Note to self: more Tigridia next year please!

Okay, I know Tigridia pavonia is not hardy except in nearly frost-less climates. The flowers only last a day. But if you're a color-whore like me (and who isn't...confess) few plants deliver with more delicious dollops of vivid color...and keep doing so day in day out for weeks in the hottest season. I post these to remind myself (and you) to plant more of these next Spring. A LOT more. So now, sit down and enjoy the show...

 

Master Plantsman

Peter Liekkio

The Colorado Cactus and Succulent Society is extremely lucky to have this fellow fly down from north of Seattle (where he has a fantastic home, garden and nursery) to speak at our Tuesday September 16 meeting in Gates Hall at Denver Botanic Gardens. Although open to the public, you will need a special code to enter through the Pinon Gate...email me (telesonix@outlook.com) and I'll give you that code...it will be worth the effort!

What follows will be some random glimpses through his amazing greenhouses which I visited thanks to an invitation from Jerry Vaninetti to speak to the Seattle cactus club way back in November of 2023. Jerry is quite the impresario--he invited me to speak to his NEW club in Sacramento last January. Meeting Liekkio was a highlight of that wonderful Seattle visit.

The greenhouses are full of the most remarkable plants--thousands of them!--but check out those pots as well! He is an amazing potter--especially known for his endlessly variable miniature pots, like this one!

Peter sells both plants and pots--mostly at cactus sales in his region, and at a select retail outlet. He'll be bringing an assortment to the Denver meeting--another good reason to come to his talk!

On and on they go!

I was so entranced with both plants and pots I took an absurd number of pictures--it's been a challenge to winnow them down for this post!

You can see from his expression how much he enjoys what he does--I believe that's an Anacampseros in his fingers...

He grows a number of South African bulbs as well--the gems of the West Cape are his passion--and that's what he'll talk about to us--how to grow them and show them off!

Love that mixed batch of pots...

More plants!

I have developed a love of tuberous Sinningias: he gifted me a plant of S. bullata

I think Peter's plants and pots speak for themselves--scroll on and I will pipe in again anon...

I dedicated a whole blog post to this plant: check it out!

Is the pot upside down or is it the plant?

Get a load of this bathroom! His place is beyond amazing!

And a view of Puget Sound very near the house...

Love this double-fisted sow of Tylecodons--he'll be bringing a number of choice miniatures to Denver--one of my favorite succulent genera.

Get a load of that Othonna in the layered pot!

I came away with one of those Oxalis too....

And here are a few Oxalis palmifrons he grows in a raised bed outside in Puget Sound--simply fantastic.

Don't miss this fellow! I've never seen plantsmanship and artistry so perfectly blended!