Friday, February 22, 2013

Joy Creek Nursery

While I anxiously await for the nurseries in my area to reopen for the season, I thought I'd share some pictures from nurseries I visited during my trip to Oregon and Washington this past summer.   Joy Creek is also well known on the east coast as a reputable mail order source.  After my beloved Chalk Hill discontinued the mail order side of their business, I used to order Clematis from Joy Creek.  Lately I try to get everything from local sources so it's been a few years since I've ordered from them but if they had something unusual that I couldn't find locally I wouldn't hesitate to order from them again.

On this trip (as much as it killed me to do so) I didn't buy a single plant.  Flying is such hassle as it is that I prefer to simplify and not bother with extra luggage or carry ons.  Joy Creek had what appeared to be a well stocked sales area but rather than tempt myself, I focused on what had to be acres of incredible display gardens located on the property.

Some of these pictures were taken with my phone because I was running out of memory card room in my camera.  Even though the camera on my phone has more megapixels than my "real" camera the phone camera doesn't capture color very well.  When posted side by side, the differences become even more obvious.

Soon I will be replacing the Canon G6 that I purchased in 2004 for some newer and hopefully better model yet to be determined.  Although I seriously doubt this investment will improve the quality of my pictures, much to the dismay of my photog friends, I will no longer be fodder for jokes about cameras that should be donated to the Smithsonian or memory cards that are no longer available for purchase.  Ha!


























Hydrangeas were well represented in this garden.  Hydrangeas were well represented in just about every garden we visited on this trip but they were particularly well represented at Joy Creek.  Only in my dreams could I grow them this well.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Here's one item I did check out in the sales area-the resident flea bag.  When compared with the one who rules the roost around here I noticed many similiarities.
 
 




Hang on-spring is coming!


Sue~

10 comments:

  1. You have such an amazing eye! There's a fellow CT blogger running a sweeps for a Canon Rebel (I think it's a Rebel) and for a Nikon 3100.
    Just leave a comment to enter and click the rafflecopter. http://mamalovesherbargains.com/2013/02/fabulous-fashionable-dslr-prize-pack-giveaway/

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  2. Oh Sue I think you did a marvelous job of capturing the spirit of Joy Creek in the high summer, fabulous! This post really pulls at my heart because in your photos I can almost feel summer again in my garden. It can't happen soon enough...

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    1. Even though we're expecting a rain and snow mix here this afternoon the air smells different this morning. I'm detecting just a hint of spring, just a hint but enough for me.

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  3. Thank you for this wonderful tour! Most of the time when I'm at Joy Creek, I'm in a hurry to hit as many nurseries as possible in a single road trip and seldom get to walk the gardens.

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  4. Gorgeous pictures, even if they were taken with a phone! Enjoy your new camera.

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  5. Amazing display gardens! Around here nurseries don't have display gardens.

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  6. It's fun to see your photos, so many taken from a completely different perspective than mine.Did you see the announcement that Garden Bloggers Fling is Portland in 2014 ? Here's your big chance for a return visit !

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    1. I did not but may definitely have to put that on the calendar. Wish I could make San Francisco but IU10 trumps all.

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  7. It's a lovely spot! Thanks for sharing the pics.

    Sleeping kitty is so cute!

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