The Intentional Garden Purchase
Today a large thunderhead built directly over my house and entertained me a bit as I weeded with a lightning and thunder performance, followed by a half-hearted attempt at rain. What I realized as I watched the show was the southward migration of the sun, and the seemingly rapid shortening of the days. Yes, fall is in the air. We do have our own signs of the seasons for those outside enough to recognize them.
As I weeded my sorely neglected garden (surely you've heard the expression "the cobbler's children never have shoes?), I discovered a well hidden color pak of Limonium tartaricum. If you identified that lovely bit of Latin as German statice, a gold star for you! The color pak wasn't in the best shape. The little plantlets were more than root bound, they were alive, but just barely.
May I give you a great bit of advice? Be intentional about your plant purchases. I know how hard this is, trust me I do. "Hi, my name is John, and I am a plantaholic". "Hi John." I'm guessing that since you're reading my little garden blog you have as big a problem as I do.
I was at Walter Andersen's today, and it was so hard to get out of there without breaking out my wallet. It took a fair amount of discipline to enjoy meandering through all those aisles full of color, perfume, and beauty. But I did it. Halfway through my visit, I put back the two plants I'd selected, walked out to the car, and patted myself on the back. All too often, I bring plants home, only to have them die on the patio. Or they languish spotted in a bed, perishing before they get the chance to grow in my garden. I'm not alone, am I?
Before your next nursery run, check the garden for the purchases from the last nursery run that never got planted. Avoid the impulse buys. Give your garden the once over. Are there things that need to come out and be replaced? Are there voids that need filling? Make a list. On your nursery excursion, buy what you need based on size, color, and texture needs. Avoid those impulse buys. And if you do buy something, plant it right away. At the nursery, don't buy more than you can plant in a couple of hours immediately upon arriving home. DO NOT GO IN THE HOUSE UNTIL THAT NEW PURCHASE IS PLANTED. You'll save a boatload of money, and your garden will look better for it,
As I weeded my sorely neglected garden (surely you've heard the expression "the cobbler's children never have shoes?), I discovered a well hidden color pak of Limonium tartaricum. If you identified that lovely bit of Latin as German statice, a gold star for you! The color pak wasn't in the best shape. The little plantlets were more than root bound, they were alive, but just barely.
May I give you a great bit of advice? Be intentional about your plant purchases. I know how hard this is, trust me I do. "Hi, my name is John, and I am a plantaholic". "Hi John." I'm guessing that since you're reading my little garden blog you have as big a problem as I do.
I was at Walter Andersen's today, and it was so hard to get out of there without breaking out my wallet. It took a fair amount of discipline to enjoy meandering through all those aisles full of color, perfume, and beauty. But I did it. Halfway through my visit, I put back the two plants I'd selected, walked out to the car, and patted myself on the back. All too often, I bring plants home, only to have them die on the patio. Or they languish spotted in a bed, perishing before they get the chance to grow in my garden. I'm not alone, am I?
Before your next nursery run, check the garden for the purchases from the last nursery run that never got planted. Avoid the impulse buys. Give your garden the once over. Are there things that need to come out and be replaced? Are there voids that need filling? Make a list. On your nursery excursion, buy what you need based on size, color, and texture needs. Avoid those impulse buys. And if you do buy something, plant it right away. At the nursery, don't buy more than you can plant in a couple of hours immediately upon arriving home. DO NOT GO IN THE HOUSE UNTIL THAT NEW PURCHASE IS PLANTED. You'll save a boatload of money, and your garden will look better for it,
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