If I were forced to stop and examine my behavior over the last couple of weeks, I'd have no choice but to conclude I exhibit hopelessly obsessive behavior when it comes to acquiring plants. You're supposed to acquire plants in spring, right? And I did. Starting in mid-April. There was a large peak at the Frederick County Master Gardener plant sale which was followed about 20 minutes later by another peak at Surreybrooke Nursery. Oh, and the trip to Behnke's. Can't forget that. And Mr. H's neighborhood plant sale. All told, in those frenzies of acquisition, I purchased a couple of blueberry bushes, a couple of spice bushes, a laceleaf Japanese maple, a Bloodgood Japanese maple, four ferns, six Heuchera, a couple of hosta, six Dragon-wing begonias, Victoria blue salvia, a six-pack of zinnias, six Lemon Gem marigolds, three tomato plants, two eggplant plants, a cucumber, two squash, some arugula, some Rainbow chard, basil, four different types of thyme, a new Solidago, numerous coleus, impatiens and a couple of begonias. Mr. H gave me a camellia. And there was more I can't remember right now.
After all that frenzied buying, of course, there had to be frenzied planting. There were a couple of weekend days when it was all I could do at the end of the day to take a shower and crawl into bed. But we finally got done, except for the Solidago. Done. There's such a nice ring to that word. Say it out loud with me. Done. DONE. I like done. Time to sit on the Screened Porch of Happiness, drink a cool beverage and enjoy the handiwork.
So one would think. And then one day a week or so ago, I happened to "accidentally" click on Brent and Becky's website. HALF PRICE. It was like someone had drugged me. I was helpless. HALF PRICE. So I ordered 5 Trilliums (nursery grown and absolutely NOT wild collected), a begonia, 10 Crocosmia bulbs to replace the ones that didn't make it, two dahlias (What WAS I thinking, I'm a bad Dahlia mommy; I let them freeze.) and another lily. All of these but the Trilliums would go in my perennial border where there is not. one. more. inch. of room. But it was an order. In cyberspace. Ordered plants don't take up any physical space until after they arrive, so I still had lots of room.
I took a trip to the hardware store for mulch. It's a plot, I tell you. There were Epimediums calling my name, at only $5.07 apiece. Surely our azalea bed needed one. I bought three.
And then I made another accidental web site visit, to Bluestone Perennials. There ought to be a sign on that website saying "Abandon all hope of coming away empty handed, all ye who enter here." Again, the words HALF PRICE made my eyes all starry and caused me to abandon all reason. So, six hellebores, 6 anemones (hey, these are little guys in 3 packs), 3 aruncus, 3 brunnera (Jack Frost at a great price!), 3 iris, 3 hakonechloa, a heucherella, and more of the 3 packs of Salvia 'Wild Thing,' and Elfin Pink penstemon, I was able to escape and check out. But no harm, right? They didn't take up a bit of space.
And then the box from Brent and Becky arrived. It was just a wee box, and I was able to get everything in the ground the day it arrived, except for the begonia. And yesterday, the box from Bluestone arrived. It was a BIG box. There were a lot of plants in there, plants that will take up room. Where will I find room? They are all sitting out on the deck waiting to make me hurt all over again this weekend.
And that would be the end of my sad tale if I'd stopped this morning. But I didn't. Today, I hit Behnke's Nursery, or rather it hit me. I filled up the back of the Highlander with a cryptomeria to replace an American Holly that didn't make it, a Wichita Blue Juniper to replace one that died, one Sarcococca ruscifolia, two Sarcococca humilis, three aucuba (they were so little and cute, I HAD to bring them home), three Hoogendorn hollies, a viburnum and a Pinky Winky hydrangea.
And that brings me to the title of this post. Somebody, stop me, PLEASE. I need an intervention.
Don't fret Kim, you are not alone in your obsession. I just ordered a bunch of stuff the week before I went to Brent & Becky's (same 50% off sale). lol In fact I had got the order in the day before me & Janet went up there. ;) I could of saved on shipping huh? lol Actually I tend to buy things through the beginning of June and start back up at the end of August. Who am I to pass up a good sale or a much desired plant for that matter.
Posted by: Racquel | May 30, 2009 at 07:38 PM
No driveway quarantine? No indecision about where to plant what? You're my hero ... and I was strong and did not click those links.
Posted by: The Sorry Gardener | May 31, 2009 at 01:01 AM