Sometimes, I have researched a plant that I simply need. It's perfect for what I need it for. It's ideal for my location and climate. Then I cannot find it anywhere (this happens with unsurprising frequency in a place like Tasmania). One such plant is the Verbena bonariensis: Incredibly popular in the UK for its drought-hardiness, it's tall flower stalks, an airy nature and ability to self seed.
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| inspiration pic |
Often referred to as "weedy", Verbena bonariensis's key role is to fill a space while still being 'see through', add height, and never really be the star of the show but a best supporting actor. And this is precisely what I wanted it for.
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| verbena and grasses are a perfect match, inspiration pic |
Last year I worked on an area in the centre of our yard which I call the 'Fire Pit Garden', it gets sun all day, and spectacular views to the mountains and of the sunset. It's a tough area to garden though, it's very hot and dry in summer and is heavy frost zone in winter. And of course, it has a fire pit.
I focused primarily on Calamagrostis Karl Forster: the toughest of grasses and Poa, some tough Tassie natives and prostrate rosemary and creeping thyme.
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| fire pit garden: calamagrostis and poa needing a little something to fill it out |
All of these grasses started with 2 pots which I divide year after year, which I will do again in spring to create quite a dense planting and to offset the grass planting I'll need Verbena which pair so well.
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| verbena bonariensis with calamasgrostis karl forster inspiration |
So after 2 years of hunting for plants, I brought in seed and had no luck whatsoever. I then discovered a nursery in the Huon Valley that stocked these plants which I so coveted. I contemplated the 90 minute each way journey, then decided to try buying plants online for the very first time.
The ordering process was easy enough, but I still had so much trepidation: How would they be packaged? Would they be roughed up on the journey? How long can a plant be happy inside a box? Would they dry out?
The order was placed on Wednesday 11 February, I promptly received a confirmation email and waited.
All orders were express mail and came with a note to check the order info on the website for delivery information.
I checked the website every day waiting for an update and or a tracking number.
Living rural, our post situation is a little different out here in that there is no mail delivery service to individual houses/mailboxes. All mail ends up at our local shop which we go to and collect as needed.
After a week, on the 19th, I decided to email the nursery for an update. They replied very promptly starting that dispatch notifications were sent out that very day and might be in my spam folder. It was. The plants had been sent earlier that week, but with no tracking number, how could I know where they were? The nursery then sent me the tracking number and the plants had been waiting for me at the shop.
Of course I was so worried that I'd get them and they'd all be dead! It was past close of business so first thing the next day, I scooted down to collect my hopefully-still-alive box of treasures.
Inside the box were my 3 plants, in pots, wrapped in cardboard. Excess space was filled with newspaper so they wouldn't move around. They also came with a guide of how to care for the plants and how to recycle the packaging.
The plants were trimmed right back to minimise damage and the potting media was carefully and tightly wrapped in wet newspaper to insure the soil didn't come loose but also to maximise moisture retention.
The plants were all very happy and healthy. I straight away planted two of them into the Fire Pit Garden. And the last one I kept as insurance.
My main goal is to hopefully have these flower and set seed before winter in the hope of making a hundred more plants for next season.
Would I mail-order plants again?... I'm not sure. But fortunately, there's nothing on my must-have plant list for now. I will certainly make a drive down to check out Woodbridge Nursery in person though.
Woodbridge Nursery
(not sponsored)
woodbridgenursery.com.au
woodbridgenursery@gmail.com
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