New plants, cheap!
I'm determined not to go to crazy buying plants this year, as for the last couple of years I ended up with too many things to plant -- my driveway was a nursery for most of the year.
Since the harsh winter appears to have taken out plants throughout my garden, I certainly do need to add some new ones though, and to be honest, I couldn't resist buying at least a few plants every spring even if I had no place to put them!
Luckily we have a local nursery that grows most, if not all, of their own plants, and each year they offer small, inexpensive pots of perennials, annuals, and herbs. I can't resist each year. Here's what I bought...
First, some perennials to fill in holes of certain beds. Some Liatris spicata:
I'll plant that in the box visible from the kitchen window, as I had Liatris here years ago and a few plants still linger -- I miss seeing more of it here!
Also, I'll add a few more purple coneflowers to the same bed:
I started adding some last year, and it seems that only two of them are returning. I'll purple this bed up yet!
A couple of Gailardia, that I'm not yet sure where to plant:
Gotta have these though!
Some red-veined sorrel which I also don't know what to do with:
It's so attractive, I'll find a spot! (Edible too!)
Purple sage and more thyme, as I know at least one of my thymes has died:
Pineapple sage:
Not only delicious to smell, but those late-season flowers will make the hummingbirds happy!
Each of these plants was only $2, but I splurged and paid $5 for this bronze sedge:
I need to grow at least one of these each year, and they're not reliably hardy in my zone. I don't know yet if mine survived the winter -- possible because it was covered with snow for much of it.
I had an impulse buy too, but at $2 I'm not ready to join a support group yet:
It's a lupine. The leaves caught my eye, although I don't know where this will go (shade it seems) or how it will do in our climate. I've spent much more than $2 before to learn how to kill a plant, so again, I'm not concerned.
Finally, another Agastache:
This one is not cold-hardy, but I find it so hard to resist this genus.
Maybe I do need a support group after all?
Any new plant purchases for you yet this year?
Note that the liatris and coneflowers went into the ground immediately, and I even went back and bought more of both to plant in my prairie beds. The rest are still unplanted and a couple are dangerously wilted after being knocked over (raccoons? wind?) and missing out on the rain we've had. If they don't quickly rebound I'll need to spend another $6 to replace them this weekend I think.
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Thank goodness! I thought I was the only one who bought more plants than he needed. As addictions go, this isn't a bad one is it?
That sorrel (red dock or bloody dock) will grow as a marginal in your pond or stream!
No plant purchases yet. There's a big plant auction at an Amish sale barn this weekend... that is where I will come home with plants!
Those who saw this post early, sorry about the crazy title! Didn't notice that a photo link got pasted there accidentally!
At $2 apiece for plants that great, I'd be in heaven. I prefer to buy plants in small sizes (when I can find them) but even those in 4" pots here are usually priced $4-7.
Kris: they were only $1.25 five years ago, which was even more of a bargain -- so $2 seems a bit pricey now. ;)
Lisa: I'm going to try some in that application for sure!
What a bargain - lovely choices, too! I'm off to divide some perennials for the neighborhood plant swap tomorrow - rudbeckia, asters, liriope, iris...
Loved your plant choices....don't worry you're not going to need a support group...you're still quite restrained with your purchases...not like some other folks.....wink wink.
Anon: I wish there were enough serious gardeners nearby for a neighborhood plant swap -- that sounds fantastic!
Virginia: Ask me again in a month how restrained I was. :)