This past weekend Nigel and I ventured into Seattle to the
Northwest Horticultural Society's Spring Ephemeral Plant Sale at the
Center for Urban Horticulture, followed by lunch at
University Village (an outdoor mall) and a visit to
Ravenna Gardens, a small, boutique plant shop/urban nursery at the mall. Ravenna Gardens is just around the corner from the CUH, so combining the two always makes sense. Ravenna is a local vendor that always puts together a cool booth at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival that very much reflects the shop, but in miniature. It's fun to get to see the real thing, and to peruse their full display of wares.
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| The shop is basically a free-standing square with doors on all four sides into the shop, with large items like arbors, furniture and weatherproof pottery arrayed outside |
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| This colorful display of chairs and tables has been hanging here for years |
Inside the shop is a warren of cubbies and aisles full of stuff!
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| Pristine Bromeliads |
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| Some type of Calathea(?) and those corrugated pots -- if your taste runs to industrial, this is the shop for you! |
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| Lots of little tender succulents |
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| Tender houseplants |
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| So much to see! |
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| String of hearts/Ceropegia woodii |
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| The now ubiquitous cactusware |
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| These cabbage pots were fun and more my style than the industrial, but I can see the appeal of that style of decor |
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| I should have bought one of those eye coffee mugs |
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| Words to live by |
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| These too! |
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| These owl pots are funky and close up, those huge eyes can be rather creepy |
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| They were a pretty penny too -- the larger ones were $128.00, the smaller one only $118. |
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| These are a bit simpler and definitely cheaper |
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| What would look good in an octagonal pot? |
Outside were more industrial-style pots.
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| These had the look of concrete, but I think they were fiberglass. |
If you like rust, they can sell you that look too.
I've been coming to Ravenna for at least 8 years, and they always have this twiggy furniture for sale.
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| I could swear this very same covered bench has been here for 8 years |
There's a very good selection of hardy plants for sale in the outside area too.
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| Very spring-like baskets, somewhat less kitschy than Watson's |
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| Beautiful President Roosevelt Rhodies |
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| A table full of special Windcliff plants |
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| I've never seen variegated Kale before, it's called Kosmic Kale |
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| Lush pots of Dragon tail fern |
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| And hart's tongue fern |
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| Nice contrast here -- normally the "go to" for contrast with purple foliage is a bright yellow or lime green, but the stripe works unexpectedly well |
I didn't buy plants at Ravenna, although I was tempted. I had a tray overstuffed with plants already sitting in the back of the car, from the NHS plant sale that I'd been to earlier. I'm always more attracted to the fun and funky unique style of the accoutrements at Ravenna.
I bought a handmade pot, styled to look like something from the sea, with blue barnacles clinging to it and a texture reminiscent of coral.
At the moment it's sitting in the greenhouse with a recently purchased Aloe temporarily sitting in it. Possibly to become permanent. The Aloe also reminds me of a sea creature reaching out with its tentacles. It matches a Disneyland, Ariel-themed mug holding a seaweed-esque bird's nest fern and a still unplanted octopot, also blue.
I always leave Ravenna Gardens wishing I'd bought more. Their merchandise is pricey, but the non-plant wares are pretty fabulous and unique. It's a great shop for city gardeners.
What would you have spent your money on?
