Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Spring Plant Sale 2007

-

I suppose it's a good problem to have, when you're a multi-hobbyist and two big events for two of your favorite, but very different hobbies fall on the same weekend.

One of those big events is the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden spring plant sale, which, conveniently for me, is held Thursday through Saturday, allowing me to attend it on Thursday so that I can spend the rest of the weekend at the other long-anticipated event.

It does pose a dilemma for me, though. My mind is definitely conflicted, as I walk from vendor to vendor, admiring table after table of beautiful plants, and the voice in my head says, "You're leaving town tomorrow for three days. You won't have time to plant everything you want to buy. Keep it simple." The little voice tends to win, especially if I have only my two arms, rather than a big cart to carry my purchases.

There are other things I tell myself, to keep from grabbing every pretty thing I see. Such as, "You've planted that before. It didn't last more than one season."

Or, "You can buy that at a local garden center."

Or, "Just admire these for inspiration. Keep them in mind to purchase later, when you have the time to really put more effort and plants back into that flower bed."

And finally, "Just take a picture of it. You don't need to own it to admire it."

So that's what I did:

Spectacular flowering maple (Abutilon sp.)
-

Foreground: "Knock-out" Roses.
(Note to self: buy these at local garden center.)

-

It seems every vendor had a plethora of Heucheras and Tiarellas
-

Pretty purple columbines
-

I love this guy's birdhouses, which he makes out of scrap wood and old garden tools:

He sells them for dirt cheap, too. I don't think anything was much more than $20. I own two, but would have bought more, except that all of the really tall ones were already gone.

Anyone in a serious plant-buying mood should go to the Recycled Plant Tent first, as you can find many items there for about half of what the other vendors are charging:


I didn't leave the plant sale completely empty-handed, but I was a very good girl and came away with just a few purchases, albeit ones that make me very, very happy.

First of all, I got a Dappled Willow (Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki'), which I've wanted for ages, but wasn't willing to pay Jackson & Perkins prices for it. I got mine for less than half of what J&P charges for it.


And I bought two 'Nikko Blue' Hydrangeas:

to replace the ones that died during the summer of hell. I vow to try to do better about watering them this summer, even if it means another feeble attempt at drip irrigation.

Finally, I broke down and bought this Gardener's Pouch:

but it's not for me. It is for my friend Susan, a rabid Arkansas gardener who raises dogs and cats and goats and chickens and miniature horses and cattle. She's always talking about how much weeding she does around her garden, and how her animals love when all the fresh green weeds are thrown in their pens, so I thought this just might help her do the job. The girl selling these also had a booth at last Saturday's Herbs Galore, and I figured if I see something twice in one week, and both times it makes me think of how much another person would like it, then I'd better just go ahead and buy it for that other person.

I will pop it in the mail to her tomorrow. Hope she likes it.

Looks like I've got some things to plant when I'm back in town next week! Here's hoping the weather is nice.

-