I spent Sunday touring nurseries in the Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula areas. I thought I would just spend a couple of hours there. I ended up spending almost the whole day there.

First stop was Rosedale Gardens. They've been around a long time but it was my first visit there.

I was really impressed with the place. It sits on two levels with the main nursery down below and trees up above. The business is very eclectic with a strong presence of art. I really dug these huge metal chickens.

There's a lot of life-like bronze sculptures which always creeps me out (Frozen children!) and I'm told by another nursery owner that there is a "mini Butchart Gardens" being developed but I didn't get an invite in.

I was intrigued with their pottery display. While their selection is not as vast as Bamford and Bamford I actually liked it better. I came away with four great ceramic pots AND they were having a two-for-one sale. What beats that? (Well, maybe free pottery day.)

They have a good, varied plant selection. I saw lots of unusual hostas, grasses and other perennials.

Rosedale Gardens is at 7311 Rosedale Street NW in Gig Harbor. Their phone is 253-851-7333 and they are open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. seven days a week.

The photo below shows the pottery display at Rosedale.

Next up was Arletta Gardens & Boutique, 3508 Ray Nash Drive in Gig Harbor. This one-year-old nursery was equally impressive as Rosedale. While tiny in comparison the artistic eye behind the business comes through loud and strong.

The owner wasn't on hand Sunday but I was blown away by her displays of plants, the inside store and the unique display garden which recreates a beach scene. Near this row boat waiting for a passenger was a scene set up to resemble an ocean-side BBQ. I could almost hear the waves crashing.

Arletta Gardens doesn't have a website but their number is 253-265-2224 and they are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays.

Finally, I made it out to Blue Frog Garden Nursery. Owner Russ Smith showed me his green houses. One of them was full of Japanese maples - one of his specialties.

His personal gardens are amazing. This is his dry-stacked wall (below) with all sorts of colorful perennials.

Blue Frog is not open to the public except on special events. Luckily, this weekend (July 12-13) is one of those. Russ has invited Steamboat Island Nursery (one of my favorite Puget Sound nurseries) as well as a grower of ornamental grasses to sell their stock. Call 253-857-0127 or go to their website for more information.

I've never tried to grow lilies, but I was tempted to get the "African Queen Bulb-Zilla" from The Lily Pad's booth.

The fist-size bulb had a sign posted next to it saying the bulbs were only for sale at the show because they're just too large to ship. This was puzzling, as it's possible to ship furniture ... but I didn't ask. I like the idea of something I can only get here.

The African Queen is a hardy trumpet hybrid with an orange and burgundy bloom. It grows four to five feet tall and blooms in July. And all for just $6.99.

Other than the Lily Pad's booth and Windmill Gardens, there isn't a lot of actual plant life at the show. Makes sense: It's not exactly time to plant. But I did see an exciting promo for next season's show: They're aiming for 1,000 booths, which would make it the largest in Tacoma's history, as well as the largest combined home and garden show in Washington.

That takes place January 30 to February 3. I'm marking my calendar now!

Yesterday I came home to find my roommate cooking up a whole bunch of vegetables from his girlfriend's garden.

Both of them hail from Japan and I'm used to finding all sorts of unusual food products in the fridge.

But yesterday I found something new. They're called Nira, also known as Chinese chives. When the roomie wasn't looking I popped a few in my mouth. They were wonderful little bursts of garlic.

Later, roomie-san cooked them up in sesame oil with salt and pepper. They were fantastic.

The comprehensive Japanese cookbook, "The Japanese Kitchen" by Hiroko Shimbo says Nira is full of vitamins A, B and C as well as minerals like calcium. Shimbo says they are used in miso soup, dressings and stir-fry.

Next Spring I'll definitely be looking for seeds. I found some listed at Seeds of Change:

http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_center/product_details.asp?item_no=S17175

The leafy herb in this photo is Shiso. At least that's what the Japanese call it. Like most herbs, it shows up in multiple cultures.

Also known as Perilla and Beafsteak plant, it's used in Korean, Vietnamese and Indian cooking among others. I'm growing it in my garden from some seeds a friend in Japan sent me. The undersides of the leaf are red.

I first tasted the strongly flavored herb 20 years ago at a San Francisco sushi bar when a chef wrapped it around a piece of squid. I've been hooked ever since.

Cheryl the Pig Lady has been selling starts at the Tacoma Farmers Market where she patiently explains what it is to anyone who asks.

So, what does it taste like you ask? I wish I could tell you. Every comparison I've heard doesn't come close. All I will say is that it has a basil-like intensity.

If you know what to look for you'll find many shiso-flavored products in Japanese food stores. I use it to flavor salads, chicken and seafood.

Wikipedia has this to say about it: It is considered rich in minerals and vitamins, has anti-inflammatory properties and is thought to help preserve and sterilize other foods.

It contains several compounds, the most prevalent being perillaldehyde. Perillaldehyde, or volatile oils from perilla that are rich in perillaldehyde, are used as food additives for flavoring and in perfumery to add spiciness

If you are looking for a herb like no other give this one a try.

Want instant spring in your front yard? Did you blow it and forget to plant tulips last fall? The Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center suggests how to add instant spring:

You need: Nursery-grown potted bulbs

Where to find them: Nurseries and garden centers everywhere, between $4-$12

Choose: Bulbs that are young and still green, in bud, but not in bloom. Tulips , hyacinths, daffodils and Iris reticulata and dwarf Narcissi, muscari and crocuses.

Once home: Water the pots well and put them in a cold, but protected space to help them acclimate to the colder weather. Once acclimated for a day or so, slip them out of the pot and plant directly in your garden bed or in a container.

After blooming and the foliage dies back, just cut to the ground and leave them to bloom again next spring.

Source: Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center, www.bulb.com

Pictured here: Hyacinthus "Delft Blue,' Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades.'

A plant breeder from Louisiana has introduced a new kind of azalea that the breeder says will bloom through spring, summer and fall.

For real? Blooms through three seasons?

Here's what the company marketing propaganda says:

Encore Azaleas begin blooming each spring like a traditional azalea. Once this initial blooming concludes, new shoots begin to grow and set buds. Then blooms emerge again in mid-summer and continue in many areas until first frost; a feat no other azalea can consistently achieve.

Click here for details. The new azaleas (23 varieties) are scheduled to hit the market later this spring, but it doesn't look like any South Sound nurseries are carrying them at the moment. If you find one, please tell us about it.

"Autumn Amethyst™
Azalea x 'Conlee'

Grower details from encoreazaela.com: "With its dark lavender blooms, lustrous green summer foliage and attractive purple winter foliage, Autumn Amethyst offers vibrant year-round color to any garden. Preliminary university trials have shown it to be one of the most cold hardy varieties of the Encore Azalea line."

Soil needs: This plant prefers slightly acidic, well-drained soil.

Bloom Color: Dark Pink to Purple. 2 inch-bloom spam and single bloom form

Size: 4 feet tall