The Dry Garden Nursery Located in Oakland, but feels like Berkeley. It was nice to get out of the Livermore heat, and into the less hot Berkeley heat. Although I had no plans to buy anything, it is a fun nursery with lots of inventory. They are growing zone 10a, as opposed to our 9b. The land of milk and honey, not as hot/not as cold. *I'm hearing rumors that Annie's Annuals will close their doors Friday. If true, that is sad. I knew they were having a 40% off sale, but not that it was final.
These images were taken almost mid-day, sorry about the brightness. An extremely spiky, Solanum pyracanthum "porcupine tomato" or devil's thorn. However, it's a spreader so a no for me.
This nursery is jam packed with plants - Aloe Hercules, golden barrels, protea, cereus repandus and I think a monkey puzzle tree all crammed in a corner.
Cool trunk on Ceiba speciosa, Floss silk tree.
Large agave attenuata, foxtail agave.
Extreme crested Pachypodium lamareis. I would love one of these, even if they've run a bit amock. Still at over $400 way to spendy for me.
Cool cactus pots.
I was curious about this, Mathiasella bupleuroides, green dream -I hadn't seen one before. From N. Mexico, listed as hardy to 20°. The trunk seemed a bit unstable?
This whispery wattle was gorgeous, Acacia merinthophora.
This was pretty, I don't think I've seen it for sale before Sonchus canariensis, the bloom looks like a dandelion. But I just like the leaf shape.
oh, hubba hubba! Leucadendron argenteum, silver tree. The leaves are softer than Dr. Feelgood's ears. I've shied from these ONLY because they supposedly hate dry hot summer and are fussy. And succumb to root damage/fungal infection quite easily. It's always the pretty ones.
Gorgeous, Strobilanthes gossypina, pewter bush.
I disturbed someone's nap.
Up the stairs.
A nice hearty trunk on Cyphostemma juttae
A healthy Stephania Cepharanta, looks like messy nasturtiums to me.
Hundreds of aloes and agaves.
Any guesses on what I couldn't resist? Completely ridiculous Tracy, these will probably die. Top of the slope, sharp drainage, little cottonseed meal sprinkled a few inches away and they will probably die.
It did hit 108° yesterday, but I'll admit it didn't feel it. I was probably delirious. I took out an orange tree near the greenhouse and continued the dry garden there. I was able to be out in the heat only because that area gets afternoon shade (at this time of year) and I stuck my hot head in the pool to cool down. I'll post the before & afters in the next post! How I felt when I was done...
Hi, how fun, a post full to the brim with plants!! I will be excited to see the next post.
ReplyDeleteCarla
Thank you Carla!
DeleteL. argentea at the UC Santa Cruz Botanic garden looked reasonably good. Did not thrive in Newport Beach. They are tricky even where they are native. Thanks for the tour of a nursery with character. Love that sleeping kitty in the last picture!
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun day out, I wish it were closer I'd visit more often. Fingers crossed on the L.argentea, I need to pretend I don't care either way.
DeleteYou must have been in heaven, but you endure a helluva lotta heat, if I may use that language.
ReplyDeleteYou can definitely use that language, especially referring to the heat! :)
DeleteSuch a great nursery. Seems to always carry mathiasella because he had it years ago when I last visited. Fingers crossed on your purchases, nothing ventured nothing gained!
ReplyDeleteOh, interesting! It is so cram packed, I'm not surprised to have missed it on other visits. Thank you Denise, my sentiments exactly!
Delete108 is flat-out brutal! I've always been tempted by Leucadendron argenteum too but its mature height is an issue for me, not that it'd probably survive to reach that size here...
ReplyDeleteAnnie's owner, Sarah, posted a notice on Instagram this evening stating that the nursery closed its doors today and I see that the same notice is showing on the website too. The 40% off sale had me feeling nervous too but I didn't expect a closure that abrupt. Although I've never had an opportunity to visit in person, I've relied a LOT on my Annie's mail order purchases so I'm very sad about that news. Sarah said she's seeking a buyer.
It is sad news! They are a go to for me every spring. I really loved original Annie's. I'm mad at myself for not driving the extra 20 minutes from The Dry Garden over to Richmond. I sure hope they find a buyer. And at the very least I hope those gorgeous specimens in the garden get cared for or go to homes.
DeleteI enjoyed the trip and seeing unusual plants I have never seen before. This year's drought has me rethinking my flower garden. All of the annuals and some of the perennials have died. It looks horrible. All of the well water and my limited time went into the vegetable garden. This winter I will need to think outside the box and do something different. Winter - the time to rest and dream.
ReplyDeleteJeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
That is a wonderful way to think about Winter, I'll repeat that to myself!
DeleteOh how I love The Dry Garden, it's been years since I visited so I appreciated this virtual visit. I bought my last Sonchus canariensis there, which I since passed on to another gardener. My fingers are crossed for you Leucadendron argenteum, you never know unless you try! They look great against the dark fence.
ReplyDeleteIt is a cool place, I need to go more often. I love the selection! Fingers crossed the Leucadendrons make it.
DeleteWow, i need to plan a trip. ASAP. Maybe it'll help alleviate some of the pain from the loss of Annie's Annuals.
ReplyDeleteI'm disappointed I didn't take a few extra minutes and drive over to Annie's that day, if only I had known. It is sad.
DeleteSometimes a new-to-me genus and photo are intriguing enough to check the family. Some surprises here: Mathiasella in Apiaceae and Cyphostemma in Vitaceae ... wow! Obviously my family concepts are much too provincial!!
ReplyDeleteThis is so great, now you have me reading about them as well. Your enthusiasm is contagious!
DeleteHmm, nobody commented on the carved up Opuntias. At first, I thought someone had carved a sad face into each of them, with the "D" looking like a downturned mouth. I guess ultimately I don't care for the look, though it is sort of neat and I wonder if someone could do it more artistically so it doesn't look vandalized. The Dry Garden is definitely the type of nursery where I would spend $ if I lived down there.
ReplyDeleteThey do like pumpkins carved by children, lol. I didn't see that it spelled out Dry Garden the first time I saw them either. It is a cool place, although I've heard the owner can get grumpy and claim "that's not for sale". He's always been delightful when I've been there.
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