Civilization Garden/Nursery Run

Today we dodged downpours and went to all kinds of cool plant-related things. Made our traditional pilgrimage to "It's a Jungle" for their out of bloom orchid sale first. I found a cute button fern and a fabulous small-leafed begonia there first (will have to add pics). But almost walked out when I read her sign on the counter with the out of bloom Paph's pointing out the ones for $15---they were sick: chlorotic and with seriously disabled roots (probably overwet and rotted) . I asked the lady's husband if those were the only ones in the sale Really, and that I was not about to pay even $15 for a plant that was likely to die. He went and got the missus who said yes, many of the rest of the counter were included in the sale, but seriously bridled when I pointed out the ones she had in that special section (I'm assuming this is her regular sale site, or dump, for dying orchids--someone who knew orchids reeeeeally well and had an ideal situation for them might keep them alive long enough to grow new roots, but they would have died immediately for the average person, and probably for an expert too). She got seriously defensive, and we almost walked out then and there, but I had come for an orchid, and if I could pick through the rest I would. So's I did, and came away with what is sure to be a very dark purple one: (Magic Flame X Onyx) x Mad Maud. We'll see--at least this one is green with healthy roots.

ANYWAY. On we went on the annual pilgrimage to Pots'n Plants which is known for, well, besides its fabulous collection of pots and plants, putting out dozens of pink flamingos on its property half the year and plastic penguins the rest of the year; this year I really wanted to get pics of the flamingos since I already had ones of the penguins. And yaaaaayyy, they were out!
Oh, and I, uh, got some plants too:

• Calliandra haematocephala or Red Powderpuff, check it out--so cute!
  
• Variegated Hibiscus 'Snow Queen', which has beautiful white and green foliage and red flowers

These are both tropical and the flowers are the same color so I want to plant them together--now if I can just figure out which pot (I have some serious re-potting coming up)....

Next we went to the Natural Gardener, and I honestly can't say enough good things about this place. They had soooo many plants and all very healthy, everything from vines to shrubs to herbs to roses, as well as annuals and perennials. And to top that, they had beautiful plantings all around and fountains and garden statuary. I went totally nuts photographing butterflies on their bee-balm (on left is a Pipevine Swallowtail), echinacea, and mist-flowers. Here I only got some Spicy Italian and Cuban oregano, but I wish I had a whole new place to landscape so I could come down with a truck. Oh, and as the name suggest, they have all kinds of organic soil amendments, fertilizers and insect/disease sprays. If you ever go to a nutty-crunchy organic nursery and see "Ladybug" brand products, that is made here. Got a big ol' bag of "greensand" to add iron to our chlorotic lawn (all the rain), and an organic fertilizer concentrate.

Next we drove down to Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center--through quite a spot of rain I might add, it was still sprinkling when we started walking around but stopped shortly. A lot of things were past their peak bloom, except for "Big Red" sage (which is very tall, but in fact purple), echinacea, and partridge pea, which I was unfamiliar with, but it has very pretty yellow flowers, and is a native self-seeding annual that will attract hummingbirds and butterflies (see left). We'll be heading back down there in the fall for the native plant sale.

A good time was had by all, especially after Himself got to stock up on gourmet beers and cheese, plus dinner at Whole Foods....then the long drive back to Hell's Half Acre. Sigh.