Thursday, May 13, 2010

More Than Half Off, I Want it All


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There are those amazing gardening moments when you just have to pinch yourself for being at the right time and the right place to find amazing plant deals, and boy do I mean deals!

A gardening acquaintance of mine grows these amazing Proteas and Leucadendrons in the South Part of Hawaii Island to sell their amazing and exotic flowers. Recently, his whole district has been receiving alot of damaging vog (volcanic emissions) which affects the leaves and renders the flowers unable to sell, so he has been starting to liquidate his smaller potted plant stock.
Everything you see here are gallon size containers and he was selling these only for a buck apiece. Usually in the mainland, these easy go for $20 apiece.

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I just had to grab his last leptospermum and it was just starting its bloom cycle which should easily last a few weeks.

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There were no labels on this plant, I’m guessing that it could be a Leucadendron Safari Sunset. What do you think this is?

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Now this I know is the King Protea Cynaroides, I’m looking forward to seeing these
with their gigantic blooms, but I’m sure that is a quite few years down the road.

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Here’s another unmarked plant which I think is a Grevillea…anyone know which variety this could be?

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Here’s a Leucadendron with reddish leaves, also no clue about the variety.

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I’m still pinching myself and looking forward to putting these in the ground, although
I haven’t decided where these will go since they all take up a lot of space.  Its always
a good day when I can find a good garden bargain like these!

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30 comments:

africanaussie said...

Noel, what a find! I would love to grow proteas, since I grew up in South Africa, but it is just too wet here in the wet season. Have fun finding just the perfect spot for them.

Ami said...

Wow, what a deal! I love plant bargains too, only I hardly can find any here! Those are very exotic looking plants for me! Have fun with your new plants. Best luck to find perfect spot for them in your garden!

Helen at summerhouse said...

It's great to find bargains. But I must ask, if the vog is bad for the plants, what's it doing to everybody else?
Gorgeous plants!

Rosie@leavesnbloom said...

Just like me Noel you know a bargain when you see one. Years ago I was given 3 protea's free of charge - I honestly did not have the room for them in the house so I gave them to a gardening neighbour. Over in the UK you can pay around 30 pounds for one of those.

I hope they flourish in your garden :) Rosie

Floridagirl said...

How fun to learn a new word! I'd never heard of vog. I guess it's not such a fun phenomenon, though. Great find on those plants! I love deals like that. You can't NOT buy them at those prices. Can't say I know much about those plants, but they are beautiful and very tropical looking.

Nicole said...

Those first two blooms are just sumptuous. I'd want them all, too!

xinex said...

I love those exotic flowerrs, Noel. ONe thing I enjoy when we visit Hawaii are its gorgeous tropical flowers....Christine

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

What great deals! The flower on the first one is so pretty. We only see flowers like that in conservatories here.

Avalon's Garden and Mewsings of Garden Cottage Cats said...

WOW!! Aren't you the lucky one!! I can hear you doing the Happy Dance all the way here in Jersey! hahaha !:) Really , how great is that!
Also loved the trip to the Farmer's Market the food looks sooo good! Especially the crepes with the shrimp & avocado, boy could I go for some of that right now!!
Now that you made me hungry haha , you have a great weekend! I got to go find something to eat .......

LindaCTG said...

Oh my gosh! Something good comes out of vog. What a great scoop. And such gorgeous plants that I've never seen before.

With my work schedule, it's hard to keep up with all the blogs, but I love getting a visit to Hawaii thanks to you!

Maureen said...

I wish I could help but your plants and climate are so foreign to me that just about everything you post is new to me. That's what makes it interesting!

Congrats on getting such a deal!

Alice Audrey said...

You made out like a bandit!

magiceye said...

wow amazing plants and flowers!

Carver said...

That would be gardeners heaven to get deals like that. I'm no help with the identifications but they all look so interesting to me and I'm sure they will be great in your garden.

I hope the grower hasn't suffered too much of a financial loss from the volcanic emissions. Being a commercial grower must be so difficult because so many variables can hurt the plants.

Great take on the theme. Happy weekend.

Susannah said...

LOL, I want it all too! Ah, Hawaii, a paradise! Aloha...

Unknown said...

Wow! What gorgeous plants! Oh so jealous!!

LifeRamblings said...

aloha, friend!

those are amazing plants. the first one is my favourite. Happy weekend.

Ellada said...

Aloha Noel
You're lucky to have such beautiful flowers. Your garden, It's like paradise to me.

debsgarden said...

I love a good plant bargain. The only problem is sometimes the bargains have lost their labels by the time they have been relegated to bargain status, so I have quite a few plants that are unknown cultivars. Your plants are gorgeous! I hope they grow well. I have to admit, among the potential problems in my garden, I have never considered volcanic ash!

Lew said...

That's quite a bargain! Your islands certainly have some amazing flowers!

ivette said...

Oh Nicole you KILL me! These are spectacular plants you got for a SONG!!! Lucky lucky lucky! I'll say it again - LUCKY!!! I want some!

I can't wait to visit Hawaii - so many of my friends tell me that it will be like I've died and gone to garden heaven! YEAH!!!

Well, I think the second Leucadendron is the Safari Sunset - it gets VERY red leaves during the bloom season. The first one has only the bloom tinged with red, but the leaves aren't red enough in my experience- there are so many cool leucs!

I didn't get enough of a look at the grevillea like plant to tell - but are those the leaves or a brushy flower? Because it could be an Adenanthos - a super cool Australian foliage plant.

I LOVE what you got! SO JEALOUS!!! XO!

Beth said...

Noel, Your new plants are breath-taking! I love seeing what you have available and are planting in your garden. I recently read an article in Garden Gate magazine called "Slugging it out with slugs." Here are their suggestions. Collect them in one place, drop them into a bucket of soapy water or squash underfoot. Here's how to collect/trap them.1) Oranges-Leave citrus halves or rinds near vulnerable plants, the slugs will usually head right over to investigate. Check your citrus traps once a day. Remove slugs and throw the spent rinds into the compost pile. 2)Boards Slugs retreat under mulch, rocks or boards during the day and are active at night. Place a board on the ground in a shady spot and check it in the afternoon, when they are enjoying their siesta under your board. 3) Diatomaceous earth is made up of crushed shells of fossilized diatoms and it is abrasive. It creates tiny cuts in the undersides of sluts and snails which kills them. Lightlysprinkle it under the dripline of the plants affected. Reapply after rain. Wear a dust mask and gloves when applying as you don't want those tiny abrasive particles in your lungs. Good luck, Noel.

Autumn Belle said...

Looks like you have found some treasures here. I love plant bargains.

Chandramouli S said...

What great buy, Noel! I have Protea cynaroides seeds but very less - am afraid of wasting it. From what I read, I'd need the ash primer to get it to germinate. Hope I find it soon and after seeing your bloom, I am longing to see mine germinate, grow, and bloom.

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Oh, I do love a screaming deal. :) I would have gone totally nuts at this place!

Kimberly said...

Admittedly, I usually find ridiculously great plant deals. However, this time, my friend, you have topped me! All these 1 gal plants for $1 each!?!?!? WOW! Lucky day!!!

Lisa said...

Oh, that's so wonderful! Lucky you. I'm glad your friend's bad fortune brought you so many smiles. You'll have to invite them over to see the plants when they flourish.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Oh good that you got to rescue these plnts. I never heard the term vog before; it is too bad that has to happen.

Anonymous said...

Your posts are so enjoyable. You share unique plants that I would never see in my life. Thank you.

Tootsie said...

as usual...what beautiful photos!!!

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