Last Thursday we received a delivery of nice new plants from Crug Farm. It's a small delivery compared to some of our previous orders but some items were ordered in multiples and the resulting amount still warranted the use of their big box option.
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| Some exotic looking, hardy, and beautiful gingers were in the box! |
Walking back from the train station I was half expecting a tall box already by the front of the house. There was none when I arrived home but the delivery van arrived shortly so I was conveniently at home already to receive it, talk about perfect timing!
I have to say I receive lots of plant deliveries from various nurseries but there's something very special about the Crug Farm box, and opening it is something I relish at a much slower pace....
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| Taking the lid off first then opening the window next and voila! |
The roll call of our purchase are as follows:
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| Schefflera pauciflora |
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| Schefflera taiwaniana x gracilis |
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| Cautleya spicata 'Bleddyn's Beacon' |
It look's so exotic don't you think so? And should be hardy in our garden too!
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| Cautleya spicata 'Arun Flame' |
Not too dissimilar to 'Bleddyn's Beacon' but grows much taller.
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| Roscoea purpurea 'Brown Peacock' |
Dark green leaves with purple undersides that I find so attractive. Potentially the entire plant can turn purple too later in the season. It's a beautiful, hardy ginger that somehow also reminds me of purple pennisetum grass and ornamental corn! Looking forward to seeing this bulk up in our garden.
Since I unpacked them on Thursday night I haven't done anything else with them apart from group them together near the house. We haven't had time to plant them out over the weekend plus Sunday the weather was a bit adverse as we experienced the residual effects of hurricane Bertha. There were lots of blustery wind and the plants are less likely to get damaged staying where they were unpacked.
Taking their pictures the Plectranthus I featured on my last blog post was in amongst them as well as the skull candle holder. Which made me remember...
Hi Loree, here's another pic of it!
Mark :-)
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
Receiving mail order plants is something I love!! I feel as if I'm receiving a present.... Those plants are beautiful! I cant wait to see the place you choose for them!
ReplyDeleteIndeed Lisa, it was like Christmas Day that afternoon, opening up a box of goodies!
DeleteI was excited just seeing that box and it's not even mine, LOL. Beautiful and truly exotic looking plants. Can't wait to see where they will go.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it nice opening up a box full of plants Gerhard? Even if you know what's inside it already :)
DeleteTalk about impressive shipping! Wow! And the plants aren't half bad either.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it's possible to send large boxes of plants like that Ricki, and the skill of the packer is commendable :)
DeleteI was surprised to see that your mail order plants arrived in such large pots. All the nurseries I use for mail order send teensy little pots. Yours make an immediate impact! Those yellow gingers are particularly magnificent.
ReplyDeleteThose Cautleyas remind me a bit of tropical torch gingers Kris, looks so exotic! It's great that bigger specimens can be delivered here too.
DeleteThanks for the bonus skull candleholder shot!
ReplyDeleteThat shipping box is insane, I didn't even know it was possible to get plants that large shipped, heck I doubt there are any nurseries here in the U.S. who ship like that. What beautiful and healthy plants, makes me want to visit Crug Farm even worse than I did before.
You're welcome Loree! I'm glad it's possible to use large boxes like that to ship plants, makes a huge difference as it makes larger and bulky specimens more accessible to customers without having to make a special trip to the nursery. Perhaps next time you're across the pond we can sort out something :)
DeleteHello Mark and Gaz,
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure trove of goodies you have purchased.
Chug Farm is an excellent nursery and the plants look to be in terrific condition. Ginger plants do look very exotic and they will surely thrive with you. Perfect choice!
Thank you Jane and Lance! We're really pleased with our haul, and the plants look in perfect condition :)
DeleteHi guys
ReplyDeleteI have arun flame from Crug and it has been hardy in my garden for 4 or 5 years including two winters of -18C. I just mulch it. I dont think you needed to buy in bulk as it bulks up quickly!!
I love it
Hi Helen, that's great news about the Arun Flame, both in hardiness and their quickness in bulking up! Something to look forward to :)
DeleteExtremely jealous and green with envy. Can't believe you can grow ginger as a perennial. Those plants are gorgeous. Looking forward to seeing where you plant them out in your gardens.
ReplyDeleteHi Deanne, I wonder if the ginger Zingiber mioga will be hardy enough in your location? One to look out for :)
DeleteAll gorgeous plants and in such great condition even after being shipped. Those Roscoea are fabulous. I have one that flops, but the stems on yours look nice and sturdy.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping the roscoea will come back next year with all the stems upright rather than leaning out like most others. The upright box helps but also the courier service is good too :)
DeleteI first saw a form of that cautleya at Windcliff and brought home a tiny plant from an Oregon nursery that was swallowed up by the garden. Those are monster sizes!
ReplyDeleteNot bad sizes at all Denise, reasonably priced too :) hope you'll get hold of another one soon!
DeleteWow the are big and beautiful! Looking forward to seeing how they progress!
ReplyDeleteThanks Laurin!
DeleteI am impressed at the health of your plants; even your ginger lilies are blooming! especially admire your Roscoea purpurea 'Brown Peacock'. I have so often been disappointed with plants ordered online that I hesitate to do so. Although I once ordered some Saybrook Gold Junipers from a company that was in a much more northern climate. They were expensive and I hesitated to do it, but they arrived in fabulous condition and have thrived here in the deep South. But that was an exception.
ReplyDeleteThose Brown Peacocks are a beauty aren't they Debs? :) hopefully more nurseries will be sending bigger and top quality plants there, makes good business sense after all.
DeleteNow that's my kind of online retail therapy - plants and books. I can imagine how you would make the unpacking of such boxes last as long as possible. I have a much smaller green leaved purple flowered roscoea cautleyoides which must be around 20 years old. Must check with friend who was with me when I bought it.
ReplyDeleteSame here Anna, plants and books! And 20 years with that roscoea, wow!
DeleteYou have sharp eyes for special plants. Also very impressive is the quality and condition of the plants upon arrival. No wonder that it felt like Christmas morning.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gail :) they were fantastic quality plants in good quality packaging, helping reinforce that Christmas Day feel!
DeleteWow some gorgeous choices, very exotic. You had to be on pins waiting for this delivery. Love those Cautiyea and the Roscoea especially. They are sure going to add a lot to your gardens with some additional color.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
The gingers looks so exotic don't they Cher? Bleddyn's Beacon also reminds me somehow of tropical torch gingers.
DeleteNothing beats the excitement of opening a box full of plants! How I wish that Crug Farm shipped to the U.S. Mustn't be too greedy, though, as we have so many great nurseries right here in the Pacific Northwest. Your new plants look great and I'll be excited to see them in future posts.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are so lucky to have so many great nurseries there at PNW Peter :) incidentally I know Bleddyn and Sue will be on your neck of the woods again later this year
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