Plantwise

Posted By Kate Bryant on 06/12/2009

Short notice, I know – but I just found out about a sale at some of my favorite nurseries! First, some background:

Saturday June 13 from 10 am to 4 pm is the Garden Conservancy’s annual Open Days garden tour focusing on six gardens on Sauvie Island.

The tour starts at Lost Lagoon Farm, located at 14745 NW Gillihan Road. There, you pick up your map to all the gardens and buy your discounted ticket to the six gardens. You can visit each garden individually ($5 each) or buy a discounted ticket to all six for $25. Your money helps support The Garden Conservancy, a national organization devoted to conserving historic gardens across America. It’s a great way to find inspiration for your own garden and to admire the work of other intrepid local gardeners.

I can’t offer any previews of the gardens, as I haven’t been to any of them. But I have been – and often – to Cistus Design Nursery on Sauvie Island and Joy Creek Nursery in Scappoose, both of which – along with Blue Heron Herbary on Sauvie Island – are having a 10% off sale all day.

It will be fun, rain or no rain!

Kate Bryant

I know, I should be showing a photo of the luscious penstemons, unusual clematis and hardy fuchsias Joy Creek is known for. But going to Joy Creek Nursery really feels like a day in the country to me – the nursery is an old farm and is still surrounded by hay fields, cows and trees. Yet it’s not much further than the turnoff to Sauvie Island.

Kate Bryant

Yum. Spiky plants at Cistus.