Tag Archives: Oudean’s Willow Creek Nursery

A Visit: Oudean’s Willow Creek and Courting Frogs Nursery

I recently returned from a family vacation up in Seattle, WA. I love it up there! While I was up there, I had the privilege of visiting my friends Karen Oudean (Oudean’s Willow Creek Nursery) and Jerry Addington (Courting Frogs Nursery.) While at Jerry’s I had the grand pleasure of meeting Pheadra Dunko and Kinjie Coe. It was great meeting you both! (Brie – sorry I just missed you! Next trip!) I put a short video of clips from each place together above. Hope you enjoy it. Below are slide shows from each nursery, and a few highlight photos from each visit.

Karen and Jerry – Thank you as always for your kindness and hospitality!


Oudean’s Willow Creek Nursery – View Fullscreen


Courting Frogs Nursery – View Fullscreen

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Oudean's Willow Creek NurseryOudean’s Willow Creek Nursery

Oudean's Willow Creek Nursery
Oudean’s Willow Creek Nursery

Oudean's Willow Creek NurseryOudean’s Willow Creek Nursery

Oudean's Willow Creek Nursery
Oudean’s Willow Creek Nursery

Oudean's Willow Creek Nursery
Oudean’s Willow Creek Nursery

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Courting Frogs Nursery
Courting Frogs Nursery

Courting Frogs Nursery
Courting Frogs Nursery

Courting Frogs Nursery
Courting Frogs Nursery

Courting Frogs Nursery
Courting Frogs Nursery

Courting Frogs Nursery
Jerry, The Carnie Godfather
Courting Frogs Nursery
(Left to Right: Me, Kinjie, Jerry, Phaedra)

A Visit: Courting Frogs and Oudean’s Willow Creek Nurseries

Note: If the video is a bit choppy, try turning off the HD by clicking “HD” in the lower right corner.

Back in February I had a nice visit to my other favorite city, Seattle. Whenever there, I always travel out of the city and visit two very good friends and inspirations in my growing: Jerry Addington (Courting Frogs Nursery) and Karen Oudean (Oudean’s Willow Creek Nursery). I took quite a few photos and put together this small montage with only a fraction of the photos and video clips that I took. Bear in mind that these photos were taken in the cold still of winter, and the plants are all still dormant. There were even solid frozen water puddles here and there at Jerry’s place. Snow eventually fell that evening as well, and that’s always nice to this California boy who never sees snow. The pitchers you see are mostly remnants of last years growth. You’ll see a lot of S. purpurea and purpurea hybrid pitchers for example as it’s one plant that can withstand the cold. Even outdoors the S. purpurea’s shrugged off the cold as if it was nothing. At Karen’s place, her outdoor growing areas were covered in frost cloth as an extra precaution to protect the plants.  Winter was a nice change of pace to visit Seattle, Jerry, and Karen. Hauntingly beautiful place. But, I must say that visiting their places during active growing season is quite a sight to behold; it’s simply amazing and I hope to return again soon to see it all in it’s full growth glory!

Jerry and Karen – thank you again so much for your kindness and hospitality!

Seattle, a Prologue

Hello from Seattle again everyone!  I don’t know exactly what it is about this place that I love so much.  Is it the coffee in this city? Perhaps.  It’s a hauntingly beautiful city indeed.   Anyway, for now a few photos to share with y’all.


[The Needle]

Yesterday, I did get a chance to visit a couple great friends and Sarracenia inspirations to me –  Jerry Addington and Karen Oudean.  It’s always great to see them and reconnect.   I am always awestruck and dumbfounded whenever I visit them,  it’s just amazing stuff happening at their nurseries.    (I’ll add a post later on with more photos and perhaps even video.)

Now,  It’s very early in the season and pretty much all of the Sarracenia up here are dormant versus the active growth I have back home.  Heck, today it was snowing.  Snowing! For me this is a big deal – I don’t get snow where I live.  I was watching the white flurry fall from the sky in utter amazement.


[A field of Sarracenia purpurea – Jerry Addington’s Courting Frogs Nursery]


[A few Sarracenia still looking good- Karen Oudean’s Willow Creek Nursery]

I only have a couple days left here in Seattle – and I am savoring every moment of it.   Sleepless in Seattle I am, for I am in love with this city.

A special THANK YOU to Jerry Addington and Karen Oudean for your hospitality, generosity, kindness and inspiration. Thank you so much!


[Washington Sky]