Monday, April 13, 2009

Let the Plant Hording Begin!

I'm already off to a great start this year if I were being judged on the category of excessive plant purchasing! I have ordered 22 daylilies, large quantities of muscari, daffodils, narcissus, hyacinths, alliums, crocus, galanthus, hellebores, iris, chionodaxa, scilla, fall crocus, tulips etc... The season has just started and my eyes are already bulging! Every year I preach restraint but that flies out the window as soon as the co-ops get running and the pictures of all the lovelies are posted.

This year will be the year of the hellebore, fall bulb, iris, daylily, hosta, heuchera, all right, if your a plant you have a pretty good shot this year.


How am I supposed to avoid irises when I have iris catalogs laying all around my living room! I must have them. I'm hoping to order from Napa, Sutton's, Schreiner's, Mid-America, Iris Colorado, Snowpeak, and a few others. Good thing I'm working crazy overtime this summer. This one is Peace and Harmony. It's very large and fragrent. I love it.


I have to tell myself that these plants aren't going to just disappear! They will be around for years so I don't have to buy them all now. I'm not sure where that mentality and sense of urgency comes from. I guess my father is a bit compulsive when it comes to his hobbies. Okay, actually he is extremely compulsive. That settles it. I take after my father. I look like his side of the family and I shop like him.

I justify these purchases to myself by saying "these will multiply over the years so that when I am ready to start my business there will be plenty to sell." I think that's a pretty good piece of logic, right?

I'm doomed to a life of excessive and compulsive plant purchasing. It's not the most horrible of addictions but will cause controversy nonetheless.

Here are the plants that I acquired in 2006. I finally got them all planted last September. In total it was around 300 plants. Yes, the grass needed mowing,LOL.


This shot is my whole back yard. It's that tiny and yet I cram all I can back there. You can see that it is mostly irises but the back right is shady so that is where they shade lovers go.

18 comments:

Northern Shade said...

It will look spectacular next spring when all of those new bulbs you ordered come up. Large patches of bulbs have such an impact in the spring, when there is very little else in bloom or green yet. You have many of my favourites on your list.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I love the title of this post :) I do the same thing, trying to reason that I don't need to buy everything right now, I have all spring and summer. It's hard to resist them. Have fun with all the planting!

Joanne said...

I guess, on a certain level, it's a way of gathering beauty! Not a bad thing to horde.

Dirt Princess said...

Nothing wrong with a little hoarding...alteast you are hoarding good things and not junk!!! Have you ever heard of or seen a Walking Iris??? A friend of mine has one, and it is amazing. I attempted to take a pic of it the other day when I got the dreaded messgae "Battery exhausted"!!! AHHH!! I am going to go back and take some photos of it. She gave me one. It is white, with purple and yellow....very nice iris

Dirt Princess said...

Darla has picks of a walking iris @ her blog

http://familyandflowers.blogspot.com/2009/04/colorful-easter.html

Debbie's Garden said...

Lordy Woman! You have your work cut out for you! Next spring they should be beautiful though.

Heather said...

Good Golly you are busy. I planted potato starts and I am tired. You have managed to shop like me, which says a lot about our compulsiveness. I refuse to call it a problem as it doesn't seem to bother me any. Love it:D

Gail said...

I like an honest gardener...and you've been honest about your plant hoarding...we all understand and recognize the 'hoarder' within us! I can't wait to see them in thr garden and in full bloom! Or in their pots in full bloom! Have a great week! Gail

Lona said...

When it is flowers all rules goes out the door. Your irises will be gorgeous. I love the shape of your beds

Jennifer AKA keewee said...

I am looking forward to seeing photos of that beautiful yard.

The Country Experience said...

I am an addict. I am almost powerless over my addiction to plants. It's a fine line we tread, and sometimes we can't help but go over that line, lol.

Thank goodness I'm not the only one!

joey said...

A lovely iris! Please know you are not alone regarding your plant addiction!

tina said...

Wowser!

Unknown said...

LOL. I can totally relate. I guess that's one thing memory problems come in handy for. I ooh and ahh over the catalog, write extensive lists of plants I just HAVE to have... and then loose the list and forget I even ever wrote one. Good thing I'm a procrastinator. I guess "bad" qualities do come in handy after all. Good for the budget too.

Toni said...

The middle photo? [under that spectacular purple iris ... ] MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. reminded me of how I feel every time I watch The Secret Garden, when she finally gets the gate open and walks in -- how she imagines the garden as it WILL be. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

sweetbay said...

You have that many iris blooming already? Wow! Mine have just started. Iris bloom time is my favorite time of year. You have some real beauties.

VW said...

Hoarding? Me, too! After 8 years of no-garden-budget-marriage, I finally have something to spend on plants. I buy clothes at Target and scrimp in other ways so I can spend more on plants. Tomorrow a couple of mail orders are due to arrive - such excitement!

Anonymous said...

I won't have trouble finding your house ;) Do you need some aspirin with that ailment of plant overdosing. It's going to look grand though and what nice purchases.