of puzzled and amused looks of people when they saw someone carrying a huge nursery case full of plants and occupying a whole passenger seat for them alone! Luckily it was not at the rush time so their was enough space that the conductor didn't complain but smiled at me!
Don't worry, I will let you know if I would like some seeds of one of your treasures!
About the Sanguisorbia armena I don't know what kind of flowers it will make, they don't mention that on the web of the nursery. That one would probably come true from seed as it is not a cultivar.
I wonder if the Trifolium repens 'green ice' would come true from seed ? If not, I could try to send you a rooted cutting ?
I must have a close look at the Euphorbia waldsteinii tomorrow because the blooms on it look very mature.
Where there's a will there's a way.......good for you!
Sanguisorbia armena has long drroping white flowers, and yes is a species. I found one description of it.
http://www.southviewnurseries.co.uk/plants_pz.php
You might find the Trifolium is a natural form that has been given a name, but if there is seed it might make some patterned leaves, worth a try.
I looked at the link you gave and I noticed again how much more expensive plants are in the UK!
I only paid 3,75€ for the sanguisorbia while the UK nursery asks 3,80 pounds for it!
I didn't realise how big the plant finally becomes so I'll might have to move some of its close neighbours!
Happy belated birthday! I am sure looking at the posts here that you had a great day. You bought a very nice selection of plants. Enjoy them!
Thank you so much Galanthophile!