Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Mark and Gaz
On our post yesterday I mentioned that we had a weekend away in Norfolk in which we managed to visit a nursery and a couple of gardens. We were actually intending to visit a couple more to that didn't managed to as it quickly dawned on us that the time we allocated to see them all was simply not enough, hence only managed to see three places (plus the seaside town where we all stayed overnight).
Of the three places we visited our first stop was Urban Jungle, a nursery specialising in the rare and unusual as well as plants that can help give a garden an exotic feel. If you like exotic (and not so exotic) plants this a nursery that is a must to visit. They have a wide selection of plants available, from the staples to the more unusual ones, lush and leafy to the spiky, backbones to the bedding plants, and more importantly lots of plant options that are winter hardy for most parts of the UK.
Now let's take a look, first from the outside as we walk out from the parking area...
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| Tree ferns greets you and you know you're off to a good start in this nursery |
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| Stunning leaves on this tree - Sorbus aucuparia 'Chinese Lace' |
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| Dicksonia antarctica |
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| A fun looking place to pay for your plant purchases! And good views from here too! |
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| Kokedama area |
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| Even the composting toilet building looks exotic |
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| It is on a large site with mature trees making a fab backdrop |
My favourite part of the nursery is the display greenhouse but before we explore that let's look at a few more bits first...
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| Their vertical garden has been in situ for years now and is doing well and looking great |
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| Grevillea lanigera 'Mount Tamboritha' |
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| Pinus pinea |
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| Shady sales greenhouse with ferns and woodland plants |
And now we go into the their delightful main sales greenhouse...
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| Very conducive for tea and cakes! |
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| It's an exotic jungle in there... |
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| Gaz and our friend Don admiring the large koi in their indoor koi pond |
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| Large spikies with stunning Furcraea macdougalii in the middle |
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| Furcraea macdougalii |
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| Where the leafy and spiky meet each other |
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| Absolutely love this seating area! |
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| Tea and cakes were available with lively music playing on the background |
Now this nursery also has a separate area called 'The Tropical Garden', a section that is truly very tropical looking an exotic. The lush planting and the effect they achieved was great. Come in and see for yourself...
Before we went we had to check out a few more places again like...
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| Their bamboo row |
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| Perennials |
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| Propagation Area |
So what did we buy? We went home with...
Magnolia delavayi
Trachelospermum asiaticum
Puya laxa
Agave macroacantha
and three nice pots!
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| The Agave macroacantha on the foreground went home with us |
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| And this silvery, hairy, and spiky beauty... |
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| Puya laxa |
The nursery is pristine and very well organised and their presentation is perhaps the best, if not one of the best of the nurseries we have visited in the UK so far. It's great to see this nursery looking and doing very well and seems to be going from strength to strength through the years. It was a delight to see it again and must remember not to leave it too long before our next visit!
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.
That's like exploring a botanical garden and you can take the plants home. I'd have wanted to take home two or three of those nice pots on display too. The seating and tea concession is a special touch we rarely see in our nurseries.
ReplyDeleteIt is Shirley. The addition of all those seating areas within the greenhouse was a great idea, very conducive to making one stag in the area longer and shop :)
DeleteThe puya is fabulous, as is the whole nursery, as was your post on it! The Furcraea macdougalii is one of my favorites, nice to see it appreciated.
ReplyDeleteSuch a stunning plant that is Denise, glad to hear you're a fan of it as well :) if we only had the greenhouse space for one...
DeleteThat cushy, leather (!) seating area in the greenhouse is crazy fun! What an exotic nursery. Not what comes to mind when I think of English nurseries, but I'm beginning to realize you guys can grow anything at all, like those lucky Portland gardeners.
ReplyDeleteI love those worn leather seats too, they look great in the setting and definitely a great to put in there. The weather here is very similar to Portland, sans the summer heat though :)
DeleteWonderful! I've followed their blog for years now and this was a special treat to be able to "visit" with you. Plus whenever you guys go a nursery visiting I always discover a new plant or three. I'm currently wishing that Sorbus aucuparia 'Chinese Lace' was available over here...
ReplyDeleteYou would definitely enjoy visiting this place Loree, with parts of it reminding us of Cistus Nursery too :) that sorbus might be available there perhaps?
DeleteI can't say we have a tropical nursery that nice here, even if our climate may be more conducive to growing many of these plants. As Shirley said, it has the feeling of a botanical garden rather than a retail establishment.
ReplyDeleteThe variety of plants they have and great presentation certainly helps give that botanical garden look to it Kris :) we really enjoyed our visit!
DeleteGreat buys, and what a great nursery. Wish I was having tea and cake surrounded by lush tropical plants right about now...
ReplyDeleteWith spring on its way there you might be having tea surrounded with lush foliage there soon Amy :)
DeleteWhat a fantastic nursery. Everything looks so fresh and lush. I'd love to go shopping there--and bring a truck for all my purchases. LOL.
ReplyDeleteAgave macroacantha is beautiful. I have one in the ground and look at it often. Will put Puya laxa on my wish list.
If only that's possible or easy Gerhard :) mind you wish we could do the same to nurseries there in the US. Puya laxa is definitely a plant you'll love in your garden!
DeleteWhat an amazing place! You showed incredible restraint but did get some beauties!
ReplyDeleteWe had out friend with us in the car so space was limited for purchases Peter. Also I can imagine if we went earlier in the year our purchases will be much bigger :)
DeleteGarden or plant nursery? Amazing! Love those tree ferns!!
ReplyDeleteBoth Stephanie, that's what makes this nursery great :)
DeleteI'd not head of this place! It looks amazing just for a visit even if you're not buying exotic plants. I love the vertical displays and the little agave that you took home.
ReplyDeleteIt's a destination nursery Celia :) great to visit just to see although purchases whilst there will certainly be appreciated!
DeleteWow. That is a real find. And I love the chesterfields. What a great place to deposit Mike while I get on with spending a fortune in peace.
ReplyDeleteYou'll love this place Jessica, and you have an area for Mike already whilst you shop away :)
DeleteWhat a fabulous looking nursery. Not only does it look so well stocked it looks inviting and inspirational too. Definitely a place to linger.
ReplyDeleteIndeed Anna! The inspirational bit are one of their best traits. Their planting is inspiring and you get ideas on how to use most of the plants they have for sale in a garden setting :)
DeleteThanks for showing us round. This is definitely on the list to visit now, should we manage to get to Norfolk. I wish other nurseries put as many seats in amongst the plants.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a nursery to include in your nursery round in Norfolk Helen :) so true about more seating in nurseries as it can get tiring browsing and looking at plants...
DeleteWow, another for my 'to do' list!
ReplyDeleteIndeed Libby :)
DeleteHope you enjoyed the rest of Norfolk as well, it's a wonderful place.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is Jon :) would love to visit your garden and meet you next time we're up your way again!
DeleteWow, what a beautiful nursery!! I love that Puya. ¿Do you know what country it comes from?
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa, I think the Puya originally comes from Bolivia :)
DeleteOh, what a fabulous place! I'd love to have a nursery like that nearby to wander through.
ReplyDeleteIf only this nursery was near us we'd be visiting it every month Alison :)
DeleteIt looks fantastic, and I think you were very restrained ! It must have been tempting to buy a van full of gorgeous plants! I would love to visit, as it looks superb - and also lots of places to sit and enjoy the views ! Did you visit Will Giles garden in Norwich whilst you were in Norfolk ?
ReplyDeleteHope you get the chance to visit it soon Jane. We were intending to visit Will Giles that weekend but alas we ran out of time. Definitely next time :)
DeleteThis could easily be your home away from home, koi and all. I was fascinated by how well the dahlias wove into the tropical theme.
ReplyDeleteThey've integrated the Dahlias so well with other exotics everything looked so...exotic! Glad you mentioned the koi Ricki, even with that we have a shared affinity with :)
DeleteLove that top photo! Looks like a great place, wish we had more places like this in the USA!
ReplyDeleteI think you may have several already John :)
DeleteAbsolutely WOW! I especially like all the cozy seating areas...Used to spend a lot of time in Norfolk area had in-laws in Hemsby. Wish I knew about this nursery then : )
ReplyDeleteHopefully you'll get the chance to visit it again Laurin :)
DeleteFabulous! i could spend all day there. I also saw some great Red Banana (Ensete maurelii) specimens. I lost my beloved red banana last winter and was sadly unable to find a replacement this year. I hope I don't have to go all the way to the UK to find one!
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunning place, looks as if you could spend hours there, and then bankrupt yourself. I really like that puya laxa.
ReplyDelete