www.blueheron-farm.com

 

   Blue Heron Farm & Nursery    
  About Blue Heron Farm
Contact
Directions
How to Buy from Us
Native Plant List
---Availability & Prices
Hardy Bamboo List
---Availability & Prices
Certified Organic Berries & Vegetables
   

                                                      

 

Blue Heron Farm is located near the town of Rockport, in the wet but enchanting foothills of the upper Skagit Valley. We have been farming here since 1979, and growing bamboo since 1981. We were among the first members of the Northwest Chapter of the American Bamboo Society and Washington Tilth Producers, the organic growers organization.  Our food crops include organic raspberries, blueberries, garlic, carrots, potatoes and winter squash. We offer bulk purchases for canning, freezing and winter storage. Please inquire if you are interested.

We are devoting more time to building the selection of nursery plants and specialize in hardy bamboo. We also offer an eclectic selection of native plants and permaculture or multipurpose landscape plants. These are largely grown with organic methods, although we do use slow release commercial fertilizer for our potted plants.

We sell our nursery stock to both retail and wholesale customers. Visits to our nursery are welcome but must be by appointment. We farm in a couple of locations and aren't always here at the home place. Please call ahead (360-853-8449) to schedule a good time to visit.

Contact--

Blue Heron Farm & Nursery LLC
12179 State Route 530, Rockport, WA  98283
360-853-8449 (voice & fax)  --  als@fidalgo.net 

Directions to the nursery--

If you are coming from Skagit or Whatcom County follow Washington State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) east from I-5, 8 miles past the town of Concrete to the town of Rockport.  Follow directional signs towards Darrington and Arlington, and turn south at the Rockport Country Store onto State Route 530, also signed as East Sauk Road.  Immediately cross over the Skagit River and proceed one mile south. Watch for a sign indicating the Rockport-Cascade Road intersecting from the left (east). Our driveway is after the sign but before the turn. The driveway is on your left.  It's easy but you have to watch for it.

If you are coming from the south, you have two options. You can continue north past Mount Vernon to Burlington and turn east on SR 20, or you can exit I-5 at Arlington (Exit 208).  A sign on I-5 just before the exit gives two route choices for the North Cascade Highway (SR 20). The first one is State Route 530 which will take you right past the nursery. Simply follow the road 50 miles to milepost 66. Right after this mile marker, the next right is the Rockport-Cascade Road. Our driveway is the first right just 75' north of the intersection. If you arrive at the SR20 intersection at Rockport, you went too far, turn around and come back.

From Seattle allow about two hours travel time, from Mount Vernon it's about one hour. The Upper Skagit Valley is a beautiful place; plan a picnic in Rockport State Park, hike up Sauk Mountain or just make some time to sit next to the river.

Once again, you will need to call ahead for an appointment so we can be sure someone is there to talk with you.

How to Buy from Us--

All the prices shown are retail, based on you picking up your plants at our nursery.  Washington State sales tax here is 8.0%.  Please inquire if you require plants shipped to you, or if you are seeking wholesale or quantity discounts. 

We appreciate your interest in our plants and are always happy to answer your questions.

We have instructions for planting, care and control of bamboo available.
Please send a self addressed and stamped envelope for your free copy.

Anne Schwartz & Michael Brondi

 

 
     
 

Native Plant List

Trees- Conifer

Abies grandis (Grand Fir)

Slow-growing true fir suited to large gardens, preferring sunny open habitat with well-drained soil. Handsome and well adapted tree, uniformly spaced branch whorls on a symmetrical base-

Tsuga mertensiana (Mountain Hemlock)

Though naturally a high-elevation evergreen, it is successfully used at low elevations. its growth form is irregular and compact, with dense bluish-gray-green foliage, ideally suited to borders, rookeries and containers as well as groupings or drifts in a garden.

Shrubs

Amelanchier alnifoliia (Serviceberry)

Deciduous dark green 4-6 foot shrub flowering early in spring with clusters of white petals. Leaves turn showy red or yellow in fall with dark purple berries for birds or "Saskatoon" pie. Dry site adapted, likes sun--partial to full. Makes a good border plant.

Oemleria cerasiformis (Indian Plum)

Deciduous shrub grows to 8 feet. First to-flower in early march with clusters of white flowers. Olive-size fruit progresses from pale green through rich peach colors maturing at purple. Favored by birds and wildlife. Deciduous, adaptable, to either moist or dry conditions.

Philadelphus lewisii (Mock Orange)

Very fragrant, long-lasting white flowers cover this multi-stem shrub. Deciduous, with light green leaves, it grows to 8 feet or so, and is adapted to a variety of sites from forest edge to open, drier sites.

Physocarpus capitatus (Pacific Ninebark)

Deciduous tall shrub with clusters of creamy white pincushion blooms, and bark that shreds and peels in layers. Likes moist sites.

Cornus stolonifera (Red Osier Dogwood)

Multi-stemmed shrub with white flat cluster flowers in mid-late spring. Leaves showy in fall, part of them turning red. Stems remain bright red through winter.  Grows 6-9' tall

Viburnum edule (High Bush Cranberry)

Has edible berries-after mid-spring blooms of white flowers in large flat clusters. Grows 2-9' tall.

 

All seed stock is local, collected from the Skagit watershed, low elevation sites.

Plants in containers and grow bags are available immediately.
Burled and burlaped plants available seasonly.

 

 
     

 

  Blue Heron Farm & Nursery
2009 Native Plant Availability & Prices
       
  Species Size Height Price  
  Abies grandis
(Grand Fir)
5 gallon
B&B
4-6' $15-20  
  Tsuga mertensiana
(Mountain Hemlock)
B&B 5-8' $75-150  
  Amelanchier alnifolia
(Serviceberry)
1-2 gal 2-4' $5-8  
  Oemieria cerasiformis
(Indian Plum)
1-2 gal 3-5' $5-8  
  Philadelphus lewisii
(Mock Oranage)
1-2 gal 3-5' $6-10  
  Physocarpus capitatus
(Ninebark)
B&B 3-5' bushy $7-10  
  Cornus stolonifera
(Red Osier Dogwood)
B&B 3-5' bushy $7-12  
           
           

 

   

Hardy Bamboo List

Bamboo is an amazing plant; a grass that can be mowed occasionally with your lawn mower. or tower 50' in the air.  You can eat it, build and weave with it, feed it to livestock, and it remains green year-round in your landscape.

There is a spot for bamboo in every garden; either as a ground cover in the shade of other trees and shrubs, or as a two story evergreen hedge that whispers in the breeze and surrounds you like a forest.  Some grow and spread very fast.  Others take several years to reach their mature size.  We have listed our bamboo in three categories by height and maturity:  small (less than 8 feet), medium (10-30') and timber (over 30').

We recommend root barrier for low maintenance control of bamboo, especially near sidewalks, gardens and close neighbors.  This is a tough vinyl material, 24" wide that can be buried in the ground to prevent bamboo rhizomes from spreading beyond desired boundaries.

 

 
    Small Bamboo These are useful ground covers, as they remain green through most winters and are low maintenance.  If they start to look tattered during the winter, simply mow back to the ground and in the spring they will come back with lush green growth.  We custom dig these by order and can sell bare root or in 1-2 gallon pots  
   

Arundinaria humilis

Dwarf, bright green ground cover, excellent for steep banks

 
   

Pleioblastus argenteostriata

Dwarf with white striated leaves, prefers shady locale, attractive ground cover

 
   

P. chino vaginatus variagatus

Small, narrow, white striated leaves.  Becomes a thick, attractive shrub-like plant

 
   

P. viridistriata

Dwarf with yellow striped leaves, very attractive ground cover, does best in sunny locale with afternoon shade

 
   

Sasa palmatta  (Sushi leaf Bamboo)

Exotic and tropical appearance, makes a nice screen, does well in pots, very vigorous

 
   

Sasaella masamuneana albostriata

An attractive variegated bamboo; thick leaves have white or cream stripes

 
    Clumping Bamboo These varieties spread very slowly because the rhizomes don't spread horizontally, and they are therefore more easily contained than other bamboos.  We have several varieties of  the Genus Fargesia as well as a new Chusquea.

 

 
 

Fargesia Dracocephala

A delicate and graceful bamboo, the culms are covered with a bluish-white powder when young; originally from the Himalayas, it thrives in Pacific Northwest gardens; shade and cold tolerant, it is slow growing, attaining a mature height of 15' and forming a clump over several years time; makes hard garden stakes; plant in a location protected from the afternoon sun.

Fargesia Rufa

Noted for it's red hued culms, reaches a mature height of 8-10'

Fargesia murieliae

A good stout clumper, reaches a mature height of  10-12'.  Has a nice blue cast to the culms, very winter hardy, wants some afternoon shade.

    Medium Bamboo These varieties make excellent hedge or screen plants; evergreen, they can be pruned to desired height; all varieties have edible shoots and make useful poles

 

 
   

Phyllostachys  aureosulcata, & P. a. alata (Yellow Groove Bamboo)

Very vigorous; excellent edible shoots, one of our most hardy bamboos

 
   

P. bissettii

An exceptionally hardy and beautiful bamboo with dark green leaves and culms

 
   

P. flexuosa

An attractive bamboo with tops that bend gracefully; beautiful screen or hedge, very hardy; good edible roots and strong culms

 
   

P. humilis

One of our most aggressive bamboos (and that's saying something!); this variety should rapidly provide a dense hedge and visual barrier

 
   

P. purpurata (heteroclada)

Very hardy, useful for garden stakes; makes a graceful screen; the most tolerant of of wet sites of all the bamboos we grow

 
   

Semiarundinaria fastuosa

Forms a dense hedge; erect and useful stems, stately appearance; tolerates wind and salt water sites; culms turn reddish-brown as they age

 
   

S. okuboi

Similar form to fastuosa but leaves are much wider compared with other bamboos; makes and excellent hedge

 
   

Bashania fargesia

An unusual and somewhat rare variety that resists the bamboo mite, makes excellent poles and is very attractive as a landscape plant or hedge

 
    Timber Bamboo These are varieties which may be expected to grow to 30' and more.  Several of these bamboos have been in the Pacific Northwest for decades and have achieved true timber proportions.  We have large plants available and priced individually.

 

 
   

Phyllostachys nigra (Black Bamboo)

A stunningly beautiful plant whose glossy black culms are valued by traditional flute and furniture makers

 
   

P. nigra 'Bory'

A fine and vigorous timber bamboo; Bory has green stems with black markings; it is known for good wood and flavorful shoots

 
   

P. nigra 'Henon'

An excellent timber variety, very cold-hardy; fine leaves in dense masses give this variety particularly beautiful foliage

 
   

P. nigra 'Meguruchiku'

This variety is very similar to P.n.'Henon', except that the culm grooves are brown or black; generally rare in the US, there are several large and beautiful stands of Meguruchiku in the Puget Sound area

 
   

P. nuda

One of our hardiest with tasty edible shoots; produces dark green culms which become useful strong poles in 3-5 years

 
   

P. rubromarginata

This variety stands very erect, with strong slender internodes; very cold and wind tolerant; a vigorous variety, highly valued in China because of the superior quality of its culm wood and gourmet shoots

 
   

P. viridis 'Robert Young'

These culms become gold with a bright green stripe down the stem; both shoots and culm wood are excellent quality

 
   

P. bambusoides 'Madake' (Japanese Timber Bamboo)

A truely spectacular variety, needs a little room to reach it's full potential, slow to reach maturity, but gets very larges culms, very dramatic in the landscape.  Very useful wood.  The classic Japanese timber bamboo.

   

We have over 100 varieties of hardy bamboo.
  If you are interested in something you don't see listed, please contact us.

 
   

 

 
       

 

  Blue Heron Farm & Nursery
2009 Bamboo Availability & Prices
Max Max Min    
  Species height Culm dia temp Size Price
  Arundinaria humilis 4' 1/4" 0 bare root or1 gal $3-8 
  Pleioblastus argenteostriata 3' 1/4" 10 bareroot or1 gal  $3-8
  P. chino vaginatus variagatus 6' 1/4" 0 bareroot or1 gal  $3-10
  P. viridistriata 3' 1/4" 0 bareroot or 1 gal  $3-8
  Sasa palmatta 9' 1/2" 0 3 gal
5gal
 $8-20
  Sasaella masamuneana albostriata 6' 1/4" 0 1 gal
3 gal
 $3-10
  Fargesia genus, all are very hardy 12' 1/2" -20 6-16' $25-45 
  Phyllostachys  aureosulcata, & P. a. alata 26' 1-2" -10 3-20 gal $25-75 
  P. bissettii 20' 1" -10 3-10 gal  $25-50
  P. humilis 20' 1" 0 3-10 gal  $25-50
  P. purpurata (heteroclada) 18' 3/4" 0 3-7 gal $25-40 
  Semiarundinaria fastuosa 25' 1-2" 10 5-15 gal $25-75 
  S. okuboi 25' 1-1½" 0 3-5 gal  $12-18
  Bashania fargesia 25' 1" 0 5 gal $30-50 
  Phyllostachys nigra 30' 2" 0 3-10 gal  $30-75
  P. nigra 'Bory' 50' 3" 0 3-5 gal $25-50 
  P. nigra 'Henon' 50' 3" 0 3-10 gal $25-75 
  P. nigra 'Meguruchiku' 50' 3" 0 3-10 gal $25-75 
  P. nuda 35' 1-2" -20 3-10 gal $25-60 
  P. rubromarginata 55' 2-3" 0 3-10  $25-75
  P. viridis 'Robert Young' 40' 3" -5  custom order
P. bambusoides "Madake" Japanese Timber 40' 3-4" 0 custom order
  --We have other varieties in smaller quantities.  Please ask if you are looking for varieties.          
  Root Barrier, per foot       24" wide $1.50
             


We have been growing certified organic vegetable since 1979.  We grow blueberries, raspberries and a large selection of vegetables.  Our produce is available at two Farmers Markets in Skagit County,  Saturday in Mt. Vernon by the revetment from 9-1pm, and Wednesday in Sedro-Woolley at Hammer Heritage Square (by the Gazebo)  from 3-7 pm.  These markets run from May thru October.  We sell produce to the Skagit Valley Food Coop, to the North Cascades Institute Enviromental Learning Center at Diablo and to Spud Organic Home Delivery business in Seatlle.  We are custom growing seed crops for the Organic Seed Alliance.  We have a small CSA, and shares are available.
Copyright 2009