The Art of Display At Ravenna Gardens

This past weekend I spent some time on Saturday morning in Seattle, in the University District, at boutique nursery Ravenna Gardens. Few nurseries can top them for the artful display of their wares. Their booth at the NWFGS is often a microcosm of their larger shop in town, but the one in town has more stuff and way more plants. I visited last year in April, and you can see that post here.

It's a small shop that packs a big punch.

Everywhere you turn there's a color-coordinated exhibit, a feast for the eyes.

Cool little vignettes too.

Those bark balls were interesting, but a touch expensive.

I remember seeing these vases at the show.

The hardy plants are outside the building, on wooden shelving all around it (the shop is in a mall, but it's free-standing, so there are plants on all four sides of the building).

Cool season edibles

Pretty pansies

I love Primroses, but unfortunately, the slugs love them even more.

Many of the plants outside are also grouped in color-coordinated displays, like this Fritillaria and matching Heuchera.

I picked up a couple of pots of these tulips, I just couldn't resist that flower and leaf together.

Magnolia stellata

Inside the shop, I almost missed this interesting cactus look-alike, Euphorbia polygona

I bought both the solid green and this near white one, called 'Snowflake.'

Forbidden Photos from Garden Fever

I have turned into such a perverse old lady. Nothing spurs me on (or pisses me off) more than being told I can't do something. I swear sometimes my personality has been taken over by a two-year old in the throes of a tantrum (Nigel would say that's nothing new, but then I make his dinner, so he better watch out). I saw in Peter The Outlaw Gardener's recent post about Garden Fever in Portland, that he was told he couldn't take photos of the nursery indoors. I had just visited the day before, and took loads. I even spoke with a worker who was rearranging things, I know he saw me taking photos, but he said nothing.

So, here are my forbidden photos of the indoors (and some of the outdoors) of Garden Fever, a neighborhood nursery in Portland.

A display of tender plants just inside the door

They had Bromeliads in bags

This one, and a second the same color, came home with me

There's always Tillandsias

Lovely head planter

Lots to love!

Will monograms ever go out of style?

A nice book display

I considered buying this as a gift for Kris Petersen of Late to the Garden Party, but a quick look inside told me there wasn't really any useful raccoon-proofing advice.

Fun, colorful tins

Agave scabra

Colorful pots

I've seen this Hershey's Kiss-shaped pot at Molbak's

I've been seeing a lot of these green speckled pots for sale in just about every nursery I've visited, but these are the best prices I've seen yet.

Aha! I've finally spied the outdoors, and it looks like it's well stocked with plants

This Clematis armandii 'Snowdrift' smelled wonderful!

Nice color and healthy form on a 'Color Guard' Yucca -- mine is still pretty spindly

Loved this frilly pansy

Why doesn't this popular plant ever get any cheaper?

I passed a display garden, mainly a large raised bed, on the way back to the car.

I love bottle borders, but this one isn't quite right to me. The bottles need to be sunk just a little lower, and they left the labels on, which seems rather tacky to me.

Lots of blooming Daffodils

Nodding Hellebores on top of a tall wall is a great idea

So pretty, and easy viewing

OK, tantrum over. Someone give me a lollipop.