Thursday, November 21, 2013

Visiting Western Horticultural Products…


I first met Sally Priest of WeHoP at the Farwest Show in 2012; the cool plants in their booth stopped me in my tracks. Once I started chatting with Sally something clicked and I just knew this was a cool company. When they got wind of us garden bloggers making the trip up to the Heronswood open garden and plant sale in September they invited us over to see their operation and even put out a fabulous snack spread for us to munch on (after all plant shopping is hard work).

WeHoP “is a Pacific Northwest plant broker for wholesale growers, grower/retailers
and retailers.” They bring up exotic plants from growers in California like San Marcos Growers and Monterey Bay Nursery. At Sally’s place in Poulsbo, WA, they trail various plant combinations in the idea garden and maintain a small group of greenhouses, which also serve Sally's other project - filling the signature blue pots in downtown Poulsbo. That’s Sally in the black and white tee and Tonya (WeHoP Marketing Director) in orange.

Because of the time of year we visited (early September) the greenhouses were mostly empty. Still we poked around and found some treasures.

Synadenium grantii Rubra

Leucadendron 'Jester' I believe. What I don't believe is that I left without it.

Another lust worthy Furcraea...

Adenanthos, I think maybe A. x cunninghamii.

It was time to leave the greenhouse area and venture back to the garden. I regret not getting a shot of the beautiful spread, but we were all so ravenous we kind of attacked it.

There was even entertainment! Diego was a charmer who wouldn't take no for an answer. Look how big that stick is...

Gorgeous containers were everywhere...

Seriously!

Grevillea 'Austraflora Fanfare'

Cutie!

Sally and Tonya also announced the beginnings of another company, Petula (the sign on the gate across the bridge reads "the future"). No doubt this will mean even more fabulous plants available to us here in the PNW. You can read more about their plants and plans here, on their blog.

Black Tulip Magnolia

Red Buckeye, Aesculus pavia

Another mixed planting.

Grevillea 'Ned Kelly'

Adenanthos sericeus (Coastal Woollybush) is the star here.

Gomphrena 'Pink Zazzle'

In case you haven't already figured it out Sally has a lot of fun here in the idea garden. These are small glass votive holders she filled with succulents, stuck in chicken wire and framed.

She certainly has a way with mixed plantings doesn't she? And a dramatic flair with display. What a fun visit, thank you ladies for inviting us, I hope to come back again next year!

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

21 comments:

  1. Any company that sells Synadenium grantii is all right by me.

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    1. I do believe that was the first time I'd ever seen it.

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  2. Those containers are awesome. The screen with votives is brilliant and something I could do even considering my failed attempts at vertical succulent displays.

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    1. I hope you'll share the results if you decide to take on the votive project.

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  3. Once again, I'm sorry to have missed this jaunt. Their utilitarian name (Western Horticultural Products) belies their extensive and cool offerings, for sure. No wonder they are called WeHoP. I'd hop, too!

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    1. I kind of want to make a mullet comparison with their two names (you know the business vs party) but I won't.

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  4. Another treasure. Gardeners in the PNW must be very generous plant buyers to keep all these wonderful wholesalers and retailers in business.

    Leucadendron 'Jester' is easier to find now than it used to be. Ruth Bancroft Garden has a consistent supply now. I'm glad I have one growing in the front yard. It sure is a beauty.

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    1. Ha! Good point, I wonder if anyone has ever done a study of plant spending broken down by region? Hell who am I kidding of course they have.

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  5. I really love that Ned Kelly Grevillea, with those enormous flowers, so much bigger than the two I've got. I don't really need more plants that will need special care overwintering, but....I want it!

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    1. The difference in flowers between the hardy grevilleas vs the not hardy ones is pretty laughable isn't it?

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  6. You are lucky, lucky, lucky to be surrounded by such great nurseries! I was interested to see the flower on Grevillea 'Ned Kelly' as I recently came across this plant, sans flowers, at a local garden center. Now I'm wondering where in heck can I find another spot sunny enough for another Grevillea...

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    1. Let me know if you need me to fly down there and help you look.

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  7. My Ned Kelly is blooming away in the glass room beside 'Jester' I turned the heater on in there for the first time yesterday because the temps last night went below freezing. I love the way you're drawing this day out so that we can think warm thoughts about it each time you post. It's clear but cold here, how cold did it get at your place?

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    1. I finally used the heater in the sp-greenhouse yesterday too. And again last night as the cold temps are definitely here to stay for awhile. (26.6 is the coldest temp so far here)

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  8. You're so lucky to be able to visit so many fabulous nurseries like this one. And on each of the nurseries that you feature we always discover something new. That Synadenium, wow!

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    1. I know right...such beautiful foliage! (and yes, I am very lucky)

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  9. You get invited to the best parties! The Phormium/Echeveria combo is nothing short of brilliant...as are many of the container plantings.

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    1. Phormium, I read that word this morning and a little jolt of fear went through me. I wonder how they're doing in the cold?

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  10. Oh the memories - fabulous photos - many of which I managed to miss. Next time, I'll be following you! And I can't believe you got not one, but TWO shots of that crazy little dog. I only had grass showing in my attempts - he was so fast, and constantly in motion.

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    1. Success in numbers Anna, I think I shot about 30 images of that dog...

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