Specialty Nursery Profile: Cistus, Sauvie Island, Oregon

My path frequently crossed with Sean Hogan when I would travel to Pacific Northwest for work and holiday. Sean’s nursery Cistus, which was started with his late partner Parker Sanderson, frequently came on my radar whenever Portland’s gardening culture was mentioned, and given the maritime Pacific Northwest’s enviable climate, the range of hardy plants especially those sold at Cistus was almost enough to inspire one to uproot from East Coast and move westwards. It’s worth a drive outside of Portland to visit the nursery premises where you can buy anything from a mature Yucca rostrata to a 4” inch pot of Arum palestinum. While one can’t haul a large yucca conveniently in a carry-on luggage, one can arrange to have more manageable plants sent by post (mail order list here). Cistus is a good example of the owners not fitting the adage of the cobbler’s children going shoeless –Sean and his current partner Preston Pew are now creating an exciting garden on Sauvie Island near the nursery.

Sean, when you returned to the Portland area after working in UC Berkeley Botanical Garden, what was the horticultural scene like? Were people adhering to the English garden traditions?

For sure it was a mix as so many horticultural publications were based in the East Coast that adhered more in general to English gardening. At that time perennials were big… but indeed more in the giant delphinium or hollyhock category than the Mediterranean one, but Portland was its eclectic self with a mix of so many things combined with the fact that unless you don’t water, nothing ever quite dies…which is not always for the best. I quickly found out that since the East Coast points are the majority of Oregon’s wholesale market, it was actually rather difficult to find climate-adapted plants with the majority grown by small specialty nurseries. That difficulty drove us, maybe more quickly than planned, into growing small batches of plants for our own projects.

For all the precipitation Portland receives in autumn, winter, and spring, people outside of the region assume that summer is equally wet. Consequently they are surprised to discover how warm and dry summers are. How has this climatic pattern altered the way plantings are approached in Portland now?

Despite growing change all over the world, the West Coast has not yet changed much simply because of the large body of water (Pacific Ocean). On our island northwest of Portland we receive about 22” of rain annually, about 90 percent from November to March. So Portland for instance, compared to areas north receiving 20 to 40 inches a year depending on terrain, is somewhat dry, and one really feels it by May and June when cool season grasses turn golden. I like to joke that Portland really does have beautiful fall color, not in fall but in May and June when the red maples planted as street trees go dormant. We really enjoy planting for the place, granted that it had different meanings for different people but we are lucky enough to have the best of both worlds. Many people here, including ourselves, garden with the exquisite plants that Eastern North America, Asia, Mexico and other summer rainfall places have to offer, and I for one don’t want to be without them.  BUT sometimes we think of those plants within a metaphorical courtyard where water can be concentrated and we can have our jasmines, gardenias, camellias and hydrangeas. Outside of that zone, Arctostaphylos, Ceanothus, Calocedrus (Incense cedars), Pacific Coast Iris, Zauschnerias etc…

It might be people’s perception or understanding more than the change itself. Remember we have many people coming from the East where it’s hard to fathom so many months without water, or from California where it must be “Snow Falling on Cedars”. And yes, we have observed countless chopping down palms or monkey puzzle trees because they don’t look “Northwest.” To some degree it’s not just about wanting to do the right thing and use fewer resource-demanding plants but jeez! How about a $300 a month water bill? So the conundrum for us is sure, easy peasy with a new design. It’s fun to do something to misquote a Gary Larson’s Farside cartoon, about two polar bears holding an igloo and saying: “ I love these, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle!”.

Basically use the water where it counts like areas near the house, and western and Mediterranean plants around the outside. You get winter flowering, evergreen foliage and food for our own native pollinators.

Loropetalum chinense, seen here on the left in a private Berkeley, California garden, is fully hardy in the Portland area, but is unreliably so in the Washington State’s Puget Sound region. It’s a Chinese shrub that benefits from having summer heat to ripen its wood, and indeed it is a popular landscape shrub in Southeast U.S.

Preston, you have had years of working in the horticultural scene of the Puget Sound, Washington State. more recently as a horticulturist of the U of Washington Botanic Garden’s Pacific Connections garden. What are some of the key differences in climate and planting you see between the Puget Sound and the Portland area?

 One of the striking differences I have noticed in planting between the Puget Sound and Portland is the range of plants that endure periodic drought in the Seattle area since many will not tolerate the same periods here. For instance, Hebe (Veronica), which can go a month without water in the Puget Sound, needs irrigation at least every few weeks or you can lose them to drought. The difference between us is about 8 to 12 degrees, being cooler up north, which makes a big difference for some plants and the amount of soil moisture available over the summer. Another difference I have seen is that some plants that are marginally hardy in Seattle, are more reliably hardy here. Loropetalum is a good example of this hardiness difference. In Seattle they can make it in mild winters but are often damaged or killed unless protected or planted in a rarified spot. Loropetalum are planted more often here and are even used in commercial landscapes. I attribute the additional heat we have here ripening the wood by the fall, whereas in the Puget Sound, some plants go into winter with softer growth and are less hardy for it.

Advocates of dry or xerophytic planting often caution beginners that plants need to receive crucial watering in their first season before they are capable of enduring dry periods. How do you advise or guide your customers and clients on the proper irrigation for first-year plantings? 

First of all, we like to say that plants are a bit like puppies, if a plant is summer rainfall for us, you can’t just receive it, water (or feed) it once and expect it to succeed on its own. It will be on life support for its entire life! For natives and Mediterranean or even periodic drought plants, the first year is indeed crucial, planting in autumn so the roots can dig deep during the first rainy season and possibly supplemental watering for the next season or two are important to develop a better deep root system. With our design projects we’ve found it is necessary to cheat a bit. “Cheating” is supplementing water in late spring and again in fall before rains return. This tactic is due to the summer fire potential and the fact that many plants, thought adaptable to long periods of summer drought, will “survive”. However, “surviving” can mean looking like s***, so maybe some people just wish that it hadn’t survived so they could get rid of it (* laughter *), so a bit of love makes the plant look better at the end of the season. A good watering system, even for droughty plants allows one to water deeply during the shoulder season and keep things in their prime. Even with this type of watering, drought adapted gardens reduce water use up to 70% compared to traditional gardens.

Cistus prides on promoting and producing plants found in western mountain regions of Baja Mexico, Mexico, British Columbia, and Canada, the US Southwest, and other areas like South Africa and Australia that have Portland’s Mediterranean climate. To do so, both of you frequently botanize and ferret out interesting variants in these places. What are some of the areas you two return over and over?

Its true we tend to be drawn to places that go summer dry or well at least part of the year, because that’s where so many cool plants are, and they tend to love it here in western Oregon. What we find most interesting is that many plants, even those already in horticulture were collected kind of well on the way to the beach and not necessarily from the highest or coldest habitats. So we look at a given species extreme ranges elevations further north and further south, with frost pockets (the opposite of hot pockets). In doing that we can add a zone or sometimes two, and therefore more endurance. Some areas we return for collecting are the closest, from the western Cascades just to the east of us, to the Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon and northern California. These places still offer so many treasures. All it takes some seed, some cuttings and a little testing and off we go. Other favorites have included maritime Southern Hemisphere habitats such as New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina. Some are not as summer dry as western Oregon, but they still share overlapping characteristics. Other places would be the infinite mountain ranges of the southwestern US and Mexico where so many things have yet to be introduced.

Agave ovatifolia ‘Frosty Blue’ with Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera and Acacia baileyana in a private residental design by Cistus.

What are some of the ‘cool’ discoveries from the plant hunting trips that are being evaluated and propagated?

We’ve been concentrating of late on western droughty stuff while still keeping an interest in plants from all over. We’ve been selecting about a zillion Arctostaphylos for introductions in the West. Selection for disease resistance and garden tolerance and sometimes attrition and managed to name about half a dozen a year. To a lesser degree, the genera Ceanothus and Rhamnus (Frangula) the same. A bit more universal might be continuing to work with bold textured plants and increasing their range of hardiness—we manage to collect a lot of Opuntia in the west and southwest selecting them for spine color pad color and flowering though I admit, were more partial to the spines than the flowers since they are year around and are pretty dazzling when they are in a spot with nice backlighting. Moreover many are cold hardy to zone 4 or even into zone 3. Agave ovatifolia ‘Frosty Blue’ and Yucca rostrata ‘Sapphire Skies’ are a couple of plants selected for not only their bold colors but for being in a particularly cold range of habitat making them pretty useful in Zones 5 to 7 respectively. Another focus has been New Zealand with so many unique plant forms; we’ve concentrated on South Island plants, especially those from the island’s interior where were looking for not only individual species but range extensions of populations able to withstand more frost and equally as important, more intense summer heat. Examples might be divaricating coprosmas, dwarf sophoras, astelias and phormiums where knowing their extreme limits of the ranges give them a likely edge.

Cyclamen coum (X-mas leaf pattern)

Trillium kurabayashii

Given limited space, specialty nurseries often have to thread the fine line between commerce and ‘pet’ collections. Each place has their philosophy of balancing this line. How do you two both manage propagating what the market is willing to purchase but remaining mindful that innovation only comes from trialing new plants?

Any nursery that is doing new things is also part botanical garden, and having public garden backgrounds, we are always attempting that balance, feeling the need to be Noah’s Ark (preserving important genetics) and having enough space to grow crops to sell, to support these efforts. Our “balance” sometimes seems to be a combination of the two extremes. For example, we are lucky enough to have new acreage to be able to plant out, and a number of larger design projects where we can do the same. Another concentration has been on suitable street trees especially for the West, notably evergreen and drought tolerant oaks because a collection of these trees can eat up space pretty quickly. So unique individuals and hybrids are planted out quickly and at least one spot of the nursery is pretty disciplined to growing these entirely destined for sale. Other much smaller favorites are Trillium selections, especially our native T. kurabayashii, Cyclamen and a few select Helleborus. These perennials take a lot of sowing every year to assure that there Is a crop for sale two to three years later. Mother stock is grouped in the garden by their desirable characteristics, again leaving a bit more space for production.

The Opuntia man-cave at Cistus is the manifestation of a childhood love for cacti (Sean, you had been given a guide to cacti in eastern Oregon at the age of 11). What do you find particularly alluring about this ensemble of prickly characters that may deter other people? Any favorites you wish to single out?

Opuntia ‘Achy Breaky’, one of Cistus’s Opuntia introductions.

Ha! For kids, succulents, especially cacti, are kind of the equivalent of dinosaurs, as a great way to get them into science and nature is to give them a cool Kalanchoe or peanut cactus and watch them go. I was lucky as a kid to have parents always out exploring in local mountains, deserts, coastlines etc.… so when I learned there were native cacti, that knowledge cinched it. Transport forward a few years and we have plants that are uniquely Western, beautiful in form and easy to reproduce! With the chaos of the world it’s really quite soothing to be in that “man cave” growing out and making everything right with the world. We now have a few hundred of both our and others’ collections that we have on rotation on our mail order list. It’s funny about the spines, and yes, they can be annoying especially to the un-initiated (no, don’t rub the bunny’s ears cactus against your face!) but well… people are into roses and I find them fairly obnoxious, having certainly drawn more blood than any prickly pear.

Arctostaphylos columbiana x patula

One native shrub that has been receiving tremendous attention at Cistus has been Arctostaphylos or manzanitas, that have their center of diversity in western North America. Why is this genus untapped and promising for Western gardens?

Thought we talked a little about manzanitas earlier, their recent popularity stems from a couple of things. For one reason, much of our nursery industry is focused on central and eastern North America and our traditions are still heavily influenced by the traditional English garden. I like camellias and hydrangeas, but it’s still easier to obtain them here than any native shrubs. A second reason is that people are learning more about their own climates and what native plants want. Another slightly more subtle issue is the baggage behind growing Western US native plants. Such plants, such as manzanitas are unable to withstand the fungal activity promoted with summer watering. Warm soil plus moisture equals “cooties’ and often death, so the promotion of separating traditional garden plants from only winter rainfall/summer dry species, is key for success. The concept is easier with a new garden when people build specific areas of the garden for creatures such as Arctostaphylos and allow themselves the art of “not nurturing’ native soil, drought, and low fertility, leading to success and a desire for more. This education has been some time in coming, but I can say now there’s a high demand for manzanitas and we are doing our best to keep up with it. Really the only manzanita to escape the West Coast is Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and until recently, the majority of what has been planted were Northeast US selections unable to withstand summer drought here on the West Coast. Now there are West Coast collections and hybrids that are more successful. And with the understanding that many species can be divided between clay and sand growers and coastal and interior species, it has become easier to pinpoint what plant might do best where, with the West’s varied topography and climates.

New Zealand plants are well represented in your mail order catalog—I count lists of Coprosma, Corokia, Hebe, Pittosporum, and Sophora, which are sadly not hardy outside of the maritime West Coast. Some of these plants need some summer water, therefore I am surprised to learn of their adaptability to the Portland climate. What is your advice on successful establishment of New Zealand plants in the Pacific Northwest?

The main reason we grow so man New Zealand plants is because they are cool. With so many bold forms, divaricating patterns and interesting coloration, those plants are really hard to resist and are so wonderful for creating different effects in gardens. Indeed, we don’t consider any New Zealand plant drought resistant in our part of the world. So the simple answer is that we water them for the duration of the summer. Fast drainage and lean soils are a plus for many of these plants. In the cooler coastal fog belt or further north where drought is less severe, a surprising number of these plants are well adapted and can endure longer periods between irrigation though winter cold will limit them more than summer drought.

Please name a few plants here that Cistus has been promoting, but have yet to resonate with customers for unknown reasons. Perhaps a mention here or two will whet people’s appetite!

Sometimes it’s not necessarily about promoting a plant. We have a lot of the plant community interacting with what we do, and sometimes it is just a matter of taste HA! We like a plant, but nobody buys it— they have bad taste! In reality though we experiment with and grow a number of things either not for the faint-of-heart or for very specific situations in the garden. An example might be our interest in divaricating New Zealand plants. They are intriguing for their textures and colors as well as their evolutionary history, but as far as décor goes, it’s pretty specific. I mean, who wouldn’t want to collect every plant that’s the color of liver and sometimes looks like a dead thing that keeps getting bigger? So lets just say some of those plants are extremely popular among a very limited number of people. A great example are some of the new Zealand pittosporums like Pittosporum divaricatum with exquisite intricate patterns of black divaricating branches and purple-black leaves positioned evenly along the stems that look like ladybug larvae. The flowers.. Wait for it… are black! But at least they smell of cinnamon red-hots. Pittosporum patulum, a similar species with slightly larger leaves, grows strongly upright like an Italian cypress. We love using them with contrasting colors like Ophiopogon ‘PD Ingot’ or Libertia peregrinans with yellow or orange foliage colors respectively.

One of the Cistus’s high profile projects was the Argyle Winery in Dundee, Oregon. As I have seen with my friends at issima, it is interesting to note how the landscape architecture firms are reaching out to collaborate with horticulturists on planting projects. How did Cistus come to work with SERA Architects and its landscape architect Dan Jenkins on the winery’s project? What were some of the takeaway lessons?

Unfortunately there is still little collaboration between architecture and landscape. SERA did a beautiful job on the buildings at Argyle but the project was more of a parallel than a collaboration. With the desire of the client to have both building and landscape “of the place”, we were able to discuss and coordinate a number of colors, textures, vantage points and intuitive wayfinding elements into the garden.

 Your previous garden at your former home, a four-level 1915 Craftsman house in Northeast Portland, was a remarkable oasis in itself -a grove of Trachycarpus palms that teleported you to Bali in the back garden and in front, a silvery palette of eucalyptus, yuccas, and manzanitas exudes a Southwest US vibe. It too was a convening point for botanists and horticulturists worldwide. How is the new garden in Sauvie Island, 15 miles outside of Portland, shaping to be a different experience for both of you?

First of all, we don’t allow visitors! just kidding. The project here at what we are now calling the Rancho is the stitching of the old nursery gardens with 5 acres of new territory. As dictated by exposure and landform the majority of the front gardens lean toward Mediterranean and western native with the back under existing planted woodland is beginning to feature Asian broadleaf evergreens, Mexican flora and yes a couple of palms. No worries, there will be parties. One fun project, after finishing a long desired rock garden, we are replacing overgrown rose (and blackberry) arbors with bold New Zealand kind of steroidal meadow planting that will fade outwardly into a native or at least nativesque planting that will blend with our new found view of pastoral Sauvie Island.

Mahonia eurybracteata (M. confusa)

Quercus hypoleucoides

What would be your desert island plants?

So where is this island? Is it tropical? Is it in Arizona’s Gilla River? There are just too many great plants from so many good places. But if this island had a mix of climates we’d have to have some of our accrued favorites. We love rosette-forming plants like Yucca rostrata (Editor’s Note: it has been hardy in Mid-Atlantic US region and NYBG, Wave Hill, and Chanticleer have mature specimens). Of course evergreen oaks like Quercus hypoleucoides (silver oak) from the mountains of Arizona into Mexico and adaptable to a wide range of conditions anywhere Zone 6 or above. We would have to add the genus Trillium at the moment too, though our collection is limited at the nursery (gladly taking donations of cool ones), we’ve been concentrating on Western ones such as Oregon natives T. kurabayashii and T. rivale. Maybe one more would be the genus Mahonia (Berberis), it is hard to imagine life without them at this point. We’ve been playing a lot with hybridizing with the Asian species as well as the western ones. A good example being the silver forms of Mahonia eurybracteata (M. confusa) –every seed batch yields ever more exquisite silvery sheen colors so we’ll have to have at least two on the Island.

Any advice you wish to impart to people who want to start specialty nurseries?

Don’t… Or at least have day job first. No, actually it has been really encouraging to see after a few years of multiple declarations that the small nursery world was” dead”, more people with keen interest are beginning to propagate what they love. Here in the Portland area we have micronurseries starting up selling everything from begonias to gesneriads, carnivorous plants and western natives; of course.. everything turned into kokedama and slapped onto the wall. So anyway our next venture might be a black mold service. For somebody about to begin, it’s important that one has a pre-set interest in the plant category, and a love of propagation. Margins are thin so you better love it. Another thought that with so many friends into plants but not necessarily social types, just make sure you’re ok with making lots of new friends. Most people are super enthusiastic making interactions rewarding. But be prepared for those that are never happy, and enable yourself to let them go, maybe with a Google map to the nearest big box store.

INTERVIEW BY ERIC HSU WITH SEAN HOGAN AND PRESTON PEW

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN HOGAN AND ERIC HSU