Thoughts on being a nurseryman, one year in

Roughly a year ago, I took my current position as Nursery Manager at Arrowhead Alpines. It has been quite an experience – a wonderful, exciting, mind-expanding experience. Here are some of the things I've learned:

1. I don't know anything about plants

Or rather, I don't know even a tiny percentage of what I wish I knew. As a home gardener, all I really needed to know was how different plants performed in my garden. Just one climate, one soil type. And from an aesthetic point of view, all I needed to know was if I thought a plant was pretty. In the mail order nursery business, I need to know how a plant grows in the ground, how it grows in a pot, how well is ships, how it can be propagated, and how it will perform anywhere in the contiguous United States. I find myself saying “I don't know” a lot more these days. Will this grow in deep south? Is this hardy in zone 3? I don't know! I've only gardened in zone 5! I'm also learning a huge amount, and wonderfully, often when I have to say “I don't know” to people, they go off, find the answer, and then send me an e-mail sharing what they have learned. Which brings me to the next lesson:

2. Most people are awesome

We've got a lot of great customers. I love checking my e-mail and finding notes from people who are happy with the plants they got or sharing information we can use, offering to give us a bit of something super cool and rare. People recommend us to their friends, write about us on their blogs, want to know how Brigitta is coping with Bob's death, and want to help. It is amazing. I love you people. That being said, however....

3. A few people are CRAZY

There was the guy last spring who drove through the nursery and off past all the buildings into the middle of the back field looking for the main office, who then, when Brigitta chased him down and got him back to the actual nursery, accused us of false advertising because we didn't carry all the plants mentioned in some random article in Fine Gardening magazine that we did not write. O_o Or the folks that order the miniature rock garden plants we specialize in and then complain that they too small (sort of the point, people...) It can be a little maddening. But mostly, I just have to laugh. And luckily, 99% of our customers are, as I said, absolutely wonderful.

4. I still like plants. And gardening.

There is always that fear that when your hobby becomes your job, it will suck the joy out of it. I'm very happy to say that hasn't happened. Quite the contrary, I think I'm even more plant obsessed than I was before, if that is possible.

Those are the things that come to mind... Anything you are wondering about the life of a nursery person? Ask in the comments and I'll try to give you an answer.

Batty for Buttercups

I've got a new obsession -- a tiny little buttercup, Ranunculus ficaria
Here's the low down on what it needs: sun or shade, happiest in wet soils, but not picky. It is a spring ephemeral, meaning it pops up early, blooms its head off along with things like daffodils and tulips, and then vanishes underground for the rest of the year. Which, for people like me who try and cram too many plants into too little space, is a good thing.
The wild species forms a mass of shiny green leaves topped with bright, bright yellow flowers. Nice enough, but not too exciting. But never fear, the cultivars are amazing.
For foliage, try these black-and-silver leaves of 'Dusky Maiden'

Or even more dramatic, the amazing black leaves of 'Brazen Hussy'

If you prefer subtler flower color, the over-sized pale yellow blooms of 'Randal's White' are for you

Or, you can go for the tangerine blooms of 'Cupreus'

One word of warning. Some of these do like to seed around the garden, especially in wet areas they can become a weed. I don't mind this too much, because they're so small, and present so briefly that they never harm other plants, but if you are worried, there is a solution. A most beautiful solution. Doubles.

'Flora Plena' is not only beautiful, all its naughty bits have been converted into extra petals, meaning no seeds, and no seedlings. It will spread slowly, by division, but never make a bid to conquer the world.
The same goes for perhaps the very cutest of them all: 'Collarette'

How can you resist those adorable little flowers?

You can get them all, of course, from my new employer, Arrowhead Alpines

A new chapter

Well folks, I have very exciting news! Next month I'm going to be starting a new job at... Arrowhead Alpines! If you read this blog regularly, you'll know it is my favorite nursery, a legendary place for everything rare and unusual, so I am very excited. What will be I doing for them?
Well, it is an incredibly diverse nursery with an incredibly small staff, so a little bit of everything! Can't wait. To give you a taste of what an amazing place Arrowhead is, here are just a few photos of plants that are looking gorgeous in their greenhouses right now:

Narcissus romieuxii

Cyclamen coum

Cyclamen hederifolium

Agave utahensis v. eborispina

Sedum tetractinum 'Coral Reef'