One of my favorite nurseries is Jungle Fever Exotics, located near Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, WA. This nursery is known for it’s exotic plants, many of which push the limits of cold hardiness for Western, Washington. OH, and they have some very cool bamboos, too!
You won’t find a website for this nursery (Jerry and Darlene don’t even own a computer) so you’ll just have to go see it to believe it. Jerry has been in the plant biz for close to thirty years, the last fourteen of it at Jungle Fever Exotics. Jerry has an impressive plant pallete and has a wealth of knowledge about growing oodles of marginally hardy plants for our area. Along with plants, you’ll find an eclectic collection of statuary and garden ornaments. The landscape plantings stretch from the nursery several hundred feet along the sidewalk in front of the nursery and the adjacent residence. The dense mix of trees, flowering shrubs, bamboo, palms and perennials (to name a few) flank both sides of the walk, creating a jungle refuge for pedestrian and wildlife alike. OK, here are some pics I took during my visit. Click on the pic to view a larger image.
View of signage from sidewalk on Pearl Street
Nursery entrance off of Pearl Street
Jerry and Darlene in typical greeting form
Livestock trough and concrete pillar bubbler
Very nice Phyllostachys vivax - big new shoots
Close up Vivax - new shoot and awesome culm sheath
View down the sidewalk sanctuary
Yellow form of vivax along the sidewalk
Below, one of the very few Fargesia nitida that has yet to flower.
A pair of Fargesia nitida flank both sides of the walkway
A mature speciman of Borinda boliana - a rare sight
A new shoot of Phyllostachys dulcis branching out
If you would like to visit this nursery, call Jerry or Darlene for hours and directions at 253-759-1669.