I 'm Sheri Burke, plant lover, and let me say that if there is a plant nursery on my daily path of errands, I stop. If there is a nursery on my path to my BFF’s house, I stop. If there is a nursery on my path to visit family, I stop.

This stop-for-every-nursery path of mine led me to the idea of making yearly trips with my Aunt Patti (just as crazy about all things plants as I am) with no objective except to visit nurseries and public gardens. We pick a general destination, let’s say Oregon. We make a list of all the nurseries on our path, depending upon which freeway we decide to travel. And we head out!

I drive, Aunt Patti navigates. And we have a rule: she has her side of the vehicle, I have mine, and the two cannot encroach on the other without paying rent or a free plant. We take food and drink with us because stopping somewhere to eat means less time at a nursery!

Only after we have been thrown out of the last nursery for the day do we start looking for a hotel. Luckily, we have not had to sleep in the car. We love living on the edge. So come along and enjoy with us our journey of plant nursery joy!

First Visit?

JUST A SUGGESTION! Begin with post 01 Dragonfly Farm. Find my archives here.

November 5, 2021

46 Darling Daphne

I don’t even know where to begin explaining why I love Daphnes so absolutely much that it has become a bit of an obsession issue with me. Maybe because they're evergreen? Are drought tolerant and come in many sizes? Have fantastic foliage and fragrant flowers that bloom in winter? Or because the damn deer won't eat them?!
February 12, 2021

27 How Not to Remove a Wort

It begins at 10 o'clock one morning when I see my husband, Mike, standing outside looking up at the trees and the sky. This means he's trying to avoid starting his chores which—with his eyes looking upwards—are down below where he can't see them. Maybe they will go away, he thinks.
August 28, 2020

11 Bamboo Hell to Heaven

Back in the day, I was stupider about plants. I am now paying the price. Let's go back some 25 years. My husband has always loved bamboo, so I put a few varieties of bamboo in one of those extra large wine barrels (stupid mistake #1) and placed it on soil (stupid mistake #2).
July 7, 2020

05 Bang-For-Your-Buck Plants

To me, a Bang-For-Your-Buck Plant is a plant that gives me a lot for my dollar—in size, in its ability to live a quiet life alone as a specimen or focal point in the landscape, and in its WOW factor. Doubting a plant can give me these is one reason I tell Aunt Patti, "NO, that plant WON'T work!"

Sheri Lynn Burke

My journey began as a small child watching and helping my mom in the garden. Years later, I bought a home, had those kids, had an ugly landscape and thought, "I can do better." So for the next 10 years, thousands (and thousands) of dollars went to plants. But I became a serial killer as 80% of them died. "Screw this!" I said. I had an eye for design but didn't know how to keep the damn plants alive! I procrastinated for 5 years ('cuz I wanted more death) and then became a certified Master Gardener. Four years and three pieces of paper later, I got a Horticulture degree. No longer a serial killer, I'm now a landscape designer and contractor with my own business. I had to train this green thumb that I got from my mother. But, Mom, I owe it all to you!

 
November 5, 2021

46 Darling Daphne

I don’t even know where to begin explaining why I love Daphnes so absolutely much that it has become a bit of an obsession issue with me. Maybe because they're evergreen? Are drought tolerant and come in many sizes? Have fantastic foliage and fragrant flowers that bloom in winter? Or because the damn deer won't eat them?!
February 12, 2021

27 How Not to Remove a Wort

It begins at 10 o'clock one morning when I see my husband, Mike, standing outside looking up at the trees and the sky. This means he's trying to avoid starting his chores which—with his eyes looking upwards—are down below where he can't see them. Maybe they will go away, he thinks.
August 28, 2020

11 Bamboo Hell to Heaven

Back in the day, I was stupider about plants. I am now paying the price. Let's go back some 25 years. My husband has always loved bamboo, so I put a few varieties of bamboo in one of those extra large wine barrels (stupid mistake #1) and placed it on soil (stupid mistake #2).
July 7, 2020

05 Bang-For-Your-Buck Plants

To me, a Bang-For-Your-Buck Plant is a plant that gives me a lot for my dollar—in size, in its ability to live a quiet life alone as a specimen or focal point in the landscape, and in its WOW factor. Doubting a plant can give me these is one reason I tell Aunt Patti, "NO, that plant WON'T work!"